The Chaplaincy of the Armed Forces has been dissolved
By the order of the Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan, the Chaplaincy (Spiritual Leadership) of the RA Armed Forces, which served in the field of spiritual service for the army for around 20 years, has been dissolved.
This was announced by Priest Ter Psak Mkrtchyan.
According to him, Divine Liturgies will no longer be served at the St. Grigor Narekatsi Church of the Kanaz Hospital, as the Chaplaincy of the RA Armed Forces has been dissolved.
“As clergymen, we are now released from our duties,” the priest noted.
The Chaplaincy of the RA Armed Forces was established on November 13, 1997, on the initiative of Catholicos Karekin I and the RA Minister of Defense Vazgen Sargsyan.
Initially, it provided spiritual service to the border guard troops of the Armenian Army and the army of the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh. In 1997, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the RA Ministry of Defense, which regulated the system of military spiritual service.
The army chaplains who served in the Chaplaincy participated as a separate contingent in the military parades dedicated to the 20th and 25th anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Sardarapat.