This is an unprecedented phenomenon: the leader of the Shirak Diocese on Pashinyan's failure to congratulate the Catholicos on his birthday

August 21 marked the 70th anniversary of His Holiness Catholicos Garegin II. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did not congratulate the Catholicos.

Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, leader of the Shirak Diocese, told ArmDaily.am that this is an unprecedented phenomenon. “This is an unprecedented phenomenon. Even Soviet leaders congratulated Catholicos Vazgen on the anniversaries of his birth, and even awarded him medals. Catholicos Vazgen had an example, receiving the Medal of Friendship of Peoples and other honors from the Soviet government for his pacifist activities and general contributions on the occasion of his birth and other occasions. Now I leave the conclusions to you, meaning that the Soviet government valued the Catholicos, while today, your so-called national or unnational government maintains silence,” said the Shirak Diocese leader.

He mentioned that this attitude speaks volumes about the essence of this government. “It speaks about them. After all, the seventy-year-old Catholicos has made a tremendous contribution and merit in this country. If the government does not understand this, does not see it, does not appreciate it, this is not about the Catholicos but rather about the government and its leader,” said Mikael Ajapahyan.