The Diocese
Posted: 06/12/2026
On Sunday, June 7, 2026, the Feast of the Catholicon of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, ordained Vachik Gharibyan to the Diaconate during the Divine Liturgy celebrated at St. Leon (Ghevontiants) Armenian Cathedral.
Archbishop Derderian presented the newly ordained deacon to the faithful, offering prayers for his steadfastness in the ancestral Christian faith and encouraging him to serve with renewed zeal our Lord Jesus Christ while faithfully upholding the sacred traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
In the Armenian Church, the deacon holds a vital liturgical and pastoral role, assisting at the altar, proclaiming the Gospel, leading the responses of the faithful, and serving as a bridge between the clergy and the congregation. The diaconate is both a ministry of service and a calling to humility, devotion, and active participation in the life of the Church.
The ordination marked a joyful moment for the faithful gathered, as the Church continues to raise dedicated servants to strengthen its liturgical life and spiritual mission.
