ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC ORTHODOX HOLY CHURCH IN BULGARIA DIOCESAN COUNCIL
Posted on February. 4. 2024
Dear compatriots,
I thought extensively about how to start this meeting of ours, because I place great hope on it that we will be able to convert it into the frankest conversation about our state and prospects as a community. I believe that in this room there are worthy people who have chosen with their minds and hearts to be the pillars of a community that shows no hesitation and defends its history, traditions, language and future.
I believe and strongly hope that this format and topic will remain in the history of our community and will be the beginning of a good initiative, namely a format of active Armenians who, with their work, knowledge and abilities, will leave behind their differences, and will serve and shape the future well-being of the Armenian diaspora in Bulgaria.
I would like to make it clear in advance that this report is not an account of the activities of the Diocesan Council. This is a presentation with which we will try to introduce you to the factual situation in which we find ourselves. Or maybe it is more correct to say “in which we were involved.”
It is no secret that in recent years, now with our, now with foreign help, our community has fallen into a crisis unknown in its scale and essence. A crisis in our relations with each other. A crisis in our relations with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. A crisis in our identity as a people. A crisis even in our belief that the church is the sanctuary that brings us together, smooths out differences and brings us back to eternal values. A crisis that has, unfortunately, weakened and undermined the authority of the Armenian community in Bulgaria.
Today, more than ever, I want to believe that everyone in this room, in the next few hours, will be painfully honest. That we will not just listen to each other, we will hear each other. That we will not oppose each other as an end in itself, but will argue with arguments and facts in search of the best solutions for our better tomorrow. And that for all of us every minute in this room the only and most important thing will be to come out convinced and determined to defend our unity, strength and independence both as a Diaspora and as a Diocese.
Yes. You may be wondering why we, the Diocesan Council, have formulated the topic of this meeting discussion “The Armenian Diaspora and the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria – History, Future and Existence”.
The other question you may be asking yourself is why we are holding such a meeting now, and not earlier. I inform you in advance of the decision of the Diocesan Council to publish this report, as well as all correspondence and materials related to our activities over the past ten years, on the website of the Diocesan Council. We will do so because the name of this composition of the Diocesan Council has been repeatedly subjected to all sorts of criticism and suggestions, and we are determined to show the general public what we have done, what principles we have obeyed and what we have defended with our actions.
In continuation of this presentation, we note the fact that we cannot help but find a connection between the concept of Armenian Diocese and Armenian Diaspora – especially for the Armenians living outside the boundaries of their historical homeland – the Church was not only a religious, but also a cultural, and educational centre of our people.
Now to the question, why now? As you well know, the Diocesan Council, according to the Statute adopted in 2018, has the obligation to “monitor the regular activities of the Diocese and the realisation of the statutory objectives, and be responsible for all matters relating to the administrative and spiritual life of the Diocese”.
The occasion and our decision came after the last letter received from the office of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin dated 21.11.2023. Until its receipt we, the members of the Diocesan Council, had walked a long and painful path. We decided that we should try and trust the sincere promises that came from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, related to the normalisation of the relations and the purpose of revising the Statute of the Diocese. Because the question has never been personal, but concerns an entire diocese. Without delving into the meaning of the last sentence, we give you the opportunity to familiarise yourselves with the content of this letter.
Here it is perhaps the time to remind of a few events that led to the above correspondence.
For more than 15 years, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has been trying to revise the Statute of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria in force since 1951 for a number of reasons. The beginning of the countdown to the unity and integrity of our Diaspora was laid by the attempt of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to enforce a Statute regulating the religious activity of the Armenian minority in Bulgaria, without taking into account the structuring, role and objectives of the bodies designated to carry out this activity in our Diaspora.
Let us remember.
After the appointment of Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan as Vicar of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria, in early June 2013 a Church Council was convened, which reviewed and adopted the Statute of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria. In January 2014, a second Council was held, at which a new composition of the DC was elected and at which I was elected President. An essential clarification – at the time of the Council in 2014, the Statute adopted in 2013 had not yet been registered under the due procedure as per the Bulgarian legislation and was in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, awaiting approval by His Holiness. Only at the end of June 2014, that is, 13 months after its adoption, was the statute in question returned approved by the Catholicos of All Armenians. When submitting it for registration at the Sofia City Court, the new DC team did not find any documents evidencing the holding of the Church Council in 2013 in question. The Council established the lack of attendance lists, agenda and transcript of the Council session itself, as well as any other documentation necessary for the completion and submission for registration. I will repeat – none! Then I was asked to create this documentation to make the registration of the statute possible. Perhaps it is clear to everyone that this meant preparing false documents which I had to sign and submit as President, despite the fact that at the time of the Council, I did not hold this position.
