The Prelate performed an evening service at St. Garabed Church, during which he conducted Deacon Sevag Badoyan’s “Calling service to the Priesthood” ceremony on Saturday, January 23 at 5pm, which was followed by a meeting with local delegates, Board of Trustee members and benefactors of the Church, where various topics related to the parish were discussed.
During the Calling service, Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian and Very Rev. Fr. Smpad Saboundjian led Deacon Badoyan from the entrance of the church towards the Holy Altar; where the Calling ceremony continued. Deacon Badoyan rebuked all heretics and the doctrines that deviate from the true faith of the church, and then reaffirming his allegiance to the Orthodox Church and the rules established by the Church fathers.

On Sunday, January 24, 2021, on the occasion of the name-day of St. Garabed Church, H.G. Bishop Torkom Donoyan conducted his first Divine Liturgy as Prelate of the Western Prelacy. Following the “Zi Voghormadz” prayer, Deacon Sevag Badoyan ascended the Holy Altar with Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian and Very Rev. Fr. Smpad Saboundjian, where he was invited to take charge of bearing the “sweet yoke” of Christ.

After the ordination ceremony, while singing the “Gentanarar” hymn, Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian raised the “Muronatap Aghavni” (dove) in a procession towards the Holy Altar and handed it over to the Prelate to anoint the forehead and hands of the newly ordained priest, renaming him as Rev. Fr. Artsakh Badoyan, in honor of both His Holiness Aram I., Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia’s declaration (The Year of Artsakh,) and for our mother land Artsakh.