Armenian officials launch sharp rhetorical offensive against Catholicos Garegin II

Allies of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have sharply escalated their criticism of Catholicos Garegin II, accusing him of betraying Christian principles and unlawfully retaining his position.

According to Caliber.Az, citing Armenian media, the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Araik Harutyunyan, delivered an especially pointed rebuke. He remarked: “Have you noticed with what orgasmic rapture the supporters of Ktrich Nersisyan (Catholicos Garegin II — ed.) — both clergy and journalists — pronounce the word ‘tiradav’? Meanwhile, ‘tiradav’ means ‘the one who betrayed the Lord’.”

Harutyunyan continued by arguing that the term fits Nersisyan himself: “And since there are not many people who have betrayed the Lord, and Ktrich Nersisyan stands at the head of them, he is the one who is the tiradav, because above him stands only Jesus Christ. There are more than enough examples of how he betrayed Christ. Therefore, from now on this term applies specifically to Mr. Nersisyan. And now, pronounce it with the same pathos.”

Further criticism came from the Deputy Speaker of Armenia’s Parliament, Ruben Rubinyan, who insisted that Nersisyan has no authority to remove clergy. “Ktrich Nersisyan cannot dismiss Saint Gevorg from the position of diocesan archbishop, because Ktrich Nersisyan is not a Catholicos,” Rubinyan said.

He added that the cleric remains in his position despite Nersisyan’s claims: “Therefore, Saint Gevorg continues to remain the head of the Masyatsotn Diocese. And Ktrich Nersisyan continues to remain a servant of debauchery and betrayal and must leave the Holy See, ending his unlawful presence there.”

By Tamilla Hasanova