Ordination Of Priests In The Mother See Of Holy Etchmiadzin

Twelve deacons were ordained into the Sacred Order of the Priesthood on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, the Feast of St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions. The sacramental rite was held under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians in the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin during the celebration of the  Divine Liturgy. 

The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, Primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn;  who anointed and ordained twelve deacons into the Holy Order of Priesthood.

His Grace consecrated the foreheads, then the right and left hands of the new priests with Holy Chrism (Muron) and gave them new names:

Deacon Rafael Petrosyan was renamed Fr. Vazgen; Deacon Gagik Hovhannisyan was renamed Fr. Geghard; Deacon Sarkis Galamdaryan was renamed Fr. Makar; Deacon Rafik Khachatryan was renamed Fr. Aris; Deacon Davit Saribekyan was renamed Fr. Sevak; Deacon Gevorg Gyozalyan was renamed Fr. Hrachya; Deacon Norvan Isakhanyan was renamed Fr. Vagharsh; Deacon Sevak Dermenjyan was renamed Fr. Grigoris; Deacon Mesrop Ashuryan was renamed Fr. Zareh; Deacon Hrant Aghasyan was renamed Fr. Sedrak; Deacon Poghos Balayan was renamed Fr. Ghukas; Deacon Arthur Mikaelyan was renamed Fr. Artsrun.

At the end of the ordination ceremony, the newly ordained priests conveyed their first blessings to the attendees.