Needless to say that this, according to the Bulgarian legislation, Article 308, para 1 of the Criminal Code, is actionable and punishable by imprisonment of up to two years.
That is why I refused to commit such actions.
From that moment on, accusations began that I or we almost deliberately or prevented the registration of this Statute. For four years we have been trying to explain that due to the lack of any documentation from the Council held in 2013, it is necessary to re-convene and revote the document, as well as to create the supporting documentation required by the laws of the Republic of Bulgaria. Omitting a number of unpleasant situations, meetings, letters, etc., with a blessing received, on19 May 2018, a Council of Church and People was held that adopted, on the basis of the statute approved in 2014 by His Holiness, a new Statute of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria. The meeting was attended by 30 delegates from the country. The discussion lasted for more than 10 hours, with the texts being voted openly, text by text. The delegates adopted the latest version of the Statute, taking into account all the requirements regarding the marked mandatory texts. The transcript of the Council session held contains 205 pages and will be made available to those interested. After sending it for re-approval by His Holiness, it became clear that after the revisions made by the Council, it was not accepted by the Holy See, on the grounds that the texts in it were 3
anti-canonical and that the Council should have respected and accepted without correction the version signed and approved by His Holiness. I deliberately omit all the troubles we were forced to endure and swallow. Including today, I will spare the details and the way in which the delegation of our Diocese to His Holiness was welcomed on 28 October 2018. However, in order for all interested parties to become acquainted in detail with all the problems faced by the Diocesan Council, we have prepared a chronology of the events with attached correspondence, facts and events. As stated above, all materials available to the registry of the Diocesan Council will be published on our website and made accessible to everyone.
In our desire to strictly fulfill our obligations as a Diocesan Council, to prevent the problem from deepening and to preserve the interests of the Armenian community, we held numerous meetings – both in the country and with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. We held consultative meetings with the Head of the Jerusalem and Constantinople Patriarchates. We met understanding and agreement everywhere, but despite all our arguments and efforts, the Holy See was adamant and did not accept the new revision of the Statute.
Inevitable in this conversation is the question of who needs a new Statute of the diocese. Why is this peremptory pressure from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to adopt this exact version of the statute? Ask yourselves this question many times and you will find the answer yourself. And, I assure you, you will not like it at all. But this will be explained further.
My colleagues in the Diocesan Council and I already know these answers. We learned them the hard way. After dozens of meetings, hundreds of letters, electing negotiation teams and countless attempts to clarify positions with the Holy See, we were turned into targets for vicious and often heinous attacks. Clearly visible was the goal to compromise authoritative people from the Diaspora, who had devoted their conscious lives to its well-being, so as to make them withdraw. Make them renounce the legacies of their ancestors and centuries-old rules, which have categorically proven over time that they are working through the churches, community centres, schools and thousands of Armenians organised as a fist. And all this – because the Statute created by the Statute Committee of the Holy See was not adopted.
Let me clarify one essential fact – the Statute of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria is developed and adopted only by the Council of Church and People of our Diocese. This is the body in our Diaspora which according to the Statute and in accordance with the Bulgarian legislation has the rights to adopt and amend such a document. And this right of its dates back more than a hundred years and there has never been a requirement for the statute to be created by the Holy See and confirmed by His Holiness.
The High Church clergy apparently did not like our absolutely principled question: Why, since the Diaspora and the Diocese existed, worked and prospered under the previous centuries-old rules, we must now forcefully adopt a document created outside our Diaspora, inconsistent neither with the traditions of the Diaspora nor with the laws of our country?
And the answer was not long in coming. The priests and the Vicar took on the role of real soldiers of the Holy See (that is what they call themselves). Against whom they are fighting and for what is another matter. The result of their actions, however, reached the scale of a real catastrophe – they managed to achieve great disunity between us, led to the destruction and decline of our diocese, and compromised the good name of the Armenian community in Bulgaria. As a result, there were quarrels between our members and structures. The natural turn of events also led to the non-renewal of the stay of priests sent by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and they, one by one, had to return to Armenia. I say “natural turn of events” because the reason for the non-renewal of the stay of some of the priests lies precisely in their actions, which pitted us against each other, as well as in their refusal to comply with the decisions of the Council of Church and People, and more precisely with the Statute of the Diocese. As a result of this tension, there was apathy among a large part of our compatriots, a lack of any interest in Armenian self-determination, and demoralisation. 4
In the course of these events, I will allow myself asy it parenthetically, because I cannot overcome the fact that at the dawn of democracy the church boards in places made enormous efforts to restore activities related to the life of Armenians in Bulgaria. Kindergartens and Sunday schools were organised and opened, dance and amateur groups were restored, church temples were repaired and built. A life of a real community of people who care about each other, back each other and are supportive started boiling. The state recognised the Armenian community in Bulgaria as a model of unity, tolerance and passion in the preservation of traditions, language and culture. Talented, educated and ambitious, our compatriots have become the pride of Bulgaria. All this raised again the Armenian self-consciousness, in no small part lost in the time of socialism. The churches were refilled with believers, just as it suits the first people in the world to convert to the Orthodox faith, which was expelled from its homeland and found its second homeland, built a secure and dignified presence in the life of the country.
