Armenian Apostolic Church Governed by Criminal Laws: Former Clergyman

The Armenian Apostolic Church today entirely belongs to His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and his brother, Bishop Yezras Nersissian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan and the Pontifcal Legate to the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia, said Fr. Sahak, a former Armenian Apostolic Church clergyman who now works as a director of a foundation for teachers.

“They do what they want; no one can object. The list of high-ranking clergy has completely changed; they are getting rid of the serious priests. Today you’re an archbishop, a priest, a clerk — it’s all the same, you have the status of a clerk. Two people completely govern the church; criminal laws are at work in the church; the church differs in no way from this [criminal] world,” said Fr. Sahak, reports local Armenian daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”).

The former clergyman said that instead of being engaged in its mission, the church is engaged in business, money laundering and mercantilism. “There are high-ranking clergy in Etchmiadzin who have put minibus taxis on the line, they’re operating them. I don’t give names, they know [very] well who I’m talking about. This is the church,” he said.

Fr. Sahak also spoke about Mar. 1, 2008, and political prisoners. According to him, the church is afraid to raise these issues, the only exception being the Catholic Church, which held a mass for the 10 victims in the clashes between protestors and police (and military forces) that took place on Mar. 1, 2008, following the allegedly fraudulent presidential elections.

According to the former clergyman, the Catholic Church ran into problems with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for its decision. “Initially it was decided that the liturgy would be conducted by this church’s priest, Fr. Avetis Danielyan, and the names of the Mar. 1 victims had to be noted. But they didn’t let him. Another priest was sent from Etchmiadzin, who apart from the 10 names, also read other names, so not only the Mar. 1 victims’ names would be mentioned.”

Fr. Sahak said the Catholicos of All Armenians is obligated to intervene in releasing political prisoners in Armenia.