THE ARMENIAN CLERGYMAN DESCRIBES IT AS DISGRACE
April 17 2013
Deacon Kristapor And is not going to turn a blind eye to the situation
in Belgium Aravot has already informed that an unpleasant incident
took place in the Belgian city of Antwerp last Sunday; two Armenian
clergymen ~V Deacon Kristapor Froonjian and Deacon Karo clashed
during the Mass. During a conversation with Aravot on the phone,
Deacon Kristapor informed that Deacon Karo had even tried to hit him,
which had been prevented by the priest saying Mass. Our interlocutor
also stated that the morals in the local church were inappropriate
for a spiritual center, about which he had informed the Very Reverend
Zatik Avetikian, the Deputy Pontifical Legate of the Armenian Church in
Belgium, many times, however, the latter, according to the deacon, had
taken no notice of the problem. Deacon Kristapor has been residing in
the city of Antwerp, Belgium, for 10 years. Deacon Kristapor informed
that he had assisted Sacred Masses in Antwerp and other towns of
Belgium with the formation of the choir and other issues for free,
but, according to him, he had left because of disorder and unpleasant
phenomena. ~SAfter three years, I wasn~Rt able to get along with them
any longer; regarding certain issues, they adhere to the mentality
that they can privatize the church ~V the administration comprising
of Deacon Karo and people from his entourage is not in line with any
rules, nor is it in line with the canons of Echmiadzin. I have tried
to persuade many times that doors should be open to everyone, but for
some reason they wouldn~Rt like strangers to enter their backroom.~T
Our interlocutor told us that he had talked with the Very Reverend
Zatik about this and other problems. ~SI have talked with the Very
Reverend Zatik, as the Deputy Spiritual Leader and the Authorized
Representative of the Pontifical Legate, about these issues many times;
unfortunately, he wouldn~Rt listen to me and doesn~Rt care. I have
talked to him lots of times, be it problems in Brussels, Deacon Karo,
or the church in Antwerp, to elect an administration in accordance
with the canons of Saint Echmiadzin, but he would never listen to me,
he doesn~Rt care and doesn~Rt bother his head about anything. Thus,
I resigned the diaconate and left the church. After that, I started to
participate in Masses of other, sister churches, and then I went to
the German Diocese, and they thought that I deserved being a deacon,
and I regularly serve there.~T Deacon Kristapor told us that Deacon
Karo had stated that he considered his consecration void. It even
reached a point when Reverend Khachatur who had been invited to say
Sacred Mass asked Deacon Kristapor to leave, although he had agreed
in advance that Deacon Kristapor would serve the sacred table. ~SKaro
started to treat me impolitely, he said that I wasn~Rt a deacon,
my diaconate was not valid, was void, I couldn~Rt serve,~T our
interlocutor stated. According to him, Deacon Karo and people who
sponsor him have been ruining the Armenian Apostolic Church for 20
years now. By the way, Deacon Kristapor tried to enter the church
again, but according to him, Deacon Karo and his supporters attacked
him. ~SWhat happened in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Belgium was
just outrageous. If Deacon Karo makes decisions here, who can enter
the sacristy and who cannot, it is total disgrace,~T the minister
says. He stated that he was not going to turn a blind eye to this. ~SI
served that church for free, whereas they treated me ungratefully
and supported Karo, wicked Karo, an example of whose many felonious
actions is marrying and baptizing without having a right to do that,
since according to the canons of our church, only ordained priests can
administer the sacraments.~T The deacon has also sent a letter to the
Catholicos of All Armenians, in which he warns: ~SMost Holy Father, we
would ask and beg of Your Holiness, as the Patriarch of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, to rescue our Church from this deadlock and chaos,
which leads our Church to perdition.~T Let us add that there already is
a page on Facebook called ~SStopgaro,~T and people have expressed their
discontent with what happened on the Facebook page of Deacon Kristapor.
