IIn the churches I often visit, such as St. Hovhannes in Kond and the Holy Cross Church in the Arabkir district, I have never seen old «կռավաթներ» (beds) or scraps of insulation material lying around. I don’t exclude the possibility that in remote or neglected villages there may be functioning churches in poor condition. But if the Prime Minister of Armenia has personally seen such churches, he should name them. Otherwise, such statements, especially when made in official settings like a government session (and using such vocabulary), carry no meaningful informational value.
As always, the issue isn’t just the words spoken “into the air,” but the context in which they are said. The claim that churches are “desecrated” was made right around the time the government was defending the idea of holding a wedding at the Sports and Concert Complex. The underlying message is clear: there’s nothing sacred anymore, everything is fake, everyone is a hypocrite—except for one truth-teller, the “leader,” who alone speaks on behalf of the people and embodies justice and reality.
This mindset fits neatly into the ideology of the current authorities: patriotism, national values, the Church, faith, history, heroism—all these are portrayed as illusions concocted by deceivers. The only thing that’s “holy,” the only thing that’s “real,” is simply to live, eat your fill, and have fun.
Read also
To be fair, this is a worldview many among the “broad masses” find quite acceptable. Its only flaw? You cannot build a state on this ideology.
…And is it normal to hold a wedding at a Sports and Concert Complex? Why not, then, at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall? Or the Opera House?
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
