Western Diocese

After months of search and deliberation St. Vartan Parish Council decided to invite Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan, current Pastor of the Armenian Church of Ventura County, to become the next Pastor of St. Vartan Armenian Church in Oakland.  The decision of St. Vartan Council has been approved by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate. Fr. Hovel's reassignment will take affect beginning July, 1, 2009.

Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan was appointed as Ventura County Parish Priest on October 14, 2007. Fr. Hovel will begin his new assignment as the Pastor of St. Vartan Armenian Church, Oakland, on July 1, 2009.

The Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian, Vicar General, will serve as the temporarily Visiting Parish Priest for the Armenian Churches of Ventura County and Santa Barbara.

A Biography of Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan

Artak Ohanyan was born in Ashtarak, Armenia, on May 28, 1978. He attended "Norayr Sisakyan" No. 5 School and graduated from the same school in 1995. In 1996, he joined the Armenian Armed Forces and completed his mandatory military service in two years. He was admitted to Kevorkian Seminary at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in 1999 and graduated from in 2005.

On December 25, 2004, Artak Ohanyan was ordained Deacon by His Grace Bishop Yezras Nersesyan. Upon his graduation he started working as a supervisor at the Kevorkian Seminary. With the special blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, he was promoted to Executive Secretary of Communication and Foreign Language Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

On March 14, 2005, Dn. Ohanyan submitted his seminary thesis for examination and received high commendation for his work.

On April 15, 2007, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, ordained and consecrated Dn. Artak to the Priesthood as Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan.

With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan has been serving in the Western Diocese since June 1, 2007.

Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan is married to Yeretsgin Anahit and they have two children: Vazgen and Nareh.