The archimandrite Anania Kojanian. (Credit: NNA)
The Armenian Orthodox Church on Tuesday held a funeral for Archimandrite Anania Kojanian, aged 40, who was found dead on Feb. 1 at his home in Bsalim, in the Metn district. The funeral ceremony, held at Saint Boghos Church in Anjar, was presided over by Armenian Orthodox Metropolitan Chaheh Panossian, in whose diocese the deceased had once served as deputy, handling community affairs in Zahleh and Anjar in the Bekaa.
Among the many prominent figures present were caretaker Minister of Industry Georges Bouchikian, Zahleh MP of the Free Patriotic Movement Salim Aoun, Greek Catholic Archbishop of Ferzol, Zahleh, and the Bekaa, Ibrahim Ibrahim, commander of the Internal Security Forces for the Bekaa, General Nadim Abdel Massih, representative of the Tashnag party Harout Zetlian, president of Anjar’s municipal council Vartkes Koshian, as well as numerous residents and community members.
The town of Anjar and the Armenian Orthodox community received the deceased’s body in an atmosphere of deep sorrow.
According to information obtained by L’Orient-Le Jour, the archimandrite who lived alone in his apartment was believed to have been murdered the day before his unresponsive body was discovered and the alert was raised by his sister. His body was found by a housekeeping staff member, and the Internal Security Forces detected signs of violence.
In his homily, Metropolitan Panossian recalled that Archimandrite Anania Kojanian was “a man who loved all his brothers.” He urged the authorities to “act firmly to severely punish the criminals” and also requested that “the issue of Syrian displaced persons be resolved.”
Still according to security information, there was no forced entry. The motive for the murder appears to be theft, as the victim’s car was missing, but it was still too early to determine if other items had been taken from the apartment or if the cleric knew his assailants. L’OLJ learned that his neighbors had noticed comings and goings at his house on Friday and revealed that there was construction work underway at the victim’s home.
After the mass, the body was transported to the Armenian Orthodox Church cemetery in Antelias, for burial.
Minister Bouchikian condemned the crime that claimed the life of Archimandrite Kojanian, “a peaceful and loving person,” calling on the state to “put an end to rising criminality, which is alarmingly increasing.”