CATHOLICOS RUNS CHURCH CONSTRUCTION

[Yervant1]

CATHOLICOS RUNS CHURCH CONSTRUCTION

Lragir.am
Society - 07 May 2015, 20:08

Yesterday the ex-prime minister of Armenia Hrant Bagratyan brought
up the issue of construction of churches noting that the Armenian
oligarchs based abroad who are building churches in Armenia are doing
more harm and are a burden on the country.

Note that soon a new church will be built in the pantheon of the
Komitas Park, Yerevan funded by Samvel Karapetyan.

"We have 6500 churches for 9 million Armenians, one church per 1450
people, only the Greeks have higher density. Of course, we need
churches but there should be a measure. The churches that we are
building, calculate wear and tear at 1.5-2%, who is going to maintain
them 500 years later? 30 billion dollars has been spent on 6500
churches, the annual wear and tear is 400 million dollars. Why doesn't
the catholicos, the head of state say what are you doing?" Member of
Parliament Hrant Bagratyan announced at the National Assembly.

"The catholicos runs the church construction, who do we expect to
announce that it is enough to build? He heads this business, he is
a champion. They need not expect the catholicos to say it's enough
to build churches. He encourages, welcomes, consecrates, honors the
builders," said the archeologist Samvel Karapetyan commenting on the
issue brought up in the parliament in an interview with Lragir.am.

"The Catholicos believes that in this way he is fighting sects. But
there must be an idea, when there is no idea, you cannot fight with the
help of buildings. There is no idea. The clergymen serving in these
buildings do not carry the national idea, and you cannot fight sects
unless you carry the national idea. These buildings may appear under
the control of sects. Darkness is ruling our country, and nothing is
ruled out in such a situation. These newly built churches are evidence
of reign of darkness," Samvel Karapetyan said.

Commenting on church construction, the ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan
expressed an opinion that Armenia does not have so many believers to
build another church.

"In modern life, religion is a matter of identity rather. The church
does not perform the role that is assigned to it. If the church states
a new problem, perhaps it should I don't know... On the other hand,
however, as far as I know, the church builders are mostly people who
eternalize their memory in this way," the ethnographer says.

Another aspect of the issue is that one has money and one spends
as one wants. "The second question is: how do we itemize the public
needs for which we assume that contributions should be made? Has the
government identified this list?"

The ethnographer also wonders whether the Armenian church has only
construction needs or the church also needs to spend its money on
hospitals, assistance or empowerment of people in need.

"Is there such a list and do the so-called investors prefer only church
construction or is it prompted to them as the main pipe? I don't have
the answers to these questions. Does money die when it is invested
in construction or does it have future? This is the issue. I don't
think that church construction is a matter of future for Armenia,"
Hranush Kharatyan concludes.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/society/view/34045#sthash.TonqVrtg.dpuf

 

[onjig]

Maybe then the Armenian Church should be built in the country where the money was donated. Would that please Baron Bagratyan?

 

Hrant Bagratyan spends monies on items of his choice, both in his private life and and public role. I think that money, spent by Hrant, can be better spent sending me to the Olympics.

 

Quote from above:The church
does not perform the role that is assigned to it.

 

What role has Hrant assigned to The Church and to Armenians living abroad?

Edited May 9, 2015 by onjig

[Yervant1]

To be fair to him, I think we have enough churches around the world and in Armenia. One more church is not going to make us more Christian than we already are, therefore it makes sense to use some of that currency for the defense of the Motherland. We can always build more churches later after we build a strong country.

[onjig]

I agree with the need for a strong defence.

[onjig]

Rereading your last post and using your wording:"therefore it makes sense to use some of that currency for the defence of the Motherland."

 

Yes, it would be proper to use a respectable portion of these monies to protect the Motherland.

[Yervant1]

WHY ARE THE DIASPORA ENTREPRENEURS BUILDING A CHURCH RATHER THAN A FACTORY IN YEREVAN?

May 13 2015

The Union of Armenian in Ukraine supported by Vilen Shatvoryan is
building an Armenian church in Ukraine. The Church construction works
will be completed in 2-3 years. At the same time, in the neighborhood
of a big church, initiated and funded by the Armenian community
in Kiev, a church is being built on 130 square meters of space and
20-meter high. The construction works will be completed in one or
two months. In the conversation with Norik Gevorgyan, head of the
Armenian community in Kiev, we noticed in the last period, the rich
abroad Armenians also build churches in Yerevan, which gave rise to
criticism. "If they had a chance to build a factory, they would do
it, they have no chance, so they build a church. At least they build
something," our interlocutor responded. We asked whether there was a
case when they wanted to build a plant in Armenia and were refused,
Norik Gevorgyan said, "We are all connected with Armenia by very
different ties, and there is no such a notion that the government
does not allow. It is clear that it will allow. Simply, there is a
fear in the people, everyone understands the situation in Armenia to
start a business there, and someone will seize it from their hands
or enter into a share. There is no competition. I am a businessman,
but I'm not ready to set up a business in Armenia," detailed our
interlocutor. We inquired whether they do not trust the state or
the government authorities. "The state is our state and we do not
have the right not to trust, but the authorities give reasons for the
lack of trust and it's a big problem for our state. The Diaspora sees
it very well and understands everything, no matter what it is said
or presented that they are doing positive steps. When we see that
there is a true and free competition, we will make a step. Today,
I will set up a business in Georgia with great pleasure because I
see positive steps. There is no positive trend in Armenia, and I do
not think that will happen soon. The entrepreneur cannot be in the
politics because he should think about his interests. While all our
politicians are businessmen.

A stagnant situation and I do not understand why the president is not
doing anything," opines our interlocutor. Our interlocutor tells that
the Ukraine was in a similar situation, but after the signing of the
EU Association Agreement, positive trends are noticed. The changes
are not significant yet but are inspiring.

Nelly GRIGORYAN

Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2015/05/13/170197/