And in just five years, all this is being destroyed before our eyes today. The diaspora is broken. The seeds of disunity and hatred was not just sown, it was well cared for and it managed to poison our community. It happened because WE allowed it.
Why and by whom was all this created? I am just asking! But this will also be discussed, further below.
We cannot afford to deny that fact. None of us can escape responsibility. Do we not know each other, do we not know our families, do we not know the history of each of us? But we believed everything said by those we do not know…
I announce this fact aloud to all of you with great disappointment, pain and anger. And I know that each of us who has consciously chosen to devote their time, resources and heart and what they have protected and pass down from generation to generation – the Armenian spirit, traditions and culture, has the same feelings. Whoever does not suffer from disintegration today has never been interested in the unity and bond between us.
Let us take a walk back in time and logically look for answers to the extent to which we have the right and the extent to which we do not have it – to protect the interests of the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria in this way, preserving the representation and management of all movable and immovable property of the Diocese. Because, as it becomes clear, our dispute with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is actually reduced to that. We say it bluntly, without any circumlocution, knowing that it is no longer a secret to anyone, and for those who still believe that this is not the case, we will read the documents that have led to such a conclusion:
We will give you for example the Statutes of our Diocese from 1924, 1951 and 2018. And, of course, the Statute approved by His Holiness in 2014. Here I say only approved, because, as we mentioned earlier, due to the lack of any documentation, no one knows exactly what was adopted at the Council in 2013, that is, what was the will of the present delegates and whether it was correctly reflected.
Dear compatriots,
This year marks exactly 100 years of the existence of the first written document found by us, regulating the structure and management of the Diaspora and the Armenian Church in Bulgaria. It was created and adopted in 1924. It is entitled “Statute for the Structure and Governance of the Armenian Communities and Their Diocesan Council” and lays solid foundations on which our community in Bulgaria is not only structured, but is already fit to exist and develop again, with an eventful spiritual, cultural and social life, organised according to clear and fair rules to ensure our integrity, its stability and self-reliance. This Statute gave inclusively the right of self-determination to the Armenian population at that time. Rules that motivate valiant people to easily g beyond the concept of I and work for the well-being of WE. 5
I start with some of the oldest rules by which we Armenians in Bulgaria are organised as a community that not only exists, but lives fully, creates and preserves its religion, culture, lifestyle, traditions and identity of the Armenian nation – the Statute of 1924.
So:
Article 1 states: The organisation of the Bulgarian Armenian includes all Armenian communities in Bulgaria and aims to satisfy religiously and culturally their national needs as part of the whole nation.
Article 5: The Armenian community is a legal entity, with all rights enjoyed by one. It has the right to own movable and immovable property and to receive donations and wills.
Here the Armenian community is given the right to own any kind of property, and let us pay attention to the next article:
Article 6: The Armenian community founds, maintains and operates churches, schools, charitable and all kinds of cultural and national establishments.
Note something very important in terms of meaning – it is not regulated that the Armenian community is given a right, as in the previous Article 5, it is obliged to found, maintain and manage churches, schools, and in this article it is written as an imperative measure.
Article 7: In the event that a community, in the absence of a legal number of families (20), ceases to exist, it shall join the nearest one and the latter, beginning on that day, shall manage its movable and immovable property. The right to dispose of these properties belongs to the Diocesan Council, which, in turn, shall submit its orders to the General Council for approval.
Article 8: The bodies of the community are: the Church Board, the School Board and the Parish Council.
Article 13: It determines who can be elected in the structures. Eligible for the Church Board are: all Armenians that are Bulgarian subjects who meet the following criteria: 1/ they have turned 30 or are 25 years old and have secondary education; 2/ they have all the rights and capacities of a voter in the community; 3/ they have been members of the community for at least one year; 4/ they are literate in Bulgarian or Armenian.
