In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Friedrich Nietzsche wrote:
“The most silent words are those that bring the storm. Thoughts that come on dove’s feet guide the world.”
That is indeed so. When reading the Gospel, it is hard to imagine that Christ, even in moments of indignation or anger, ever shouted. Yet His softly spoken words have continued to echo for twenty-one centuries in the hearts of some 2.3 billion people.
But surely, among that immense number, there are many who still do not fully understand what it means to be a follower of Christ—who do not know, for instance, what the Divine Liturgy and Holy Communion are for. One must approach them in a state of calm and concentration: to read the Holy Scripture, to pray, to repent. As the medieval Armenian preacher Gevorg Vardapet Skevratsi wrote, “By feeding us with His Body and Blood, Christ desires that we become godlike.”
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Now judge for yourselves how appropriate it is to surround the Liturgy—with its sacred and contemplative meaning—with political shouting, with demonstrations of “nationwide love” for the “Führer” before, during, and after the service. Even Stepan Asatryan (formerly Father Aram), who lacked the humility to submit to church order and, after being “invigorated” by Pashinyan, decided to continue his priestly service, perhaps did not perceive the impropriety of it.
If Stepan wishes to express his love, loyalty, or admiration for his political leader, of course he is free to do so anywhere he pleases—except during the Liturgy. Yet he did precisely that, clearly hoping to earn applause. But what does it mean to clap for a political leader in the presence of the image of the Lord?
That was no Liturgy; it was a party meeting. As one of the Nikolist activists exclaimed, with striking honesty: “I don’t give a damn where I am!”
…Just like the “party activists’ assemblies” of the Soviet era, during last Sunday’s event—ironically called a “liturgy”—one could again hear exalted praises (здравицы) to the “leader.”
But even the Bolsheviks refrained from holding their party meetings inside a church.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
