BY APPO JABARIAN
Armenian-Americans and diaspora in general should feel fortunate to live and thrive in a free world.
Armenia and Artsakh have already entered the third decade of independence and have made some political progress, but the civil society has not taken the needed steps to defend its democratic rights within the Armenian Apostolic Church. The society is deprived of its basic rights within the Armenian Church.
It is a fact that there is separation between the church and State. However, the conversation is not about creation of a set civil rights but protecting. The current Armenian citizen-Armenian Church relationship is marred by a violation of the human rights of Armenian citizens. Why does a citizen of Armenia continue to be deprived of his rights within the Armenian Church in Armenia and fromer Soviet space while his Diasporan brothers and sisters have full rights to govern the Armenian Church through centuries-old democratic system?
Last week, during a televised interview with USA Armenian Life, a well-known public speaker, wirter and an expert on the Armenian Apostolic Church By-Laws, Mr. Voskan Mekhitarian noted that the church life of Armenians living in Armenia and the former Soviet Union is still governed by the “Polozheny” (Russian) that keeps the Armenian Church away from the democratic system.
According to Mr. Mekhitarian, “Polozheny” is the statute that was “imposed upon us in the Tsarist period (and it was continued during the Soviet era). We are still saddened by this, because we have stated before and have reported that after the 1945 National Church General Assembly the new congregation did not adopt another constitution. Succeeding assemblies were held – pontifical elections took place, but a new National Church Constitutionwas not adopted. There were constitutions versions drafted, as I have noted during previous telecasts: Serpazan Nersoyian had produced a draft; Serpazan Aris Shirvanian and Serpazan Vatche Hovsepian have jointly produced another version. But all these drafts have never been approved by the National Church General Assembly.
Fortunately, the situation in the Diaspora has been far more promising.
Once readers familiarize themselves with the current democratic system of the Armenian Apostolic Church functioning in the free world, they will be most proud that the Armenian Church is the only church in Christendom that is largely governed by laypeople themselves. Of course, entrusting the spiritual mission to the clergy.
Mr. Mekhitarian emphasized: “In our church, and in all our Churches, the greatest rights are entrusted to the laypeople — not the clergy. The Catholicos is also be elected predominantly by the laypeople whereas the clergy constitute only a small voting bloc. Consequently, the National Church Constitution (By-Laws) is given much greater role in all Diaspora territories than “ Polozheny”, which continues to suppress democratic process in Armenian Church in the entire former Soviet Union.”
With the exception of the former Soviet Union and Armenia, in almost all democratic countries in the Diaspora, the Armenian Church has been recognized as independent and separated from the host State. The Church is given full rights and authority for self-government. For every Armenian, this is truly a great blessing and a source of spiritual strength.
Almost all Armenian Apostolic Churches functioning in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australia except for Turkey have been free from host countries’ government control. They are controlled by church parishioners – The People.
The state does not interfere in the internal affairs of the church. But when a citizen of a state becomes a victim of moral, physical, or financial abuse by a church leader, then the state comes forward and protects its citizen.
As many readers may be aware, in recent years, when Catholic clerics in the United States have been caught in the act of pedophilia, the American government stepped in and protected its citizens who have been victimized.
A few years ago, in Western United States’ Armenian-American community, Archbishop of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Hovnan Derderian and his cohorts Pastor Mauk Markaryan, pastor’s son of Diocesan Executive Director Harout Markaryan, and in full view silent witnesses — members of the Diocesan Council, Joseph Kanimian, Eqs., Ms. Adrienne Grigoryan, Esq. and others attempted to defraud major benefactors of the Armenian Church.
However, the American courts issued verdicts in nearly half-dozen related court cases in favor of the targeted victims and ordered the Western Diocese, Arch. Derderian and Pastor Markaryan, and Diocesan Exec. Dir. Harout Markaryan to pay all the legal expenses incurred by the targetted victims. Had Arch. Derderian and Pastror Markaryan had it there way they would have defrauded innocent benefactors out of millions of dollars.
The corrupted church leaders’ behavior reflects a ‘special’ mindset, within an international ring led by Arch. Derderian, Karekin II and Arch. Yezras of Moscow that seeks to rob both the Homeland and Diaspora Armenians.
The long series of shameful acts causing the destruction of The Armenian Church began from the day when they morally bankrupt Derderian, Karekin II, Yezras of Moscow, and their cohorts took over The Armenian Church from within and began to violate the constitutional laws of the Church. They also falsified elections by corrupting an entire system. They have effectively derailed an entire institution for their personal interests.
The newly created “mafia” headed by Arch. Derderian, Karekin II, and Yezras of Moscow brought a entire “junta” to the throne of the Church through fraud. This “junta” is made up of fake clergy and weak-spined and co-opted parishioners.
Many readers may remember the October 27, 1999 assassination of Armenian government leaders while the 1999 pontifical election in the same timeframe was being through a $20 million bribe by then AGBU oligarch and monopolist Louise Manoogian Simone, an ally of the current AGBU monopoilist Berge Setrakian. Maoogian Simone had promised $20 million in bribes to the authorities in Armenia, and in particular Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, to secure the election of Bishop Karekin Nersesian of Ararat Diocese as the next Catholicos of All Armenians. After being “elected” he was named Karekin II.
