The Hierarchy of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church

Clerical Hierarchy:

• Catholicos
• Bishop
• Priest
• Deacon

The Catholicos -

First on the hierarchical ladder is the Catholicos, as the Chief Bishop and Supreme head of the Armenian Church. The Catholicos is elected for life by a National Ecclesiastical Assembly (NEA), consisting of lay and clergy representatives of the Armenian Churches from around the world. The Catholicos is the chief administrator of religious, spiritual, ecclesiastical and administrative matters and oversees the decision-making processes over dogmatic, liturgical and canonical issues. He has exclusive authority to bless the Holy Muron (chrism), to consecrate bishops, approve the election of diocesan prelates, discipline clergymen, and other related matters. In the Middle Ages, the Catholicos also anointed the kings of Cilician Armenia.

The Bishop -

Second on the hierarchical ladder is the bishop, who is “elected” by the people and consecrated by the Catholicos with the aid of two other bishops (according to current practice, the Catholicos has exclusive right to consecrate bishops). A bishop in a given diocese is the “chief executive officer” of a given country or region, who works in cooperation with a Diocesan Council (consisting of clergy and lay members), who in turn are elected by the Diocesan Assembly of the region. The Bishop is the ex-officio president of every Diocesan organization.

The Priest -

Third on the hierarchical ladder is the priest, who is appointed by the Bishop and accepted by the Parish Assembly of a given parish. The parish priest is the ex-officio president of every Parish organization. “Monastic priests” or celibate priests (vardapets) would normally be members of a Brotherhood of the Hierarchical Sees in Etchmiadzin, Antelias, Jerusalem or Constantinople and are under the jurisdiction of the Catholicos or the Patriarch of a given See.

The Deacon -

The Diaconate is the first order of church hierarchy. The main role of the deacon (sarka­wag) is to assist the pastor or bishop during the Divine Liturgy, as well as the Worship Hours and Sacraments. A deacon may also assume limited pastoral and educational tasks un­der the supervision of a diocesan primate or pastor.

On each level on the hierarchical structure of the Armenian Church, clergy and lay cooperation is central to the overall administration and ministry of the church. While the Church is governed according to the standards set forth in the Canons, there are complementary By-Laws in most dioceses that further define the role and relationship of each functionary in the church within a given region.

The Hierarchical Sees of the Armenian Church

• The Catholicosate of All Armenians in Etchmiadzin (established by St. Gregory the Illuminator in the fourth century).

Since 1999, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians is His Holiness Karekin II Nersisyan.

• The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia (established in Antelias, Lebanon in 1930, but its roots go back to the 13th century).

Since 1995, the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia is His Holiness Aram I Keshishyan.

• The Patriarchate of Jerusalem (the presence of Armenian Christians in Jerusalem is known from the 4th century; the St. James Brotherhood established the Patriarchate at the beginning of the 14th century).

Since 2013, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem is His Beatitude Archbishop Nurhan Manookian.

• The Patriarchate of Constantinople (established in 1461 by Sultan Mehmet II).

Since 2019 the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople is His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak Mashalyan.

The Catholicosate of All Armenians, also known as the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, is the supreme ecclesiastical center of the Armenian Church. It is recognized as the ‘pre-eminent’ among the four Hierarchical Sees of the Church.

The Catholicos of Cilicia is equal in rank, but recognizes the primacy of honor of the Catholicos of All Armenians in Etchmiadzin. The heads of both Sees are consecrated by the same rite of the Church and enjoy the same privileges of a catholicos, namely, the consecration of bishops and blessing of Holy Muron.

The Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople have the rank of Archbishop. They are autonomous in the internal affairs of their Patriarchates and pledge canonical allegiance to the Catholicosate of All Armenians.

Each See has its own brotherhood, ecclesiastical jurisdiction and internal administrative by-laws, and may include dioceses and parishes. They are not separate churches, but are part of the One, Holy, Apostolic Church ― the Armenian Church ― and are one in dogma, theology, liturgy and rendered services.

In Chelmsford, Saints Vartanantz Church is a parish of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). Since 2022, the Primate of the Diocese is His Grace, Bishop Mesrob Parsamyan. The Pastor in Chelmsford, since 2008, is the Rev. Father Khachatur Kesablyan.

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[This page compiled and edited by Dn Jimmie Magarian. Primary sources include the Web Sites of Holy Etchmiadzin, Great House of Cilicia, and Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, among others.