Tattooed deacon at Hovhannavank liturgy linked to Armenia's ruling party

A tattooed deacon who took part in Sunday’s liturgy at the Hovhannavank Monastery is affiliated with Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party.

The service was officiated by Stepan Asatryan, a former cleric who has been defrocked by the Armenian Apostolic Church. One of the participants assisting in the ceremony is a young Civil Contract member.

Photos circulating on social media appear to show the same individual participating in a recent football match between Civil Contract MPs and youth activists of the party.

Lawyer Mihran Poghosyan drew public attention to the images, comparing photos from the religious service and the football match.

“So, are you a Civil Contract footballer or a Civil Contract deacon? You're all fake from the top down,” he wrote on Facebook.