Ordination of Priests in the St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral of Yerevan (English text below)
10.06.2018
On June 10, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the sacrament of ordination and consecration of priests was offered in the St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother Church in Yerevan. During the Divine Liturgy twelve deacons were ordained to the priesthood by His Grace Bishop Tatev Hakobyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Ukraine.
During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Tatev consecrated the new priests with Holy Chrism (Muron), giving them names of clergymen and laymen who participated in the May heroic battles. Deacon Garush Asatryan was renamed Fr. Gevork; Dn. Samvel Sargsyan was renamed Fr. Karekin; Dn. Artur Abgaryan was renamed Fr. Abgar; Dn. Artur Khunoyan was renamed Fr. Mesrop; Dn. Aristakes Sargsyan was renamed Fr. Andranik; Dn. Grigor Telikyan was renamed Fr. Aram; Dn. Arsen Matevosyan was renamed Fr. Hovhannes; Dn. Tigran Makaryan was renamed Fr. Avetis; Dn. Markar Hageyan was renamed Fr. Hamazasp; Dn. Arshak Hovhannisyan was renamed Fr. Simeon; Dn. Hovhannes Torgomyan was renamed Fr. Yeznik and Dn. Armen Hayrapetyan was renamed Fr. Zaven.
At the end of the ordination service, the newly ordained priests conveyed their first blessings to the faithful. The Celebrant focused his sermon on the ordination, stating in part: “Today, at this sacred moment, all of us live in joy and delight, as shortly before in the presence of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, 12 deacons were called to priesthood. After confirming a covenant of obedience to God, and after the 40-day seclusion period of fasting, 12 ordained priests will enter the Church life, to shepherd, serve, to teach and grant forgiveness”.
Addressing the newly ordained priests, Bishop Tatev added: “Being a servant of God is a great honor and at the same time a great responsibility. If simple people are responsible and accountable towards God, each one is responsible for his spirit and his deeds, then you will be responsible for every member of the flock entrusted to you. You’ll be responsible towards God for every lost person and soul, whom you could lead to Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. From now on, you will grant a second birth to our children through the baptism at the baptismal font, you will lead those in darkness into light. According to the Lord's word, you are required to have unshakable faith, devotion, and sacrifice because without these three necessary and fundamental factors, you will be condemned to failure. Be prepared to fulfill your spiritual service with unconditional obedience, wherever you fearlessly and humbly brighten our Holy Church and enlighten our people. The names given to you were not casual: being in the 100th jubilee year of the First Republic of Armenia and the May Heroic Battle, our vision was to consecrate you by the names of clergymen and laymen, who became heroes and sacrificed their life and own interests for the sake of faith and homeland”.
Bishop Tatev also conveyed his appreciation to His Holiness for granting him this highest honor, and then congratulated the Brotherhood of the Mother See, family members of the ordained priests and all Armenians in connection with the 12 new priests.
Led by the Catholicos of All Armenians, the members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and the clergy in attendance ascended Holy Altar and congratulated the new priests of the Armenian Church. The new priests will follow a traditional 40-day seclusion period of fasting after which they will be appointed to serve in different Dioceses of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church and in different departments of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
