USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV program of March 22, 2024
APPO JABARIAN: Good evening, dear viewers, my name is Appo Jabarian. My interlocutor today is a well-known public speaker, investigative journalist, Mr. Vosgan Mekhitarian.
A few days ago, in Armenia, the Karabagh clan, which is also called the “Karabakh mafia” and the Soviet- Ottoman-Putin Russia’s cronies in Armenia, once again took to the streets in Yerevan’s Freedom Square. Apparently, “they are showing no sign of backing down from their ‘uncontrollable appetite’ to come back to power at all cost.”
Personally, I am neither Prime Minister Pashinyan’s defense-lawyer, nor a backstabber.
And it must be said that the number of Armenians, not only in the Homeland but also in the entire Diaspora, are well-informed about how Putin’s Russia wants to restore the Tsarist Russian regime of 100-200 years ago in today’s Republic of Armenia at all cost. The contemporary Armenian republic is built on a segment of Eastern Armenia.
So, Putin’s Russia wants to return to the pre-1918 status. In other words, through its agents, Putin’s Russia is trying to do everything so that Armenia loses its Sovereignty and Independence with the complicity of Armenia’s internal traitors, the fifth column, the circle of the so-called Karabakh mafia. (If you pay attention, I didn’t label all Artsakhtsis as part of the Karabakh mafia, because the people of Artsakh are different people — they are Armenians by nature, they are Armenians at heart. They do not want to be exploited in any way. They do not want to be used to destabilize the internal political life of Armenia, especially at this historical juncture. And the Republic of Armenia, thanks to the present activists and healthy-thinking generation, the golden generation, is preparing to diversify its foreign military alliances.
It is not a secret for many of us that after the 44-day anti-Armenian terrorist aggression by Azerbaijan-Turkiye-ISIS in 2020, Armenia began to regain its momentum and began to diversify its foreign military alliances through practical steps. And last week was a resounding success for Armenia when the European Parliament approved with an unprecedented majority a resolution approving acceptance of Armenia’s candidacy to the European Union.
Therefore, under the light of this positive development, there are certainly also positive developments, which are very good signs. Apparently, Putin’s Russia is not happy at all about the strengthening of the Sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia. It is fair to expect from all the peoples in the region to be respectful of Homeland + Diaspora- the Armenian nation’s birthright. We love and respect all of them. But our loyalty goes to the noble objective of strengthening the Sovereignty, Independence and Defense of the Armenian state.
As for the internal leeches and parasites connected to the Russian-controlled internal 5th column, these elements remain hyperactive. Why? Because, as I explained in last week’s TV program, they rather become “namestniks” (Russian) governors under foreign rule reestablishing their old dictatorial regimes just like under former Pres. Robert Kocharyan, former Pres. Serzh Sargsyan and their cronies. They don’t care if Armenia loses her Sovereignty! Similarly, these rank of anti-Armenia namestniks is also populated by Armenian history’s most corrupt Catholicos Karekin II, who tries to help overthrow popularly elected Pashinyan government at all costs, in order to advance his personal interests through fraudulent activities in collaboration with the Karabakh mafia. All this is being done in order for the old regime kleptomaniacs can keep their loot and remain ‘untouchable’ in the face of law.
As for our compatriots from Artsakh, according to various media reports in Armenia, by the hundreds, they participated in protest rallies at Yerevan’s Freedom Square. They probably have legitimate demands from the Pashinyan government relating to their family needs, but they should also be careful not to become a tool in the hands of the 5th column, the Karabakh clan, so as not to destabilize the country and not become accessories to a new wave political assassinations just like it had happened on October 27, 1999. Indeed, many homeland and Diaspora concerned Armenians say that they are ready to support the Republic of Armenia in any way to prevent another October 27-style assassinations.
As I mentioned a little while ago, among those muddying the waters triggering internal chaos, is Catholicos Karekin II who is out to protect his own religious monopoly at any cost. Mr. Mekhitarian theocracy. I would like to call it “klepto-theocracy”. And in order to put an end to this klepto-theocracy, we must return to the Rule of Law, and especially in the free world, where we have a very important task: through massive participation, the Armenian people and the Armenian faithful must save the Armenian Apostolic Church — the pillar of the Armenian faith. It is the bedrock of the Armenian faith that its destruction should not be allowed in any way.
In the past TV programs, it was mentioned how important it is for our compatriots to participate through membership registration. Mr. Mekhitarian, what road map do you propose so that our compatriots can help bring back the Armenian Apostolic Church to the level of health, in the free world and especially in the former Soviet Union?
