His Holiness Aram I–Catholicos of Cilicia–and members of the Brotherhood of Cilicia–announce with deepest sadness the passing of Archbishop Mesrob Ashdjian–on Tuesday–December 2–in New York City. His Eminence was 62 years old.
Archbishop Ashdjian faithfully served the Armenian Church for half a century with extraordinary dedication. He served as the Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy for twenty years–from 1978 to 1998. Since 1998 he has continued his service to the Armenian Church and nation–marked especially by the remarkable work he accomplished in Armenia.
The Wake Service will take place Friday evening–December 5–at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral–in New York City. The service of Final Unction will take place during the Divine Liturgy service at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral on Saturday–December 6. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan of the Eastern Prelacy will officiate the service.
The final journey of Archbishop Mesrob will be to Antelias–Lebanon–where he will be buried on Monday–December 8–in the Mausoleum of the Holy See of Cilicia.
CONDOLENCES
On the sad occasion of the passing of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian–the ARF Western USA Central Committee conveys its deepest condolences to his family and relatives–as well as to the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia.
Archbishop Ashjian has not only been a devoted cleric–but also a man of culture–and a deep believer in Armenian national values.
US Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian and the Religious and Executive Councils of the Prelacy deeply mourn the untimely passing of His Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian (1941-2003) of the Holy See of Cilicia–which occurred on December 2–in New York City.
Archbishop Ashjian was a spiritual and cultural leader who devotedly provided his services to the Armenian Apostolic Church as a member of the Brotherhood of the Catholicosate of the Great House of the Holy See of Cilicia–principal of the seminary–prelate–and one of the organizers of the festivities surrounding the 1,700th Anniversary of Christianity. His literary works are widely respected.
On Sunday–December 7–all Prelacy churches will be conducting memorial services to pray for the repose of his soul. Blessed be the memory of the righteous.
Divan of Prelacy