(Armenian-WD) - On Saturday, June 2, the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church elected the Very Rev. Fr. Abgar Hovakimyan as its Primate. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America wrote a congratulatory letter to the newly elected Primate wishing him renewed strength and vigor in his Primacy as the spiritual leader of the Armenian-Canadian community.
Fr. Abgar Hovakimyan was educated in Armenia and Austria and was ordained to the Sacred Order of the Priesthood in 1996 at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. He has served as Pastor of the Holy Savior Church in Batoumi; as diocesan vicar of the Diocese of Georgia and of the Diocese of Syunik and has served in the Diocese of Canada.
From 2011 to 2014, Father Abgar served as Locum Tenens of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Bulgaria.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Armenian Church in Canada has new primate
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Why is there an "Armenian Church in Canada?" Why wouldn't Armenians in Canada answer to a Canadian primate? Wasn't there something that happened in 1872 that addressed this sort of thing? I assume it was important, because when some 20-something American convert made noises about a "white" Church, he got excommunicated.
ReplyDeleteI assume, therefore, that this passes canonical muster because Canada is not a nation, which allows the Armenians to set up their own nation in the geographic coordinates known as "Canada."
Also, what is the "Diocese of the Armenian Church of Bulgaria?"
So there's a non-canonical situation in the "diaspora" lands. Most of those concerned acknowledge that it's a problem, even though they're too lazy/ossified/self-interested to get off their duffs and fix it.
ReplyDeleteAlong comes a brand-spanking new convert who claims that not only is the non-canonical situation just fine, but we need more of it. Is it really that hard to understand why he landed in ecclesial hot water? While considering conversion, I can't tell you how many times I've read that converts should keep their mouths closed for the first 5-10 years. This is a prime example of why.
The point I'm trying to make is more political than ecclesiological: diversity actually only applies to Anglo-Celts or Europeans. Everybody else gets to carry their hereditary nation with them wherever they go.
DeleteBut I do wonder how long the Armenians can keep it up. Are there really enough of them cohering in North America that they don't have to outmarry? I remember asking a Carpatho-Russian Orthodox how long he thought his diocese would be "Carpatho-Russian." He didn't answer.
Most of those concerned acknowledge that it's a problem, even though they're too lazy/ossified/self-interested to get off their duffs and fix it.
DeleteI used to think that, but now I think the answer is they truly do not care and do not intend to care, ever. This is literally the only issue worth discussing at the supposed Great Council and it's nowhere on the agenda.
We should probably just acknowledge that people want their own national Church with their own cultural expressions. People are choosing blood over geography.
I think the Armenian Apostolic Church (I am not sure of the Armenian Catholic Church is in the same boat) needs to be open to having the Liturgy in a language other than classical Armenian, if she wants to be able to evangelize to non-Armenians.
DeleteI get so sick of hearing all this yacking about the "uncanonical situation in the diaspora"... I like my bishop. I like my church. My bishop likes his flock. Why screw with it? (and no, I'm not a convert).
DeleteMany years to Bishop-elect Abgar!
ReplyDeleteAxios! Many years to him and his flock!
ReplyDelete"We should probably just acknowledge that people want their own national Church with their own cultural expressions. People are choosing blood over geography."
ReplyDeleteGet your head out of the sand. Haven't you heard about globalization and multiculturalism? And haven't the Armenians been punished enough. let them have their own church wherever they live.
You need to read my whole post, and ponder it some more.
DeleteI have "Anti-Gnostoc" and you have to face reality. We are living in a globalizd world. Haven't the poor Armenians suffered enough already.
ReplyDelete