Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian
Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian (baptismal name Sarkis) was born in 1963, in Baghdad, Iraq. Following his graduation from primary schools in Baghdad, he entered the College of Electrical Engineering of the University of Baghdad, graduating with a B.S.E. in 1985.
In 1985, he entered the Saint Nersess Seminary of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, jointly with St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, both in New York.
In 1989, he graduated from the Saint Nersess Seminary and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, defending his thesis entitled “The Council of Shahapivan (CE 444): Translation, Introduction and Commentary”, earning a Master’s Degree.
In 1987, he was ordained to the Deaconate by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian in the St. Vartan Cathedral of New York.
In 1990, he was ordained as a celibate priest and given the priestly name of Vahan. Following his ordination, he served in the Armenian communities of Baghdad and Mosul (Iraq).
From 1991 to 1992, he served as a visiting Spiritual Pastor in the Holy Cross Church in New York.
From 1992 to 1993, he served as Sacristan in the St. Vartan Cathedral in New York.
From 1993 to 1999, he served as the Spiritual Pastor of the St. Ghevond Armenian Church in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
In 1994, upon the successful defense of his thesis entitled “The Third Corinthians in the Armenian Church literature”, he received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet). Father Vahan continued his advanced education, completing graduate-level courses and seminars in “Coptic Reading: The Gospel of Thomas”, “Talmud and Rabbinics”, and “Islam and the Qur’an”. He attended Fordham University in the Bronx, New York, and graduated with a Ph.D․ in Biblical Studies in 1998. He defended his dissertation entitled “The Third Corinthians: Reclaiming Paul for Christian Orthodoxy”․
From 1999 to 2000, Father Vahan served as the Acting Dean at the Saint Nersess Armenian Seminary.
From 2000 to 2010, he served as the Spiritual Pastor in the St. Martirosats Church.
In 2006, he defended his thesis entitled “New Testament Apocrypha and the Armenian Version of the Bible”, and received the rank of Senior Archimandrite (Dzayraguyn Vardapet) by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
Since 2006, he is the Editor-in-Chief of the publications of the Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Bible Studies at the Peter Lank Publishing House in New York, and an Advisor of the Publications of St. Nersess Theological Review.
Since 2006, he is the Chairman of the Consultation Unit: “The Bible in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Traditions” of the Society of Biblical Literature.
Since 2008, Father Vahan is a Member of the Doctoral Theses Committee of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, in Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Since 2009, he is a Member of “Theta Alpha Kappa” National Society for Religious Studies and Theology.
On November 06, 2011, Father Vahan was consecrated as a Bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
From 2010 to 2014, he was elected to serve as the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain.
On November 01, 2014, His Grace was awarded the Order of the "Ecclesiastical Commander" by the "St. Knights of Lazarus" Organization.
On November 01, 2014, His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhannessian was elected to serve as the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of France.
From April 1, 2023, he was elected to serve in the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhannessian is the author of many works and articles. He lectured at several institutions: Georgian Court University, St. Mark Coptic Seminary, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. Bishop Vahan is a Member of the Association Internationale des études Arméniennes (AIEA), Association pour l'étude de la Littérature Apocryphe Chrétienne (AELAC), Catholic Biblical Association (CBA), Friends of the Matenadaran: Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, Armenia, Orthodox Theological Society in America, Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS), Society for Armenian Studies (SAS), Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Church (SCHOOCH), The American School of Oriental Research (ASOR), and The Anthropology Museum of the People of New York Board of Directors.
