Gregory Peter XX Ghabroyan

Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan, I.P.C.B. (Armenian: Գրիգոր Պետրոս Ի. Կապրոյեան also known in English as Gregory Peter XX Gabroyan and in French as Grégoire Pierre XX Ghabroyan born in Aleppo, Syria on 14 November 1934) is the Catholicos-Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholic Church after his election on 24 July 2015 and the necessary concession of the ecclesiastical full communion by Pope Francis one day later.[1] He was officially enthroned on 9 August 2015.

His Beatitude Gregory Peter XX Ghabroyan I.P.C.B.
Catholicos-Patriarch of Cilicia
Native name	Գրիգոր Պետրոս Ի. Կապրոյեան (Krikor Bedros XX Ghabroyan)
Church	Armenian Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Cilicia
See	Patriarchate of Cilicia
Elected	24 July 2015
Predecessor	Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni
Other posts	Armenian Catholic Bishop of France
Orders
Ordination	28 March 1959
Consecration	13 February 1977 by Hemaiag Bedros XVII Ghedighian
Personal details
Birth name	Գրիգոր Կապրոյեան (Krikor Gabroyan)
Born	(1934-11-14) 14 November 1934 Aleppo, Syria
Denomination	Armenian Catholic
Residence	Lebanon
Previous post	Armenian Catholic Bishop of France (1977–2013)
Education	Armenian Pontifical College Pontifical Gregorian University

Styles of Krikor Bedros XX
Reference style	His Beatitude
Spoken style	Your Beatitude
Religious style	Catholicos

Biography

Gabroyan felt a vocation for the priesthood and studied at Bzommar Patriarchal Monastery continuing at the Collège des frères maristes de Jounieh (Lebanon). He was sent to Italy to continue his higher studies at the Armenian Leonine Pontifical College in Rome and graduate studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Upon successful graduation, he returned to Lebanon and was ordained priest on 28 March 1959.

Gabroyan became an instructor in Bzommar Monastery School in 1960 and from 1962 to 1996 served as principal of the Armenian Catholic Mesrobian Secondary School in Bourj Hammoud and from 1969 to 1975 as head of the Bzommar Convent School and secretary to the Convent's executive council.

In 1976, he was appointed for serving the Armenian Catholics in France and was ordained as bishop on 13 February 1977 on the hand of Armenian Catholic Catholicos-Patriarch Hemaiag Bedros XVII Ghedighian serving as Apostolic Exarch in France from 1977 to 1986 and as Primate and Armenian Catholic Eparch and Bishop of France at the Éparchie Sainte-Croix-de-Paris des Arméniens, from 1986 to April 2013 date of his retirement from his duties.

Upon the death of Armenian Catholic Patriarch Catholicos of Cilicia Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni on 25 June 2015, he served as administrator of the Church until election of a new Patriarch.[2] The Armenian Catholic Holy Synod of Bishops convened starting 14 July 2015 and elected Gabroyan as Catholicos-Patriarch on 24 July 2015 under the name of Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan.[1]

He was officially enthroned on 9 August 2015 in Bzommar, Lebanon.[3][4]

See also

• List of Armenian Catholic Patriarchs of Cilicia

References

1. "Concessione della "Ecclesiastica Communio" al nuovo Patriarca di Cilicia degli Armeni, Sua Beatitudine Grégoire Pierre XX Ghabroyan" (in Italian and French). Holy See Press Office. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
2. "Message of His Holiness Pope Francis on the Occasion of the Funeral for His Beatitude Nersès Bédros XIX Tarmouni, Patrairch of Cilicia for Armenians". Holy See Press Office. June 27, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
3. "Ամենապատիւ Տէր Գրիգոր Պետրոս Ի. Կաթողիկոս Պատրիարք Տանն Կիլիկիոյ Կաթողիկէ Հայոց" (in Armenian). Armenian Catholic Church. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
4. Cerimonia intronizzazione del Patriarca armeno cattolico Radio Vaticana. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Nigoghayos Kehiayan	Armenian Catholic Bishop of France 1977–2013	Succeeded by Jean Teyrouz
Preceded by Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni	Patriarch Catholicos of Cilicia 2015–present	Incumbent