April 3, 2005
St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, New York
His Eminence Abp. Khajag Barsmian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, ordained Deacon Ara Kadehjian to the holy priesthood this morning, renaming him Fr. Bedros. Fr. Bedros is a 2000 graduate of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary and the 36th clergyman produced by the Seminary.
The impressive Armenian ceremony of ordination, considered by many to be the most solemn in christendom, took place during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on the first Sunday of Eastertide, known as Nor Geeragee (New Sunday).
During his sermon, Abp. Barsamian made poignant reference to the death yesterday of His Holiness Pope John II, calling him "the greatest churchman of the twentieth century and a friend of the Armenians." He urged the newly-ordained Fr. Bedros to emulate the Pope's profound dedicaton to God, his love of all peoples and his humility.
St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, New York
His Eminence Abp. Khajag Barsmian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, ordained Deacon Ara Kadehjian to the holy priesthood this morning, renaming him Fr. Bedros. Fr. Bedros is a 2000 graduate of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary and the 36th clergyman produced by the Seminary.
The impressive Armenian ceremony of ordination, considered by many to be the most solemn in christendom, took place during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on the first Sunday of Eastertide, known as Nor Geeragee (New Sunday).
During his sermon, Abp. Barsamian made poignant reference to the death yesterday of His Holiness Pope John II, calling him "the greatest churchman of the twentieth century and a friend of the Armenians." He urged the newly-ordained Fr. Bedros to emulate the Pope's profound dedicaton to God, his love of all peoples and his humility.
Serving as godfather to the newly-ordained was Deacon Charles Pinajian, senior deacon at St. Leon Armenian Church, Fair Lawn, NJ. Deacon Charles and his wife Grace are well-known in the New York/New Jersey area as dedicated children and benefactors of the Armenian Church, including St. Nersess Seminary.
Fr. Bedros' sponsoring priest was Fr. Mardiros Chevian, another St. Nersess alumnus and past dean.
Fr. Bedros' sponsoring priest was Fr. Mardiros Chevian, another St. Nersess alumnus and past dean.
Fr. Bedros is married to the former Tina Bogoshian (now Yeretzgin Tina), daughter of Mimi and the late Stephan Bogoshian of River Edge, NJ. Their first child, Arev Aznive was born on February 11, 2005.
As a teenager, Fr. Bedros served as as an acolyte and stole-bearer on the Cathedral altar. During the summer of 1992, Ara participated in St. Nersess Seminary's Mission to Armenia, which led him the next year to enroll as a pre-seminary student at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY, from which he was graduated with a bachelor's degree in history in 1997.
In 1998, he was ordained sub-deacon by Abp. Barsamian. He received a Master of Divinity degree from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in May of 2004 and a diploma in Armenian Church Studies from St. Nersess shortly thereafter.*
Ara spent the summer of 2000 in the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, furthering his studies in Armenian liturgy and language. Shortly after his return, he was ordained deacon, again by Abp. Barsamian, on October 1, 2000 at St. Mary Armenian Church in Washington, DC.
In 1998, he was ordained sub-deacon by Abp. Barsamian. He received a Master of Divinity degree from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in May of 2004 and a diploma in Armenian Church Studies from St. Nersess shortly thereafter.*
Ara spent the summer of 2000 in the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, furthering his studies in Armenian liturgy and language. Shortly after his return, he was ordained deacon, again by Abp. Barsamian, on October 1, 2000 at St. Mary Armenian Church in Washington, DC.
Fr. Bedros has gained wide experience in church ministry. From October 2000 to October 2002 he served as the assistant to the pastor of the Armenian Church of the Holy Ascension in Trumbull, CT. He then transferred to St. Leon Armenian Church, Fair Lawn, NJ, where he worked side-by-side with the pastor, St. Nersess alumnus Fr. Diran Bohajian, until May 2004.
Fr. Bedros has also completed an intensive program of Clinical Pastoral Education, a chaplaincy internship at NYU-Mount Sinai Hospital.
Fr. Bedros has also completed an intensive program of Clinical Pastoral Education, a chaplaincy internship at NYU-Mount Sinai Hospital.
For the last nine months Fr. Bedros has served at the Diocesan Center in New York, working closely with the Executive Director, and most recently serving as interim coordinator of the Diocese's Mission Parish Program.
Following the ordination services, Fr. Bedros was escorted to St. Nersess, where, as is customary in the Armenian Church, he will spend 40 days in prayer and spiritual preparation for his priestly ministry. He will celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the first time on Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2005, at St. Vartan Cathedral.
*An earlier version of this press release inadvertently failed to mention Fr. Bedros' Master of Divinity degree, which he earned in 2004. The Seminary expresses its apologies to Fr. Kadehjian for this oversight.
Following the ordination services, Fr. Bedros was escorted to St. Nersess, where, as is customary in the Armenian Church, he will spend 40 days in prayer and spiritual preparation for his priestly ministry. He will celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the first time on Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2005, at St. Vartan Cathedral.
*An earlier version of this press release inadvertently failed to mention Fr. Bedros' Master of Divinity degree, which he earned in 2004. The Seminary expresses its apologies to Fr. Kadehjian for this oversight.
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