The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-09
ORDAINED PRIEST.
Martougesian NowAn
Arch-Deacon in
His Church.
RENOuNCED PROTESTANTISM.
First Armenian Ordination
Ever Held in United
States.
RENOUNCED PROTESTANTISM.

Rev. Garabed Martougesian a for
jured Professionalism for the faith Of
his fathers, was ordained to the priest
hood of the Armenian Gregorian church
at the Church of Our Savior on Laurel
street, yesterday. 1t was the first time
in the Cnited States that priest of
the ancient Armenian faith was or
dained.
In view of it's being such an unusual
event, the church was crowded, and
there were many Americans noticed in
the congregation The ordination took
place during the solemn celebration Of
a Gregorian high mass which began at
8 o'clock and lasted until 1890 The
celebrant was Rev. Kaspar Davidian
of Providence. The ceremony Of ordi-
nation was conducted by Rt. Rev. H.
V. Sarajian, the pioneer and only Ar
menian bishop in the United States.
Even to one unacquainted with the
Armenian language and the ritual Of
the Gregorian church, it was solemn
and impressive ceremony. Like the
! Roman Catholic church, the national
church of Armenie. is distinguished for
ornate and elaborate rituaIstic cere-
monial. Rev. Mr.. Martougesian sat
during the celebra ton Of the mass with
p. A. Albanian, who also intends to be-
| come a priest, who yesterday received
| four degrees which makes him a scribe
or reader empowered to read the offices
| for the dead
| There is a striking similarity between
| the high mass of the Roman Catholic
and that Of the Gregorian church. The
vestments worn by the priest and
bishop are much the same, too, and
were it not for the long and flowing
beard that is peculiar distinction OF
the Armenian clergy, one would hard
! ly know the difference.
Apart from performing the ceremony
| Of ordination, the bishop also preached
I the sermon. He took his text from the
! fourth chapter Of John 23d verse, But
the hour cometh, and now is, when the
| true worshippers shall worship the
| Father in spirit and in truth; for the
Father seeketh such to worship him"
| The central point emphasized by the
| bishop in this sermon was that there
! is salvation in every Christian church,
provided that the worshipper has faith
and sincerity. The Gregorian church
is not only the most ancient Of the
| Christian churches, but in every way
| the best for the Armenian people, as
| it tends to preserve their language and
their nationality, menaced for centu
/ ries by the Turks
| Turning to Rev. Mr.. Martougesian,
the bishop said that he held the ideal
] Of religion high before him. Such
young men were needed in the church.
/ He urged him to be true to himself to
his country and IN hia C1ad Tn tha
priesthood he would have exceptional
opportunities to advance the glory Of
i God and his reward would be common
surate with his achievements The
bishop gave Rev. Mr.. Martougesian
and Mr.. Albanian some good counsel,
and then administered the sacrament
In the case of Mr. Albanian, these
were but partial, and he will have to
study one year more before he finally
| enters the priesthood. The ordination
of Mr.. Martougesian will be completed
| next Sunday. In the Armenian church
| there are two orders of the priesthood.
One class of priests are allowed to
| marry but in the order that Mr.. Martou
| gesian enters, celibacy is the rule. None
| but celibate priests, it is worthy Of
note, can ever become bishops in the
| Gregorian church.
| AS a result of the ceremonies yester-
| day, Mr.. MartougeSian is now an arch
| deacon. There are seven degrees nee
essary for a candidate for holy orders.
| Six of these have been conferred upon
| Mr.. Martougesian, and four upon Mr..
! Albanian.
Both Mr.. Martougesian and Adam
ian are young men about 80 years Of
age. Up to a month ago, Mr. Martou-
gesan was pastor of an Armenian
Protestant congregation in Providence,
l. -.
faith of his fathers, and he yearned to
become a priest. He communicated
with Bishop SaraJian, and the result
was the ceremony of yesterday.
Mr.. Albanian told The Spy reporter
yesterday that at present he is study
ing at the Yale divinity school, He has
one year more to pursue theology be-
fore he will be eligible to the priest
| hood.
| Bishop Sarajian The Spy reporter
/ was informed, presides over the largest
diocese in the world. 1t embraces the
whole of the two Americas In the
i performances of his duty, the bishop
is forced to make some long pilgrim
ages, and is as likely to be in Chicago
or San Francisco as in Worcester.
1t is his intention as fast as the Ar
menian colonies of the United States
/ develop strength Of numbers to form
parishes. To this end the ordination of
priests will be necessary, and the con-
ferring of holy orders upon Mr. Mar
tougesian is the first of a number Of
such ordinations that are to take place.