Father Aram Asatryan Declared Defrocked

Father Aram Asatryan has been declared defrocked. According to a statement from the Mother See, the decision was based on a report from the Archbishop of the Aragatsotn Diocese and the conclusion of the Reward and Disciplinary Issues Committee of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.

The findings indicate that Father Aram Asatryan has:

• a) discredited the Armenian Church, the Diocesan Archbishop, and fellow clergy through public speeches and statements;
• b) continued to act rebelliously despite the Archbishop's advice and directives;
• c) arbitrarily omitted the names of the Supreme Patriarch and the Diocesan Archbishop during services over the past month, effectively distancing himself from the Church;
• d) persistently ignored the authority and jurisdiction of the Committee by failing to attend its meetings and breaking the vow of obedience through his disgraceful behavior.