Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian
- General Information
Was born in 1942 in Constantinople, Turkey. Baptismal name is Dikran.
Primary education- Viennese Mekhitarians School of Constantinople.
In 1956 - Holy Cross Seminary in Constantinople.
In 1962- University of Constantinople.
In 1968- University of Bonn (Germany).
In 1969 - University of Bochum.
- Ecclesiastical titles and ordination
In 1963 - Ordained to the Diaconate by His Beatitude Archbishop Shenork Kaloustian.
In 1965 - Ordained as a Celibate priest by His Beatitude Archbishop Shenork Kaloustian.
In 1970 - Rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) by His Beatitude Archbishop Shenork Kaloustian.
In 1992 - Rank of Senior Archimandrite by His Beatitude Archbishop Karekin Kazanjian.
In 1992- Consecrated as a Bishop by His Holiness Vasken I.
In 1998 - Rank of Archbishop by Pontifical Encyclical of Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin I.
- Tenure
From 1973 to 1976 - Spiritual pastor in the St. Karapet Armenian Church in Marseille (France).
From 1976 to 1994 - Spiritual Pastor of the Holy Translators’ Cathedral of Marseille.
From 1992 to 1998 - Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany.
From 2014 to 2019 - Member of the Supreme Spiritual Council.
From 2017 to 2019 - Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
- Titles and awards
“St. Nerses the Graceful” medal by His Holiness Karekin I, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
