The three Primates of the Armenian Church dioceses of North America met on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at the headquarters of the Western Diocese in Burbank, CA.
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese, Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan of the Canadian Diocese, and Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan of the Eastern Diocese, came together under the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, to discuss various spiritual, administrative, and cultural issues.
Also taking part in the meeting was the visiting Bishop Datev Hagopian, Primate of the church’s Diocese of Romania.
The mission of clergy education, training and preparation was the subject of an in-depth presentation by Oxford University’s Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, with the participation of the Western Diocese’s Dr. Varoujan Altebarmakian, former chair of its Diocesan Council.
The revitalization of the church’s outreach to youth received special emphasis at the Primates’ meeting. One result of their discussion was a commitment to hold an inter-diocesan “Youth Workshop” in a suitable location in the near future. Another result was a renewed commitment to support the Pan-ACYO—the worldwide youth mission of the Armenian Church—and its pilgrimage to Holy Etchmiadzin scheduled for 2025, under the theme: “The Christian Family: Anchor of Armenian Identity.”
Also in the planning stage is a joint gathering of the clergy of the three North American dioceses, to address challenges and opportunities facing the Armenian Church in the diaspora.
An urgent topic on the agenda was the situation of forcibly displaced families of Artsakh, and the humanitarian assistance programs undertaken by each of the three dioceses. The three church leaders also discussed church-state relations in the Republic of Armenia; publications and religious textbooks; training of deacons; and the organization of Saturday and Sunday schools. More generally, they addressed to the church’s challenge to preserve, protect, and uphold spiritual and national values of the 21st century.
With a prayer for the peace and prosperity of our homeland and the Armenian Church, the meeting adjourned. The three Primates of North America will next meet in Montreal, Canada, hosted by Bishop Hovakimyan.
Above (l-r): Bishop Datev Hagopian of Romania, Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan of the Eastern Diocese, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese, and Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan of the Canadian Diocese, at the Western Diocesan Center in Burbank, CA.