Vayots Dzor Diocese Leader Unable to Purchase ‘Very Luxurious SUV’ Now Drives Jaguar

The leader of the Vayots Dzor Diocese, Abraham Surbazan, during a conversation with reporters near the Mother See on November 25, essentially did not answer the question of whether he is wealthy or not. Reporters asked him about his wealth, considering him the richest among the episcopal class, as well as whether he owns a hydropower plant or a restaurant near Noravank.

Surbazan responded that this question had been answered multiple times before. He stated that the project related to the hydropower plant was programmatic and purposeful, and the revenues had been used as intended. He added that it is not a personal property, but rather a foundation, and his connection to it is only insofar as it supports projects executed in the region. He reminded that previously, amid electricity shortages, the government and people wanted such structures to exist.

According to Surbazan, the bishop does not engage in such activities, but as the head of the diocese, he organizes gatherings, discussions, and meetings with donors and organizations, seeking solutions to the issues of the diocese. When asked again if he is wealthy, he replied, “I am rich spiritually, very rich.”

Surbazan did not deny driving a Jaguar but noted that it is temporary and not his own. In response to reporters' questions about having visited a dealership and wanting to buy a Jeep Grand Cherokee but finding it “too luxurious,” he replied, “Yes, I couldn’t afford it; I bought a five-year-old SUV instead.”