Epress.am News from Armenia
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has invited Father Sarkis Hovhannisian, the pastor of the Armenian Apostolic Church serving the Armenian community in the Bulgarian city of Varna, for a talk, though the latter has not yet presented himself since he is currently healing, His Holiness’ press spokesperson Father Vahram told Epress.am.
Father Vahram also noted that they receiving written notice about the incident involving Father Sarkis from the Bulgaria diocese in Nov. 2010.
“We will keep an eye [on the situation], and after the talk and examining the case, we will be able to make a decision,” he said.
Note in Aug. 2010, a number of Bulgaria-based newspapers and websites published stories on a “scandal” involving the priest.
On Jul. 31, Fr. Sarkis was attacked in the well-known nightclub Arrogance at the Golden Sands resort in Varna. On his way to the washroom, a few people attacked him with blows to the head, which resulted in an injury in Fr. Sarkis’ right eye. He was admitted at a local hospital for emergency surgery; for a long time, there was the threat of permanent blindness in that eye.
Speaking to Epress.am, members of Bulgaria’s Armenian community expressed their discontent that Fr. Sarkis continued to maintain his position in the Varna church.