Deacon Kristapor
And is not going to turn a blind eye to the situation in Belgium
Aravot has already informed that an unpleasant incident took place in the Belgian city of Antwerp last Sunday; two Armenian clergymen – Deacon Kristapor Froonjian and Deacon Karo clashed during the Mass. During a conversation with Aravot on the phone, Deacon Kristapor informed that Deacon Karo had even tried to hit him, which had been prevented by the priest saying Mass. Our interlocutor also stated that the morals in the local church were inappropriate for a spiritual center, about which he had informed the Very Reverend Zatik Avetikian, the Deputy Pontifical Legate of the Armenian Church in Belgium, many times, however, the latter, according to the deacon, had taken no notice of the problem.
Deacon Kristapor has been residing in the city of Antwerp, Belgium, for 10 years. Deacon Kristapor informed that he had assisted Sacred Masses in Antwerp and other towns of Belgium with the formation of the choir and other issues for free, but, according to him, he had left because of disorder and unpleasant phenomena. “After three years, I wasn’t able to get along with them any longer; regarding certain issues, they adhere to the mentality that they can privatize the church – the administration comprising of Deacon Karo and people from his entourage is not in line with any rules, nor is it in line with the canons of Echmiadzin. I have tried to persuade many times that doors should be open to everyone, but for some reason they wouldn’t like strangers to enter their backroom.” Our interlocutor told us that he had talked with the Very Reverend Zatik about this and other problems. “I have talked with the Very Reverend Zatik, as the Deputy Spiritual Leader and the Authorized Representative of the Pontifical Legate, about these issues many times; unfortunately, he wouldn’t listen to me and doesn’t care. I have talked to him lots of times, be it problems in Brussels, Deacon Karo, or the church in Antwerp, to elect an administration in accordance with the canons of Saint Echmiadzin, but he would never listen to me, he doesn’t care and doesn’t bother his head about anything. Thus, I resigned the diaconate and left the church. After that, I started to participate in Masses of other, sister churches, and then I went to the German Diocese, and they thought that I deserved being a deacon, and I regularly serve there.” Deacon Kristapor told us that Deacon Karo had stated that he considered his consecration void. It even reached a point when Reverend Khachatur who had been invited to say Sacred Mass asked Deacon Kristapor to leave, although he had agreed in advance that Deacon Kristapor would serve the sacred table. “Karo started to treat me impolitely, he said that I wasn’t a deacon, my diaconate was not valid, was void, I couldn’t serve,” our interlocutor stated. According to him, Deacon Karo and people who sponsor him have been ruining the Armenian Apostolic Church for 20 years now. By the way, Deacon Kristapor tried to enter the church again, but according to him, Deacon Karo and his supporters attacked him. “What happened in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Belgium was just outrageous. If Deacon Karo makes decisions here, who can enter the sacristy and who cannot, it is total disgrace,” the minister says. He stated that he was not going to turn a blind eye to this. “I served that church for free, whereas they treated me ungratefully and supported Karo, wicked Karo, an example of whose many felonious actions is marrying and baptizing without having a right to do that, since according to the canons of our church, only ordained priests can administer the sacraments.” The deacon has also sent a letter to the Catholicos of All Armenians, in which he warns: “Most Holy Father, we would ask and beg of Your Holiness, as the Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, to rescue our Church from this deadlock and chaos, which leads our Church to perdition.” Let us add that there already is a page on Facebook called “Stopgaro,” and people have expressed their discontent with what happened on the Facebook page of Deacon Kristapor.
GOHAR HAKOBYAN
P.S. We are ready to publish the other side’s opinion too.
Aravot Daily
