ORDINATION OF REV. FR. HRANT KEVORKIAN TAKES PLACE IN ANJAR, LEBANON NEW YORK, NY—The ordination
of Deacon Sebouh Kevorkian to the married priesthood took place on September
26, 2010, at Sourp Boghos Church in Anjar, Lebanon. The Divine Liturgy and
Ordination were celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian, Grand
Sacristan of the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator of the Holy See of
Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon. The newly ordained priest was renamed Der Hrant, in
honor of the late Archbishop Hrant Khatchadourian, the first Prelate of the
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.
Although ordinations usually take place in the Cathedral
of the Catholicosate, this ordination was unique in that it took place in
Anjar, where the candidate was born and raised, providing an opportunity for
the greater Anjar community to witness the special ceremony. Present at the
ordination was Dr. Vazken Ghougassian, Executive Director of the Eastern
Prelacy, who on behalf of the Prelacy, served as the Godfather of the new
priest.
Der Hrant, who was born in Anjar in 1986, has served in
the Armenian Church since his early childhood. After graduating from High
School he studied at Lebanese University for two years prior to his acceptance
into the Theological Seminary of the Holy See of Cilicia, where he successfully
completed the three year special program for the married priesthood. He also
completed one year of graduate studies at the Near East School of Theology in
Beirut. A talented musician, Der Hrant served as the director of the Children’s
Choir of Anjar.
Der
Hrant was recruited as a candidate for the priesthood by Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, and the candidate’s education at the
Seminary and his graduate studies were under the sponsorship of the Prelacy. Earlier this year he was married to Tamar Kusbekian.
Following his forty days of seclusion at the Catholicosate in Antelias, Der
Hrant and Yn. Tamar will come to the United States and will begin service
within the Eastern Prelacy early next year.
Deacon Sebouh
Kevorkian during the ceremony.
Archbishop
Gomidas Ohanian anoints the renamed Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian.
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