On Sunday, August 4th, 2019, during the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, His Holiness Aram I authorized the granting of the first four ranks of Vartabed to Rev. Fr. Bsag Tepirjian, Rev. Fr. Hovagim Panjarjian, Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian and Rev. Fr. Ardavazt Sharoyan. Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian was The Celebrant priest and V. Rev. Zareh Sarkissian was the Sponsor priest.
During the Service, the Celebrant the Sponsor priests led the four young monks to the Altar, where they anathematized the heretics and confirmed their loyalty to the Armenian Church and the teachings of the Church Fathers. Subsequently Archbishop Varoujan explained the four ranks associated with their scholarly work and gave them the right to carry the Vartabed staff. After this Service, the Archbishop delivered his sermon, in which he explained the importance of these ranks and exhorted them to read the words of our Church Fathers and follow the Word of God.
At the end of the ceremony, the Celebrant and the sponsor priests led the newly ordained Vartabeds to His Holinessā office, where they received Ā the Catholicosā blessings.
