Prelacy & Prelate

Prelacy

Affiliated and under the auspices of the Holy See of Cilicia, The Armenian Prelacy of America was established in 1958 that served the United States of America and Canada. Over the years, as the number of Churches grew, the Armenian Prelacy of America was split into two, The Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church (Canada & the East USA) and the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

As years continued to go by, and the Armenian communities grew, more churches were built. The Armenian Prelacy of Eastern America was split into two yet again, this time establishing the Armenian Prelacy of Canada in 2002. Archbishop Khajag Hagopian was elected as the first Prelate.

Prelates

His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian

His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian (baptismal name Hagop) was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965, and received his primary education at the Hayashen Torkomian National Elementary School in Beirut.

In 1976, he was admitted to the Seminary of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, and following his graduation from the clerical college, he was ordained as Deacon. Three years later, he completed his education in Theology and Armenian Studies, was ordained as a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Datev Sarkissian, and renamed Fr. Papken. Following his appointment, he worked as a teacher and superintendent at the Seminary. During those years, he also taught at the Bird’s Nest Orphanage and at the Hayashen Torkomian National Elementary School.

In 1989, he completed his thesis “The Great Loss of the Armenian Clergy during the Armenian Genocide,” upon which His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, ordained him as Very Reverend Father.

During his tenure at the Seminary from 1986-1993, he also occupied the posts of Official Staff Bearer and Personal Secretary to the late Catholicos, His Holiness Karekin II. During those years, he was also the Director of the Seminary’s clerical courses and taught Armenian, Armenian History, Armenian Geography and Theology for seven years at the Apkarian National School.

From 1993-1996, he became the first pastor to serve the Armenian communities in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, where he taught Armenian at the one-day Armenian schools.

In 1996, he was nominated to the clerical council of the Armenian Church University Student Association (ACUSA).

From 1996 to 2002, he served at the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, as pastor of the St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in San Francisco. During this time, he was also elected as Chairman of the Prelacy’s Religious Council.

In 1998, His Holiness Aram I elevated him to the rank of Most Reverend Father.

Following his service at the Western Prelacy of the United States, he moved to Syria, where he served the community of Qamishli as Vicar General from 2002 to 2004.

In August 2004, he was elected Prelate of the Prelacy of Isfahan in Iran and served the community for 12 years.

In June 2006, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, ordained him Bishop. In 2014, on the 30th anniversary of his ordainment as priest and on the 10th anniversary of his election as Prelate, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos elevated His Grace Tcharian to Archbishop.

On May 14, 2016, the CANAR elected Archbishop Tcharian Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada.

armenian prelacy of canada