His Eminece Archbishop Tatev Gharibyan Enters Eternal Rest
November 2014
It is with deep sorrow that we inform our faithful that on November 26, His Eminence Archbishop Tatev Gharibyan entered his eternal rest in Sao Paulo, Brazil, after developing renal failure following a kidney transplant. He was 77 years old, and one of the senior Members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Serving as the primate of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil since 1980, His Eminece Archbishop Tatev Gharibyan left his leadership position last year due to health problems.
The death of the skilled Archbishop is a great loss to the Armenian Apostolic Church and her faithful children.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the Supreme Spiritual Council and the clergy of the Armenian Church mourn the death of the spiritual Father.
Blessed is the memory of the righteous.
Archbishop Datev Gharibian
Archbishop Datev Gharibian (whose baptismal name was Hovhannes) was born on April 15, 1937. He received his primary education at the St. Vartanantz Jesuit College of Aleppo, Syria. Upon graduation, he entered the St. James Theological Seminary of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and graduated in 1963.
On July 21, 1963 he was ordained a celibate priest by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Archbishop Yeghishй Derderian of blessed memory and given the priestly name of Datev.
From 1963 to 1966 he served as the Vice Dean of the Jarangavorats College in Jerusalem.
In 1966 he received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet).
From 1966 to 1980 Father Datev Gharibian served the Armenian Church in Argentina as the spiritual pastor to the Armenian faithful of Cordoba.
In 1975 he received the rank of Senior Archimandrite (Dzayraguyn Vardapet).
In 1980 he was elected to serve as the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil.
On October 14, 1984 he was consecrated as a Bishop by the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenian, His Holiness Vasken I, of Blessed Memory.
In January, 1993 he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop.
His Eminence has received the order the “St. Lazarus the Great Cross” and an honorary diploma from the Universidade de Sao Paulo of Brazil.