Let us also draw attention to Article 14, which defines those who are ineligible:
Article 14: The following may not be voters for members of a board: 1/ persons who are in contractual relations with the community: 2/ clergymen: 3/ clerks and employees in the Armenian community and in the Armenian schools: 4/ persons who are partners or second-degree blood relatives: 5/ persons declared bankrupt, etc.
Article 60: The Diocesan Council is the supreme authority for the Armenian community in Bulgaria and the executive body of the Council. It is elected by the latter and its term of office lasts until the expiry of the mandate of the Council. The Diocesan Council consists of 7 members with a permanent residence in Sofia.
From the brief reading of this document it becomes clear how the life of the Armenian population, whose basic principles are to develop the socio-religious life of the Armenian Diaspora and the Diocese in Bulgaria, is regulated and organised. The conclusion that can be drawn is that in our community there has always been a natural separation of worldly from spiritual affairs. In preparing the report, I took the trouble to become acquainted with materials related to the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria. I will try to clarify with facts and documents the similarities and differences between the concepts of the Armenian Community, written as a definition in the Statute of 1924, and the Armenian Diocese – written in our Statute of 1951, as well as to defend the positions of many of our compatriots, defending only the interests of the Armenians in the Bulgarian Diaspora. And from there we will analyse the position of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the claims, accusations and grounds for them.
Why did I include this presentation in the discussion at today’s meeting?
Because, as I said earlier, this is the first document we found evidencing the registration and legalisation of the Armenian minority in Bulgaria, its structuring and governance. 6
In addition, looking at facts and documents that contributed to our current critical state, I hope that in an open discussion together we will seek the way for the normal functioning of our Diaspora, the restoration of its integrity, capacity, independence and prosperity, appreciating traditions. Because in the last few years, at the risk of repeating myself, our Diaspora exists in conditions of unprecedented pressure, disputes and discord.
I use the word existence consciously, because no matter how much the Armenian minority in Bulgaria grows, the process of melting down and depersonalising the Armenians in the country is going so quickly. We are also to blame for this result. There is no organisation in place to fight against this. There is no work for the prosperity of the members of the diaspora. There are no policies to educate and encourage adolescents. We have no perspective of those in need. There are no plans for development, etc. And all this is a fact, largely because for the past ten years we have been dealing only with the Statute of the Armenian Diocese. The overall picture before us is the following – divided into groups and factions, we fight, we blame each other, etc., but from this we become less and less, weaker and weaker, we lose our face, we lose face.
Shame. The factors that have led us to this sad and pitiful state of affairs are many.
I will return to the norms laid down in our statute of 1924. I will quote a few more texts from this document:
Article 3 states as follows: In each settlement where 40 Armenian families live, an Armenian community shall be formed with the permission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religions, at the request of the Diocesan Council.
Now I will repeat once again Article 6, which reads: The Armenian community founds, maintains and manages churches, schools, charitable and all kinds of cultural and national establishments.
Why do I repeat this article? Because it is fundamental in one main direction:
Does anyone still doubt the fact that everything that the Armenian Diocese possesses today appears to be due exactly to this – what was created and preserved thanks to this Statute of the Armenian Community, the Armenian Diaspora.
I will now refer you to Article 65 of the same document, which reads: the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria, in church-dogmatic and canonical terms, is subject to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In parallel, this is the provision of Article 3 of the Statute of 1951. In religious and canonical terms, the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in Bulgaria is associated with the Catholicos of All Armenians with headquarters in Etchmiadzin – the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic.
These are the texts in the Statutes which in the distant 1924, and subsequently in 1951, connected us with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The same status is granted by Article 1.3. of the Statute adopted in 2018. The diocese is an integral part of the Armenian Church, whose spiritual centre is the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Our relationship is in ecclesiastical and canonical terms, but is it only so? We will follow this a little further.
Unfortunately, and this should also be noted, not a single document specifies the obligations, the commitments of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to its dioceses, subordinate in church-dogmatic and canonical terms. This is what needs to be considered in the future and a solution needs to be found. Because we have not found a single letter or text stating that the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria has been accepted by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Holy See is committed to ensuring priests and everything else necessary for the religious and moral education and upbringing of the members of our Diaspora.
Next, let us see what the Vicar is charged with, again quoting our Statute of 1924:
Article 71 – The duties of the Vicar are as follows: 1/ takes care of the moral and religious elevation of his congregation; 2/ holds sermons and undertakes pastoral visits. The latter shall be done in such a manner 7
that each community is visited at least once a year and whenever the Diocesan Council deems it necessary; 3/ controls the priests within the circle of their official duties; 4/ ordains priests and clergy at the churches; 5/ manages the hierarchical office.
