Archbishop Yezras Nersissian
Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan
Archbishop Yezras Nersissian (baptismal name Mkrtich) was born on October 30, 1959, in the village of Voskehat of Etchmiadzin
In 1977, he graduated from the local secondary school of the village.
From 1978 to 1980, he deferred the continuation of his education to serve in the Soviet Army.
In 1980, after the completion of his tour of duty, he entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
On December 25, 1983, on the Feast of St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon and First Martyr, he was ordained to the Diaconate by His Grace Bishop Nerses Pozapalian.
In 1984, he graduated from the Seminary after successfully defending his final thesis entitled: “The Development of the “Ordination of Mashtots” of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the X-XIV Centuries”.
On September 08, 1985, by the order of the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Vasken I, of Blessed Memory, he was ordained as a celibate priest by Bishop Nerses Pozapalian.
From 1984 to 1986, he delivered lectures on the “Introduction to the Old Testament” at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary.
From 1986 to 1988, he studied at the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In 1988, he was appointed to serve as the spiritual pastor of the Armenian faithful of St. Petersburg.
In October 2000, by the Pontifical Order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; he was appointed to serve as the Acting Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan.
On February 21, 2001, he successfully defended his doctoral thesis entitled “The History of the Armenian Community of St. Petersburg”. On February 22 of the same year, he received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) by His Eminence Archbishop Navasard Ktchoyan, Vicar General of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese.
Since April 2001, by the Pontifical Order of His Holiness Karekin II, he has been appointed to serve as the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan and the Pontifical Legate of the Armenian Church to the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia.
On September 30, 2001, he was consecrated as a Bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
On September 17, 2013, Bishop Yezras was elevated to the rank of Archbishop by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; in appreciation of his devoted and zealous service.
