I Did Not Formulate My Thought Correctly. Father Sebeos on Treating Priests Like Kings

The aim of my upset sermon was not to protest but to call for admonition and sobriety to my people. This was stated by Father Sebeos Galachyan, the spiritual leader of the Church of the Holy Savior in Nizhny Novgorod, in an interview with Tert.am, referring to the video clip that sparked discussion online. In this segment, he said that if one does not want priests to engage in business, they must be treated like kings.

“Why did I say it that way? From my perspective, without taking any backward step, I must say I have been very upset, and that’s why I could not formulate my thought correctly. The wording was incorrect, but I believe those who have tried to understand me correctly will not see anything bad in my words. I can only accept criticism in the sense that I did not phrase my thought properly. For instance, it could have been said that the priest and clergyman should be preachers of Christ's word and should not be burdened with material concerns; this should not be the role of a priest. The role of the priest and the entire church should be to preach Christ's word, and as free as a priest is from worldly worries, the more dedicated he must be to his service,” said Father Sebeos.

When asked about his remark in the sermon that if he doesn’t want to do business, he should be treated like a king, does this imply that he has a business, he responded, “Which intelligent person would rise and put themselves under criticism knowing that their sermon is being broadcast live and that their words must be viewed by everyone? Who could be that short-sighted and behave in such a manner? I’ve been serving here for 8 years, and I can confidently say that I could be accused and criticized for many things regarding my strictness, emotionality, and demanding nature. Yes, I accept all of this and will not try to deny it; I only ask for forgiveness. But as for business, no one here can say that Father Sebeos has a business. Everyone here knows me well.”

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