Gugark Diocese Has a New Leader

On January 17, at 10:00 AM, in the Cathedral of Saint Grigor Narekatsi in Vanadzor, the newly appointed leader of the Gugark Diocese, His Grace Bishop Hovhannes Hakobyan, will celebrate his first Divine Liturgy. This was reported by the official page of the Gugark Diocese.

Bishop Hovhannes has been appointed as the leader of the Gugark Diocese by His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. Prior to this appointment, Bishop Hovhannes served for about 10 years as the sacristan of the Mother Cathedral, where his responsibilities included organizing the liturgical ceremonies of the Mother See and the lives of the clergy.

The Gugark Diocese was established in 1996 by the late Catholicos Karekin I's decree. From that year until last November, the diocese was led by His Eminence Archbishop Sepuh Chuljyan. Archbishop Sepuh passed away in November 2020 due to the COVID-19 illness.