PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
ORDINATION OF CELIBATE PRIESTS IN ANTELIAS
The Brotherhood of the Catholicosate of Cilicia grew once again with the
ordination of Deacon Varoujan Pentezian from the graduating class of the
Seminary made his pledge as a celibate priest in front of God and the
faithful public. Several other Seminary Deacons graduated and will in the
following months be ordained in various dioceses by the local Primates.
Primate of the Diocese of Aleppo, Bishop Shahan Sarkissian performed the
Holy Mass and the ordination in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral
in Antelias on June10. Rev. Tatoul Anoushian, a member of the Brotherhood of
the Patriarchate of Constantinople, participated in the service. Rev.
Anoushian attended the Seminary courses in the last three years.
The calling service and confession were held in the Cathedral on January
9. Pledging loyalty to the rituals, rights, traditions and canons of the
Armenian Church, the candidate publicly denounced all old and new heretics
and preachers who seek to misguide the faithful. He then publicly read his
pledge for enlisting himself in the service of the Cilician Holy See while
kneeling down.
His Holiness Aram I presided over the Holy Mass performed in the Cathedral
on Sunday.
When ordaining him with the Holy Chrism, Bishop Sarkissian blessed his
forehead, left and right hands and granted him a new name as a renewed man,
called for the service of God. Deacon Varoujan was thus renamed Father
Ghevont and gave his very first blessing to the faithful public gathered in
the Cathedral.
In his Sermon, Bishop Sarkissian highlighted the important mission of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia, stressing loyalty towards our Church and its
teachings. Addressing the newly ordained celibate priest he talked about the
attributes of the Cilician Brotherhood, chosen to serve the Armenian Church
through the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Stressing the uniqueness of the
Brotherhood, the Bishop advised the new celibate priest to remain loyal to
his pledge to God and the principals of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
During the Greeting period the members of the Brotherhood congratulated
the new celibate priest’s entry into the service of God and the Brotherhood.
On this occasion the Pontiff called on the attendants and particularly
Father Ghevont to uphold their calling as members of the Cilician
Brotherhood and value the new path ahead through service.
In the next 40 days, Father Ghevont will dedicate himself to prayers and
contemplation in the Saint Marry’s Monastery of Bikfaya to prepare himself
for the service of God following the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
##
View the photos here: m
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Theological
Seminary of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.