On March 25, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Archbishop Ezras (Nersisyan), the head of the Russian and New Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Alexander Nevsky Order. The corresponding decree was published on the legal information portal, as reported by Sputnik Armenia.

The document notes that the prestigious award was granted "for significant contributions to the activities of the Council for Interaction with Religious Organizations under the President of the Russian Federation."

This is not Archbishop Ezras's first state award. In 2019, he was also honored with the Order of Honor, which was presented to him by the Russian president.

Since 2001, Archbishop Ezras (Nersisyan) has led the Russian and New Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Under his leadership, there has been active collaboration with Russian authorities and religious organizations, as well as the implementation of large spiritual-educational and social projects for the Armenian diaspora in Russia.

The Alexander Nevsky Order is one of Russia's highest state awards, granted for exceptional contributions to the state, society, and the people.