PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyan
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org
Website:

December 28, 2009
___________________________________________

FOUR CLERGY APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), recently appointed four priests to serve parishes in
Waukegan, Ill., Cheltenham, Pa., Cleveland, OH, and St. Paul, Minn.

The four priests – Rev. Fr. Paren Galstyan, Rev. Fr. Hagop Gevorgyan, Rev.
Fr. Martiros Hakobyan, and Rev. Fr. Hratch Sargsyan – completed their
studies in Armenia and were ordained there prior to their arrival in the
U.S., with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians, and at the invitation of the Primate.

They spent the last few years interning with clergy in the Eastern Diocese
to learn more about the Armenian Church of America and to prepare to serve
the local Armenian communities.

Rev. Fr. Paren Galstyan, who has been named interim pastor of St. George
Armenian Church of Waukegan, is a native of Vedi, Armenia. He studied at the
Vaskenian Theological Seminary in Sevan, the Gyumri Theological Seminary,
and the Gevorkyan Theological Seminary at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin.

Following his graduation in 2006, he was ordained into the holy priesthood
by Bishop Anooshavan Jamgochyan at the Holy See. He remained at Holy
Etchmiadzin, serving its chancellery until his departure for the U.S. in
2007.

In the Eastern Diocese, Fr. Paren interned at St. James Armenian Church of
Evanston, Ill. He assumed the position of interim pastor of the Waukegan
community in November 2009, after the Primate announced the appointment
during the parish’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Fr. Paren is married to Yn. Lusine Galstyan. They have two sons, Grigor and
Aren.

Rev. Fr. Hagop Gevorgyan will begin serving as the pastor of Holy Trinity
Armenian Church of Cheltenham on January 2, 2010. He is a graduate of the
Vaskenian and Gevorkyan seminaries in Armenia. Fr. Gevorgyan also studied at
the Oriental Churches Institute in Germany, and while still a deacon, he
worked as the administrator of the storehouses of Holy Etchmiadzin’s
Treasury and Pontifical Residence.

He was ordained into the holy priesthood in December 2007 by Bishop Marcos
Hovhannesian. In February 2008, Fr. Hakob traveled to New York and began his
internship at St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church of White Plains,
under the guidance of the Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian.

At the same time, he enrolled in English language courses at Concordia and
Manhatanville colleges, and completed the Clinical Pastoral Education
Program at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.

Fr. Hagop Gevorgyan and Yn. Anna Gevorgyan have one son, Narek.

Rev. Fr. Martiros Hakobyan will serve as the pastor of the St. Gregory of
Narek Armenian Church of Cleveland. His appointment begins on January 2,
2010.

Fr. Hakobyan studied at the Gyumri Theological Seminary and the Gevorkyan
Theological Seminary, and held several positions at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin prior to his ordination into the holy priesthood by Archbishop
Vicken Aykazian, Legate of the Eastern Diocese, in June 2007. He then served
at Yerevan’s Holy Trinity Church while continuing his studies at the
American University in Armenia.

Fr. Hakobyan came to the Eastern Diocese in January 2008. He interned at St.
James Armenian Church of Watertown, Mass., under the leadership of the Rev.
Fr. Arakel Aljalian. While in Massachusetts, he also studied at the New
England School of English in Cambridge.

Fr. Martiros Hakobyan and Yn. Hasmik Hakobyan have one son, Jirair.

Rev. Fr. Hratch Sargsyan has been assigned the pastorship of the St. Sahag
Armenian Church of St. Paul, effective January 7, 2010.

Fr. Sargsyan studied at the Vaskenian Theological Seminary, where he also
served as the assistant at the nearby Soorp Arakelotz Church, and later
continued his studies at the Gevorkyan Theological Seminary. Parallel to his
studies, he prepared radio broadcasts on religious topics, served as a
deacon at Yerevan’s Holy Trinity Church, and was the general secretary at
the Department of Interchurch and Ecumenical Relations at the Holy See. In
addition, Fr. Sargsyan studied English at the American University in
Yerevan.

He was ordained into the holy priesthood by Archbishop Vicken Aykazian,
Legate of the Eastern Diocese, in June 2007. Following his ordination, Fr.
Sargsyan became pastor of St. Hovhannes Church in Sisyan, Armenia.

Coming to the Eastern Diocese in 2008, Fr. Sargsyan interned at St. John
Armenian Church of Greater Detroit, under the leadership of the Rev. Fr.
Garabed Kochakian. In Detroit, he also completed the Clinical Pastoral
Education Program at Sinai-Grace Hospital, and studied English at Wayne
State University.

Fr. Hratch Sargsyan and Yn. Naira Azatyan have two daughters, Tatev and
Mane.

###

Photo Attached: Diocesan Vicar Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Najarian (at center)
with Rev. Fr. Hagop Gevorgyan, Rev. Fr. Martiros Hakobyan, Rev. Fr. Hratch
Sargsyan, and Rev. Fr. Paren Galstyan.