The spiritual shepherd of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan, Father Sebeos Ghalachyan of the Nizhny Novgorod church community, did not allow Civil Contract (CP) deputy Narek Grigoryan to serve as godfather at a baptism. The justification was that this deputy refers to the Catholicos of All Armenians by his baptismal name, refusing to acknowledge him as the head of the Church. Many opposition-minded users and public figures welcomed the priest’s decision.
I find Father Sebeos’s reasoning entirely understandable: if, for you, the Catholicos is not a Catholicos, then a priest anointed by his hand is not truly a priest either.
And does a priest have the right to deny someone the role of godfather? Let canon law experts answer that question.
Yes, this MP behaved like a thug—during this incident as well. Like boss, like follower. (By the way, can anyone clearly explain to me—in the case of CP or any other party—what distinguishes a political team from a political gang?)
The role model for CP members is Pashinyan. And it’s obvious that anyone who wants to win the leader’s favor—especially to appear in an electable position on next year’s party list—should place no limits on their language or conduct.
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As for what can be opposed to this—I still struggle to say. On one side is a mob that controls the National Security Service, investigative bodies, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the police, and the courts. On the other side are clergymen and genuine believers, most of whom are bound by clear moral constraints.
What would this second group do if, for instance, the Prime Minister—flanked by plainclothes NSS agents—marched into the Mother See and declared it a “people’s movement”?
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
