His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepyan Entered Eternal life
19.12.2022
It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that on December 18, the devoted servant of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, one of the most distinguished Brotherhood members of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepyan, entered his eternal life at the age of 92.
The death of the multi-talented clergymen is a great loss for the Armenian Church. His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and the Brotherhood of the Mother See mourn the passing of His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepyan and pray for the repose of his soul.
Blessed be the memory of the righteous.
HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP VATCHE HOVSEPYAN
His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepyan (baptismal name Hovsep) was born on 11 June 1948 in in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. He received his primary education in the in the local Mesropyan Armenian National College. After graduating from the college, he entered the Antilias School.
On June 24, 1951 he was ordained a celibate priest by His Grace Bishop Derenik Poladyan. Following his ordination, he served as an assistant of the Dean and tutor in Dprevank.
In 1953 Archbishop Vatche left for Scotland to study at the University of Edinburgh. He was active within the youth movement of the World Council of Churches, participating in a number of ecumenical conferences.
In 1956 he was appointed as the Spiritual Pastor of the Holy Cross Church in the state of New Jersey (USA). He continued his studies at Rutgers, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, earning a Bachelor of Theology degree.
In 1967 he was appointed as Vicar of the Diocese of Canada, created new parishes, prepared the bylaw charter of the Armenian Diocese of Canada in compliance with the requirements of the Canadian government
In October 1967, he was ordained a Bishop by His Holiness Vazgen I, Catholicos of All Armenians.
In March 1971, he was elected as Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, serving for about 32 years, during which he established 13 new parishes.
In 1976 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his ordination, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop through the Encyclical of His Holiness Vasken I.
After the devastating earthquake in 1988, he established an orphan fund in the Western Diocese of the USA. On the direct initiative of the Archbishop, the Western Diocese of the USA rebuilt St. Gregory the Illuminator school in Stepanavan. And in Pasadena, the Alfred and Margarit Hovsepyan daily Armenian school was established next to St. Gregory the Illuminator Church.
In 1997 His Eminence Archbishop Vatche was appointed as the chairman of the commission for the preparation of the charter of the Armenian Church by Catholicos Karekin I. The draft of the charter ended in 2002.
In 2003, after 32 years of fruitful activity, Archbishop Vatche has taken a well-deserved rest. During his spiritual ministry, the Archbishop received many titles and awards.