During the moment on Oct 27th, when the rigged pontifical elections were over and the so-called “newly elected” Catholicos Karekin II was making his “acceptance” speech, suddenly the news of PM Sargsyan’s assassination reached Echmiadzin from the Armenian Parliament. Jotted on a small piece of paper, the ‘news’ caused ‘jubilation’ for Arch. Derderian and Karekin II and their cohorts that Karekin II would not have to transfer the $20 million bribe to the deceased prime minister. Canada’s Armenian Diocese primate at the time, Hovnan Derderian, in a subdued exhuberance kissed the piece of paper as a religious hidden sign of ‘joy’ and handed that small piece of paper to Karekin II interrupting the latter’s acceptance speech. (Watch PM Vasgen Sargsyan’s Death and Catholicos Karekin II’s Joy” video documentary clip at: https://youtu.be/pe0ruyPFjrQ )
Since those sad days of 1999 until today, 2019, during all 20 years, this ill-guided “junta” was created and the clan members have pushed the Armenian Church to the brink of abyss almost everywhere.
That is the main reason that many heartbroken and concerned compatriots are fully convinced that Karekin II and Western Diocese’s Arch. Derderian and their cohorts — Pastor Markaryan’s Diocese Exec. Dir. Harout Markaryan’s, Joseph Kanimian’s, Ms. Adrienne Krikorian’s time has come to an end; that these elements of destruction within the Armenian Church should all be dismissed.
And now, what Arch. Derderian and Karekin II are trying to do to the Diaspora?
Mr. Mekhitarian clearly describes the situation; “During His Holiness Catholicos Vazken I, from 1955 until his death, there were no such ‘desires’ toward the Diaspora. After Karekin II’s occupation of the throne of Catholicos of All Armenians, such (destructive-ed.) intentions against the Diaspora started emerging. We can see this very clearly. “
The good news is that the democratic system of the Armenian Church has provides ample possibilities to get rid of these “oligarchs” and many members of the church community have now awakened themselves and are intent on exercising their Armenian National Church Constitutional (By-Laws in USA) rights. It is exactly because of these expected developments that these oligarchs do not want you to be informed of your rights.
According to the prevailing system in the Diaspora, the Armenian People are the true rulers of the Armenian Church, and the clergy are merely spiritual servants.
More precisely, all clergymen, including church pastors, diocesan leaders, and even the Catholicos are the servants of the church or the faithful People.
The Armenian Church was built and continues to stand tall thanks to the Church parishioners – The People, and therefore the Armenian People are the proprietors and masters of the Armenian Church – “that is, the parishioners’ congregation,” says Mr. Mkhitaryan and he emphasize: “The Americans have a very interesting saying that I have heard so often and cherish it— “Fight for your right!” The right is yours, you, The People are the Church, the seats in the church can remain empty without you, and that the priests can go bankrupt. So you must come and occupy Your Church. It’s very simple. “
According to the Armenian Church Coinstitution (By-Laws), if the majority of church members want to fire their pastor, the Diocesan leader/primate cannot overturn their decision. He can only respect and accept the outcome of democratic elections — the majority’s decision taken by the Parish or Community.
For all this Mr. Mekhitarian’s statement is spot on: “The People, as the master of their church, must have their say, they must impose their will, because the church is The People. There is no church without The People. “
For some time now, internal conversations have been circulating within the Western Diocese about what needs to be done to save the Armenian Church and the Western Diocese from total destruction.
What are the next steps by The People?
Below are the compilation of lietrally dozens of conversations with members and supporters of the Western Diocese.
- Retire Arch. Hivnan Derderian along with his collaborators, Karekin II, and Archbishop Yezra of Moscow, as well as their religious and lay allies;
- Ensure the full implementation of the Armenian Apostolic Church By-Laws and permanently protect the By-Laws by maintaining democracy within the Armenian Church.
- Restore the rights of all Armenian clergymen who have been unjustly disenfranchised, defrocked, or fired; who have arbitrarily been victimized by the The Diocese’ leaders through unilateral, unconstitutional, unlawful and vindictive decisions by Derderian, Karekin II, Archbishop Ezras of Moscow and their ‘associates.’
- Organize a membership drive for the benefit of the Armenian Apostolic Churches (and – for that matter, all Armenian faith-based and community-based organizations) to bring in fresh forces and especially the young people into national and religious life. During the past twenty years, the Armenian religious and civic structures in the United States have failed to integrate into their ranks, members of the new generation who have emigrated from Armenia and other countries. And this is one of the main reasons we have more than eighteen thousand (18,000) inmates detained in US prisons for various crimes, which is an unprecedented and extremely shameful phenomenon in the history of American- Armenians. It is imperative that all religious and civic organizations keep their arms and doors wide open to all Armenians without discrimination geographic backgrounds so that in the next twenty years, the community doesn’t end with another eighteen thousand (18,000) Armenian youths involved in various crimes and incarcerated in U.S. prisons shattering their own lives along with their families’ and community’s.
As the Chinese saying goes, “ “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
The first step is to correct the mistakes and the wrongdoings that have occurred right under our nose — at the local level.
Each Diocese should, for its part, embark on a self-correction campaign.
For example, let the French-Armenians begin to solve the local issues related to Armenian Diocese of France in accordance with the democratic will of the People – the French-Armenians.
The second example: The Armenians of the Western United States, the most powerful and resourceful community in the Diaspora, shall maintain, preserve, and save the endangered from destruction all the structures under its umbrella.
As many are now aware, there are four “SAVE’ movements among American Armenians:
- SAVE the Western Diocese from Arch. Hovnan Derderian and his cohorts;
- SAVE the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Western Region (ARF-WR) and the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) from party oligarchs Vicken and Nora Hovsepian and their collaborators;
- SAVE the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGB U) from Berge Setrakian and his allies;
- SAVE Ramgavar-ADL’s Tekeyan Cultural Association from Edmon Azadian and his cohorts.
Starting with the first ‘SAVE’ movement, the Armenian Church, functioning under the auspices of the Western Diocese, must be saved and transformed into a true spiritual mission under a devoted spiritual leader-servant with the assistance of genuine clergy and law-abiding, good-hearted, strong, and good-willed lay parishioners.