His Grace Bishop Daron Jerejian Enters His Eternal Rest
06.12.2023
From the Presbytery of the Armenian Diocese of France, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was informed that on December 5, at the age of 86, His Grace Bishop Taron Jerejian, member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See entered his eternal life.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and the clergy deeply mourn the loss of His Grace Bishop Taron Jerejian, praying for the repose and peace of the soul of the late Bishop.
The details of Daron's funeral will be announced later.
Blessed be the memory of the righteous.
Bishop Daron
Bishop Daron Jerejian (baptismal name Jirair) was born on July 11, 1937, in Beirut, Lebanon. He received his primary education at the Sahakian and Abgarian School of Beirut.
In 1952, he entered the Seminary of the Great House of Cilicia․
In 1957, he was ordained to the diaconate.
In 1959, he graduated from the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
From 1960 to 1963, he continued his theological studies in England, first at the Holy Mission College of Kilham then continued at the Kings College of London.
In 1963, he was ordained as a celibate priest by Bishop Serovbe Manoukian, and given the priestly name of Daron.
In 1964, Father Daron was appointed as the spiritual pastor of the Armenian community of Valance.
On April 23, 1965, he successfully defended his doctoral thesis entitled “The Seven Sacraments of the Armenian Church” and received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) by the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Vasken I, of Blessed Memory, in the Church of Oshakan, Armenia.
In 1965, he returned to France and was assigned to serve in Marseilles as the pastor of the St. Karapet Church by His Holiness Vasken I, of Blessed Memory.
In 1972, he was invited to deliver lectures at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary.
In 1972, he was appointed to serve as a spiritual pastor in Nice, France.
In 1978, he received the rank of Senior Archimandrite by Archbishop Shahe Ajemian, defending his thesis entitled “80 Sermons”.
In 1991, Father Daron was elected to serve as the Primate of Marseille and Vicar General of the Pontifical Legate.
In 1992, Father Daron was consecrated as a Bishop by His Holiness Vasken I.
In August 2003, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, he was granted the order of “St. Nerses the Graceful” by the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II.
In 2003, His Grace retired after 40 years of service to the Armenian Church.
