Father Tade Khachmazyan Declared Defrocked

On December 2, under the leadership of His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Father Tade Khachmazyan, the spiritual leader of the Talin region, has been declared defrocked. The decision was made based on the report of the Administrative Council of the Aragatsotn Diocese and the conclusion of the commission for awarding and disciplinary issues of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

It was stated that Father Tade has discredited the Armenian Church and its clergy by disseminating public slander and engaging in anti-church actions. He participated in the offenses of an individual who was declared defrocked, and he willfully altered the mention of the names of the Catholicos of All Armenians and the diocesan primate during Divine Liturgies, effectively denying the hierarchical order, distancing himself from the Church, and aligning himself with divisive movements, demonstrating disobedience to ecclesiastical authority.

The defrocked cleric will henceforth be classified among laypeople under the name of Aramais Khachmazyan.