Priests Ordained at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On July 26, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the sacrament of ordination and consecration of priests was offered in the Mother Cathedral.

The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Vardan Navasardyan, Director of the Christian Education Center of the Mother See, who ordained seven deacons to the priesthood.
His Grace Bishop Vardan consecrated the foreheads, then the right and left hands of the new priests with Holy Chrism (Muron) and gave them new names: Dn. Hayk Tadevosyan was renamed Fr. Tadeos; Dn. Artak Vardanyan was renamed Fr. Torgom; Dn. Avetis Asatryan was renamed Fr. Arshavir; Dn. Vardan Zeynalyan was renamed Fr. Pargev; Dn. Arman Shokhikyan was renamed Fr. Grigoris; Dn. Davit Gharibyan was renamed Fr. Karapet and Dn. Arman Martirosyan was renamed Fr. Abraham.

Following the ordination, the newly ordained clergy conveyed their first blessings to the attendees.

Afterwards, Bishop Vardan, congratulated the Catholicos of All Armenians, the clergy, the parents of the ordained priests and the faithful on the occasion of the seven newly ordained priests, and stated in part: “The Armenin Apostolic Holy Church again indicates its centuries-long victorious campaign and this day is the great evidence of the triumphant mystery of Resurrection in that process and the grace of God’s presence. During the Holy Communion, we offered one of the seven sacraments of our Church: the sacred wonderment of Ordination. Dear friends, the Armenian Church is established again on the true word of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, the Armenian Church once again fortified, is perpetuated through the Mother See, as by our prayers, the spirit of our Lord blessed the priests with His grace, and generously shed the light of His wisdom. Today these seven dedicated servants are witnesses of faith who will serve at the Lord’s altar for the recovery of the spiritual life of our people, to share God’s love and true word into their lives”.

Bishop Vardan addressed the new priests and stressed that God will act through their service and urged their hearts to always be close to their delivered flock, to comfort the grief of their flock through their pastoral word. Bishop Vardan also added that as it was in the case of the sacred Patriarchs and apostles, archmindrates and eminent priests, henceforth God will act on earth through the newly ordained priests.

Then, the Brotherhood of the Mother See ascended to the Holy Altar, to congratulate the newly ordained priests and kiss their anointed foreheads and hands.

In the evening, the Granting of the Cowl (veghar) service will be offered. Rev. Fr. Grigoris will be vested with the cowl and became a member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Following their ordination, the new clergy will follow the traditional 40-day seclusion period of fasting and with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; will be appointed to serve in different Dioceses and Institutions of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church.

Source: OCP