International Orthodox Christian News

Along with Father Kortmossian a group of deacons graduated from the Seminary’s preparatory program for priesthood and will, in the coming few months, be ordained as parish priests by the Primates of various Cilician Dioceses.

The Seminary’s Dean, Bishop Shahe Panossian, officiated the ordainment and delivered the sermon in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral on June 22. The assistant priest was Father Magar Ashkarian.

The confession of faith was held in the afternoon of June 21 in the Cathedral. The candidate publicly pledged allegiance to our Church’s doctrine, rituals, traditions and the teachings of our forefathers, renouncing all old and new heresies and those who preach against the teachings of the Church. He then recited his oath of becoming a servant of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.

His Holiness Aram I presided over the Holy Mass held in Antelias on Sunday, during which Father Kortmossian parted from the material world and embraced the challenging yet rewarding role entrusted to him. Bishop Panossian anointed the Father’s forehead, his right and left hands with the Holy Muron, bestowing upon him a new name as a new servant of God. Renamed as Father Varant, the newly ordained priest gave his first blessings to the faithful gathered in the Church.

In his Sermon, the Bishop underlined the notion of relying on God’s guidance and encouraged the newly ordained priest to have faith in God’s way and to be truly committed to serving the Armenian Church and nation. Bishop Shahe congratulated His Holiness Aram I and the Cilician Brotherhood and emphasized the important mission of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.

Addressing the new priest Bishop Shahe said: “Through the Armenian Church and the Catholicosate of Cilicia today you embark upon a career of serving God and our nation with a high sense of responsibility and utmost dedication. Let God guide your steps so you may uphold your calling and the Cilician Brotherhood’s good standing. May you, through your life and work, put to practice your inherent capabilities and the graces that were bestowed upon you through ordination. Through your dedication the Catholicosate of Cilicia remains at the forefront of its mission to serve our nation so that the Holy Bible may further enlighten the spirit of our people.”

The Cilician Brotherhood members then congratulated Father Varant Kortmossian for his joining the Cilician Brotherhood. The newly ordained priest was then subjected to his first washing by his Godfather, Sarkis Kilaghbian. The Cowl (Veghar) was blessed before The Lord’s Prayer and placed on Father Kortmossian’s head.

The new Priest then knelt down in front of His Holiness Aram I in the Veharan and received the Pontiff’s blessings. His Holiness encouraged Father Kortmossian to value his calling as a Cilician Brotherhood member and the new life he is about to enter. Father Varant will spend the next 40 days in the Saint Asdvadzadzine Monastery in Bikfaya fasting and praying in preparation for his mission.

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