Catholicos of All Armenians defrocks priest who openly challenged him

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II has officially defrocked Father Tade Tahmazyan, spiritual pastor of the Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church in the town of Talin, Aragatsotn Province of Armenia.

The matter had been reviewed by the commission on church awards and disciplinary issues, which included the priest’s conduct on its agenda, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

According to Etchmiadzin, the decision to strip Tahmazyan of his clerical status was based on actions the church deemed to “discredit the clergy, including making public slanderous statements and committing anti-church acts.”

Reports also indicate that Tahmazyan repeatedly omitted the Catholicos (Garegin II) and the head of the diocese during liturgical services and displayed persistent disobedience toward church leadership.

Following the defrocking, Tahmazyan will be considered a layperson and will be known as Aramais Tahmazyan.

Father Tahmazyan had previously criticized the Armenian Church under Garegin II, claiming that vice and corruption pervade its hierarchy. Observers note that the Catholicos’ decision is widely perceived as an act of retaliation against a priest who openly opposed him.

By Vafa Guliyeva