PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 10) 517 163
Fax: (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail: ktrij@etchmiadzin.am
July 21, 2005
Very Rev. Fr. Derenik Davtian Enters Eternal Rest
It is with deep sorry and shock that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
conveys the tragic news of the sudden death of Very Rev. Fr. Derenik
Davtian, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Gegharkounik in Armenia.
Father Derenik, a member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin,
died as a result of injuries sustained in a tragic car accident that
occurred while traveling to his office at the diocesan headquarters
on the morning of July 21. He was 39 years old.
Very Rev. Fr. Derenik Davtian (baptismal name Artsvi) was born on April
23, 1966 in the city of Kapan. He received his secondary education
at the local school No. 6 from 1973 to 1983.
In 1983 he entered the Art School No. 8 of Yerevan and graduated
in 1985. In 1986 he deferred the continuation of his education to
serve in the Soviet army. After the completion of his tour of duty,
in 1988 he served as an acolyte at the St. Hripsime Church in the
village of Geghanoush, in the district of Kapan until 1991.
In 1991 he entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin. He was ordained to the diaconate on January
18, 1992 by His Grace Bishop Anania Arabajian. He graduated from the
Seminary in 1995 after successfully defending his thesis entitled
“The Struggle of the Episcopal See of Syunik against the Uniates from
the 14th to the 15th centuries”.
He was ordained as a celibate priest on November 12, 1995 in the
Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin by His Grace Bishop Asoghik
Aristakesian and given the priestly name of Derenik.
On May 15, 1997, upon the Pontifical order of His Holiness Karekin
I, Catholicos of All Armenians of blessed memory, Fr. Derenik was
appointed to serve as the spiritual pastor to the faithful in the
Ijevan territory in the Diocese of Gougark.
On February 21, 2001, Fr. Derenik defended his doctoral thesis entitled
“The Canon of the Blessing of Kings in the Armenian Church”. On
February 22 of the same year he received the rank of Archimandrite
(Vardapet) by His Grace Bishop Navasard Kjoyan, Vicar General of the
Araratian Pontifical Diocese.
On 8 August, 2001 under the direction of His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians he was appointed
as the Locum Tenens of the Armenian Diocese of Gegharkounik.
During his service Fr. Derenik proved himself to be a devoted and
diligent clergyman always willing to serve his church and nation.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and the faithful of
the Armenian Church deeply mourn the untimely loss of this faithful
and honest young member of the Brotherhood, and pray for the repose
of his soul.
The body of the late Fr. Derenik will be placed in St. Gayane Church
on July 23 at 4 P.M. The order of the church service will be conducted
at 7 P.M.
On July 24 at 10.30 A.M. during a solemn Divine Liturgy, the services
of the final anointing and funeral will be offered.
Fr. Derenik will be laid to rest in the monastic cemetery of
St. Gayane.
Blessed be the memory of the righteous.