Clergy Profile

Rev. Fr. Tateos Abdalian

Director of Mission Parishes

Rev. Fr. Tateos R. Abdalian was born Richard Daniel in Watertown, MA, on October 26, 1947, the son of Manoog and Virginia (Avakian) Abdalian. After working in the business sector and at the St. James Armenian Church of Watertown, MA, as its administrative director from 1972-1977, he entered St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary and St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in 1977. In 1978, with the temporary closing of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, he was sent to the Gevorkian Seminary at Holy Etchmiadzin for one year of study by the then-Primate, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian. Upon his return, he entered Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary in Boston to continue his theological studies. In 1981, Fr. Tateos was ordained a deacon and began to work at Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge, MA, as a youth director, Sunday School superintendent, and as an as assistant to the pastor. He was asked by community members to establish the Mission Church of Cape Cod, MA, serving as its spiritual head from 1980-1984.

Dn. Richard was ordained a priest by Archbishop Torkom Manoogian in June 1984 at Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge, MA. Fr. Tateos’ first pastoral assignment was assigned St. John the Baptist Church of Greenfield, WI. During his pastorate, a new church sanctuary was built and consecrated, five young men were ordained as deacon, sub-deacon, and clerks and the membership of the parish grew over 50 percent. In September 1989, Fr. Tateos was assigned to St. Peter Church in Watervliet, NY, serving until November of 1993, when he became the Pastor of St. George Church in Hartford, CT.

While in Hartford, he also served as an on-call chaplain at Hartford Hospital and was a member of their Pastoral Services Advisory Committee. In honor of his son David becoming a Los Angeles Police Officer, Fr. Tateos began to serve as a police chaplain with the Hartford Police Department. He also was a member of the department's Crisis Intervention Team.

Fr. Tateos then served as pastor of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church in Providence, RI, from August 1999 to September 2001 after which he assumed the position of Special Projects Coordinator for the Diocese’s Department of Youth Ministry. In addition to conducting conferences and retreats, and coordinating youth pilgrimage to Armenia and Jerusalem, he helped plan the Diocesan summer camps. During this time, Fr, Tateos also served as a visiting priest to various mission parish communities. On July 1, 2003, he was assigned a new position as pastor of Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Cheltenham, PA.

In September 2007, Fr. Tateos once again returned to his first love, serving the mission parish communities of the Diocese. Appointed as director of the department by his Eminence, the Primate, he was responsible for overseeing approximately 18 communities and implementing growth and expansion in these parishes. Der Tateos also serves as a member of the Oriental Orthodox/Roman Catholic Dialogue and a member of the Standing Committee of Oriental Orthodox Churches in America.

Der Tateos has been married since 1969 to Yn. Margaret Meranian of Methuen, MA. They have one son, David; one daughter, Alicia; and two grandchildren.