Such are the provisions of the Statute of the Armenian Community and the Diocesan Council in force from 1924 to 1951.
In the next adopted Statute – the one of 1951, given the socio-economic and political reality in which it was created, almost nothing of the Statute of 1924 was preserved. The concept of an Armenian community was deleted, i.e. there were no longer minorities, school boards and ecclesisatical courts. In it, the regulation is reduced to the structure of the Armenian churches, respectively – the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria with its bodies, Vicar, Diocesan Council, church boards, etc. The fact is that in communist Bulgaria the “Armenian Community” as a concept was removed and thank God that the properties of the Armenian communities were not nationalised. But even in this Statute a fundamental principle is clearly preserved – the separation of functions of the clergy to take care of the moral and religious education of the Armenians professing the Armenian-Gregorian religion, and of the church boards and the Diocesan Council to take care of all secular matters, including the management of movable and immovable property owned by the Diocese.
And now we go back to the present day and again ask the question of to whom and why it is necessary to change the statute document of our Diaspora and Diocese. Why should the movable and immovable heritage of the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria be governed by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin? Because this is what the Statute reads, as signed by His Holiness Karekin II:
Art. 1 Structure
1.1 The Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Bulgaria (hereinafter the Diocese) is a union of the Armenian communities (hereinafter parishes) and forming parishes of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church (hereinafter the Armenian Church), operating on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria under the governance of the Vicar of the Diocese.
If we try to interpret this rather confusing article, we come to the following:
1. First, the definitions are vague and confusing; the abbreviations “Diocese” and “Armenian Church” refer to the same formation. Quite confusing, but we have no right to change them.
2. It is noteworthy how Armenian communities became parishes. Does this not resemble to you the definition of the statute of 1924 – an Armenian community, managed and governed by a church board, is now a parish and under the governance of the Vicar?
Note that already in the First Chapter and the first article of the Statute it becomes clear that the Diocese is governed only by the Vicar of the Diocese alone. Secular power is not mentioned.
I would also like to draw your attention to a very startling fact, namely Article 12.1 of the Statute of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, where it becomes clear that the parish priest will now also occupy administrative functions, although there will be a conflict of interest, because he is appointed under an employment relationship. This provision states as follows:
The Parish Council (Church Board of Trustees), chaired by the parish priest, is the executive body of the Parish. The parish priest and the chairman of the Parish Council represent the parish where necessary.
Shall I take you back where we examined the provisions of the preceding statutes to see the differences? I think any one of you can do it and draw your conclusions so far.
Skipping the lesser terms in the same Statute, we go further. We come to Article 32.
Art. 32.1. The division of the diocese, its accession to another diocese or its liquidation shall be carried out by the Catholicos of All Armenians.
Art. 32.3. The Catholicos of All Armenian announces the liquidation of the diocese. 8
Art. 32.4. In the event of liquidation of the diocese, its ownership shall pass to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Here I ask a question: What happens to the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria if one day, without specifying the conditions for such a decision, the Catholicos of All Armenians, officially authorised in the Statute, takes this decision unilaterally and decides to divide or liquidate the Diocese?
I will give you another hypothesis that we need to think about: Well, if the Armenian Church has no followers, but there are Armenians in Bulgaria who still keep our language and traditions, but for a number of other reasons, of course one of which is the lack of priests in our churches, have become followers of other churches, will we deprive them of the assets of the Diaspora as well?
According to the Statute imposed by the Holy See, upon the division and liquidation of the diocese, the property passes to the Mother See. Is it not logical to ask the question whether this property belongs to the Armenians of the Bulgarian Diaspora? Is it not the result solely of the generosity and dedication of our ancestors who worked and donated for the sake of the well-being and strengthening of the community? What is the credit of the Holy See for the acquisition, management and governing of these assets in order to receive them, when for 4 years we have not even had priests? Why should we deprive the Diaspora of this property? In the Armenian Diaspora there are believers and those who do not belong to this group of Armenians, but are nevertheless members of this Diaspora, part of the Armenians in the country, as well as those who are from other denominations – Catholics, Protestants, members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, etc.
In one of the explanations provoked by the above-mentioned questions, we were told that if one day there were no Armenians left in Bulgaria, everything would return to Etchmiadzin. Is this not wrong and vicious thinking? First, there have been Armenians in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian lands since the 8th century and to this day there is no reason or grounds to doubt that in the coming centuries there will be Armenians in them too. And second, what and on what grounds should be returned to Etchmiadzin, as none of what the Diocese has came from there? Is it not logical to ask the question – Why is the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin not creating a programme for the religious development of diasporas around the world, but is thinking about what will happen to movable and immovable property in diasporas? Is this the most important question for it?
