Bishop Vardan Navasardyan
Primate of the Armenian Diocese of the Baltic States
Bishop Vardan Navasardyan (baptismal name Aristakes) was born on August 04, 1979, in Yerevan, Armenia.
From 1986 to 1996, he got his primary education in Yerevan Basic School № 71 after Nelson Stepanyan.
In 1995, he graduated from the “Armenian Youth Achievements” economic course program.
From 1996 to 1997, he studied at the Spiritual Academy of the Diocese of Shirak.
From 1997 to 2002, he continued his theological education at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadin.
On December 25, 2001, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Mikael Ajapahian.
From 2002 to 2005, he served as an Assistant to the Grand Sacristan of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
On February 27, 2003, he was ordained as a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Pargev Martirosian, and given the priestly name of Vardan.
From 2005 to 2008, by the Pontifical Order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians; Father Vardan was appointed to serve as a Vicar General in the Armenian Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, and Spiritual Pastor in the St. Holy Resurrection Church in Sydney.
From 2008 to 2019, he was appointed to serve as a Director of the Christian Education Center of the Mother See.
From 2009 to 2019, Father Vardan was appointed to serve as the Dean of the Eurnekian Public School of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and Coordinator of the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy of Calcutta, West Bengal, India.
From 2012 to 2019, he was also appointed as the Dean of the Eurnekian Kindergarten in the village of Arevadasht, Armavir Region.
In 2013, he successfully defended his doctrinal thesis entitled "The Role of the Christian Education and Values during the Years of the Third Republic", and in the St. Mesrop Mashtots Church of Oshakan, he received the rank of Archimandrite by His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian.
On November 16, 2014, Father Vardan was consecrated as a Bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
From 2015 to 2020, Bishop Vardan was the Head of the Board of Trustees of the "High School N182 after Gevorg Emin" Foundation, Yerevan.
From 2017 to 2020, His Grace was the Dean of the Youth Centers operating under the auspices of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU).
In 2020, Bishop Vardan was appointed to serve as the Primate of the newly established Armenian Diocese of the Baltic States.
In 2013, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Ministry of Culture, by the Republic of Armenia Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan; for his patriotic contribution to the cause of education.
In 2014, he was also awarded the “Movses Khorenatsi” Medal, by the RA President Serzh Sarkisyan, for his contributions to the education and upbringing of the younger generation.
He is the author of numerous articles, studies, and TV and radio broadcasts, coordinated the editing of the textbooks "History of the Armenian Church" for the secondary school pupils from the 5th to 11th grades.
His Grace Bishop Vardan is fluent in the Russian and English languages.
