About St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church
Discover Our Rich History and Heritage
Journey Through Our Past to Understand the Present
OUR STORY
St. Gregory Armenian Church of Pasadena embodies a rich tapestry of history and faith, serving as a spiritual home for the local Pasadena and greater Los Angeles Armenian community since its inception. Rooted in tradition, the church is a beacon of Armenian heritage, offering a place of worship, education, and cultural preservation. St. Gregory's community programs and religious services bridge past and present, fostering a sense of unity and continuity. By joining our church you can embark on a journey of faith, culture, and communal resilience.
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church has been the spiritual and cultural center for the Armenian community in Pasadena and surrounding areas for over 60 years. Since the first meeting of the St. Gregory parish council in 1947, the church grounds have burgeoned into a dynamic complex that currently includes our newly built sanctuary, the recently renovated and updated church hall, and the Alfred and Marguerite Hovsepian Day School. The parishioners – with Archpriest Rev. Fr. Sarkis Petoyan serving as pastor – has more than 170 active members and oversees various organizations which serve to strengthen the spiritual, cultural and educational life of our members. These include the Ladies’ Society, Men’s Forum, Saturday School and Sunday School, ACYO, Choir and Friendship Club.
Our Parish Priest:
Rev. Fr. Sarkis Petoyan, Parish Priest of St. Gregory Armenian Church of Pasadena
Archpriest Fr. Sarkis Petoyan was born and raised in Northridge, California. After earning two Bachelor degrees from C.S.U.N., he was employed as a bank manager. Just before his 30th birthday he was accepted as a seminarian of the Western Diocese and sent to Holy Etchmiadzin, primarily to learn the Armenian language. As a third-generation Armenian American, he never had the opportunity to learn Armenian, as his parents were also American-born.
In time, he was accepted, enrolled and eventually graduated from St. Nersess Armenian Theological Seminary in New York, and St. Vladimir Orthodox Seminary, where he received his M. Div. degree. He successfully wrote his 200 page thesis entitled The Faith, Membership and Attendance Practices of Third Generation Armenians.
Following his 1998 ordination to the Holy Priesthood of Christ, he served eleven years as pastor of St. John Armenian Church of San Francisco. He and Yeretsgeen Talin have taken 275 pilgrims on eleven pilgrimages to Armenia, where they distributed $415,000 in charitable contributions they had raised.
A highlight of his ministry was his determination to compile over fifteen service books for the worshipping faithful, including Holy Week services, which had never been done prior. In addition, at the request of the Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Fr. Sarkis wrote a four-year, age-appropriate, multi-subject curriculum for the Diocesan Summer Camp program, which had never been done in the history of the camp program.
He and Yeretsgeen Talin are blessed with their daughter Grace Shenorig.
Email: fathersarkis@stgpas.com
Our Staff
Vahe Charkhutian
Director of Family Ministry St. Gregory Parish Council is the executive and administrative body of the church and manages its day-to-day operations. The council handles the inner organizational affairs of our parish and its members are engaged in the realization of its administrative activities. The St. Gregory Parish Council – which also oversees the subordinate organizations of the church – meets twice monthly to discuss church-related affairs. Throughout the year, the Parish Council hosts events such as the April 24th Commemoration, name day luncheons, and fellowship hour, among many others. If you have questions regarding anything related to our church, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Email: vahe@stgpas.com
Phone: (562) 715-8730
Victoria Amran
Director of Youth Ministry St. Gregory Parish Council is the executive and administrative body of the church and manages its day-to-day operations. The council handles the inner organizational affairs of our parish and its members are engaged in the realization of its administrative activities. The St. Gregory Parish Council – which also oversees the subordinate organizations of the church – meets twice monthly to discuss church-related affairs. Throughout the year, the Parish Council hosts events such as the April 24th Commemoration, name day luncheons, and fellowship hour, among many others. If you have questions regarding anything related to our church, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Email: dym@stgpas.com
Ossanna Amran
Administrative Assistant St. Gregory Parish Council is the executive and administrative body of the church and manages its day-to-day operations. The council handles the inner organizational affairs of our parish and its members are engaged in the realization of its administrative activities. The St. Gregory Parish Council – which also oversees the subordinate organizations of the church – meets twice monthly to discuss church-related affairs. Throughout the year, the Parish Council hosts events such as the April 24th Commemoration, name day luncheons, and fellowship hour, among many others. If you have questions regarding anything related to our church, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Email: office@stgpas.com
Our Parish Council
ST. GREGORY PARISH COUNCIL St. Gregory Parish Council is the executive and administrative body of the church and manages its day-to-day operations. The council handles the inner organizational affairs of our parish and its members are engaged in the realization of its administrative activities. The St. Gregory Parish Council – which also oversees the subordinate organizations of the church – meets twice monthly to discuss church-related affairs. Throughout the year, the Parish Council hosts events such as the April 24th Commemoration, name day luncheons, and fellowship hour, among many others. If you have questions regarding anything related to our church, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Parish Council Chairman: Sarkis Nazerian (pcchairman@stgpas.com)
St. Gregory A&M Hovsepian School
ST. GREGORYA&M HOVSEPIAN SCHOOL Hovsepian School | Bilingual Education at Its Best. St. Gregory Alfred and Marguerite Hovsepian School, established in 1984, has a Pre-K to 8th grade student body of over 200. Under the professional guidance of Mr. Shahe Mankerian, principal, the school has earned an additional three years of accreditation by W.A.S.C. The school board, chaired by Mrs. Yeran Melelian, has set very high academic standards to the point where graduates are accepted to the very best high schools in the area and continue their education to the university level.