In this line of reasoning, we cannot fail to mention another startling text from the Charter of the Holy See from 2014. Here is what it stipulates:
Art. 30.1 The immovable property of the Diocese may be alienated or pledged by a decision of the DCE (i.e. the Council of Church and People), having been agreed in advance with the Catholicos of All Armenians. Without this consent, the decision shall be considered invalid.
According to this article of the Statute, which is imposed for adoption by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, for all disposition transactions of the church boards the permission of none other than the Catholicos of All Armenians himself must be asked. I suppose everyone in this room realises when such permission will be obtained. And why should such permission be sought?
And here is what version was adopted in the current Statute of the Diocese, i.e. the Statute of 2018:
Article 15. Immovable property of the Parish may be rented by a decision of the church board for a period of up to 4 years, and for a longer period – after the written permission of the Diocesan Council. Any purchase, sale, mortgaging and any kind of expropriation transactions regarding the immovable property of the Parish may be carried out only with the written permission of the Diocesan Council and the Vicar.
It appears that this is not enough. I mean “the written permission of the Vicar.” The written permission of the Catholicos must be obtained. Does anyone doubt that in such cases the Vicar will not notify and ask the permission of the Catholicos, if it is so necessary? I think that no further comments are 9
needed on this topic, but here the question arises again and again – we, with our structures in the Diocese, whose properties do we dispose of – those of the Holy See or of the Armenian Diaspora, respectively the Diocese in Bulgaria? And giving the Vicar the right to consent to carry out this kind of disposition transactions is indeed not enough? So far, we have not found documents of ownership or donations from the Holy See of anything. And for all of us, is this the only question interesting and intriguing to us? Will we allow this condition to decide the fate of our diocese in the future?
Something much more significant should be noted here. At least for us. In no statute except in the Statute of 1924, where it is imposed to him with the word “raise”, has the primary task of the Vicar of the Diocese, the attraction of more members of the Armenian diaspora in the bosom of the Armenian Church – an important condition for the existence of Armenians in the country, been set. We see in the statutes no interest in keeping and requiring statistics from priests and Vicar about how much their congregation in the Diaspora has increased or decreased within the course of the year. Is this not the most important and paramount task of the clergy? Why is no one asking this question for discussion? How then is the work of priests evaluated, and that of the Bishop? Is this not their main task? These are also very important issues that we need to think about and in a future creation of such a document, if we really have the will to draw up such a document, I mean – the Statute of the Diocese or the Diaspora, this criterion must find its place. Is it possible that we should be evaluating their work based on Facebook photos? If so, woe to us.
Now I would like to introduce you to the official statistics from the census in Bulgaria of Armenians who have identified themselves as Armenian-Gregorians in the last nearly 100 years. The statistics I found started in 1887 where 5,839 people identified themselves as Armenian-Gregorians, in 1893 they were 6643, in 1900 – 13,809, in 1910 – 12,259, in 1920 – 10,848, in 1926 – they were already 25,402, in 1992 – 9,672, in 2001 – 6,500. That is, the people who identified themselves as Armenian-Gregorians in 2001 were equal to our number in 1893, and in 1926, when the Statute of 1924 was already in force, the Armenians, the self-identified Armenian-Gregorians, were already more than 25,000 people. But when we look at the number of people from 2001, it does not mean that the Armenians in Bulgaria are decreasing, this means for us that our Armenian Church does not do what is necessary for the return of the Armenians to the bosom of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. And as is clear from the reading of the Statute created and approved by the Catholicos of All Armenians, the High Clergy is interested in imposing its own rules, as you notice, for determining the representation, management and disposition of the property of the Armenian diasporas of the world, and not so much in attracting more and more Armenians into the bosom of our Church. If we make a reference about the number of baptisms carried out in a year in our diocese, we will also give ourselves an answer as to why the situation is like this. The depopulation of our churches should be primarily the concern of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Inaction on these troubling facts could lead us to a question that I will not ask because I do not want and refuse to believe in its answer.
Despite these blatant data and conflicts that are not in the interests of the Diocese, for years the Holy See has kept us paused and under pressure in terms of sending priests who would unite, attract people and by their example restore the authority and trust in the Church.
In an attempt to solve all these problems, we, the members of the Diocesan Council, sought a balance for the resolution of the controversial texts of the Statute to be submitted for voting by the delegates at the Council. We exchanged hundreds of letters. We hired lawyers. We synchronised positions and opinions. Again, nothing. In black and white terms we were told: “Adopt the Statute of 2014 and priests will be sent to you.” It will be like a “reward”. But we do not believe that anymore.
