Priesthood-Candidate Dn. Martin Zakaryan to Serve as Parish-Priest Assistant at St. Vartan Armenian Church of Oakland, California

Published on Aug 19 2008 by Divan of the Diocese

Priesthood-Candidate Dn. Martin Zakaryan to Serve as Parish-Priest Assistant at St. Vartan Armenian Church of Oakland, California
Priesthood-Candidate Dn. Martin Zakaryan has been appointed as Parish-Priest Assistant at St. Vartan Armenian Church of Oakland by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate. On August 10, 2008, then-Sub-Dn. Martin Zakaryan was ordained to the rank of diaconate in the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church by the Primate of the Western Diocese. Dn. Martin Zakaryan will resume his theological education by enrolling for a Master of Divinity at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in the near future. AUTOBIOGRAPHY – By Dn. Martin Zakaryan  I, Martin Zakaryan was born on November 29, 1977 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. I am the son of Manuk and Elena Zakaryan. I attended Plovdiv’s “Dimitar Blagoev” elementary school and in 1992 I graduated from “Victoria and Krikor Tyutyundjyan” high school in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. During those years in high school I took part in many cultural events.  In “Knyaz Alexander Batemberg” College I majored in Biology, Chemistry and French and in 1995 I graduated with honors. As one of the best students in my French class I was selected to participate in a special two week language-learning trip in France.  I served in the Bulgarian army from 1997 to 1999. Due to my high academic grades I became eligible and was trained as a radio-telegrapher. As a result of my exemplary service in the army I was promoted to the rank of Corporal.  In 2003 I was admitted to Jerusalem’s “Alex and Mary Manoogian” Theological School. I was able to finish the Theological School in four years instead of the usual eight years. I received the first four rites of the Armenian Church by Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. The right to bear the stole was granted to me in 2005. By the recomendation of the famous Armenian Composer Setrak Yerganyan I was able to receive special voice training lessons for singing the hymns of the Armenian Church. I was a soloist during the church services at St. James Cathedral. At the Holy Archangel Church in Jerusalem I was appointed as an associate director of the newly organized church choir. I have written articles regarding religious literature which were published in a Bulgarian newspaper and Jerusalem’s Theological School’s journal. My interests are in theology, psychology, sociology, music and painting. I graduated from the Jerusalem’s Theological School in 2007.   I married Hayganush in Bulgaria on August 5th 2007.   In January of 2008, through the decision of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, I was accepted as a candidate for the Priesthood in the Western Diocese.  I was ordained as a Deacon by His Eminence on August 10th 2008.  My future plans are tied to the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church where with the Grace of God I will be serving for the rest of my life. 

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