Nourhan Manougian

Patriarch Nourhan Manougian (Armenian: Նուրհան Մանուկեան, Hebrew: נורהאן מנוגיאן‎‎; born 24 June 1948) is the 97th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem serving the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He is the 97th in a succession of Armenian Patriarchs of Jerusalem succeeding Patriarch Torkom Manoogian, who served for 22 years (1990–2012). Manougian was elected as the 97th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem on 24 January 2013.^[1]

Background

Manougian was born on 24 June 1948 in Aleppo, Syria. His birth and baptismal name was Boghos. After completing his primary education at the Haigazian School of Aleppo, he entered the Theological Seminary of Antelias in Lebanon in 1961. He transferred to the Jarankavoratz Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem in 1966. He was ordained a deacon in 1968 and later ordained as a celibate priest in 1971 by then Patriarch of Jerusalem Yeghishe Derderian.^[2]

After his priestly ordination, Manougian served as Assistant to the Dean of the Jarankavoratz Theological Seminary for a year. In 1972, he accepted a post as pastor to the Armenian community in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1974, Manougian returned to the Middle East and served as the pastor to the Armenian communities of Jaffa and Haifa in Israel. He also taught at Sts. Tarkmanchatz School in Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter.

In 1979, Manougian was called to serve the Armenian Community in the Netherlands, and in 1982, he was invited to New York by then-Primate of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, to study at The General Theological Seminary. He graduated in 1985 and then spent the next several years in the United States. During his time in America, Manougian served as pastor to communities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Springfield, Massachusetts, and Houston, Texas.^[3]

Patriarchate of Jerusalem

In 1998, Manougian was elected as the Grand Sacristan of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and eventually elevated in rank to bishop in 1999. He was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 2000 by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. He was designated as Patriarchal Vicar in 2009, supervising the activities of the Departments of the Patriarchate. Manougian was elected as the 97th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem on 24 January 2013, in a close vote, edging out the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem's Locum Tenens, Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, in the final round of voting, 17-15 with one abstention.^[1] He was officially enthroned on 4 June 2013.

References