V. Rev. Fr. Yeghishe Mandjigian was born with the given name Ara in 1942 in the Karadouran village of Kessab, Syria. His family later moved to the Armenian neighborhood of Bourdj Hamoud in Beirut, Lebanon, where he attended the Armenian Forty Martyrs School. His passion for theological studies led him to the Armenian Theological Seminary of the Holy See of Cilicia in 1956. In 1960, he was ordained as a deacon by Archbishop Khoren Paroyan, and as a celibate priest in 1963 by Archbishop Hrant Khachadourian, who gave him the name Fr. Yeghishe upon ordination.

Fr. Yeghishe’s rich biography includes notable milestones:

• —1963-1965: Director of the Library of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, teacher of classical Armenian and western Armenian at the Theological Seminary, and instructor of French and mathematics at the Armenian Mardigian College.
• —1965-1974: Lecturer at Isfahan State University in Iran, teaching classical Armenian, Western Armenian, Armenian history, literature, and theology and active participation in continuous educational program organized by the Prelate of New Julfa, Arch. Karekin Sarkissian.
• —1967: Founder and organizer of the Armenian Student Union of Isfahan State University.
• —1974-1976: Pursued studies at Columbia University in the United States.
• —1976-1977: Teacher of Religion and History of Armenian Culture at Mesrobian College in Montebello.
• —2004-2007: Teacher of Classical and Western Armenian at the Seminary in Antelias.
• —2006-2009: Director of the “Cilicia” museum and “Birds’ Nest” orphanage.

Fr. Yeghishe served in various pastoral roles, leaving a lasting impact on each community:

• —1976-1977: Sourp Khatch (Holy Cross) Church in Los Angeles.
• —1977-1980: Sourp Nahadagats (St Martyrs) Church in Encino, where he had established Bible Studies for the youth.
• —1980-1983: Pastor of Fresno while teaching at the Armenology Department of Fresno University.
• —1983-1997: Pontifical Vicar to the Armenian Diocese of Cyprus under the auspices of Catholicos Karekin II. During his tenure, he established weekly lectures, and it was under his leadership that the Armenian Genocide Memorial was established in the vicinity of the prelacy.  
• —1997-2000: Pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Vancouver.2000-2003: Pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in North Andover, USA.
• —2010-2011: Pontifical Vicar of Adrbadagan, Iran.

Fr. Yeghishe’s literary contributions were substantial, including seven authored books and numerous edited works, significantly influencing Armenian literature and scholarship.