[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E790-E791]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER MOUSHEGH MARDIROSSIAN

                                 ______


                       HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 14, 1996

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday May 3, 1996, in Los Angeles 
the Right Reverend Father Moushegh Mardirossian, Locum Tenens was 
elected as Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic 
Church of America. I wish to add my sincere congratulations to Prelate 
Mardirossian upon his elevation.
  Prelate Mardirossian studied at the Armenian Seminary of the Great 
House of Cilicia in Antellias, Lebanon. Upon graduation from the 
clerical college of the seminary in June 1974 he was ordained deacon.
  He served in the Catholicosate as vice sacristan-sexton and secretary 
to Catholicos Khoren I and Catholicos Karekin II in the chancery. In 
the seminary he served as administrator and an educator, while teaching 
courses.
  In 1979, he was assigned pastor to the Armenian Community of 
Thessalonika of Greece. When in Thessalonika, he attended classes in 
Greek language and philosophy at the Aristotelian University.
  For his thesis on a translation and critical analysis of John's 
Gospel, he earned a doctorate of the Armenian Church, in December 1979.
  Beginning in 1982, he served as assistant to the Prelate and held 
pastoral positions in the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of 
North America. In recognition of his service, in 1987, he was elevated 
to the rank of Father Superior and was ordained. In the same year, he 
was assigned to the post of dean of the Forty Martyrs Armenian 
Apostolic Church of Orange County.
  With the Western Prelacy he has been a member of the National 
Representative Assembly and member and chairperson of the Religious 
Council. Since 1991, he has served as vicar general to the Prelate.

[[Page E791]]

  Prelate Mardirossian is currently pursuing a master's degree at 
Fuller Theological Seminary.
  On November 17, 1995, the Joint Session of the Religious and 
Executive Councils of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic 
Church of America unanimously elected the Right Reverend Moushegh 
Mardirossian Locum Tenens of the Prelacy.
  On May 3, 1996, in Los Angeles, he was elected to the position of 
Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of 
America and for this honor I sent my sincere congratulations. I wish 
Prelate Mardirossian every continued success in his new position 
serving the Armenian Church and the Armenian people, many of whom I 
have the honor of representing in California's 19th District.

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