It is with great pleasure that we welcome His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian to the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese as Locum Tenens.
His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian was born in 1955, in Yerevan, Republic of Armenia.
1970-1975, he studied Piano and Music at Musical-Pedagogical College of Yerevan, and then continued his musical education as a pianist at the Komitas Conservatory of Yerevan, graduating in 1980.
He entered the Theological Academy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in 1984.
He was ordained a Deacon in 1986 and graduated from the Academy in 1987.
He was ordained a celibate priest in 1988 and one year later he was granted the rank of Vardapet (Master of Divinity) after completing his thesis on the “Shepherd of Hermas”. At the same time he became the Vice-Dean of Theological Academy and lecturer of Patristics and Early Church History.
In 1991 His Holiness late Vasken I appointed Nathan Vardapet as the Locum Tenens of the newly organized Armenian Diocese of Ukraine.
In 1994 he received the rank of Dzayragouyn Vardapet (Doctor of Divinity) for his thesis: “Petros Quture and his ‘Anthology of Theology'”.
In 1997 he was ordained Bishop by Late Catholicos Karekin I and was appointed as the first Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Ukraine.
1997-2000 member of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 2000 Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian was elected as the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and he took his new post on 1 October 2000 as the Pontifical Legate and Primate of the Armenian Church of Great Britain.
In 2010 Archbishop Nathan moved back to Holy Etchmiadzin and took the position of the Director of Publishing Department and Chairman of Publishing Council of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Since 2011 Archbishop Nathan is the President of Monastic Council of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian has been very active in Ecumenical circles. He has participated in various Ecumenical and International Conferences and Assemblies.
2001-2010 – Co-Chairman of Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Forum in London.
2001-2007 – President of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the United Kingdom.
2006-2010 – Co-President of “Churches Together in England”, London.
Since 2006 Member of the Standing Commission on Faith & Order of the World Council of Churches.
2000 – Correspondent Member & Honorary Doctor of the International Personnel Academy of Ukraine.
2006 – Honorary Citizen of Bethlehem.
Amongst the decorations he has received to date are the Order of “St Daniel of Moscow” from His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, in 1995 as well as the Order of Merit, from the President of Ukraine, in 2001.
In June 2013, by the Pontifical Order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian was appointed Locum Tenens of the Armenian Church Canadian Diocese with all the canonical rights of a Primate.
Archbishop Nathan welcomes any member of the Canadian Armenian Community who wishes to meet with him. In order to take an appointment please contact the Secretariat of the Diocese at 514-276-9479 ext. 2 or email at adiocese@aol.com
Press Office
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese
