“I have said and I repeat: CC members are traitors to my country,” Father Oshin says

Ruben Rubinyan, a member of Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract (CC) party, who has declared a campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, today referred to Father Oshin Hayrapetyan, the spiritual pastor of Saghmosavank.

According to Rubinyan, Father Oshin told an acquaintance preparing for marriage that “the important thing is that the godfather be a decent person with a good reputation – that is, not a Civil Contract member.”

“I advise Father Oshin to come to his senses,” Rubinyan said.

In an interview with Aysor.am, Father Oshin Hayrapetyan responded that he considers CC members “traitors to the homeland”.

“For me there is no such party as CC. Whether someone is a CC member or not is irrelevant — what matters is that he is not a traitor to the homeland, that he is a patriot and a church-loving person. I have said this before and I repeat it,” he said.

Asked whether he feared possible repercussions, Father Oshin said he was not afraid and claimed he had already faced pressure for six months.

He added that he did not know which specific couple Rubinyan had referred to and said that if he learned their identity, he would refuse to officiate their wedding.