Bishop Serovbe Isakhanyan
Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany
Bishop Serovbe Isakhanyan (baptismal name Razmik) was born on August 20, 1963, in the Armenian-populated village of Hazarjrib, in Peria, Iran.
In November 1968, he immigrated to Armenia with his family. Initially, the family settled in the village of Khanjyan in the Hoktemberyan Region (now Armavir Province), and since 1974, in the city of Etchmiadzin.
From 1970 to 1974, he attended the Secondary School of the village of Khanjyan, and from 1974 to 1980 he studied at the №1 Secondary School of Etchmiadzin.
In 1980, he entered the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
From 1981 to 1983, he served in the Soviet Army, then, continued his studies at the Seminary.
On February 14, 1986, on the Feast Day of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Housik Santourian.
In June 1986, he graduated from the Seminary with excellence, and in December of the same year, he defended his thesis entitled "Moral Ethical Perspectives of Barsegh Mashkevortsi", and received a mark of excellence.
On June 07, 1987, on the Feast Day of Pentecost, he was ordained as a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Pozapalian.
Following the ordination, he was appointed to serve in the "Alex and Marie Manoogian" Treasury House; first, as an Assistant to the Head, then as a Head.
In 1988, he was appointed to serve as the Abbot of the St. Tatev Monastery, and Spiritual Pastor of Goris.
In 1989, Father Serovbe successfully defended his doctrinal thesis entitled “Ten Commandments and Christ”, and received the rank of Archimandrite by His Grace Bishop Asoghik Karapetyan, in the St. Tatev Monastery.
From February to October, in 1990, he served as a Director of Guest Relations in the Pontifical Residence of the Mother See.
In January 1991, Father Serovbe was appointed to serve as Vicar General in the Diocese of Syunik by Catholicos Vasken I, of Blessed Memory.
In 1992, he was appointed to serve as the Spiritual Pastor of the Holy Mother of God Armenian Church in Kishinev (Moldova).
In 1993, he was appointed to serve as Spiritual Pastor of Samarkand City, Uzbekistan.
From 1995 to 2015, Father Serovbe served in the Armenian Diocese of Germany: from 1995 to 1998 - in Koln; from 1998 to 2005 - in Berlin; from 2005 to 2017 - in Hanau; as well as in Bremen, Hamburg, Halle, Braunschweig, Mainz, Giessen and Frankfurt.
In 2010, he was appointed to serve as the Vicar General of the Armenian Diocese of Germany by the Primate of the Diocese.
In January 2018, Rev. Fr. Serovbe was elected to serve as the Locum Tenens of the Armenian Diocese of Germany.
On April 18, 2018, the Diocesan Parliamentary Assembly of the Armenian Diocese of Germany, elected Rev. Fr. Serovbe Isakhanyan from the three-name candidate list in a secret ballot, as the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany. And on April 19, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians ratified the choice.
On May 12, 2019, Rev. Fr. Serovbe Isakhanyan was consecrated as a Bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
His Grace Bishop Serovbe Isakhanyan is the author of a number of articles published in Armenian (Armenian and Diaspora) and foreign media. He also authored two books: “The Sacrament of the Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Church” (June 2011, in Armenian and German) and the "Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church” (October 2012, in German).
Bishop Serovbe is fluent in Armenian, German and Russian languages.