VOSGAN MEKHITARIAN: Mr. Jabarian, let’s first clarify that our church is a democracy. I generally call it ‘theocracy,’ because recently the realities have shown that theocracy has become a mindset, especially among the high-ranking clergy, headed by the Patriarch of All Armenians.
In these difficult times, as you explained, the Armenian church has no right to meddle in the homeland’s political affairs because this small homeland of ours is the stage for the new state of war between the superpowers, out of their geopolitical calculations. It’s World War III, my dears. It may flare up more, but we are already in it. Now, in all this, we have nothing else to do, if not to work in every way to preserve our identity. Today, the Armenian Apostolic Church must play a spiritual role.
Why do we put emphasis on the Armenian Apostolic Church? Yes, the state and the church are two different institutions, but our past history shows the reality that in the absence of our political leadership and statehood, it was the church that lent us a helping hand in preserving our identity. But now, it is strange to all of us today when we hear the criticism of the Prime Minister from the mouth of the Patriarch of All Armenians. The primate of Gyumri, Archbishop Michael Atchabahian who is calling for an outright war against the government. And also Archbishop Bagrat who is publicly making similar calls.
Yes, they are belittling and discrediting the Armenian Apostolic Church. And in order all this not to happen and these bankrupt churchmen don’t give themselves the right to make such arrogant statements, We, The People, must take control of our church. You, The People, are the church. Dear lay people, the clergy are the servants. Look at our constitution/bylaws.
The majority are the laity, who are mandated to elect both the spiritual leader and the priest, no matter what happens in the life of the Armenian church both inside the Etchmiadzin-controlled Western Diocese, Cilician-controlled Western Prelacy
Therefore, in order to reach all of them, Dear Ones, we direct these calls for awakening to you. As you enjoy favorable conditions and comfort in America, or Europe, or elsewhere, please don’t say “Who cares!”, don’t say “Why shall I bother?” Do not say, “This is how it has been, and this is how it will continue being.” Don’t say, “Nothing will change.” If there is a desire, there is a willingness on the part of each of us, we can change something. If you do nothing about it then don’t expect that the next generation will become the torch bearer and our churches will carry out their mission. If we don’t do anything, there is no doubt that they will fail and will be condemned to the dustbin of history.
Therefore, we are obliged to register each of us as members of a church near our homes. If you are not a member, dear ones, your remarks will not be heard. If you were baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church, be sure to become a member in order to keep your spiritual house in order. During your life, you endeavor to keep your house in order. Then you have the same obligation to maintain your spiritual house.
Who will save the church? The bishop or the priest? No, dear ones, they are the servants of the spiritual house. Without you, these churches would not fulfill their mission. Therefore, I am asking you all to join the churches near your home. The 100,000-strong Glendale community has a tiny participation by the laypeople. (Editor: The number of independent-thinking lay members have been systematically kept low in order to help the ARF-leaning voters to form a winning quorum at every parish general election.) That’s not acceptable.
If we take examples from the past, you will probably be surprised about how it was. In 1972, the St. Mary’s Church (Glendale) had 450 charter members as an independent church. Dear ones, I can show you the list. In those days, 35 people served as members of the clergy in that church. There was a competition as to who would serve on the altar. Those days are gone today. What happened? The community grew so much. Therefore, in order to take control, dear ones, don’t go far, you can change something. Believe in the strength of your identity.
As we always say, today in the Motherland, we must rely on our own forces so that the enemy treats us with respect. Trust your own forces. In the same way, enroll in the churches and stand up, and put aside all those parasites who exploit the church for their own clan or group.
APPO JABARIAN: Just like Mr. Mekhitarian mentioned in his comments on how those parasites attempt to exploit the church for their own special interests. But he abstained from naming a special interest group. Now there is an “Elephant in The Room’ right here in the TV studio. But I will name that organization – it’s the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) oligarchs who attempt to continue exploiting the church. It is the oligarchs of the ARF who are exploiting and abusing the church within the Great House of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s Western Prelacy of Western United States. However, in the last few weeks, quite positive signs began to come to the forefront of public awareness. A good number of healthy-thinking party members, independent thinkers, and general lay people began to gather around the idea of massive participation in the Armenian Church as new members. That’s how you can be heard and be able to make a difference with your independent vote.
