Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian (baptismal name Dikran), was born on 12 December 1942 in Constantinople. He completed his primary and secondary education at the Mekhitarians of Venice School of Constantinople and having a great desire to become a clergyman he entered the Holy Cross Seminary of Scutari in the 1959-1960 academic year. In 1960, on the feast of Transfiguration he was ordained an acolyte by the hand of Patriarch Archbishop Karekin Khachatourian.   

After spending 3 years in the seminary, he entered the newly opened department of Literature of Constantinople in 1962, at the same time being admitted to the faculty. At the University he studied classical languages, and took sociology and history courses for three years.

In 1963 he was ordained to the diaconate, and on 25 July 1965, on the Feast of Transfiguration, he was ordained as a celibate priest.  As the first clergyman and graduate of the Holy Cross Seminary, he was bestowed the name Karekin, in honor of Patriarch Archbishop Karekin Khachatourian, who was the founder of the Seminary.

In the same year he entered the University of Bonn of Germany, to complete his studies. After a year at Bonn, he left for the University of Bochum in Germany to further his studies. Here he took courses in psychology and pedagogy.

In the summer of 1970 he received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) by Archbishop Shnork Galoustian. After completing his studies, he departed for Marseille, France in 1973 by the permission of the Patriarch and by the invitation of the local authorities. Here he received his first pastoral assignment at the St. Karapet Church of the St. Antoine quarter.

At the end of 1976 he was appointed to the position of parish priest of the Holy Translators’ Cathedral of Marseille, where he served until April of 1991. In addition to his pastoral duties at the Mother Cathedral, Father Karekin also worked on additional projects to benefit the Armenian community.  In 1977, he began his works by forming the Sahag-Mesrob Choir.  During his tenure in Marseille, he also established co-educational Sunday schools and prepared a Christian radio program called ’Dialogue’ which focused on religious subjects for children. He trained pupils in the Armenian language, who later passed the language at their final exams. During this time he also published a dictionary of Armenian first names explaining their origin and meanings. He also contributed to “Armenia” a monthly journal where he contributed special articles.

In 1991 the Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Vasken I of Blessed Memory, noted a growing need among the gradually increasing number of German Armenians as well as Father Karekin’s familiarity to German Armenians and knowledge of the language. He invited Father Karekin to Germany to serve as the spiritual pastor, and to lead the efforts to create a new Church Diocese.

On 31 June 1992, by the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Vasken I, Father Karekin was appointed as the Diocesan Primate and charged with creating the structure and governing rules of the Diocese. He finished this work in 1994 and on 10 June of the same year he received ratification on the Constitution from His Holiness Vasken I.

On 17 May 1992 then Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop Karekin Kazanchian took notice of his former student’s good works and awarded him the rank of Senior Archimandrite (Dzayraguyn Vardapet) during a special visit to Sts. Sahag- Mesrob Mother Church of Ceoln, Germany.

On 27 September of the same year His Holiness Vasken I consecrated Father Karekin as a Bishop of the Armenian Church at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. During his first pastoral visit to Germany His Holiness Karekin I, Catholicos of All Armenians of Blessed Memory, highly praised the Primate’s activity and elevated him to the rank of Archbishop by Pontifical Encyclical dated 28 May 1998.

During his service as Primate to the Diocese of Germany of the Armenian Church, His Eminence has organized 14 church communities and increased the number of the clergymen from 2 to 6. He has also ecumenical relations by inviting various clergy of Germany to partake in all the major Church Feast Days. He has performed ordinations of deacons and acolytes. The Church headquarters has been newly furnished and is secure in her finances.

In addition he has also devoted time and effort to creating publications on various subjects and aspects of religion, and established a press department for preparing books.  An Interchurch department has also been established at the Diocesan Headquarters and the Diocese of Germany has joined the membership of the German Interchurch Council.