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/04/17/153722/
GOHAR HAKOBYAN
From: Baghdasarian
April 17 2013
Deacon Kristapor And is not going to turn a blind eye to the situation
in Belgium Aravot has already informed that an unpleasant incident
took place in the Belgian city of Antwerp last Sunday; two Armenian
clergymen ~V Deacon Kristapor Froonjian and Deacon Karo clashed
during the Mass. During a conversation with Aravot on the phone,
Deacon Kristapor informed that Deacon Karo had even tried to hit him,
which had been prevented by the priest saying Mass. Our interlocutor
also stated that the morals in the local church were inappropriate
for a spiritual center, about which he had informed the Very Reverend
Zatik Avetikian, the Deputy Pontifical Legate of the Armenian Church in
Belgium, many times, however, the latter, according to the deacon, had
taken no notice of the problem. Deacon Kristapor has been residing in
the city of Antwerp, Belgium, for 10 years. Deacon Kristapor informed
that he had assisted Sacred Masses in Antwerp and other towns of
Belgium with the formation of the choir and other issues for free,
but, according to him, he had left because of disorder and unpleasant
phenomena. ~SAfter three years, I wasn~Rt able to get along with them
any longer; regarding certain issues, they adhere to the mentality
that they can privatize the church ~V the administration comprising
of Deacon Karo and people from his entourage is not in line with any
rules, nor is it in line with the canons of Echmiadzin. I have tried
to persuade many times that doors should be open to everyone, but for
some reason they wouldn~Rt like strangers to enter their backroom.~T
Our interlocutor told us that he had talked with the Very Reverend
Zatik about this and other problems. ~SI have talked with the Very
Reverend Zatik, as the Deputy Spiritual Leader and the Authorized
Representative of the Pontifical Legate, about these issues many times;
unfortunately, he wouldn~Rt listen to me and doesn~Rt care. I have
talked to him lots of times, be it problems in Brussels, Deacon Karo,
or the church in Antwerp, to elect an administration in accordance
with the canons of Saint Echmiadzin, but he would never listen to me,
he doesn~Rt care and doesn~Rt bother his head about anything. Thus,
I resigned the diaconate and left the church. After that, I started to
participate in Masses of other, sister churches, and then I went to
the German Diocese, and they thought that I deserved being a deacon,
and I regularly serve there.~T Deacon Kristapor told us that Deacon
Karo had stated that he considered his consecration void. It even
reached a point when Reverend Khachatur who had been invited to say
Sacred Mass asked Deacon Kristapor to leave, although he had agreed
in advance that Deacon Kristapor would serve the sacred table. ~SKaro
started to treat me impolitely, he said that I wasn~Rt a deacon,
my diaconate was not valid, was void, I couldn~Rt serve,~T our
interlocutor stated. According to him, Deacon Karo and people who
sponsor him have been ruining the Armenian Apostolic Church for 20
years now. By the way, Deacon Kristapor tried to enter the church
again, but according to him, Deacon Karo and his supporters attacked
him. ~SWhat happened in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Belgium was
just outrageous. If Deacon Karo makes decisions here, who can enter
the sacristy and who cannot, it is total disgrace,~T the minister
says. He stated that he was not going to turn a blind eye to this. ~SI
served that church for free, whereas they treated me ungratefully
and supported Karo, wicked Karo, an example of whose many felonious
actions is marrying and baptizing without having a right to do that,
since according to the canons of our church, only ordained priests can
administer the sacraments.~T The deacon has also sent a letter to the
Catholicos of All Armenians, in which he warns: ~SMost Holy Father, we
would ask and beg of Your Holiness, as the Patriarch of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, to rescue our Church from this deadlock and chaos,
which leads our Church to perdition.~T Let us add that there already is
a page on Facebook called ~SStopgaro,~T and people have expressed their
discontent with what happened on the Facebook page of Deacon Kristapor.
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/04/17/153722/
GOHAR HAKOBYAN
From: Baghdasarian