Archbishop Yeghishé Gizirian Enters His Eternal Rest
18.03.2016
It is with deep sorrow that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin conveys the sad news that His Eminence Archbishop Yeghishé Gizirian of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America and member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has entered his eternal rest. He was 90 years old.
The death of His Eminence is a great loss for the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, mourn the loss of His Eminence, and pray for the repose of his soul.
Interment arrangements and services will be announced soon.
Blessed be the memory of the righteous
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His Eminence Archbishop Yeghishé Gizirian (baptismal name Zaven) was born in Damascus, Syria on 15 July, 1925, to the family of Sarkis and Azniv Gizirian. He was baptized in the St. Sarkis Church of Damascus. He received his initial education at the local Holy Translator’s school. From an early age he sang in the church choir.
In October, 1940 under the direction of the Pontifical Vicar General, Archbishop Yeprem Dohmouni, he entered the Seminary of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia. On 11 July, 1944 together with five fellow-seminarians he was ordained to the diaconate by Archbishop Yeprem Dohmouni. After 7 years of study at the seminary, on 25 May, 1947 he was ordained to priesthood together with Dn. Aram Postajian and Dn. Hovhannes Ajemian by the hand of His Grace Bishop Terenig Poladian, Dean of the Seminary, and given the priestly name of Yeghishé.
Following his ordination, he remained in the Cilician Catholicosate, taking on several administrative responsibilities and teaching posts at the Theological Seminary, and the local Mersopian School, which was administered by the Catholicosate.
In September, 1951 by the kind permission of His Holiness Karekin Hovsepiants, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia of blessed memory, and by the invitation of Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan, Primate of the Western Diocese the Armenian Church, Fr. Yeghishé left for America to serve as a parish priest. He took on the vicarship of various parishes in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Canada.
In 1958 he was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite (Vartabet), by Archbishop Mampre Kalfayan; and then to the rank of Senior Archimandrite (Dzayraguyn Vartabet) in March 1966, by Archbishop Torkom Manoogian.
In 1963, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian assumed the Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. In September of that same year, Fr. Yeghishé was appointed to serve as the Vicar-General of the Diocese. He served at the editorial staff of the monthly “Guardian” the official publication of the Armenian Church Youth Organization (ACYO).
From 1961-1968 he served first as an advisor and then as the chairman of the Central Council of the Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America. He was also editor-in-chief of the monthly “Hayasdanyatz Yegeghetzi” (The Armenian Church), the official publication of the Armenian Church in North America. He was Director of the Sunday Schools from 1963-1965 and a member of the Diocesan Council from 1963-1967.
On February 14, 1982, Fr. Yeghishé was consecrated a Bishop in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin by His Holiness Vasken I, Catholicos of All Armenians of blessed memory. He was then elected to serve as Primate for the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain, and His Holiness’ official representative at Lambeth Palace, the headquarters of the Archbishop of Canterbury. As the representative, he participated in the Lambeth Conference. During his term as Primate, he hosted the Pontifical visits of His Holiness Vasken I, and His Holienss Karekin I.
He was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in January 1993, by His Holiness Vasken I, Catholicos of All Armenians of blessed memory.
From 1990 to 2000, he was acting President of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in Great Britain, and co-chairman of the Anglican and Oriental Churches forum.
In 2000 he applied to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, to retire from active service for health reasons, and moved to the United States.
Archbishop Yeghishé was retired, but still offering his spiritual service in the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.
