JERUSALEM (ARMENPRESS) — The inauguration ceremony of newly elected Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem His Eminence Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian was held in the Mother Cathedral of Saint James in Jerusalem. The new Patriarch, accompanied by the bishops, moved to the major sacristy of the Mother Cathedral from the Patriarchate, where he knelt and recited his oath bareheadedly.
After the recitation of the oath, Grand Sacristan, Archbishop Sevan Gharibian handed over the patriarchal crozier to the Patriarch as a symbol of assuming the patriarchal office. Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan recited the congratulatory address of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. Archbishop Varuzhan Herkelyan read the letter of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia on the occasion of the inauguration. Archbishop Aram Ateshian, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, who attended the inauguration ceremony, congratulated the newly elected Patriarch and as a gift presented him a Holy Grail.
The Christian spiritual leaders of Jerusalem, the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Palestinian delegation, along with a number of ambassadors and many other distinguished guests attended the inauguration ceremony.
Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian has been elected the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem on January 24. The patriarchal throne remained vacant since the former Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Rev. Archbishop Torkom Manoukyan passed away after long illness at the age of 93.
Archbishop Nourhan Manougian (baptismal name Boghos) was born in Aleppo, Syria on 22 July 1948. He received his primary education in the Haigazian School of Aleppo.
In 1961 he entered the Theological Seminary of Antellias to start his theological education. In 1966 he entered the Jarangavortz Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. On 27 July 1968 he was ordained to the diaconate.
In 1971 he was ordained a celibate priest by then Patriarch of Jerusalem Yeghish? Derderian and was given the priestly name of Nourhan. Following his ordination, he was appointed to serve as the Vice Dean of entered the Jarangavortz Theological Seminary from 1971 to 1972. In 1975 he was named as the Dean of the Seminary.
In 1972 and 1973 Father Nourhan continued his pastoral mission and served as the spiritual pastor of the Armenian faithful in Geneva, Switzerland. Father Nourhan received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) in 1973. Following his service in Europe, Father Nourhan returned to the Middle East and from 1974 to 1980 served as the spiritual pastor of the Armenian community of Haifa, Israel.
In 1980 upon the invitation of then Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, he left for New York, New York and entered the General Theological Seminary, where he furthered his theological education. He graduated in 1983. Remaining in the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, in 1994, he served as the spiritual pastor of the St. Gevork Church in Houston, Texas.
In 1998 he returned to Jerusalem where he served as the Grand Sacristan of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
On 14 December 1999 he was consecrated as a Bishop by the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II. He was elevated to the rank of Archbishop by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II in 2000.
In 2009, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, designated Archbishop Nourhan as Patriarchal Vicar. He currently serves at the Patriarchate supervising the activities of the Departments of the Patriarchate.
