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 Father Mampre a. Kouzouian

In 1956, at the age of 23, Father Mampre, then Alexan Kouzouian, was invited to the United States to further his theological education and serve in the Diocese as a priest by the Primate, the late Archbishop Mampre Calfayan.  While a student at the General Theological Seminary in New York City, Father Mampre served as deacon and choirmaster at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church of New York City.  He married Nuvart Vartanesian of Troy, NY in 1957, and was ordained a priest on February 16, 1958 by his spiritual father, Archbishop Mampre Calfayan of blessed memory.  While continuing his education at the General Theological Seminary, he was pastor of St. Mary Armenian Church in Irvington, NJ, where he served for 12 ½ years.  Upon the invitation of His Eminence Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Primate, he served as the Canon Sacrist of St. Vartan Cathedral for the next 6 years, as well as pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, affiliated with St. Vartan Cathedral in New York City.  During this same period, he was the Ecumenical Director of the Diocese. 

On January 3, 1977, Father Mampre became pastor of the Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge.  Father Mampre was a member of the Diocesan Council for 16 consecutive years, serving as its chairman for 4 years.  For 18 years, he was on the Diocesan Unity Committee, and for numerous years he served in the Ecumenical Department of the Diocese.  He has traveled extensively within the Diocese and abroad on sensitive missions and pastoral and administrative duties. 

Father Mampre and Yeretzgin Nuvart have been blessed with three children, Susan, Arpie, and Fr. Vasken Kouzouian and his wife Yeretzgin Arpi, and two grandchildren, Oscar Derderian III and Alina Ovsanna Kouzouian, who was born this year.  Father Vasken, following in his father’s footsteps, was ordained a priest of the Armenian Church of the Eastern Diocese in 1994, and became the new pastor of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church as of January 1, 2002. 

The preceding biography was adapted from an article published in The Armenian Reporter Int’l on Page 20 of the October 27, 2001 edition.

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