According to the spiritual pastor of the Aruch parish, the venerable Father Manuk, Priest Zeynalyan, the day before yesterday, the prime minister, representing the country, was gossiping about his church in high-ranking European circles.
“As always, it seemed like this person got up, went, and told everyone what was going on inside the house, but he’s acting like a gossip. I can’t comment further,” Father Manuk said.
Pashinyan, in particular, noted that some initiatives against the peace process also affect the clergy and some organizations associated with them.
“In this fight against peace, some clergy and representatives of associated lobbying organizations are trying to spread information in the Council of Europe and other authoritative international bodies that the Armenian government is restricting freedom of conscience, that a dictatorship is being established in Armenia, and that there are political prisoners,” the Prime Minister stated.
Father Manuk said he was simply ashamed to hear what someone representing his country was saying.
“I am simply astonished. How can a ruler representing an entire country, the country’s prime minister, speak about high-ranking clergymen of his church? It’s simply disgraceful. I am astonished. How can someone representing an entire country, especially in such a difficult situation, when the entire region is engulfed in war, instead of addressing security issues, gossip about the country’s clergy in high-ranking European bodies. As a citizen of this country, I am sincerely ashamed that such a person represents my country.”
Responding to the Prime Minister’s statement that some clergy had assumed the “leadership of a military party,” Father Manuk Zeynalyan noted:
“If the Church is silent, who else will speak out about this? It doesn’t talk about prisoners, no government body does. On the contrary, every Sunday, from the rostrum of the National Assembly, they only talk about the Church.
Do you know why? Because the Church has become their mouthpiece. The Church thinks only about the sanctity of the Armenian family, the security of this country, and the strengthening of the army. I am simply ashamed that it is possible that the Prime Minister, representing your country, goes to these highest courts and gossips about the clergy of your Church. Don’t people see this?”
According to Father Manuk Zeynalyan, the Church has the right to speak out on issues important to the country.
“They did the right thing, but we lost everything, we lost our entire homeland, we lost so many sacred sites, we made so many sacrifices. If we don’t talk about this, who else will? Let them describe it however they want, let them say the clergy interfered in politics. Besides being a clergyman, I am first and foremost a citizen of this country. And what am I supposed to do if I don’t speak out? Ghazanchetsots, Dadivank, Amaras—we’ve lost so many holy sites.
They said: ‘We’ll give up Artsakh, we’ll rest.’ You gave it up, you rested. What peace are we talking about?’
Father Manuk also noted that he was surprised by the opposition’s reaction.
“At the very least, the opposition should provide an adequate description. They’re not responding and aren’t offering any characterizations. This is completely unacceptable. Members of the European Parliament are very interested in what your clergy is doing. Raise the issue of your country’s security. Who are you making Azerbaijan happy by dismembering your church?”