Current News

14 July 2010

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), ordained Dn. Leon Khoja-Eynatyan to the holy priesthood last weekend at St. Mary Church of Washington, D.C.

The two-day ceremony began on Saturday evening, July 10. Dn. Leon knelt before the altar in a traditional calling service that symbolizes a deacon's formal presentation to the Lord as a candidate for the priesthood.

On Sunday, July 11, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, Archbishop Barsamian ordained Dn. Leon to the priesthood during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

Also participating in the ordination service were the Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, the pastor of St. Mary Church, and the Rev. Fr. Vertanes Kalayjian, the long-serving former pastor of the community. Fr. Karapetyan and Fr. Kalayjian served as sponsoring priests at the ordination.

Archbishop Barsamian performed the "laying on of hands" ritual, which binds all priests of the Armenian Church into the "apostolic succession," linking clergy through the generations back to Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew-who brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century-and back before them to Christ himself.

Archbishop Barsamian later consecrated Dn. Leon's forehead and his hands with holy chrism (muron), and gave him the priestly name "Hovhan." At the conclusion of the service, the newly ordained priest gave his first blessing to the faithful at St. Mary Church.

In his sermon, the Primate spoke about the Feast of the Transfiguration-one of the five major feast days of the Armenian Church which recalls Christ's ascent up Mount Tabor with the disciples Peter, James, and John, where Christ was transfigured in a blinding white light and the voice of God affirmed Jesus as his Son.

"The disciples see our Lord transformed," Archbishop Barsamian said. "And in doing so, the disciples are transformed as well-but in a different way. Peter, James, and John, after sharing this special moment with Jesus, go on to become the greatest supports in Christ's ministry; the ones our Lord most relied on-and the ones from whom he expected the most."

"Today, in this church, we have seen a similar kind of transformation-as mysterious in its way as the Transfiguration," Archbishop Barsamian continued. "In this ordination, we have seen a man transformed. Today, the Holy Spirit entered into Dn. Leon Khoja-Eynatyan, and he became something new."

The entire Parish Council hosted the ordination; chair Zakar Shahverdian served as godfather. A celebratory luncheon followed in the church hall.

A purpose for each of us

Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia, where he pursued a career in music. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in music from the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, and the Maimonides State Conservatory of Moscow, Russia. Fr. Hovhan has been a member of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pekarsky Percussion Ensemble, and the Moscow Modern Music Ensemle, and has taught at the Yerevan conservatory and the Spendiarov School of Music.

Growing up in Soviet Armenia, where he recalls seeing churches used as warehouses, the young Leon Khoja-Eynatyan had few opportunities to learn about Armenian Christianity. He says he was first introduced to the Bible by his grandparents, but it wasn't until decades later, when he relocated to the United States, that he would really become active in parish life.

In 1999, he moved with his family to the United States, and settled in Washington, D.C., where he began attending St. Mary Church. He served for many years as an organist and conductor at the church, and in 2000 he founded the church's well-known Narek Bell Choir. He also served on the Diocese's Sacred Music Council, and for four years led its Boyajian Choir Leadership Development Program for young choir members.

"Unceasingly and tirelessly he became an inseparable part of St. Mary Church, playing the organ, conducting the choir, or serving on the holy altar every Sunday," said Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan. "Little did he know that all this was leading him to a higher calling."

It was during his time at St. Mary Church that Fr. Hovhan says he first heard God's call to serve the church as an ordained priest. At the encouragement of Archbishop Barsamian, he began taking courses at Catholic University of America in Washington, and in 2008 he enrolled at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, N.Y.

He was ordained to the diaconate in August 2008. In addition to attending the seminary, he assisted Fr. Karapetyan in his pastoral duties at St. Mary Church. He also continued to perform and teach music, serving as a percussion instructor at the Levine School of Music in Washington.

But his main focus was on his newfound calling. He says once he began preparing for the priesthood, he "could not imagine another place I would rather be."

Last May, he graduated from St. Nersess Seminary and began preparing for his ordination. "I waited a long time for that day to come," he said.

The newly-ordained Fr. Hovhan will complete his 40-day seclusion period of fasting, meditation, and prayer at Holy Etchmiadzin. When he returns later this summer, he will spend several months working as an assistant to Fr. Karapetyan until he is assigned to a new parish.

Fr. Hovhan says he never imagined experiencing a career change in his 40s. "The only thing anyone can do is hear God's call, and answer it," he said.

Archbishop Barsamian said Fr. Hovhan's journey illustrates that "God has a purpose for each of us."

"Sometimes, that purpose may take time to unfold. But the purpose is there. And when we understand it, we need to be courageous enough, and strong enough in our faith, to accept the role He has given us in His greater design."

Fr. Hovhan and his wife Narine have two children, Tatevik and Alexander.