Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On October 31, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; in the Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church of Oshakan, a ceremony of bestowing the four degrees of the private Archimandrite of the Armenian Church was held. His Eminence Archbishop Yezras Nersisyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhichevan, bestowed the rank of Vardapet to Rev. Fr. Poghos Vardanyan, member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See, who defended his doctrinal thesis on October 28.

On the same day, the Catholicos of All Armenians received the newly ordained Archimandrite. At the meeting, the Grand Sacristan of the Mother See, His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan, asking for the Pontifical blessings of His Holiness, presented the Archimandrite who was awarded the doctrinal rank.

Afterwards, His Holiness congratulated the newly appointed Archimandrite and conveyed his message, expressing his confidence that the Archimandrite will become stronger in his mission with the feeling of the priestly rank and will continue his dedicated service in the Armenian Church.

At the conclusion, the Catholicos of All Armenians decorated the chest of Archimandrite Poghos with a pectoral cross  and blessed him with the "Protector" prayer.