CA Appellate Court rules against Western Diocese of Armenian Church
Posted on August. 4. 2021
BY APPO JABARIAN
Executive Publisher / Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine (English-language print edition)
USA Armenian Life E-Newsletter (Electronic Distribution — e-blast)
Hye Kiank Armenian Weekly (Armenian-language print edition)
USA Armenian LifeFACEBOOK
www.armenianlife.com
On July 30,2021, Western Diocese continued to squander parishioners’ donations on legal fees in hopes of overturning the ruling of Superior Court Judge Hammock (Case no. 18STCVO2144) where he caught Pastor Manouk Markaryan of the Western Diocese red-handed in gross misrepresentations to the court.
In early 2019, the judge directly asked Harout Markaryan, son of the Pastor and Executive Director of the Western Diocese in his words, “What would the church do if it caught a priest lying?” Harout Markaryan, son of the pastor, answered: “He would be immediately fired and defrocked.” This was one of the issues that Judge Hammock made his ruling against the Western Diocese. Judge Hammock’s statement, “frankly I don’t believe, Pastor Markaryan at all,” and Pastor Manouk “was just covering himself and his butt.” Thus, on April 2, 2019 the verdict was in favor of longtime Armenian Church benefactor Dr. Petros Taglyan and ordered the Western Diocese/St. John Armenian Church Council to pay all legal fees incurred.
“It is mind blowing how a seasoned law firm would take this case to overturn a ruling when the previous judge himself witnessed lies. Why would three Appellate Court Justices rule against what the Superior Court Judge witnessed and ruled on?” lamented a lifetime senior parishioner of the Western Diocese.
“This case was an embarrassing scandal in 2019 for the Western Diocese. Today it shows a pattern of continued disregard for parishioners’ spiritual needs and continued waste. Go to any church in the Western Diocese and notice how empty. Seems like the Western Diocese needs a breath of fresh air. A good place to start would be a new Archbishop/Primate,” pointed another parishioner
Several other readers and/or members of the community contacted the editorial offices of USA Armenian Life Magazine, armenianlife.com, USA Armenian Life Facebook Page, USA Armenian Life E-blast and the Armenian-language Hye Kiank Armenian Weekly asking several questions or making various comments.
Below are a set of questions/comments that may help shed light on the potentially prevailing public opinion.
Arda M. stated to USA Armenian Life: “Before taking on a client or a case, does Ms. Nadia Sarkis, Esq.’s law firm investigate the truthfulness of the potential clients vying to secure her services as their legal counsel to handle their case in a court of law?”
Margaret K. M. asked: “At the time when your legal representation was sought by Arch. Hovnan Derderian and his colleague Western Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church spokesperson/Pastor of St. Garabed Church of Hollywood Manouk Markaryan, was Ms. Sarkis aware that her clients already had tarnished records as ‘liars’ in a U.S. court?”
Lilly S. offered another question: “Was attorney Nadia Sarkis not aware that her clients had a major credibility deficit/issue as they have been found ‘not credible at all’ by an American Judge in a ruling regarding the same case? [B298437 (Consolidated with B302536); (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. 18STCV02144]”
Charles B. wondered: “How does Ms. Nadia Sarkis respond to the American Armenian critics in Western United States and beyond of Arch. Hovnan Derderian, Pastor Manouk Markaryan and the pastor’s son Western Diocese Executive Director Harout Markaryan for recklessly undermining and embarrassing the Armenian Church through their lies and deceptive methods unbecoming of ‘spiritual leaders’”?
Alice K. said, she was exasperated by the “further embarrassment of the Armenian Church in the American Armenian community and the wider American society including the U.S. court system caused by sheer greed on the part of Arch. Derderian and his ally Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.”
Arthur B. asked” “As a longtime attorney, has legal counsel Nadia Sarkis not carefully studied and found out that Arch. Hovnan Derderian and Pastor Manouk Markaryan’s claim for an appeal to be baseless?
Hermine J. expressed deep concerns: “Before taking on a case that has no legal merit, causing further damage to the Armenian Church which is already damaged by a nefarious worldwide clan led by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, his pedophile blood brother Arch. Yezras of Moscow and Arch. Derderian and other clansmen in other dioceses around the world, hasn’t Ms. Nadia Sarkis consulted with knowledgeable legal experts who are also supporters of the Western Diocese? Is she not aware that many legal experts who are members of the Western Diocese, have adamantly refused to take on this case and have repeatedly opposed pursuing such legal action that has no merit whatsoever? Or is she yet another victim who has been lied to by Arch. Derderian, Pastor Markaryan and his son Harout Markaryan? By the way, numerous members of the Western Diocese have called for defrocking both Arch. Derderian and Pastor Markaryan again who have been defrocked before — Arch. Derderian circa 1975 in the Great House of Cilicia, Lebanon, Markaryan circa 1990’s in Holy Etchmiadzin.”
Invitation extended to Ms. Sarkis: In my capacity as the host of USALM TV and Managing Editor of USA Armenian Life news organization, in order to maintain transparency for the benefit of the American Armenian community members, I would like to invite Nadia Sarkis to a live USA Armenian Life TV program to give her a fair opportunity to personally address the USALM TV viewers and USA Armenian Life Magazine, armenianlife.com, USA Armenian Life Facebook Page, USA Armenian Life E-blast readers while presenting her clients’ side of the story. Stay tuned.