InternationalTwo priests are ordained in Pasadena as the church “renews itself”
Published: Saturday October 25, 2008
In a ceremony presided over by Abp. Hovnan Derderian, Grigor Avagyan and Arsen Hayrapetyan are ordained as priests. Their new names are Fr. Diran and Fr. Nerses. Hilma Shahinian
Pasadena, Calif. - With clouds of incense, baritone chants, holy oil, and prayers, two young deacons from the Western Diocese were ushered into the priesthood on October 16, partaking in a series of rituals that marked their sacred passage.
The ordination of Grigor Avagyan and Arsen Hayrapetyan took place at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church in Pasadena. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, primate of the Western Diocese, led the elaborate series of services that included calling to the priesthood, ordination, and consecration rites.
In keeping with custom, the ordained priests assumed new names during the service, signifying their new role as spiritual leaders in the Armenian Church. The deacons did not know what their names would be up until the moment the bishop anointed their foreheads with holy oil (muron) and uttered their names for the first time on the altar. Mr. Avagyan's new name is Father Diran and Mr. Hayrapetyan's new name is Father Nerses.
A phalanx of deacons, priests, and bishops from across the state assisted in the opulent ceremony; they including former Primate of the Western Diocese Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, parish priest of St. Gregory the Illuminator church Fr. Baret Yeretzian, Very Rev. Fr. Baret Dz. V. Yardemian, and Archpriest Fr. Nareg Matarian.
A crowd of 400 parishioners joined in hymns performed by the Khachadourian Choir and stood in fascination while witnessing the ordination of the two priests.
"This is a testament that our church is continually renewing itself. A spiritual renaissance is taking place and these two priests have become the newest members of our clergy to inspire us all, especially the youth," Archbishop Derderian said.
This year, the Western Diocese has ordained four priests and ten more candidates are waiting to be elevated to the rank of priest. The Western Diocese is focusing its efforts on providing young deacons with intense theological training in preparation to meet the challenges of being an Armenian priest in this modern age.
In addition to the theological training received either at St. Nersess Seminary in New York or St. James Monastery in Jerusalem or the Gevorgian Seminary in Etchmiadzin, deacons who are studying for the priesthood are now required to obtain a masters in divinity to complete their education.
"We are supporting them in every way possible to make sure that our young priests receive the best education, and are spiritually prepared to serve the Lord and respond to the needs of our community," Archbishop Derderian said.
In a time when few Armenian men are choosing to become priests in the United States, Mr. Avagyan and Mr. Hayrapetyan are defying convention and have decided to express the profound love they have for the church and community by devoting their lives to the oldest Christian institution in the world.
Fr. Kapriel Mouradjian, who is now the parish priest at Holy Resurrection Armenian Church in New Britain, Connecticut, became a priest four years ago after having worked as a mortgage banker for 20 years.
"I decided to become a priest since I was kid but I just kept putting it off. God kept knocking on my door and finally I said, ‘OK God you win.' It was a long decision I had to make with my family, but of course it was the right decision," Fr. Mouradjian said.
At the time Fr. Mouradjian decided to become a priest, he and his wife had two children who were in junior high. Fr. Mourajian attended St. James Seminary in Jerusalem and that is where he met Deacon Grigor.
"When I found out that Deacon Grigor was going to be ordained, there was no way I could miss this. We have all built a strong brotherhood at St. James," he said.
Fr. Diran Avagyan takes his new post very seriously and does not view his ordination as a mere vocation. "Ordination is a holy sacrament and it is a mystery," the young priest said. "The Armenian Church is my mother Church, and I have always had an innate love for it; my faith runs in my blood. It's from this love that I decided to become a priest to better serve my community and my holy church," he said.
The 25-year-old priest was born in Yerevan and in his teens served as the chairman of the ACYO Nork Branch. In 1999 he was admitted to the Armenian Seminary in Jerusalem, where he became a fourth-degree acolyte of the Armenian Church and received permission to become a stole bearer. In September 2003, he was ordained Diaconate by Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. He continued his advanced theological studies at the Theological Faculty of the Patriarchate and upon his graduation served as secretary to the Chancellor of the Ecumenical and Foreign Affairs Department of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem. Fr. Avagyan is enrolled at the Claremont School of Theology and is expected to graduate in three years. He will be serving the parish in La Vern. He is married and has one son.
Fr. Nerses Hayrapetyan also demonstrated his conviction of faith: "I am so thankful to our archbishop who gave us the opportunity to become priests to encourage the faith of our people and spread Christ's love."
Fr. Nerses will be the priest for the newly formed parish in Santa Clarita. He is married to Araksya and together they are expecting their second child. Fr. Nerses was born in Ararat, Armenia. In 1998 he attended the Vazkenian Theological Seminary in Sevan. After graduation, he pursued his advanced theological studies at the Kevorkian Theological Seminary where he submitted his thesis "The New Age Movement and the Root Causes." When he graduated from the seminary, he was assigned to serve at the Department of Finance and Economy at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatzin.
