ORDINATION AND CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS IN ANTELIAS
0 Comments Published by georgy on Wednesday, April 23 at 3:33 PM.
Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia performed Bishop Ordination and Consecration services in St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, on April 19 and 20.
Over this weekend, this senior rank of service in the Armenian Church was bestowed upon V Rev Fr Norayr Ashekian and V Rev Fr Shahe Panossian following a decision by Catholicos Aram I. The two services on Saturday and Sunday were attended by Dr. Zaven Yegavian, director of the Lisbon-based “Calouste Gulbenkian” Foundation, guests from Lebanon and abroad, the relatives of the candidates and a large crowd of the faithful.
CONFESSION AND SIGNING OF THE OATH
On April 19, the Confession and Signing of Oath service was held in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. Honourable Armenians Dr. Zaven Yegavian, Haroutyoun Vartanian, Daron Avedissian and Hagop Panossian were the representatives of the people during the ordination.
Archbishop Ardavazt Terterian has signed the letter of request from the Cilician Brotherhood, whose members appealed to the Catholicos to bestow the rank of Bishops upon two of their brothers. In accordance with the hierarchy within the Armenian Church, Acolytes, Sub-Deacons, Deacons, Priests and Bishops, as well the representatives of the people approached the alter. The Pontiff recited prayers to the two Fathers, who acknowledged the true faith in line with the creed of the Orthodox Church.
The candidates then recited their oaths while on their knees and publicly expressed their loyalty towards the Catholicosate of Cilicia, their obedience towards the Pontiff and their readiness to serve their Church and nation.
CONSECRATION AND ORDINATION
The ceremonious Ordination service was held the next day on April 20. Bishop Kegham Khatcherian (Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon) and Bishop Shahan Sarkissian (Primate of the Diocese of Aleppo) participated in the service.
After ordaining the foreheads and right thumbs of Father Norayr and Father Shahe with Holy Chrism, the Pontiff handed them the staff and ring of Bishops. The Catholicos delivered his sermon after the ordination, underlining that having accepted the responsibility to serve our church and nation, the newly consecrated Bishops remained the servants of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and its mission and will carry out all the functions entrusted to them with commitment and dedication. He stressed in particular the devotion of the new Bishops and their high sense of belonging to the Armenian Church. Both have responded with no reluctance to their Spiritual Father’s call for service and contributed to the mission of the Armenian Church through their utmost dedication.
The Catholicos also emphasized the importance of preserving the sanctity of the oath to remain loyal to the traditions of the Armenian Church, its principles and its creed. He grabbed this opportunity to talk about the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s mission, the service offered by its Brotherhood members and the Seminary, where lead turns into gold and people’s spirits come to life. The Catholicos highlighted the Seminary’s role in the education and formation of new generations both as good servants of the Church and as good Armenians. Concluding his sermon, he called upon Armenian parents to dedicate their children to the nation and church, and direct them towards the Seminary, whereby they will become the future leaders of our nation.
During “Voghtchoyn”, the Cilician Brotherhood members and the clergy went up to the Holy Altar to congratulate the newly consecrated Bishops. Through Achahampouyr, the faithful expressed their well-wishes to the new Bishops and received the first of their blessings.
The Catholicos organized a luncheon in honour of the new Bishops in the afternoon. Cilician Brotherhood members, the relatives of the new Bishops, Godfathers, benefactors and people dedicated to the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s mission were present at the luncheon. The speakers upheld the Holy See’s thriving present and its bright future thanks to the extensive efforts of the Catholicos and the support he receives from dedicated Cilician Brotherhood members and well organized and coordinated structures. Among those who spoke were Archbishop Ardavazt Terterian, Bishop Norayr Asehkian (also on behalf of Bishop Panossian), Dr. Zaven Yegavian, Dr. S. Nababa (one of the Presidents of the World Council of Churches).
A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONSECRATED BISHOPS
Bishop Norayr Ashekian
He was born in Kessab (Syria) in 1956. His baptismal name is Movses. He received his elementary education in the Ousoumnasirats Miyatsyal School in Kessab. In 1971 he entered the Seminary of Antelias and was ordained as an Acolyte in 1973.