The question remains whether to hold a Council and adopt this document or whether the delegates of the Council will decide otherwise.
Delegates are also present here in this room and their decision today will be crucial. But for all of us, the result of this vicious circle in which we spin is clear – apathy, disillusionment and fatigue overwhelm 10
most people. They withdraw, including from church life, lose faith, or begin to seek other temples for worshipping and communion with God. Again, the question arises is it not the main mission and purpose of the Mother Church to attract more Armenian believers and with joint efforts to preserve the Armenian faith, the Armenian people, lifestyle and culture? All the more so in seismic, earthquake times, in which the world is shaking with violent conflicts, and is being reshaped.
And if we all fail to show a strong will and unite, I am afraid we will not just be depersonalised, but soon we will be obliterated as a community because what is missing is the most important component for us – the faith and trust between us. Those who are called to carry the flame of faith are engaged in something else. As for the broken trust between us, we can write many more pages.
They accuse us, the members of the Diocesan Council, of manipulating public opinion and of attempts to suggest and undermine the name of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, which is not only not true, but also an absurd suggestion. So far, the Diocesan Council has not published any material with which such accusations would be justified.
Dear compatriots,
I very much hope that today we will lay the beginnings of the unravelling of this strangling knot and in conditions of a frank conversation we will find the right way and approach to stop this process of universal disintegration. After reading the statutes of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria, we give you the opportunity to become familiarised in detail with the legal analysis that has been enclosed in your folders. It should be noted once again that the wealth of the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria is currently concentrated in the Diocese. But for us, the members of the Diocesan Council, as we have noted above, the wealth of our Diaspora is mostly the people, the Armenians and those of Armenian descent and Armenian self-consciousness, whom we, by our actions and inactions, by downplaying these realities, actually neglect, and do not put enough energy in the interests of the prosperity of our Diaspora. We, the members of the Diocesan Council, are looking for a change. We want a change. An expression of this desire of ours is also the invitation to participate in this forum, where we can search together and reach a decision on the topic.
The inappropriate and inexplicable behavior of the High Clergy in Etchmiadzin can be judged by another fact, namely that for a second year we have been denied the consecration of our cathedral Surp Asvadzadzin in the capital of Bulgaria – Sofia. For many years, dozens, not to say hundreds of people, organisations and institutions, did not spare money and labour for the construction of the temple. The main credit, of course, goes to the hard work of the members of the church board. But, unfortunately, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has not yet sent even a thank-you letter. It is a shame I cannot compare to anything so far. Instead of being proud that in these difficult times another church is opening its doors, and preparing and doing everything necessary for the consecration of this cathedral, as well as expressing its official gratitude to all these great Armenians, donors and their friends who helped to realise such a large-scale project, to make a dream come true, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is punishing us. They are punishing all of us because… later, everyone can finish the sentence for themselves.
Our previous commitment, imposed on us by the Statute, was to maintain the churches in the parishes of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria, as well as to provide everything necessary for the service of priests. To provide everything necessary for their stay. All this, I dare strongly say, we have performed flawlessly. Moreover, in the last ten or fifteen years, thanks to all of you, two churches and a cathedral have been built. These are the churches in Pazardzhik, Yambol and Sofia. All this – thanks to the faith and work of the church boards in our diocese. Thanks to you, I emphasize, the following were provided – fully furnished housing for the priests, we covered all utility bills, taxes, fees, electricity, Internet, telephones, cars, fuel, etc. – for them and their families. The Diocesan Council, at its meeting, fixed their salaries to an amount of at least three minimum wages for the country.
And what did we receive in return? Young people who have decided that by putting on the cassock of priests and being sent by the Holy See, they can behave inappropriately, and we have to tolerate their behaviour, inconsistent neither with the rank nor with their mission to serve. We witnessed blasphemies, threats and manifestations unsuitable for priests. These people, instead of spiritual preceptors, have become provocateurs, initiators and creators of groups working actively towards disunity and hatred, and not for the unity and well-being of the Armenians in the country.
I will withhold deliberately, but only for the moment, your familiarisation with other unpleasant events held by “our” clergymen, directed both against the members of the Diocesan Council and against prominent representatives of our community. Rallies, petitions, notification letters, compilation of false documents, attempts to mislead officials, etc. All this was in the toolkit of the clergy and their adherents. It has caused great damage to the reputation of the Armenians in Bulgaria. It has given cause for ridicule and shame. It has discredited our community. And what was the result? Everyone in Bulgaria understood that the Armenians, in a word – they are no good any longer.
