On Saturday, December 23, 2023, on the occasion of the feast of St. Stephen the protomartyr, H.G. Bishop Donoyan, Prelate of the Western Prelacy, celebrated Divine Liturgy at St. Mary’s Armenian Church in Glendale. During the Divine Liturgy H.G. Bishop Donoyan ordained 16 young men as deacons to serve in various Western Prelacy Churches.
Rev. Fr. Movses Shannakian and Rev. Fr. Artsakh Badoyan alongside deacons assisted at the altar. Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian, Dean of St. Mary’s Church of Glendale assisted the prelate during the ordination ceremony, which was attended by clergy, parents, relatives, friends, and members of the congregation.
During the Divine Liturgy, a sense of joy overwhelmed the hearts of those who assisted at the altar as well as all the faithful in attendance, when the sixteen men were ordained as deacon, after successfully completing special religious workshops and courses. The 16 newly ordained deacons included Sevag Kassabian, Viken Kassabian, Samson Eliasian, Dikran Magarian, Hovig Meneshian, Khatchig Hovasapian, Garo Naljian, Arshen Charmahali, Hovhaness Balyan, Hagop Baltagian, Vartan Baltagian, Berj Babikian, Raffi Roubanian, Shant Sandaljian, Saro Sandaljian, and Nareg Vahanian. The ordination of the deacons was conducted by H.G. Bishop Donoyan, who humbly described the newly ordained deacons as “individuals who flourished in the church and the church flourished inside them.”
H.G. Bishop Donoyan extended his congratulations to the newly ordained deacons and delivered the sermon of the day.
