Very Rev. FR. Ardag Arabian

 Very Rev. Fr. Ardag, whose lay name is  George, was born in Kessab, Syria, on Aug. 8, 1990. He attended the  local “Usumnasiratz” Elementary School and in the academic year  2002-2003 he was admitted to the Seminary of the Great House of Cilicia.  Upon completing the eight-year course at the Seminary in 2010, he was  ordained as celibate priest. In 2010-2015 he served as head of the  Catholicosate’s archives and taught at the Seminary, where he also  served as assistant to the dean in 2013-2014, followed by a stint as  assistant to the head librarian of the “Cilicia” Library of the  Catholicosate (2014-2015).  

In July 2015 he was granted the Vartabed  staff, followed by a year serving as assistant to the Prelate of  Isfahan, Iran. The following year he served as the pastor of Latakia,  Syria (2016-2017). Admitted to Charles Sturt University to study  Theology in 2019, he graduated the following year with a Master’s degree  and returned to Antelias, where he became assistant to the head  librarian. In April 2021 he was elevated to the rank of senior  archimandrite (dzayrakooyn vartabed / ծայրագոյն վարդապետ).