Archbishop Abraham Mkrtchyan
Primate of the Diocese of Vayots Dzor
Archbishop Abraham Mkrtchyan (baptismal name Gevork) was born on 7 January 1961, in Rind Village of Yeghegnadzor Region. He received his primary education at the secondary school of Rind Village.
In 1982, he entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 1986, he was ordained to the diaconate by then Grand Sacristan of the Mother See His Eminence Archbishop Housik Santourian.
In 1986, graduated he successfully prepared and defended his thesis entitled “The See of Syunik during the Orbelian Dynasty”.
In 1987, he was ordained as a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Poszpalian and given the priestly name of Abraham.
In 1989, he successfully presented and defended his Doctrinal thesis entitled “Commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer in the Armenian Literary Comments” (according to Yeghishe, Gregory of Narek, Nerses the Graceful, Nerses of Lambron, Vardan the Easterner, and Gregory of Tatev).
In 1992, he received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
From 1989 to 1992, Father Abraham studied at the Faculty of Philology at Yerevan State University.
In 1986, he worked at the Editorial Office of the “Etchmiadzin” Monthly, first as a Secretary, then as a Director.
From 1987 to 1989, Father Abraham delivered lectures in the Gevorkian Theological Seminary.
In 1993, by the order of His Holiness Vasken I, of Blessed Memory, Father Abraham was appointed to serve as the Primate of the Diocese of Syunik.
In 1993, Father Abraham was consecrated as a Bishop by Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin I, of Blessed Memory, in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 2010, by the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; His Grace was appointed to serve as the Primate of the Diocese of Vayots Dzor.
On September 15, 2013, on the Feast of the Holy Cross, Bishop Abraham was elevated to the rank of Archbishop by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
His Eminence is the author of a number of articles and books including: “First Path of Christian Education”, “Commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer according to St. Gregory of Tatev” and “Pages from the History of the See of Syunik”.
