Kings Levon and Oshin of the Kingdom of Cilicia are remembered in the Spiritual See of Cilicia

www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org – June 2016

4 June 2016. On Saturday after the evening service at St Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, a first act of ordination to the priesthood was held. Two deacons, accompanied by the Vice-Dean of the Seminary, moved to the Holy Altar on their knees to confess their faith. Archbishop Papken Tcharian, Primate of Canada led them into the Confession of Faith ceremony, beginning with the recitation of the anathemas against the declared heretics of the church, the recitation of the Canons and the taking of the vow to join the brotherhood of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and serve the Church.

The ordination continued on Sunday morning during the Holy Liturgy, presided over by His Holiness Aram I. Before the recitation of the Creed, the deacons were led again to the holy altar on their knees, and through biblical readings and prayers, the deacons were commissioned to follow the steps of Jesus. The ordination rite ended with the anointment of the foreheads and the right and left hands of the deacons with the Holy Muron, poured out of the dove-shaped container by the Archbishop, as he renamed deacon Gabriel as Rev Levon and deacon Hovhanness as Rev Oshin, the names of two former kings of Cilicia.

During the sharing of peace, His Holiness, and the members of the brotherhood went to the altar and kissed the foreheads and hands of the newly ordained priests. The celebrant blessed the cowls and placed them on their heads, symbolizing the acceptance of poverty, obedience and the spiritual life.

At the end of the ordination service, Revs Levon and Oshin, accompanied by their sponsors, the Beuyukian family, and the clergy, their family members and the faithful went to the Main Hall of the Catholicosate, where they were blessed by His Holiness Aram I.

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