Consecration Celebration Weekend held for new Saint Sarkis Armenian Church

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The church godparents line up for the processional at the consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony at the new St. John Garabed Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The processional begins for the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Church leaders gather outside before the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony at the new St. John Garabed Armenian Church in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Church leaders gather outside before the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new St. John Garabed Armenian Church in Carmel Valley. (Jon Clark)

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The processional for the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The processional begins for the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The processional begins for the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new St. John Garabed Armenian Church in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The church godparents line up for the processional at the consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Archbishop Hovnan Derderian (Primate, Western Diocese of Armenian Church) (Jon Clark)

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Bishop Bagrat Galastanyan (Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, Armenia) anoints one of the crosses around the sides of the sanctuary (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The processional begins for the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Choir members sing at the consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony for the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Father Moushegh Tashjian (Founding Pastor St. Mary Armenian Church, Costa Mesa), Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan (Former Primate of Artsakh, Armenia), Archbishop Hovnan Derderian (Primate, Western Diocese of Armenian Church), Bishop Bagrat Galastanyan (Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, Armenia), and Father Pakrad Berejekian (Parish Priest, far right in white robe) prepare to preside over the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego. (Jon Clark)

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Father Pakrad Berejekian (Parish Priest, center left in white robe), Bishop Bagrat Galastanyan (Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, Armenia), Archbishop Hovnan Derderian (Primate, Western Diocese of Armenian Church), Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan (Former Primate of Artsakh, Armenia), and Father Moushegh Tashjian (Founding Pastor St. Mary Armenian Church, Costa Mesa) preside over the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan (Former Primate of Artsakh, Armenia), Archbishop Hovnan Derderian (Primate, Western Diocese of Armenian Church), Bishop Bagrat Galastanyan (Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, Armenia), and Father Pakrad Berejekian (Parish Priest, far right in white robe) prepare to preside over the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego. (Jon Clark)

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The new St. John Garabed Armenian Church in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego is fashioned after an existing church in Armenia (Jon Clark)

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Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan (Former Primate of Artsakh, Armenia) anoints one of the crosses around the sides of the sanctuary (Jon Clark)

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Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan (Former Primate of Artsakh, Armenia) anoints one of the crosses around the sides of the sanctuary (Jon Clark)

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Crosses around the sides of the sanctuary are named for apostles and saints (Jon Clark)

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Overflow seating was set up outside for the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan (Former Primate of Artsakh, Armenia), Archbishop Hovnan Derderian (Primate, Western Diocese of Armenian Church), and Bishop Bagrat Galastanyan (Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, Armenia) prepare to preside over the consecration and church naming ceremony at the new Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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The consecration and church naming ceremony for the new St. John Garabed Armenian Church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

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Stained glass windows inside the new Armenian church in San Diego (Jon Clark)

Feb. 1, 2022 2:22 PM PT

The Consecration Celebration Weekend of the new Saint Sarkis Armenian Church in Carmel Valley was held Jan. 28-30. Several ceremonies and events were held throughout the weekend, with some ceremonies held at the church site on 13925 El Camino Real, Carmel Valley, 92130.

Ceremonies were presided by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, and the Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Dz V Berjekian, Parish Priest.

The new campus on El Camino Real features a sanctuary that reaches 93 feet in height, a social hall, a youth center, education and cultural building, an Armenian Heritage Park, and picnic and meditation spaces.

For more information, visit stjohngarabed.com. Photos above are from the “Consecration and Church Naming Ceremony” held Jan. 29 at the church. For more, see story at link below:

https://www.delmartimes.net/news/story/2022-02-03/newly-built-armenian-church-to-hold-consecration-ceremony-this-weekend

Photos by Jon Clark