Bishop Ararat Kaltakjian
Bishop Ararat Kaltakjian (baptismal name Hagop) was born on December 11, 1962, in the suburb of New Hatchn in Beirut, Lebanon. He received his primary education at the St. Sahak-St. Mesrop College in Lebanon.
From 1977 to 1978, he attended the Armenian Seminary of Antelias.
From 1979 to 1985, he continued his theological education in the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In 1984, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Hoosik Santourian.
In 1985, after successful defense of his thesis entitled "Published texts of Armenian ancient bibliography"․
In 1985, Deacon Hagop was assigned to serve in the Diocese of Damascus, Syria.
On April 20, 1986, he was ordained as a celibate priest by then Primate of the Diocese of Damascus, His Eminence Archbishop Voskan Galpakian and given the priestly name of Ararat.
In 1988, Father Ararat received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) by His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Pozapalian in the Church of St. Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan, Armenia, after successfully defending his thesis entitled "The History of the Church of Antioch".
From 1986 to 1990, he served as the Assistant to the Primate of the Diocese of Damascus.
In 1990, he left Damascus to serve as the spiritual pastor to the Armenian community of Toronto Canada, at the Holy Trinity Church.
In 1993, he moved to Montreal to serve as the Assistant to His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Diocese of Canada.
In 1994, he was assigned to serve as the spiritual pastor of the St. Narek Church of the Southern Coast of Montreal.
From 1995 to 1996, he attended advanced language classes in Ottawa, Canada and New York.
In 1996, he entered the St. Nerses Theological Seminary in New York and St. Vladimir Orthodox University.
In 1996, he returned to Canada and was assigned to serve as the spiritual pastor of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral of Montreal while also serving the faithful of the St. Cross Church of Laval. He also provided pastoral care to the St. Mesrop Church of Ottawa serving as a visiting priest.
On October 11, 1999, he received the rank of Senior Archimandrite (Dzayraguyn Vardapet) by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada; and with the blessings of the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin I, of Blessed Memory. That same year, he was appointed to serve as Locum Tenens of the Armenian Diocese of Canada by Archbishop Hovnan.
In 2003, His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Diocese of Canada, appointed him to serve as Dean of the St. Cross Church of Laval, and in 2004 he became the spiritual pastor of the church. While serving in Montreal Bishop Ararat arranged the publication of several booklets on sacraments and ceremonies of the Church. He was also responsible for the publishing of the "Narek" Sunday bulletin, as well as the "Burastan" official bi-monthly of the Church which commenced publication in 2000.
In June 2006, Father Ararat left Canada and moved to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; and by the Order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; he was appointed as Dean of the Monasteries of the Mother See.
On November 19, 2006, he was consecrated as a Bishop, by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
From 2006 to 2010, Bishop Ararat was the Grand Sacristan of the Mother See.
In 2010, His Grace was appointed to serve as a Dean of the Monastic structures, then, as a Dean of the Property Department of the Mother See.
Since 2017, he is the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Mother See.