Upon his graduation in 1976, he was ordained as a celibate priest and renamed as Father Norayr. In addition to his tasks within the Monastery, he taught Armenological subjects in the Seminary until 1979.
In 1979-1991 he was the Vicar of the Djezire region (Syrian) in Kamishli. In 1986, he was elevated to the rank of Dzayrakoyn Vartabed. In 1992-1993 he served as the Vicar to Aleppo Diocese.
He assumed the responsibilities of vicarage in Greece and Pastor of the Saint Hagop Church of Kokinia in 1994-1997. In 1997-2001 he returned to Kamishli, where he once again took up the post of vicarage.
Since 2002, Bishop Norayr has been the director of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s publishing house.
Bishop Shahe Panossian
He was born in 1958 in Kessab (Syria). His baptismal name is Kevork. He received his elementary education in the Ousoumnasirats Miyatsyal School in Kessab. In 1971 he entered the Seminary of Antelias, and was ordained as Deacon in 1976.
Upon his graduation from the Seminary in 1978, he became an assistant to the Dean. Simultaneously he continued his higher education in the Near East School of Theology.
In 1980 he was ordained as a celibate priest and renamed Father Shahe. In addition to his tasks within the Monastery, he taught Armenological subjects in the Seminary until 1982.
In 1982-1986 he served in the Prelacy of Greece as the Pastor of the Armenian community of Thessaloniki.
In 1987-1989 he served as Pastor of the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church in South Florida, the Eastern Prelacy of the United States.
In 1990-1994 he also served as a Pastor of the Holy Martyrs’ Church in Chicago. In 1993 he received the rank of Dzayrakoyn Vartabed. In 1995-2002 he was the Pastor of the Saint Asdvadzadzine Church of Toronto, Canada.
In 2003, he returned to Beirut and served as the director of the “Birds’ Nest” orphanage for one year. In 2004-2006 he was assigned as a Pastor once again to the Saint Vartanants Church in New Jersey (U.S.A.). Since 2006, Bishop Shahe is the Dean of the Seminary.
Source:
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Over this weekend, this senior rank of service in the Armenian Church was bestowed upon V Rev Fr Norayr Ashekian and V Rev Fr Shahe Panossian following a decision by Catholicos Aram I. The two services on Saturday and Sunday were attended by Dr. Zaven Yegavian, director of the Lisbon-based “Calouste Gulbenkian” Foundation, guests from Lebanon and abroad, the relatives of the candidates and a large crowd of the faithful.
CONFESSION AND SIGNING OF THE OATH
On April 19, the Confession and Signing of Oath service was held in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. Honourable Armenians Dr. Zaven Yegavian, Haroutyoun Vartanian, Daron Avedissian and Hagop Panossian were the representatives of the people during the ordination.
Archbishop Ardavazt Terterian has signed the letter of request from the Cilician Brotherhood, whose members appealed to the Catholicos to bestow the rank of Bishops upon two of their brothers. In accordance with the hierarchy within the Armenian Church, Acolytes, Sub-Deacons, Deacons, Priests and Bishops, as well the representatives of the people approached the alter. The Pontiff recited prayers to the two Fathers, who acknowledged the true faith in line with the creed of the Orthodox Church.
The candidates then recited their oaths while on their knees and publicly expressed their loyalty towards the Catholicosate of Cilicia, their obedience towards the Pontiff and their readiness to serve their Church and nation.
CONSECRATION AND ORDINATION
The ceremonious Ordination service was held the next day on April 20. Bishop Kegham Khatcherian (Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon) and Bishop Shahan Sarkissian (Primate of the Diocese of Aleppo) participated in the service.
After ordaining the foreheads and right thumbs of Father Norayr and Father Shahe with Holy Chrism, the Pontiff handed them the staff and ring of Bishops. The Catholicos delivered his sermon after the ordination, underlining that having accepted the responsibility to serve our church and nation, the newly consecrated Bishops remained the servants of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and its mission and will carry out all the functions entrusted to them with commitment and dedication. He stressed in particular the devotion of the new Bishops and their high sense of belonging to the Armenian Church. Both have responded with no reluctance to their Spiritual Father’s call for service and contributed to the mission of the Armenian Church through their utmost dedication.
