Controversy in Armenian Church as priests accuse leadership of misconduct

Reports in Armenian media, quoted by Caliber.Az, indicate that Armenian Apostolic Church leader Garegin II (Ktrich Nersisyan) is taking disciplinary action against clerics who opposed him, as the Echmiadzin disciplinary commission prepares to review the cases of three priests who publicly criticised immoral conduct within the church.

Two of the priests, Father Aram and Father Tadeh, serve in the Aragatsotn Diocese. Father Aram, abbot of Hovannavank, was the first to publicly denounce what he described as “disgusting morals” prevailing in the church instead of adherence to canonical principles.

He was soon joined by Father Tadeh, the spiritual shepherd of Talina, who voiced similar concerns and stated that he could not remain silent.

The third priest, Father Taron Unanyan, took to social media to criticize church leadership, writing: “Under the cover of internal order within the church, the very mission of Christianity is ignored, when instead of the word of God, political texts, accusations, threats, condemnations are put forward, and instead of love for God, there is administrative cold-blooded indifference, devoid of canonical basis.”

The disciplinary proceedings at Echmiadzin are expected to address these allegations.

By Tamilla Hasanova