Tweet
ARMENIAN PRIMATE OF CYPRUS: 'I REALLY CAN'T SAY IF THE BISHOPS SYNOD WILL DISCUSS THE KJOYAN OFFSHORE SCANDAL STORY'
Marine Martirosyan
15:12, September 26, 2013
Hetq speaks with Archbishop Varujan Hergelian about the challenges
facing Armenia and the role of the Church in resolving them. The
Cypriot Primate is in Armenia to attend the Bishops Synod in
Etchmiadzin.
- Your Holiness, what's you opinion of the situation in Armenia today.
- It's not good. We visited the border villages in Tavoush Province
and met with the people and students of the main schools. We saw the
reality on the ground - the roads, the water shortages. The government,
with the leverage of the Church, must provide more improvements so
that the people's concerns are addressed. Those people are prey
to Turkish bullets. They have electricity issues, school and job
problems. The schools should be free. The government, along with the
Church, must improve social conditions so that people don't leave
their communities. It's our border. I saw that in some areas almost
75% of villages have been emptied. If such a trend continues, only
grandmas and grandpas will be left to defend the border.
- What are the mistakes that have caused such a situation?
- We all know it's a result of the government and its policies
regarding the homeland. We must put a stop to all those monopolies
that have been given to some people. People must be free to work.
Anyone who lives in the homeland must be free to conduct business and
work, but they also have certain obligations, like paying taxes, etc.
This is the meaning of freedom. Otherwise our people will leave the
homeland. And we are seeing this happen.
- Has the Cypriot Armenian community discussed the offshore
scandal here in Armenia in which Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan has
been implicated?
- No. We have no idea about what happened. We only know as much as you
do. We didn't even know that some people conducted such transactions in
Cyprus. We don't know the amounts that were transferred and deposited
in Cypriot banks, two of which have gone bankrupt. Our church held
reserves funds in them and we also incurred losses.
- Armenians in Cyprus generally don't have close connections to the
Church. It's only a small circle of concerned faithful that attend
services. The number of mixed marriages has also increased.
- Your Holiness, I had asked you about a certain high ranking Church
clergyman. Did you ever meet him in Cyprus?
- Never. The only people that visited the Diocese were His Holiness
Bozabalyan and Martikyan. Recently, His Holiness Parkev and some
priests came to visit.
- In other words, our diaspora clergymen aren't interested in
developments in Armenia, especially church matters.
- We only get information via the television or from individuals
visiting Cyprus. And we don't know if what they tell us is true or
not. These issues must be discussed on both sides. We've never had
such an opportunity and I think I never will. I am here in Armenia
now and no one has approached me in this direction.
- Don't you think that the matter should be raised in the Bishops
Synod? Why hasn't the offshore scandal matter been discussed at
the meeting?
- We still have time. There are two main issues for us to debate -
the sanctification procedure and the meaning of baptism. During the
first session we will discuss the challenges facing the Church. If
that specific issue is raised or not, I can't say.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/29636/armenian-primate-of-cyprus-%E2%80%98i-really-can%E2%80%99t-say-if-the-bishops-synod-will-discuss-the-kjoyan-offshore-scandal-story%E2%80%99.html
Marine Martirosyan
15:12, September 26, 2013
Hetq speaks with Archbishop Varujan Hergelian about the challenges
facing Armenia and the role of the Church in resolving them. The
Cypriot Primate is in Armenia to attend the Bishops Synod in
Etchmiadzin.
- Your Holiness, what's you opinion of the situation in Armenia today.
- It's not good. We visited the border villages in Tavoush Province
and met with the people and students of the main schools. We saw the
reality on the ground - the roads, the water shortages. The government,
with the leverage of the Church, must provide more improvements so
that the people's concerns are addressed. Those people are prey
to Turkish bullets. They have electricity issues, school and job
problems. The schools should be free. The government, along with the
Church, must improve social conditions so that people don't leave
their communities. It's our border. I saw that in some areas almost
75% of villages have been emptied. If such a trend continues, only
grandmas and grandpas will be left to defend the border.
- What are the mistakes that have caused such a situation?
- We all know it's a result of the government and its policies
regarding the homeland. We must put a stop to all those monopolies
that have been given to some people. People must be free to work.
Anyone who lives in the homeland must be free to conduct business and
work, but they also have certain obligations, like paying taxes, etc.
This is the meaning of freedom. Otherwise our people will leave the
homeland. And we are seeing this happen.
- Has the Cypriot Armenian community discussed the offshore
scandal here in Armenia in which Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan has
been implicated?
- No. We have no idea about what happened. We only know as much as you
do. We didn't even know that some people conducted such transactions in
Cyprus. We don't know the amounts that were transferred and deposited
in Cypriot banks, two of which have gone bankrupt. Our church held
reserves funds in them and we also incurred losses.
- Armenians in Cyprus generally don't have close connections to the
Church. It's only a small circle of concerned faithful that attend
services. The number of mixed marriages has also increased.
- Your Holiness, I had asked you about a certain high ranking Church
clergyman. Did you ever meet him in Cyprus?
- Never. The only people that visited the Diocese were His Holiness
Bozabalyan and Martikyan. Recently, His Holiness Parkev and some
priests came to visit.
- In other words, our diaspora clergymen aren't interested in
developments in Armenia, especially church matters.
- We only get information via the television or from individuals
visiting Cyprus. And we don't know if what they tell us is true or
not. These issues must be discussed on both sides. We've never had
such an opportunity and I think I never will. I am here in Armenia
now and no one has approached me in this direction.
- Don't you think that the matter should be raised in the Bishops
Synod? Why hasn't the offshore scandal matter been discussed at
the meeting?
- We still have time. There are two main issues for us to debate -
the sanctification procedure and the meaning of baptism. During the
first session we will discuss the challenges facing the Church. If
that specific issue is raised or not, I can't say.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/29636/armenian-primate-of-cyprus-%E2%80%98i-really-can%E2%80%99t-say-if-the-bishops-synod-will-discuss-the-kjoyan-offshore-scandal-story%E2%80%99.html