Episcopal ordination and consecration took place for the first time after the re-consecration of the Mother Cathedral. Karekin the Second Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians sent a message on that occasion.
"We give glory and thanks to the Almighty God, that one month after the soul-renewing ceremonies of the re-consecration of the Mother Church of Myatsnaej and the blessing of Holy Myron, He granted us a new auspicious occasion for prayer. Our Holy Church rejoices today, because the episcopal class was replenished with newly consecrated bishops who have commendable merit of years of service in our national-ecclesiastical sanctuary.
Gathered together today under these holy arches, let us together ask for the Lord's abundant graces and heavenly support for the ordained in their mission. The Church of Christ is always strengthened by new bishops, because their dedicated service adds edification and brightness to the church life, blesses and comforts the believers, leading them worthy of heavenly reward. good deeds. Therefore, this event is significant not only for the newly ordained, but also for those who have believed, as the three great priest St. Grigor of Tateva confirms, the Church is the city of God, which the appointed bishop will take care of.
The bishop's burden is heavy, his mission is difficult and responsible. The high situation of the bishop does not imply a life decorated with laurels of glory, but humble and temperate service, often also self-sacrifice, in the likeness of our Lord. "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve", our Savior Jesus Christ taught this by His example, also pointing out the mission of the ministers of the Holy Church. Such a spirit of commitment is the key and the driving force for all clergymen who have undertaken spiritual service. The bishop is a father who is called to take care of his spiritual children with love and diligence, to keep their faith and love of God awake and strong with tireless preaching of the Gospel, to anchor their lives on spiritual values, also to rebuke and warn them of dangers and keep them away from sinful and destructive processes. The bishop is an overseer, called to zealously observe the pristine preservation of the Orthodox faith, the respect for the rules and regulations of our Holy Church, to serve his gifts and abilities to the mission of saving souls to the Lord, to supervise and regulate the service of the clergy under his authority, to consecrate churches, to ordain new spiritual ministers. The bishop is a leader, whose primary duty is to lead the believers with Christ-honoring steps by teaching the Word of Life, and to fight bravely for the rights of his faithful flock in this world full of trials. The bishop is called to be a brave shepherd like our Lord, who, according to the apostle, "gave his life for us, to save us from all iniquity and to purify us as his own people, zealous for good works" (Tit. 2:14). The bishop is a servant, beloved, called to be always listening and caring for the spiritual needs and needs of believers, because, according to the word of the Lord, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).
Indeed, our history is rich with many testimonies of how the bishops, under the leadership of the Armenian Patriarchs, committed themselves to the spiritual care and salvation of our nation, the strengthening of faith, patriotism and national devotion in the hearts of Armenians, for the safe life, progress and well-being of our homeland and all our people.
Undoubtedly, stormy historical developments, difficult geopolitical realities have often put our nation in front of seemingly insurmountable and irreversible losses and serious problems, of which the Armenian Church was also not a part. Even today, our people and the country are facing the most serious challenges, the need to strengthen justice and truthfulness in the homeland, to keep the national unity stable and to preserve the independent statehood unshakably. Along with the prevailing difficult situation, with the spread of various harmful ideologies in our society, an attempt is made to belittle the importance of the historical mission and Christian values of our Holy Church, the traditional perception of the family, to undermine the foundations of national solidarity.
In such alarming conditions, with the help of the Lord, it is necessary to multiply the efforts of our clergy and church structures in order to overcome the problems faced by our injured compatriots and the people in a dignified way, to strengthen the national spirit, but also to preserve our identity intact, faithful to the value system deposited by our enlightened ancestor and to the cherished historical memories.
The newly consecrated bishops, renewing their vow of spiritual service today, are called to be responsible in such difficult times to bravely face the existing trials and the unacceptable phenomena and manifestations expressed against our Holy Church.
Now, beloved, we present to you our newly ordained bishops.
T. Bishop Aren Shahenyan was born in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. He received spiritual education at the University of Babylon in Iraq, at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, and performed pastoral service in Italy, Holland, Gegharkunyats, Aragatsotn and the Armenian dioceses of Great Britain. He currently serves as the leader of the Armenian Diocese of Argentina and Chile.
T. Bishop Grigor Khachatryan was born in the city of Sevan. After studying at the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary, being ordained as a celibate, he entered the ministry in the Gegharkunyats diocese, and then was assigned to the service at the Christian Education Center of the Mother See. After that, he improved his spiritual studies at the Catholic University of Paris and entered into pastoral service in the Armenian Diocese of France, then he was elected the leader of the Armenian Diocese of France by the Diocesan-Deputy Assembly and brings his service to that occasion.
T. Bishop Narek Avagyan was born in the village of Oshakan. He graduated from the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary, led responsible services at the Mother See, was the abbot of Khor Virap, also a spiritual pastor in Abkhazia, Iraq, and then assumed the position of vicar of the Diocese of Artik. Now he is the leader of the Diocese of Artik.
T. Bishop Makar Hakobyan is from the city of Gyumri, the son of a priest. He studied at the Shirak Diocese Spiritual Seminary and the Gevorgyan Seminary, then was called to the Mother See, was the spiritual pastor of the Noyemberyan community of the Tavush Diocese, and then the abbot of the Goshavank and Surb Gayane monasteries. He currently serves as the leader of Syunyats Diocese.
T. Parthian bishop Barseghyan was born in Etchmiadzin. He is a graduate of the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary, served in the Mother See, Vazgenian School of Sevan, was the deputy ambassador of the Mother See, and then went to serve in the Armenian Diocese of France. Now he is the leader of Gegharkunyats Diocese.
T. Bishop Khoren Arakelyan is from Argel village, Kotayk marz. He studied at the Faculty of Philology of the Yerevan State University, then at the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary. Currently, he is the leader of the Armenian Diocese of Greece. Dear Holy Fathers, Patriarchal Our message is to you, as God's faithful cultivators, to be brave and consistent in the defense of our faith, to always shepherd and take care of the Lord's flock.
"I remind you to renew the grace of God that I gave you by laying my hands on you, because God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:6-7). With these words of the Apostle, Our paternal exhortation is to each of you to serve our people, leading them to live according to God's commandments and faithful to the traditions of our blessed fathers, so that the faith of our people remains strong and unwavering with the brightness of spiritual values, with which we will make the dreams and dreams of our nation come true.
In your actions and judgments, always be guided by the example of Christ and in your course serve as a good example for those who believe, remembering that God works in you and through you. Therefore, remain indomitable and steadfast in the duty of increasing faith, hope and love in the lives of our children. Relying on the Lord, make your leadership activities effective, to lead the dioceses to prosperity, to brighten and strengthen the motherland and national-church life. With patriarchal love and blessing, we express our appreciation to all faithful Armenians who support our diocesan leaders and spiritual class and support the construction and progress of diocesan life. We pray to the Almighty God to grant peace to the whole world and to our homeland and to keep all our people in safety and well-being under the auspices of His Holy Right in our homeland and in the diaspora. May the grace, love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us and all today and always and forever. every."
