Archbishop Voskan Kalpakian
● General information
Born on October 12, 1941, in Beirut, Lebanon. Name at Baptism: Jirayr.
Primary education: Forty Martyrs Armenian National School.
In 1957, he attended Eshrefi National Secondary College.
From 1957 to 1960, he worked as a Pharmacy Assistant and Pharmacist.
From 1960 to 1964, he studied at the Gevorgian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
From 1965 to 1972, he studied at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
● Ecclesiastical Ranks and Ordination
In 1963, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Haykazun Abrahamean.
In 1965, he was ordained a celibate priest by His Eminence Archbishop Asoghik Ghazarian.
In 1967, he received the four degrees of the rank of Vardapet (Archimandrite) from His Eminence Archbishop Haykazun Abrahamean.
In 1970, he received the rank of Senior Vardapet (Proto-Archimandrite) from His Eminence Archbishop Haykazun Abrahamean.
In 1982, he was consecrated a Bishop by His Holiness Vasken I, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
In 1992, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop by a Patriarchal Encyclical of His Holiness Vasken I, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
● Tenure
In 1965, he served as Spiritual Pastor of the Armenian community of Melbourne, Australia, with responsibility for the southern states of Australia.
In 1968, he served as Vicar General of the Armenian Diocese of Australia.
From 1973 to 1991, he served as Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Damascus.
From 1973 to 2011, he also served as Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Greece.
In 1977, he served as Representative of the Armenian Church to the Council of European Churches and as a member of its Central Committee.
