Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan
Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada
- General Information
Was born on July 23, 1972, in Batumi, Georgia. Baptismal name is Samvel.
From 1979 to 1989 - Stepan Shahumyan Armenian Secondary School in Batumi.
From 1989 to 1995 - Gevorkian Theological Seminary.
From 2001 to 2004 - Theology at the Theological University of Salzburg in Austria (master of theology).
- Ecclesiastical titles and ordination
In 1995 - Ordained into the diaconate by His Grace Bishop Anania Arabajyan.
In 1996 - Ordained as a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Shahe Ajemian.
In 2006 - Rank of Archimandrite by His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrosyan. Thesis: “St. Dionysius the Areopagite in the Armenian Bibliography” .
- Tenure
From 1996 to 2001 - Sspiritual Pastor of Ajaria, Georgia.
From 2004 to 2005 - Vicar General in the Armenian Diocese of Georgia.
From 2005 to 2011 - Vicar General at the Diocese of Syunik.
From 2011 to 2014 - Locum Tenens in the Armenian Diocese of Bulgaria.
Since 2014 - Primate of the Diocese of Canada.