The Catholicos also emphasized the importance of preserving the sanctity of the oath to remain loyal to the traditions of the Armenian Church, its principles and its creed. He grabbed this opportunity to talk about the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s mission, the service offered by its Brotherhood members and the Seminary, where lead turns into gold and people’s spirits come to life. The Catholicos highlighted the Seminary’s role in the education and formation of new generations both as good servants of the Church and as good Armenians. Concluding his sermon, he called upon Armenian parents to dedicate their children to the nation and church, and direct them towards the Seminary, whereby they will become the future leaders of our nation.
During “Voghtchoyn”, the Cilician Brotherhood members and the clergy went up to the Holy Altar to congratulate the newly consecrated Bishops. Through Achahampouyr, the faithful expressed their well-wishes to the new Bishops and received the first of their blessings.
The Catholicos organized a luncheon in honour of the new Bishops in the afternoon. Cilician Brotherhood members, the relatives of the new Bishops, Godfathers, benefactors and people dedicated to the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s mission were present at the luncheon. The speakers upheld the Holy See’s thriving present and its bright future thanks to the extensive efforts of the Catholicos and the support he receives from dedicated Cilician Brotherhood members and well organized and coordinated structures. Among those who spoke were Archbishop Ardavazt Terterian, Bishop Norayr Asehkian (also on behalf of Bishop Panossian), Dr. Zaven Yegavian, Dr. S. Nababa (one of the Presidents of the World Council of Churches).
A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONSECRATED BISHOPS
Bishop Norayr Ashekian
He was born in Kessab (Syria) in 1956. His baptismal name is Movses. He received his elementary education in the Ousoumnasirats Miyatsyal School in Kessab. In 1971 he entered the Seminary of Antelias and was ordained as an Acolyte in 1973.
Upon his graduation in 1976, he was ordained as a celibate priest and renamed as Father Norayr. In addition to his tasks within the Monastery, he taught Armenological subjects in the Seminary until 1979.
In 1979-1991 he was the Vicar of the Djezire region (Syrian) in Kamishli. In 1986, he was elevated to the rank of Dzayrakoyn Vartabed. In 1992-1993 he served as the Vicar to Aleppo Diocese.
He assumed the responsibilities of vicarage in Greece and Pastor of the Saint Hagop Church of Kokinia in 1994-1997. In 1997-2001 he returned to Kamishli, where he once again took up the post of vicarage.
Since 2002, Bishop Norayr has been the director of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s publishing house.
Bishop Shahe Panossian
He was born in 1958 in Kessab (Syria). His baptismal name is Kevork. He received his elementary education in the Ousoumnasirats Miyatsyal School in Kessab. In 1971 he entered the Seminary of Antelias, and was ordained as Deacon in 1976.
Upon his graduation from the Seminary in 1978, he became an assistant to the Dean. Simultaneously he continued his higher education in the Near East School of Theology.
In 1980 he was ordained as a celibate priest and renamed Father Shahe. In addition to his tasks within the Monastery, he taught Armenological subjects in the Seminary until 1982.
In 1982-1986 he served in the Prelacy of Greece as the Pastor of the Armenian community of Thessaloniki.
In 1987-1989 he served as Pastor of the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church in South Florida, the Eastern Prelacy of the United States.
In 1990-1994 he also served as a Pastor of the Holy Martyrs’ Church in Chicago. In 1993 he received the rank of Dzayrakoyn Vartabed. In 1995-2002 he was the Pastor of the Saint Asdvadzadzine Church of Toronto, Canada.
In 2003, he returned to Beirut and served as the director of the “Birds’ Nest” orphanage for one year. In 2004-2006 he was assigned as a Pastor once again to the Saint Vartanants Church in New Jersey (U.S.A.). Since 2006, Bishop Shahe is the Dean of the Seminary.
Source:
1 2 3 4
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