His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, and the Religious and Lay Councils have learned with sorrow of the passing of Archpriest Fr. Nareg Pehlivanian in Los Angeles on May 13. Rev. Fr. Nareg had served in the Eastern Prelacy in the 1990s. The final consecration (extreme unction) was held on May 23 at Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church in Glendale, following which he was laid to rest in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.
Fr. Nareg was born in Hayashen, Beirut, in 1943. Inspired by Armenian liturgical hymns, he was ordained an acolyte and later a deacon, loyally serving the Armenian Church. In 1986, he was ordained into priesthood by Archbishop Ardavazt Terterian.
His pastoral service began in 1986 at St. Stephen’s Church in Larnaca, Cyprus. In 1990, he moved to the United States with his family and served in what was then Prelacy of the Eastern United States and Canada, first at St. Stephen’s Church in New Britain, Connecticut (1990-1993), followed by St. Gregory the Illuminator’s Church in Vancouver, Canada. In 1996, Fr. Nareg moved to Los Angeles with his family, where he served in the Forty Martyrs Church of Orange County as well as the churches of St. Sarkis, of Pasadena; Holy Cross, of Montebello, and North Hollywood.
Afterwards, he worked at the Western Prelacy and served as visiting pastor for distant parishes.
Archbishop Anoushavan and the greater Prelacy family extend their condolences to his widow, Yn. Shoghig Pehlivanian; his sons Philip, Houry, and Harout, and all family members. May God illuminate his soul.