Reverend Father Daron Stepanian

ξ³ρϋέ ψΡέΫ. κο»χ³έ»³έ, ΠανΗυ

 Rev. Fr. Daron Stepanian, baptised  Nazar, was born on January 3, 1956 in Aleppo, Syria.

            He is the son of late Rev. Fr. Daron and Yeretzgin Knarig Stepanian. He has a sister, Maral who with her husband and sons live in New Jersey.

            In 1960, the family migrated to Lebanon and settled in Nor Adana, a town within Bourj Hammoud, with mostly Armenian population.

            Receiving his elementary education at Apkarian National School, under the shadow of St. Asdouadzadzin Armenian Apostolic Church, in 1967 he migrates with the family to Athens, Greece. He returned to Lebanon the following year.

            He continued his secondary education at Levon and Sophia Hagopian College, graduating with honors in 1975. For a year he attended Souren KhanAmirian College. Due to his father’s illness and the civil war in Lebanon, he was forced to seek means to provide the needs of the family.

During those years he attended the Sunday School Program of the Prelacy, and after graduating he was assigned, teacher at St. Asdouadzadzin Sunday School.

            In 1977 he was invited to Peter Torossian Evangelical School, Nor Amanos, as a Math and Science teacher. In 1978 we find him teaching Math, Science and Armenian at Aksor Kasardjian Armenian National School Nor Sis, Lebanon, where he remained till 1984. During this time, he improved his hobby of photography into a profession becoming one of the leading video photographers.

            Being a vibrant and active person, he was involved in Sunday School, Armenian National Teachers Association, Zavarian Youth Organization, Apkarian School Alumni, Levon And Sophia Hagopian College Alumni, St. Asdouadzadzin Church Choir and St. Nishan Cathedral Choir, with executive positions roles.   

He bought his first personal computer in 1980 and that became an obsession to learn and master some of the languages of computing.

During 1978-79 with an invitation from His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia (later Catholicos of All Armenians) of blessed memory, he became the secretary of both Catholicoi Khoren I and Karekin II, of blessed memories. During this period he attends the lecture and studies on “Armenian Church Traditions and Culture”.

Seeing that there wasn’t an end in sight for the Lebanese Civil war and seeking a safe haven for his family on November 1986 he migrated to America settling in New Jersey.

As a dedicated young Armenian, he involved himself with St. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, NJ, first as a choir member then an Altar Server and Deacon.

The server in him, which is translated through his teachings and services to the Armenian Church and Community pushed him to fulfill his dream and calling in 1992 when he was ordained a deacon and was submitted to the Eastern Prelacy’s Preisthood Preparation classes.

In October 2 1994, at St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, Indian Orchard, MA, he was ordained a priest and named Daron after his father Rev. Fr. Daron Stepanian of blessed memory by His Eminance Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America Eastern United States and Canada, having Very Rev. Fr. Nareg Alemezian (now Bishop) as sponsor.  

   During the years of his tenor ship at St. Gregory a new era of activities was started, a Memorial Garden was dedicated, two acolytes and 2 deacons were ordained, and a painting was consecrated, the Name Day of the Church was established, and through the Internet that small parish was introduced to the world.

 In 1998, he was awarded the right to wear a Pectoral Cross (Lanchakhatch) by His Holliness Aram I catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia.

In 2000, by a decision of His Eminance Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate, The Executive Council of the Eastern Prelacy and the Board of Trustees of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church of Dearborn, MI, he was invited to serve as the new pastor.

The two plus years of tenor ship  at St. Sarkis has brought new highs to this vibrant community by hosting 1700 anniversary celebration, which started by His Holliness Aram I’s visit to Detroit, AYF Olympics 2000, National Representative Assembly 2001 and the 39^th Anniversary of St. Sarkis, when seven young altar servers were ordained (3 Acolytes, 2 Stole Bearers and 2 Deacons).

He conceived the idea of “the walk of remembrance and honor”, which is realized with the cooperation of St. Sarkis and the Armenian Community Center.

He was instrumental in the preparation of St. Sarkis’ web site.

During his tenor ship at St. Gregory and St. Sarkis he tried to lecture history and religion in the Armenian Schools, have educational workshops with bible studies and  Badarak explanations, and special classes for young people for altar serving.

In May 2002 he was accepted at Graduate Theological Foundation in Donaldson, IN as a Master in Religious Education program scholar and graduated May 2006..

He married Sossi Soukiasian in 1979 and is blessed with two sons, Daron and Stepan, both studying at University of Michigan/Dearborn.

 
Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, ordaining Der Daron Stepanian on October 2, 1994.

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