Our Diocese has been thrown into chaos by the many letters contradictory to the Statute and our traditions from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, which restrict, even prohibit, the activities of the Diocesan Council. This, as is clear to everyone, is the legitimately elected and registered according to the laws of the country executive body of our Diocese. The activities, according to the Holy See, should have been reduced only to actions for the adoption of the 2014 Statute.
Many conclusions can be drawn, but none supports the authority of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the institution called to be a pillar of our faith.
That is why I have no doubt that all this must end. We must break this shameful grip, because only in this way can we preserve the small remnants of dignity that we have preserved and push ourselves away from the bottom.
To this end, should not all of us, the Armenians of all diasporas, unite and remind the Holy See of the priorities and goals on which the High Clergy should concentrate and work? Is it not time for us, as a people, to look for a way to regain our authority as a nation and as the first people in the world to adopt Christianity?
Because there is no room for illusion. The Holy See’s attitude towards us has nothing to do with faith and spirituality. None of the Christian values is preached or demonstrated. There is no love for our neighbour, we have not seen this sort of love. Humility is out of the question. We may have been wrong about something, but there is no forgiveness. There is no humility, temperance and honesty. The face that the High Clergy in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has shown us so far belongs to clergy by office, interested in a completely secular way in anything else but in the spiritual preservation of the Armenians around the world. I realise what awaits me, after everything presented in the report, but I have accepted the fact that someone has to say all this out loud. There must be some boundaries, and with this behaviour and attitude, I think all boundaries have long been crossed.
Aiming precisely to impose control and subordination, I assume that this may lead to the ex officio deletion of entire dioceses, if this will bring them the elimination of inconvenient people. Anyone who opposes them is declared an enemy and cited as a target for slander and public lynching.
I think that we, the Armenians in Bulgaria, do not deserve all this to happen to us! When have we, as laity, laid claims to the way religious rituals and rites were conducted? When have we shown disrespect? On the contrary, we have always helped and assisted the priests in fulfilling their duties and responded to their purely human needs.
Dear compatriots,
The Diocesan Council has remained the only bastion of the Armenian diaspora in Bulgaria. Look at most Armenian organisations in the country; in any case, almost all depend on external factors, but we 12
must also admit that none of them has the purpose and capacity to unite and represent the Armenians in Bulgaria. We need people who are not subject to foreign interests and policies. Many pages can also be written on this topic. I will not give you examples or names. The question remains whether we will relinquish the only organisation created and structured back in 1924, which has made its contribution to the prosperity to the Armenians in the country.
Sad. But these are the facts. You see and hear them without any censorship or editing. However, what our future will be depends solely on us.
Looking for answers from you, we are asking:
First of all, should a Council be organised with an agenda, voting and adoption of the statute approved by His Holiness from 2014?
Second, we, as members of the Diocesan Council, working according to the Statute of the Diocese, should know whether and to what extent we have the support of the Armenian public in Bulgaria in the work and priorities we follow?
Third, looking again at the census statistics and the number of self-identified Armenian-Gregorians, our strongest years were at the time of the 1924 Statute. Its structuring and objectives produced the best results. Because both the secular and religious power had one goal – to preserve the Armenian faith, the Armenian spirit, culture, customs and traditions in every corner of the earth. Why not take the example of the organisation of the Armenians in Bulgaria created at that time and create a similar such organisation of the Armenian Diaspora in Bulgaria to deal with the religious, political and social issues of our Diaspora? Why not focus our efforts on the search for professionals in different fields? Why not rely on our prominent people and proven authorities? Why not attract and sponsor young people in their preparation to represent and lead our Diaspora? Why not do what is necessary to attract more people who have proven themselves and are ready to work for the prosperity of our community?
Why not do what is necessary to restore the authority of the Armenians in Bulgaria and become an example of this, instead of looking for reasons for discord?
We have the important prerequisite for the implementation of all this, we have the resource, we have the capacity. We need agreement, accord and trust. It would be unfortunate to miss this chance of ours for the sake of our Diaspora and the legacy of our ancestors. We believe, as we said at the very beginning of this presentation, that this format and topic will lay the beginnings of a good initiative, namely a format of active Armenians who, with their work, knowledge and abilities, will put aside their differences, and will serve and outline the future well-being of the Armenian Diaspora and the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria and defend our unity and strength as a Diaspora.
Dear compatriots,
Thank you, once again, for honouring our invitation!
Thank you for your attention!
I hope you will be active and constructive in the discussion, so that we can exit this room stronger, more resolute and stand up for our unity and identity.
Antranik Shakarian 20 January 2024
President of the Diocesan Council
Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria