One of the harshest punishments for the Primate of the Shirak Diocese, Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhian, is deprivation of the right to conduct religious services, the Holy Father’s lawyer, Yerem Sargsyan, told reporters.
“When he was in the correctional facility, the question of spiritual service was raised first and foremost, the question of his participation in religious services was constantly raised. He dedicated his entire life to spiritual service, and depriving him of this right is quite a serious problem for him; it is a harsher punishment than imprisonment,” Sargsyan noted.
The Primate of the Shirak Diocese, Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhian, will remain under house arrest. The Court of Appeals rejected the petition filed by the Holy Father’s defense.
However, the archbishop was permitted to participate in the Holy and Immortal Liturgies and receive Holy Communion.
Archbishop Michael was forbidden to celebrate Mass or preach.