Pastors

Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 31, 1991. He graduated from the Armenian Theological Seminary and was ordained as a celibate priest on June 17, 2012. After his ordination Fr. Zareh was assigned as assistant to the dean of the seminary. A year later, He had the privilege of studying in Switzerland at the Ecumenical Institute of Chateau de Bossey. After earning his Advanced Certificate in Ecumenical Studies, travelled to the United States. For Four years, Fr. Zareh served the Eastern Prelacy while also continuing his higher education. Within three years of his academic studies, he earned his Th.M. degree from Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. Upon his return to Lebanon in 2018, he attended several academic courses in Biblical Greek and Hebrew at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut.

Rev. Fr. Movses Shannakian was born in 1983 in Anjar, Lebanon, and raised in Toronto, Canada. After graduating high school, he continued his higher education at the University of Toronto, and earned his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Neuroscience and Psychology (Honors B.Sc) in 2008. In 2012 he earned his Masters of Divinity Degree (M. Div) from St. Michael’s College, Faculty of Theology, at the University of Toronto. In the same year, he relocated to Los Angeles and was employed at the Western Prelacy in the Christian Education Department.

In 2018, he obtained his Marriage and Family Therapy certificate. He was ordained into the priesthood in 2017 by H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian. In 2019, by the mutual decision of H.G. Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Prelate, and the Joint Assembly, Rev. Fr. Movses Shannakian was appointed pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Glendale.