In a first in Armenia’s modern history, Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, will go to court to face criminal charges. The case concerns the dismissal of Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, with the authorities accusing Karekin II and other church officials of refusing to reinstate Saroyan. In response, Saroyan dismissed the Church’s claims, and instead accused Karekin II of possessing compromising material on all members of the clergy. The authorities barred Karekin II from leaving the country in February, but struck down the travel ban two months later in April. As accusations against the Church, and specifically against Karekin II, continued to grow, Pashinyan gradually made clear that he was seeking to oust the Catholicos.