Lack of priests in Shirak felt strongly

[Artur]

The Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church is one of its historical dioceses with righteous faithful. It has been like that always. But today when the province of Shirak went through the ordeal of 1988 destructive earthquake that razed the country’s second largest town to ground, its people need a strong faith and great spiritual strength to overcome the challenges of everyday life that have become routine. The Primate of the Diocese Bishop Mikael Ajapahian tells the daily Azg that the diocese does everything in its power to help restore the faith and assist the most insecure families. There is a Sunday school, but religion is taught in virtually in all secondary schools of the town and in a number of rural schools. Teachers are prepared for religion teaching and are paid by the Diocese. The international World Vision organization helped with publication of textbooks. Also some 3,000 copies of Christian books were published on the Diocesan funds and were distributed to the faithful free. There is a diocese-affiliated culture center, which hosts some 300 children who are taught foreign languages, computers, dance, singing, sports.The Shirak Diocese continues its charitable programs as well. Donations from Armenians in Canada, USA and Austria go to financially support orphans under 18, of which there are thousands. The Diocese also helps the inmates of a correction facility in the town of Artik. One of the religious feasts marking the day of liberation of Gregory the Illuminator from prison is declared a day of visiting the prison people in Artik. A special mass is served for them that day. The church building and reconstruction of old ones is also gathering momentum. A new church is being built in Amasia and another one in Ashotsk is being restored.Bishop Mikael says the faithful need a priest. “The religious life is active but there is a lack of priests. Many residents of distant villages have to travel to Gyumri to ask a priest to go to their village to christen babies or bless the married couples, but there are no enough priests. This makes the people disappointed frustrated and sometimes angry. There are only 6 priests for 360,000 people of the province. It means that there is one priest for 60,000 people. Bishop says that at least 20 priests are required for Gyumri alone. The lack of priests is characteristic of all other Armenian dioceses as well.Regarding the spread of different sects Bishop Mikael says they do not have apprehensions as the people of Shirak have always been church loving people and no sect can talk them into leaving their Church. Hayastan.comFrom Azg Daily