It is precisely because of non-participation that our people lose election after election. And when the voter numbers start increasing through people who do not follow party oligarchs’ orders, The People win! Independent-thinking faithful must start joining. I am sure that again and again, the party oligarchs will try to manipulate things, they will try to block 30-day advance notices to the parish members prior to each general election.
But the important thing is that now the process has started. I am happy to say that there are already quite a large number of Armenians who have begun to think about joining, especially within our immediate circle, say Western Prelacy-affiliated Saint Garabed Church in Hollywood, Western Prelacy-affiliated St. Mary’s Church in Glendale, as well as Fresno, San Francisco, Las Vegas and elsewhere. Please see the two separate lists of churches functioning under each of the Catholicosate of All Armenians’ Western Diocese, and the Great House of Cilicia’s Western Prelacy. You will find the addresses, phone numbers, and also the names of the priests. If those trying to establish contact and present a membership application to any priest of the church face obstruction please call Armenian Church Reform (ACR) at 310-773-7870. If, for example, you face any hurdles by the priest of Western Prelacy-affiliated Saint Garabed Church in Hollywood please inform ACR via telephone and/or email (info@armenianchurchreform.com). For your information, the priest in Hollywood is widely seen as a crony of the ARF party oligarchs. If he pushes you around, please also inform the Armenian free press. It is the duty of any representatives of the Free Press, to shed light on any act of obstruction of your basic human right. As long as you are baptized in an Armenian Apostolic Church, it is your birthright to become a parish member of any Armenian Apostolic Church Parish be it the Western Diocese- or Western Prelacy-affiliated. It makes no difference.
Both the Western Diocese and Western Prelacy, are being controlled by two distinct oligarchic groups that are trying to abuse, exploit and turn the Armenian Apostolic Church into a private monopoly. The time has come for all of us to join hands, without discrimination, without diocesan differences. If you want to go join as a parish member of a Holy Etchmiadzin-affiliated Western Diocese church parish or a Great House of Cilicia-affiliated Western Prelacy church parish, should let ACR you should complete an application and present your baptismal certificate. Only registered parish members have the right to participate in 1) Parish Assemblies, the elections of the Parish Council; 2) elect and be elected as delegates to the annual Diocesan Assembly. Only Diocesan delegates have the right to elect a Diocesan Primate.
So that, as Mr. Mekhitarian said in the last program, “The voice multiplied, the voice of God.” So, dear ones, the square is very wide open in front of our vision. We have to push ourselves into activism, because when we become active, we become real active activists, and then we achieve very good results. Wishes will come true.
In the case of our compatriots in the former Soviet Union, I’d like to ask Mr. Mekhitarian present an illustration. Why is the Armenian Church in the former Soviet Union, including Armenia, and even currently occupied Artsakh lacks the rights of the laity? What can be done to re-establish the Armenian Church By- Laws giving democratic rights to the laity, so that they can rule together with the clergy and the church may prosper?
VOSGAN MEKHITARIAN: During the last 30 years, if it can be called the years of independence, nothing has changed inside the Armenian Apostolic Mother Church, therefore what was imposed on us during the Soviet period remains unchanged.
Unfortunately, the theocracy continues to manifest here in all its forms and ways. As you may know, all our church districts in Armenia are divided into various dioceses, theocracy has absolute rule in all dioceses without laypeople participation. On the contrary, our church is a constitutional church and that constitution is valid everywhere, except within Armenia. Because when there is theocracy, there is no democracy. Therefore, we would like to appeal to our brothers and sisters living in Armenia to demand from their diocesan leaders their rights according to the By-Laws. All those churches, where the clergy work, whether they are priests or pastors, should definitely propose that they have a clear By- Laws and accountability according to that By-Laws. We are tired of the totalitarian dictatorial regime, something that was transferred to the church.
Today, the Catholicosate of All Armenians favors theocracy. No, dear ones, you must reject theocracy. We must become a democratic church, because we always repeat that you, The People, are the church. Be in charge of your churches and therefore demand from your diocesan leaders. Approach the priests, if they don’t grant it, get closer, register as a member. It is true that it is a little different inside Armenia, try to modernize the church. Let the church be yours, put your spiritual house in order. Come in to clean it up. You cannot clean your house from the outside.
Therefore, we will appeal to our brothers and sisters living in Armenia, take it upon yourselves, register as members in your churches so that the pastors working there are accountable, not only to God but also to The People. The church should be transparent and accountable. Beloveds, the time has come, stand up, demand everywhere to put your Spiritual House in order starting immediately.