March: 22, 2026
Blessing the faithful and amid applause, the leader of the Shirak Diocese, Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, entered the Church of the Holy Mother of God (Seven Wounds) in Gyumri for the first time after his arrest to participate in the Sunday liturgy.
According to the court’s decision, the reverend was allowed to participate in Sunday liturgies and receive communion from March 18, but they have not yet given him the right to celebrate liturgy.
Let’s remind that a criminal case has been initiated against Archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan under the article of public appeals aimed at usurping power, violating territorial integrity, renouncing sovereignty or forcibly overthrowing the constitutional order. He was detained on June 28.
On February 6, the Court of Appeal replaced the priest’s preventive detention with house arrest.
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