NEW YORK, N.Y—The ordination of Deacon Sebouh Kevorkian to the married priesthood took place on Sept. 26 at the Sourp Boghos Church in Anjar, Lebanon. The Divine Liturgy and Ordination were celebrated by Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian, Grand Sacristan of the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator of the Holy See of Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon. The newly ordained priest was renamed Der Hrant in honor of the late Archbishop Hrant Khatchadourian, the first prelate of the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.
Although ordinations usually take place in the Cathedral of the Catholicosate, this ordination was unique in that it took place in Anjar, where the candidate was born and raised, providing an opportunity for the greater Anjar community to witness the ceremony. Present at the ordination was Dr. Vazken Ghougassian, the executive director of the Eastern Prelacy, who served as the godfather of the new priest on behalf of the Prelacy.
Der Hrant was born in Anjar in 1986 and has served in the Armenian Church since his early childhood. After graduating from high school, he studied at Lebanese University for two years prior to his acceptance into the Theological Seminary of the Holy See of Cilicia, where he successfully completed the three-year special program for the married priesthood. He also completed one year of graduate studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut. A talented musician, Der Hrant served as the director of the Children’s Choir of Anjar.
Der Hrant was recruited as a candidate for the priesthood by Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, and the candidate’s education at the seminary and his graduate studies were under the sponsorship of the Prelacy.
Earlier this year, he married Tamar Kusbekian. Following his 40 days of seclusion at the Catholicosate in Antelias, Der Hrant and Yn. Tamar will come to the United States and will begin service within the Eastern Prelacy early next year.
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