[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 83 (Friday, May 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1014-E1015]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING ARCHBISHOP HOVNAN DERDERIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 28, 2010

  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise to commend Archbishop Hovnan 
Derderian on the 30th anniversary of his ordination into the Priesthood 
and the 20th anniversary of his elevation to the rank of Bishop. 
Archbishop Derderian is Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian 
Apostolic Church of North America. The Western Diocese covers the 
Western United States.
  Archbishop Derderian was born in 1957 in Beirut, Lebanon. In 1980, he 
was ordained as a priest in the Armenian Apostolic Church. In

[[Page E1015]]

1987 Archbishop Derderian received his Master's Degree in Theology from 
Oxford University, and was raised to the rank of ``Dzairakuyn 
Vartabed.'' In 1990 he was elected Primate of the Diocese of the 
Armenian Church in Canada, and later in 1990, was ordained as a Bishop 
by His Holiness Vazken I. On February 18, 1993 he was made an 
Archbishop. In 2003, Archbishop Derderian was elected Primate of the 
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America by the 76th 
Annual Assembly.
  Since being elevated to the rank of Archbishop, he has led many 
projects of great importance to the Church and the community. He 
created the Christian Youth Mission to Armenia in 2003 which builds 
ties between youths living in America to Armenia through travel and 
internship programs. Under his leadership, the Church is nearing 
completion of the first ever Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church 
on the West Coast, located in Burbank, California. Additionally, since 
his appointment as Primate he has ordained five new priests to serve 
the Western Diocese.
  Archbishop Derderian's commitment to serving the faithful and the 
community are admirable. I congratulate him on his 30 years of service 
in the Priesthood and thank him for his leadership.

                          ____________________