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THEY THINK A CELIBATE PRIEST MUST HAVE LOVERS
Yesterday the chair of the United Youth League Sevan Hovhannisyan
stated in an interview that Abba Hakob Grigoryan working at the
Mother See is a homosexual and displayed photos in which Abba Hakob is
feeding a boy and is hugging him. Later Abba Hakob Grigoryan said it is
complete slander and the boy in the photo is his brother, his aunt's
son. He noted that he has requested the catholicos to suspend his
clerical activities for a while. We interviewed Abba Hakob Grigoryan
(his secular name is Arman).
You insist that the boy you are hugging and feeding is your cousin.
Many people say one would not hug and feed one's cousin that fondly.
If one's cousin is ten years older than one and one treats him like
one's younger brother, being caring has nothing to do with being
in love. Anything can be interpreted in any way. Our society is
such. If you post a personal photo on the web, there will be any
comment because today it is not important what the reality is, what
matters is scandals and likes and clicks.
Does this scandal involve the church or your personality?
This scandal involved both me and the church. I don't think that I
have hurt anyone but I am amazed that young people fighting sects are
attacking the church today. I wonder to what extent they are committed
to protecting the church, supporting the church because as long as
one supports the church, clergymen are part of the church. This is a
matter of hatred, meanness, antipathy, something that surprises me,
they used to be my close friends.
Do you think a person should not be free in their sex life? If I am
not mistaken, you are celibate.
As a priest I share the official opinion of the church. I am sorry
that a person may get some photos in a way and manipulate them and
disturb my family and my friends. I have taken action against that, I
contacted a lawyer, we will go to court and the issue will be settled.
Those guilty will be held responsible. As to the fact of being
celibate, I am sorry that people perceive clergymen as oligarchs, they
think that celibate priests must have lovers or be homosexuals. This
is not the problem of the church but the public perception that no
moral values and standards exist.
Is celibacy wrong?
I cannot tell what is right and what is wrong. For me what the church
says is right.
And what do you think, is it possible that we are seeing more intimate
photos of you?
If my personal and family photos were stolen, they may use Photoshop.
I will sue them. I will get everything clarified. It is slander and
it is a lie.
Do you like women?
Why wouldn't I like them? What is unusual about it? Liking someone,
getting in touch with someone does not make a church crime.
There is a lot of criticism against clergymen, does every clergyman
share responsibility for strengthening the church today?
Everyone, clergymen and laymen, must strengthen, empower, support
and assist the church. However, one also needs to understand that no
matter how hard a clergyman and a decent believer try, the church may
also undergo attacks because the church has both friends and enemies.
How did you meet UYL? What caused the lack of understanding between
you?
I learned about the United Youth League through Sevan Aghajanyan.
Frankly speaking I haven't understood the reason, we were so close and
whenever I needed help, I got that help from them and I am grateful
and I always returned their help but I would never think that they
would be so mad with me, I tried to help them with advice. Simply
they are now focused on their PR, they want to feature on the web,
they want people to talk, and God knows who their victims will be.
Do you wish to return to service?
I certainly do.
Recently the gender law has been circulated, and the church expressed
concerns over it. Who would expect that any issue would stir up the
clergymen that much?
In the 5th century or during the war in Karabakh, a clergyman would
pick up arms and fight if there was a need for that. Otherwise, I
wouldn't have talked to Sevak and Sevan about sects. I saw the need
and I talked to them.
I believe that it is easy for the church to be beside every family,
every individual because of the shortage of priests.
Siranuysh Papyan 16:37 14/11/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/interview/view/31307
Yesterday the chair of the United Youth League Sevan Hovhannisyan
stated in an interview that Abba Hakob Grigoryan working at the
Mother See is a homosexual and displayed photos in which Abba Hakob is
feeding a boy and is hugging him. Later Abba Hakob Grigoryan said it is
complete slander and the boy in the photo is his brother, his aunt's
son. He noted that he has requested the catholicos to suspend his
clerical activities for a while. We interviewed Abba Hakob Grigoryan
(his secular name is Arman).
You insist that the boy you are hugging and feeding is your cousin.
Many people say one would not hug and feed one's cousin that fondly.
If one's cousin is ten years older than one and one treats him like
one's younger brother, being caring has nothing to do with being
in love. Anything can be interpreted in any way. Our society is
such. If you post a personal photo on the web, there will be any
comment because today it is not important what the reality is, what
matters is scandals and likes and clicks.
Does this scandal involve the church or your personality?
This scandal involved both me and the church. I don't think that I
have hurt anyone but I am amazed that young people fighting sects are
attacking the church today. I wonder to what extent they are committed
to protecting the church, supporting the church because as long as
one supports the church, clergymen are part of the church. This is a
matter of hatred, meanness, antipathy, something that surprises me,
they used to be my close friends.
Do you think a person should not be free in their sex life? If I am
not mistaken, you are celibate.
As a priest I share the official opinion of the church. I am sorry
that a person may get some photos in a way and manipulate them and
disturb my family and my friends. I have taken action against that, I
contacted a lawyer, we will go to court and the issue will be settled.
Those guilty will be held responsible. As to the fact of being
celibate, I am sorry that people perceive clergymen as oligarchs, they
think that celibate priests must have lovers or be homosexuals. This
is not the problem of the church but the public perception that no
moral values and standards exist.
Is celibacy wrong?
I cannot tell what is right and what is wrong. For me what the church
says is right.
And what do you think, is it possible that we are seeing more intimate
photos of you?
If my personal and family photos were stolen, they may use Photoshop.
I will sue them. I will get everything clarified. It is slander and
it is a lie.
Do you like women?
Why wouldn't I like them? What is unusual about it? Liking someone,
getting in touch with someone does not make a church crime.
There is a lot of criticism against clergymen, does every clergyman
share responsibility for strengthening the church today?
Everyone, clergymen and laymen, must strengthen, empower, support
and assist the church. However, one also needs to understand that no
matter how hard a clergyman and a decent believer try, the church may
also undergo attacks because the church has both friends and enemies.
How did you meet UYL? What caused the lack of understanding between
you?
I learned about the United Youth League through Sevan Aghajanyan.
Frankly speaking I haven't understood the reason, we were so close and
whenever I needed help, I got that help from them and I am grateful
and I always returned their help but I would never think that they
would be so mad with me, I tried to help them with advice. Simply
they are now focused on their PR, they want to feature on the web,
they want people to talk, and God knows who their victims will be.
Do you wish to return to service?
I certainly do.
Recently the gender law has been circulated, and the church expressed
concerns over it. Who would expect that any issue would stir up the
clergymen that much?
In the 5th century or during the war in Karabakh, a clergyman would
pick up arms and fight if there was a need for that. Otherwise, I
wouldn't have talked to Sevak and Sevan about sects. I saw the need
and I talked to them.
I believe that it is easy for the church to be beside every family,
every individual because of the shortage of priests.
Siranuysh Papyan 16:37 14/11/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/interview/view/31307