Our Clergy

His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian
Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand

Abp Baliozian was born in Aleppo, Syria.  In 1961 he was accepted at the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem from where he graduated in 1968 and ordained a celibate priest.

Between 1968-1971 he undertook duties at the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate serving as Assistant Dean and Secretary; teacher; and administrator of the Gulbenkian Library.

From 1971-1974, he attended the University of Yerevan in Armenia as a student of Armenian Language, Literature and History.  During this period, he taught religious subjects at the Etchmiadzin Theological Seminary.

Returning to Jerusalem, from 1974-1975, he was Dean of the Theological Seminary and continued teaching.

In 1975 by order of His Holiness Vasken I Catholicos of All Armenians, of blessed memory, he left for Sydney to serve as the Vicar General of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand.

In 1976, he was bestowed the rank of Senior Archimandrite (Doctorate).  In 1981 he was appointed Primate of the Diocese and in 1982 consecrated a Bishop.  In 1991, he was appointed Pontifical Legate of India and the Far East and in 1993 was elevated to the rank of Archbishop.  He has been a member of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Church since 1995.

Reverend Father Norayr Patanian

Fr Patanian was born in Aleppo, Syria and was ordained into the priesthood in 1985 after migrating to Australia with his family the same year.

He was appointed Parish Priest and served in this position until June 2007 when he retired from full time church office duties.  He continues to serve actively in church and parish life and serves part-time in the church office.

Fr Patanian was bestowed the Pectoral Cross in 1989 and floral robe in 1994.  In 2004 he was elevated to the rank of Archpriest.

Reverend Father Bartev Karakashian

Fr Karkashian was born in Istanbul, Turkey and migrated to Australia with his family in 1985.  He served as a deacon of the Church of Holy Resurrection for five years before being ordained a priest in 1990.

In 2009 he retired from full-time to part-time church office duties and continues to serve actively in church and parish life.

Fr Karakashian was bestowed the Pectoral Cross in 1996 and floral robe in 2003.

Reverend Father Avetis Hambardzumyan

Fr Hambardzumyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia and was appointed to serve in the parish of Sydney by the order of His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. He arrived in Sydney in December 2010 with his wife and 10 month old son.

He is a graduate of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary in Holy Etchmiadzin and was ordained a married priest by His Holiness Karekin II in 2008.

Fr Hambardzumyan served in the Armenian Philanthropic Academy of Kolkata from March 2007 to November 2009 and subsequently at the Araratian Pontifical Diocese in Armenia before his arrival to Australia.

He is currently the Parish Priest of the Church of Holy Resurrection and was bestowed the Pectoral Cross on 20 November 2011.