PRESS RELEASE

*January 7, 2007*

St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church
2215 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
Contact: Dn. Carl Bardakian
Phone: 626-449-1523
Fax: 626-449-7039

Email: stgregory@shoghagat.com <mailto:stgregory@shoghagat.com>

URL: ** <;**

VERY REV. FR. BARET YERETZIAN
ASSIGNED AS PASTOR IN PASADENA

It is with great joy that we convey to our faithful the assignment of
Very Rev. Fr. Baret Yeretzian as the newly assigned pastor of St.
Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church of Pasadena,
California, by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. Fr. Baret will
celebrate his first Divine Liturgy as pastor at 10:30 AM on Sunday,
January 14, 2007. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian will
formally introduce Very Rev. Fr. Baret Yeretzian to the St. Gregory the
Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church faithful before the sermon. Upon
the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, January 14, the faithful
are invited to attend a welcoming reception for Hayr Soorp in
Calusdian-Dunians Hall.

Fr. Baret brings a wealth of pastoral experience to his new ministry in
Pasadena. A native of Jerusalem, he started serving in the Armenian
Church at a young age. Fr. Baret is a graduate of the Armenian
Theological Seminary (/Jharankavoratz Varjharan/) of the Armenian
Patriarchate of Jerusalem. In 1966, he was ordained into the sacred
order of priesthood by the late Archbishop Yeghishe Derderian, the
former Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. The late Bishop Guregh Kapikian
served as Fr. Baret’s /khardavilag /(sponsoring priest of ordination).
Fr. Baret is a member of the St. James Brotherhood of Jerusalem.

Fr. Baret has had vast pastoral experience. Upon the invitation of the
former Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Fr. Baret was accepted into the
Eastern Diocese in 1974. He served as assistant pastor of St. John
Armenian Church in Southfield, Michigan from 1974 — 1977. Fr. Baret
was pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Cathedral in
Montreal, Canada from 1977 — 1981, Holy Cross Armenian Church of
Lawrence, Massachusetts from 1981 — 1985, and Sts. Sahag and Mesrob
Armenian Church of Providence, Rhode Island from 1985 — 1993. Fr.
Baret returned to Detroit as pastor of St. John Armenian Church from
1993-1998. Fr. Baret served as pastor of St. Kevork Armenian Church of
Houston, Texas from 1999 — 2000.

Fr. Baret served for twelve years as a member of the Diocesan Council of
the Eastern Diocese, two of which he was the vice-chairman. He has also
served as Vicar General of the New England region of the Eastern
Diocese. In 2000, upon the invitation of His Beatitude Archbishop
Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fr. Baret returned to
his birthplace to serve as Dean of the Armenian Theological Seminary
(/Jharankavoratz Varjharan/) until 2006.

Upon the invitation of the Primate of the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church of North America, Fr. Baret was accepted into the
Western Diocese in September, 2006. He served as Director of the
Mission Parishes of the Western Diocese and as visiting clergy to the
Armenian Church of Arizona.

Fr. Baret holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science from the
American University of Jerusalem. He also studied for three years at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Biblical Archeology. He completed
his graduate courses in political science from Wayne State University of
Detroit. Fr. Baret was elevated to the rank of /Dzayrakooyn Vartabed/
in 1982.