Bishop Datev Hagopian
Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Romania
● General Information
Born in 1966 in Mosul, Iraq. Baptismal name: Hratch.
From 1972 to 1979 – Holy Translators School of Baghdad.
From 1979 to 1986 – Gevorgian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
From 1988 to 1990 – University of Geneva.
● Ecclesiastical Ranks and Ordination
In 1986 – Ordained a deacon by His Eminence Archbishop Hoosik Santourian.
In 1993 – Ordained a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Avak Asadourian.
In 1999 – Awarded the four degrees of the Archimandrite rank by His Eminence Archbishop Norvan Zakarian. (Thesis: “The Matagh in Armenian Theology.”)
In 2011 – Consecrated as a bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
● Tenure
From 1986 to 1987 – Deacon at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, the Primate’s See of the Armenian Diocese of Iraq.
From 1988 to 1990 – Secretary and deacon at St. Jacob Church in Geneva.
From 1990 to 1992 – Secretary-deacon at the Church of the Holy Spirit in the Netherlands and advisor to the church administration.
From 1993 to 1996 – Spiritual pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Baghdad.
From 1993 to 1996 – Responsible for the Armenian Church-Loving Organization in Baghdad; teacher at the Sunday School and Holy Translators School.
In 1996 – Member of the editorial staff of Lraber, the weekly publication of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
From 1997 to 2004 – Spiritual pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Saint-Étienne, Diocese of the Armenian Church of France.
In 2004 – Vicar of the Pontifical Legate of Western Europe in the Netherlands; spiritual pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Amsterdam.
Since 2010 – Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Romania.
Since 2019 – Concurrently, Locum Tenens of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Bulgaria.
Since 2022 – Concurrently, Patriarchal Legate for the Balkan Countries.
