DISTINGUISHED FIGURES ATTEND INAUGURATION OF ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM – PHOTOS
13:23, 5 June, 2013
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. The inauguration ceremony of newly
elected Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem His Eminence Archbishop
Nourhan Manoogian was held in the Mother Cathedral of Saint James in
Jerusalem. The “Armenpress” reporter in Jerusalem stated this. His
Grace Patriarch, accompanied by the bishops, moved to the major
sacristy of the Mother Cathedral from the Patriarchate, where he
knelt and recited his oath bareheadedly.
After the recitation of the oath, Grand Sacristan, Archbishop Sevan
Gharibian handed over the patriarchal crozier to the Patriarch as
a symbol of assuming the patriarchal office. His Grace Archbishop
Nathan Hovhannisyan recited the congratulatory address of the
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. His
Grace Archbishop Varuzhan Herkelyan read the letter of His Holiness
Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia on the occasion of the
inauguration. His Grace Archbishop Aram Ateshian, the Patriarchal
Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, who attended
the inauguration ceremony, congratulated the newly elected Patriarch
and as a gift presented him a Holy Grail.
The Christian spiritual leaders of Jerusalem, the Deputy Mayor of
Jerusalem, Palestinian delegation, along with a number of ambassadors
and many other distinguished guests attended the inauguration ceremony.
His Eminence Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian has been elected the Armenian
Patriarch of Jerusalem on January 24. The patriarchal throne remained
vacant since the former Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Rev.
Archbishop Torkom Manoukyan passed away after long illness at the
age of 93.
Archbishop Nourhan Manougian (baptismal name Boghos) was born in
Aleppo, Syria on 22 July 1948. He received his primary education in
the Haigazian School of Aleppo.
In 1961 he entered the Theological Seminary of Antellias to start his
theological education. In 1966 he entered the Jarangavortz Theological
Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. On 27 July 1968
he was ordained to the diaconate.
In 1971 he was ordained a celibate priest by then Patriarch of
Jerusalem Yeghishй Derderian and was given the priestly name of
Nourhan.
Following his ordination, he was appointed to serve as the Vice Dean
of entered the Jarangavortz Theological Seminary from 1971 to 1972. In
1975 he was named as the Dean of the Seminary.
In 1972 and 1973 Father Nourhan continued his pastoral mission and
served as the spiritual pastor of the Armenian faithful in Geneva,
Switzerland. Father Nourhan received the rank of Archimandrite
(Vardapet) in 1973.
Following his service in Europe, Father Nourhan returned to the
Middle East and from 1974 to 1980 served as the spiritual pastor of
the Armenian community of Haifa, Israel.
In 1980 upon the invitation of then Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, he
left for New York, New York and entered the General Theological6/5/13
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2/8 Seminary, where he furthered his theological education. He
graduated in 1983.
Remaining in the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America, in 1994, he served as the spiritual pastor of the St. Gevork
Church in Houston, Texas.
In 1998 he returned to Jerusalem where he served as the Grand Sacristan
of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
On 14 December 1999 he was consecrated as a Bishop by the Catholicos
of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II. He was elevated to the rank
of Archbishop by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin
II in 2000.
In 2009, His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian
Patriarch of Jerusalem, designated Archbishop Nourhan as Patriarchal
Vicar. He currently serves at the Patriarchate supervising the
activities of the Departments of the Patriarchate.
Article by Archimandrite Koryun Baghdasaryan