School Board Chairwoman: Artineh Havan (artinehh@gmail.com)
ST. GREGORY SUNDAY SCHOOL St. Gregory Sunday School has been integral part of family life in the San Gabriel Valley Armenian Community for decades. Guided weekly by dedicated, accomplished and knowledgeable volunteer teachers, students from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade learn foundational tenets of our Holy Bible (Asdvadzashounch), sharagans from our Divine Liturgy, Holy Scripture & Bible stories, Armenian church feast days and faith-based traditions, as well as Christ’s mission and God’s personal love for each of them. “Train us a child in the way he should go, and when is old, he shall not depart from it” -Proverbs
Superintendent: Jill Panossian (jillsimonian@hotmail.com)
ST. GREGORY SATURDAY SCHOOL St. Gregory Saturday Armenian School is under the direction of Mr. Norayr Dadouryan. His staff of professional language instructors affords and cultivates an environment of learning and appreciation for Armenian Language. Students gain a well-rounded grounding in conversational Armenian.
Superintendent: Norayr Dadouryan (saturdayschool@stgpas.com)
ST. GREGORY CHOIR A strong choir is the backbone of any church as it complements the servants at the altar and completes the entire ambiance of the Badarak. As we gather every Sunday morning for Jamerkoutyoun and Badarak, we are all blessed that our services include so many wonderful Sharagans based on the weekly Church holidays which truly enhanced the overall effect of the Badarak. The Sharagans of the Armenian Apostolic Church are known to enhance the spiritual connection we feel in worship, and the beautiful voices and devoted souls of our choir members.
Choir Director: Rev. Barthev Gulumian (fbarthev@hotmail.com)
ST. GREGORY ALTAR SERVERS A strong choir is the backbone of any church as it complements the servants at the altar and completes the entire ambiance of the Badarak. As we gather every Sunday morning for Jamerkoutyoun and Badarak, we are all blessed that our services include so many wonderful Sharagans based on the weekly Church holidays which truly enhanced the overall effect of the Badarak. The Sharagans of the Armenian Apostolic Church are known to enhance the spiritual connection we feel in worship, and the beautiful voices and devoted souls of our choir members.
Director of Family Ministry: Vahe Charkhutian (vahe@stgpas.com)
ST. GREGORY LADIES SOCIETY
St. Gregory Ladies Society is a dedicated group of women who promote Christian fellowship by encouraging the involvement of women at the parish and in the broader community. The Ladies Society hosts many functions throughout the year, including their monthly luncheon (second Wednesday of each month), two annual fashion shows, and various dinners throughout the year. The group is also active with fundraisers, which provide a degree of financial support to both our parish and the needs of the community.
Chairwoman: Hilda Gourdikian (ladiessociety@stgpas.com)
ST. GREGORY MEN’S FORUM
St. Gregory Men’s Forum is a fellowship group whose monthly dinners feature speakers on subjects relevant to our community. The speaker series aims to inform the church community by presenting experts in various topics affecting our everyday lives – recent themes have included specific issues related to finance, health, culture and religion, politics, and law enforcement.
Chairman: Berj Gourdikian (gourdikian@aol.com)
ARMENIAN CHURCH YOUTH ORGANIZATION (ACYO) AT ST. GREGORY PASADENA The Armenian Church Youth Organization of the Western Diocese of North America (ACYO-WD) aims to propagate the Armenian Orthodox Christian faith among the youth of the Church, to promote the appreciation of Armenian culture, to strengthen the Armenian community, and to promote among its members loyalty to the United States Constitution. The youth group actively integrates its young members into the life of the church by providing opportunities for worship, service, education, and fellowship in Christ according to the doctrines and traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Director of Youth Ministries: Victoria Amran (dym@stgpas.com)
A.C.Y.O Seniors Chairman: To Be Determined
A.C.Y.O Juniors Chairwoman: Grace Petoyan (gsvpetoyan@gmail.com)
Western Diocese Of the Armenian Church (wdacna.com)
Established in 1927, the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America spans the Western United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. With the faithful of the Western Diocese constantly growing, and establishing new communities, the Diocese is ever expanding its parishes, and the scope of its various missions.
