Transparency Starts With Leaders
Much of the public attention on corruption in Armenia has been directed at the government and business structure. Corruption takes on many forms that erode the innovation in a society. It renders the majority powerless. It creates a victim mentality that extinguishes hope—the fundamental element for prosperity and happiness. Given the financial implications of corruption (bribery, theft, monopolies and deceit), it is natural that most of the visibility is focused on the government and business community.
Another outcome of the corruption in Armenia has been poor governance, stagnated job growth and of course the resulting emigration. Armenia suffered from this malaise significantly during the first 25 years of its independence. This is the environment that led to the Velvet Revolution and the emergence of the Pashinyan era. Timing is everything. PM Pashinyan and his allies read the will of the people and their limits of intolerance correctly. It led to a rare circumstance in modern nationhood—a street movement that quickly evolved into the governing structure without violence and short term chaos. This is a remarkable achievement by the Armenian people. Clearly governing in a parliamentary democracy however, with a long list of pent up challenges, is much more difficult than the Revolution itself.
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Great article. That is our problem. We whisper but we don’t talk. As a result we make things worse.
Very well put together and always an interesting educational knowledge.
Speaking solely for myself, born and raised in the diaspora, mother of two daughters, born and raised in the US, I find it very difficult to reveal all this to them for fear that it may distance them from the Armenian Church, the one and only institution that is supposed to gather every and all armenians under its wings with no exception, as per the Christian faith that we all say we belong to! If this very important issue is not taken care of immediately, we can hence say to our Church: “ouremen tzerke rest leva kalik serounten(neren)!
Recently, a so-called “Pan-Armenian Coalition of the Western US” was set up to ostensibly serve as spokespeople for and representatives of the greater Armenian community in California — but have appointed themselves without holding popular elections. Oligarchies are alive and well in the Diaspora, not just in Armenia.
Stepan Piligian’s article “Transparency Starts with Leaders” is timely and sobering. It is “straight talk” well expressed. Silence in any situations is a “killer”. I am a first generation survivor of the Armenian Genocide living in Los Angels. I had the honor to serve as State Minister of Armenia 1992-96, from day one of Independence, under Preaident Levon Ter Petrossian. I, also, have known and served under three Catolicia: Vasken I, Karekin I and Karekin II. I have known and worked with Karekin II while he was the Archbishop of the Araratian Region in Yerevan. He seemed to be a great and caring Archbishop at the time.
Unfortunately as times change people change with it. When the focus of the Church shifts from Christ to material values the decline becomes quick and uncontrollable. I never could understood why most high ranking Armenian religious leaders would succumb to msterialism. GREED is the only obvious reason. The conquncency of GREED can only be detrimental. The result is rapid indtitutional decay as is the current situation in the Armenian Apostolic Church. Silence by Curch leaders is a coverup to pull the rug over the problem they have created. If our Mother Church leaders continue to ignore the urgent need to become transparent and undertake urgent reforms to the Church Order, comming Armenian generations will suffer the most. Time to act is NOW while there is still a chance to remedy the sad situation.
It is always good to ask for an accounting of the affairs. Every denomination has had problems of dishonesty. My father back home used to support our church continuously, but he would say I am giving an giving I don’t care what they do with it, because those who complain, never give. You can always give generously and ask for an accounting. God Bless our mother church.
Young kids don’t want to even discuss the church anymore. It’s a dying institution and it will continue to decay till they take an active role in improving the life of the needy. Our patriarch is a dinosaur and needs to go. Outside of massive and beautiful compound that he lives there’s pain and suffering and he’s doing nothing about it!
Thank you for writing this article. I think as Armenians who care about our church we should send a clear message. I agree no Armenian should send money to Etchmiadizn. It is similar to an embargo. Secondly, there are a few things we can change for the future. We need to ensure that the position of Vehapar or any leader has a time frame. Just like the US president serves for a term of four years. I don’t see why the Vehapar can not serve for four years. Also, we the Armenian people should also be able to vote for Vehapar not just the clergy. Our voices should also be heard. Celibacy needs to end. It is against the law of nature. The bible itself in genesis states be fruitful multiply….. St Gregory the Illuminator our first Vehapar was married. His grandson became vehapar as well and was married. Celibacy IS NOT WORKING. We need to make some changes. Lastely, We can boycott help for Armenia. Any help. Trust me when the money stops coming in they will make sure there is a new Vehapar tomorrow. A lot of money goes to Armenia from the Diasopra and a lot of people benefit from that money. At the end of the day it is all about the money. Sad to say. I agree we should care and question if we love our church.
Please read this on the corrupt activities of Karekin II. WASHINGTON (A.W.)—On Feb. 8, the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released details from 60,000 leaked files on more than 100,000 client accounts (individual and legal) with the British banking giant HSBC. Among the 61 clients profiled on the ICIJ website is the Supreme Karekin II Appears in Leaked HSBC Files. According to the ICIJ, HSBC files revealed that Karekin II was first listed among its clients in 2000. The profile states, “He was connected to an account named ‘His Holiness Karekin II Nersis’ that listed one bank account and held as much as $1.1 million in 2006/2007.”
Great article Stepan, also a great way to unify Armenia and the diaspora is appointing a diasporan leader of the church
I for one have never seen a list of verified misdeeds against any high ranking church administrator. Unsubstantiated accusations are shameful. If there are indeed substantiated misdeeds on file somewhere, make them available as a matter of public record.
Further, there are numerous urgent things to consider. Our present system served our nation well for some 2,000 years. But after 100 years plus in diaspora, it does appear that a huge segment of our people have little or no clue about the meaning of our splendid Holy Badarak which is performed for 2 plus hours every Sunday. Fewer and fewer people are following out of the religion of their ancestors. They are finding other options which appear to resonate with them.
Criticism of the status quo is easy but unfortunately, facilitating better options is so much harder that the process usually lingers on the easy part.
The year was 1846. Faithful Armenian Apostolic clergy and lay people in Constantinople were declaring their desire to reform their church and bring it back to its biblical and apostolic simplicity. Much transpired in those times, but the bottom line was a patriarchal anathema and subsequent persecutions, and thus the Armenian Evangelical Church was born. Let’s hope and pray that history does not repeat itself in these times.
Dear Stepan, please consider interviewing some of our clergy for your column and asking them the tough questions. Thank you.
Stepan, are you going to team up with Appo Jabarian?
Dear Stepan.
This is a very well thought out and presented article. I appreciate the content and the very respectful manner that it was presented.
Very well thought and written article, and unfortunate subject matter.
Where there is doubt, an institution will crumble. I see it online, in part thanks to this lack of transparency and obvious insincerity and showmanship in this highest form of leadership in the Armenian Apostolic Church, thousands of people now renounce religion altogether! There is no respect for church, and often none for God. It may be personal choice, however, seeing this type of corruption at the highest level, and even at a few local churches as well (obvious fake reporting and avoidance of real questions at Parish Council meetings) is contributing to people leaving the church. Greed is the death of any and all man.
I too agree that it would be best to allow married priests to progress in the respected (and altogether voted) ranking of the church. There need to be true, transparent, and naturally obvious checks and balances. We have been a Diasporan people, so many established outside of Armenia, and from generation to generation working hard to maintain our ties to each other culturally, to the church, and to maintaining our language – which often is Western dialect, which is dying quickly…unless our children at the least are tied spiritually to a church and want to attend the wonderful Armenian language schools our churches provide. EVERYTHING is tied together – and it all starts with the head(s) doing the right thing!