Archbishop Aris Shirvanyan of Jerusalem Enters Eternal Rest
Press and Information Office of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem – OCP News Service – 05/01/2024
Yerevan-Armenia: Archbishop Aris Shirvanyan of Jerusalem enters eternal rest on Janaury 03,2024. He served as the Locum Tenens of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in 2012, after the demise of Patriarch Torkom Manoogian. His ecumenical endowers where noted. Archisbishop Aris will be entombed on January 08,2024 at the Congregational Cemetery of the Armenian Mother See.
Archbishop Aris Shirvanian (1934-2024)
He was born on July 23, 1934 in Haifa as son of Hovhannes and Lusaber Shirvanian, and received the baptismal name Armenag.
1952-1957 he studied at the Armenian Patriarchate’s Seminary in Jerusalem.
1954, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Yeghishe Terteryan.
In 1957 he was ordained a Celibate Priest by His Eminence Archbishop Diran Nersoian, and received his priestly name Aris.
In 1958 he serves as the pastor of St. Thaddeus Church and congregation in Amman, Jordan, and as Dean of the Hetumian Armenian School. In 1964 he graduated with a B.A. in Theology from at the Faculty of Theology at Durham University in England. In 1964 he was invited to Etchmiadzin and received clerical ranks from Bishop Asoghik Ghazaryan. From 1964-1966 he studied at the Institut Catholique in Paris; and in Etchmiadzin he received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet).
In 1966 he served as Spiritual Pastor at the St. Hakob Armenian Church in Los Angeles (USA).
From 1972-1974 he was lecturer, deputy Dean, then Dean at the Gevorgian Theological Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In September 1974 he was ordained a bishop by His Holiness Vazgen I Catholicos of All Armenians.
Between 1975-1979 he was Vicar General of the Armenian Diocese of Canada, and played an important role in the building up of communities and an Armenian school, St. James and St. John Armenian Churches in California. He was instrumental in the Armenian community purchasing the Mt. Davidson cross as well as helping many families from Baku relocating to the Bay Area. He presided over various Armenian American Foundations in California, representing 24 Armenian non-profit organizations.
From 1979-1980 he was the Dean of the Armenian School in Kolkata, India.
From 1998-1999 and from 2005-2006 he was the Dean of the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem.
From 2000-2015 he served as Director of Ecumenical and Foreign and Consular Relations at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. In those years he also taught Introduction to the New Testament, Introduction to the Old Testament at the Armenian Theological Seminary.
On the 1st of December 2006, His Holiness Garegin II bestowed upon him the rank of Archbishop.
On October 12, 2012 he was elected Locum Tenens at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
For many years His Eminence presided over clerical meetings and the Holy Synod.
Source:
OCP News Services
