Nikol Pashinyan to attend Divine Liturgy at Gyumri’s Holy Mother of God Church (Surb Yot Verk) – who will perform it
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan published a video on Facebook announcing that he will attend the “Holy and Immortal Divine Liturgy” at the Holy Mother of God (Surb Yot Verk) Church in Gyumri on Sunday, December 7. The day before, he had confirmed that he attends the Liturgies on the condition that the name of the Catholicos of All Armenians is not mentioned there. Employees of the National Security Service (NSS) are also visiting churches to resolve this issue.
There are 24 priests operating in the Diocese of Shirak, and it is still unknown who among them will perform the Liturgy on the day of commemoration for the earthquake victims in the presence of the Prime Minister. Earlier statements suggested that all priests of the Shirak Diocese refused to omit the name of the Catholicos during the Liturgy attended by the Prime Minister. It was also reported that this time the Liturgy would be performed by Father Ruben, the priest of Gyumri’s Surb Hakob Mtsbnetsi Church.
However, the latter reported that NSS employees had spoken to him about this matter, but he refused to omit the Catholicos’ name during the Liturgy.
It should be recalled that the re-consecration ceremony of the Holy Savior Church (Surb Amenaprkich) took place on December 7 last year, which was led by the Catholicos of All Armenians. On that day, Archbishop Mikael, Primate of the Diocese of Shirak, received an Episcopal Panagia from the Catholicos, and former Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan received the high honorific Order of “Saint Gregory the Illuminator.” Both are currently under arrest.