Our church pastors have dedicated their lives to service in ministry and Christian education to the Armenian community. They are the spiritual leaders of our congregation.
Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian
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.
In Beirut, Fr. Zareh assumed various responsibilities, primarily the position of the Director of the Christian Education and Sunday School Department at the Catholicosate in Antelias. On February 1, 2022, by the blessing of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, and under auspices of H.G. Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Prelate, Fr. Zareh was appointed the Dean of St. Mary’s Armenian Church in Glendale.
Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian currently teaches religion at Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School in Hollywood, California. He is also a contributor in the Western Prelacy TV program “Yegeghetsin Haygagan.”
Archpriest Fr. Komitas Torosian
Rev. Fr. Movses Shannakian M.Div, CMFT
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.
Rev. Fr. Movses Shannakian currently teaches religion at Vahan & Anoush Chamlian Armenian School in La Crescenta, California. He is the current liason between the Western Prelacy and Homenetmen, prepares the weekly St. Mary’s Church bulletin, conducts weekly reflections on the Western Prelacy TV program “Yegeghetsin Haygagan,” and is a contributor to the Western Prelacy “Cilicia” periodical.