Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

By the Pontifical Order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, new pastoral appointments were made in the Dioceses of the Armenian Church. Rev. Father Abgar Hovakimian and Rev. Father Mashtots Zhoroyan, both members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin recently returned to the Mother See from Europe where they were continuing their theological educations. Fr. Abgar Hovakimian was appointed Assistant to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, (Bishop Vasken Mirzakhanian, Primate). Fr. Mashtots Zhoroyan is appointed Assistant to the Vicar General of Araratian Pontifical Diocese, (Bishop Navasard Ktchoyan, Vicar General). Fr. Mashtots will be responsible for the geographical region of Ararat. Following find brief biographies of the two priests. 

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Rev. Father Abgar Hovakimian
(baptized Samvel) 

Father Abgar Hovakimian was born in 1972, in Batoumi, Georgia.
From 1979-1989 he received his elementary education in the S. Shahumian Armenian school.
From 1989-1995, he studied in the Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 1995, he defended his graduation thesis entitled: ?The Echoes of Armenian Doctrinal Thinking in the Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew by St. Nerses the Graceful?, and was ordained a deacon by His Grace Bishop Anania Arabajian.
On June 2, 1996, he was ordained a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Shahe Ajemian.
From 2001-2004, by the Pontifical Order of the Catholicos of All Armenians, he studied at the Theological University of Salzburg in Austria, and recently received his Master?s Degree. 

Rev. Father Mashtots Zhoroyan
(baptized Moushegh) 

Father Mashtots Zhoroyan was born in 1968, in the village Pokr Vedi, Region of Ararat, Armenia.
From 1975-1985, he received his elementary education at the local school.
From 1986-1988, he served in the Soviet Army.
From 1989-1995, he studied at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 1995, he was ordained a deacon by His Grace Bishop Anania Arabajian.
The same year, he defended his graduation thesis entitled, ?The Life and the Literary Heritage of Bishop Karapet Der Mkrtchian.?
On November 24, 1996, he was ordained a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Karekin Nersissian.
In 1996, he departed for Vienna, Austria to continue his education, and concurrently to serve as spiritual pastor to the local Armenian community. From 1999-2004 he studied at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the State University of Vienna.