St James Evanston pastoral intern
Fr Paren was born in 1979 in Vedi, Armenia, where he graduated from the local high school. From 1996 to 2000, he studied at the seminaries in Sevan and Gyumri, Armenia. From 2000 to 2006 he was a student at the seminary in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, where he was ordained to the diaconate and served as a secretary in the Office of the Chancery. His Grace Annoshavan Jamgochian ordained him to the priesthood in Echmiadzin in December 2006.
While in Chicago, Fr Paren will serve on a weekly basis as celebrant of the Divine Liturgy while he pursues further studies in the Chicago area and exposure to pastorship in the United States.
Fr Paren looks forward to working with Deacon Levon Kirakosyan to even better serve the pastoral needs of the community. Please do not hesitate to ask if Fr Paren or Deacon Levon can be of any assistance to you or your family.
Fr Paren and his wife Yn Anna Simonyan live in Skokie with their infant son Grigor.