Day: July 6, 2026

Colorado’s Armenian Apostolic faithful marked a defining moment in their history with the consecration of St. Hripsime and All Saints Armenian Church in Denver, the first Armenian Apostolic church in the United States to bear the name of St. Hripsime, the Armenian-American Information Center (AAIC) informs.

The church was consecrated by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.

For Colorado’s Armenians, the newly consecrated church is the culmination of more than two decades of hope, work, sacrifice, and unity. The Denver Armenian Apostolic parish was established in 2003 to serve Armenians throughout the state. On December 10 of that year, its first Divine Liturgy in Denver was celebrated by the Rev. Fr. Tatev Harutyunyan at St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church.

From that modest beginning, parishioners held fast to a central goal: to establish a permanent Armenian church that would serve as a spiritual, communal, and cultural home for Armenians in Colorado. The story of this church is especially powerful because it was not built through the support of a single major benefactor or one central sponsor. More than 200 Armenian families brought together their resources, labor, time, and responsibility to create a sanctuary rooted in their own shared will.

On Saturday evening, ahead of the consecration, the traditional Navagadik service was held. Accompanied by the Very Rev. Fr. Yeremia Abgaryan, Diocesan Vicar of the Western Diocese, and the Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan, pastor of St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, the Primate conducted the symbolic opening-of-the-doors rite before the closed doors of the church. In the tradition of the Armenian Church, this rite sets apart a sacred space from secular use and dedicates it to divine worship.

The following day, hundreds of faithful gathered for the consecration of the church and the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Among those in attendance were Anna Avetisyan, Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles; Berj Apkarian, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Fresno; Tigran Muradyan, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Denver; Derek Ghookasian, Chair of the Diocesan Council of the Western Diocese; as well as clergy, benefactors, civic and parish leaders, and guests.

During the consecration, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian proclaimed the name of the church: St. Hripsime and All Saints Armenian Church. Parishioners received the announcement warmly, marking the final affirmation of a dream cherished for many years.

The name St. Hripsime gives the newly consecrated church special historical and spiritual meaning. In the tradition of the Armenian Church, St. Hripsime is revered as one of Armenia’s earliest Christian martyrs. Her martyrdom is closely tied to the history of Armenia’s conversion to Christianity, and the Cathedral of St. Hripsime in Vagharshapat has stood for centuries as one of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s most important sanctuaries. In Denver, that legacy is carried by the first Armenian Apostolic church in the United States to bear the name of St. Hripsime, adding further symbolic significance to the new sanctuary.

In his remarks, the Primate emphasized that the new church is more than a building; it is a living witness to faith, unity, and the continuity of Armenian life. He commended the years of work behind the project, the dedication of its volunteers, the support of its benefactors, and the perseverance that enabled Denver’s Armenians to grow from an Apostolic parish into a full church family.

Following the consecration, remarks were offered by the Very Rev. Fr. Yeremia Abgaryan; Consul General Anna Avetisyan; Derek Ghookasian, Chair of the Diocesan Council; and Hrant Miramanyan, Chair of the Parish Council of the newly consecrated church. Each speaker underscored the importance of the day not only for Armenians in Colorado, but also for the spiritual and civic life of Armenian Americans.

The consecration of St. Hripsime and All Saints Armenian Church also stands within the broader growth of the Western Diocese. When Archbishop Hovnan Derderian assumed the office of Primate of the Western Diocese in 2003, the Diocese had 14 churches. Under his leadership, 13 additional churches have been built and brought into the life of the Church, bringing the total to 27. This growth is more than an administrative measure: it represents new spiritual centers, new anchors of Armenian life, and new opportunities for Armenians to have a church home where they live.

Denver’s newly consecrated church is an important milestone in that continuing development. It stands out as a model of collective participation: at its foundation is not the benefaction of one individual, but the shared will of hundreds of families. For that reason, St. Hripsime and All Saints Armenian Church in Denver is not only a place of prayer for Colorado’s Armenians. It is also an expression of their collective responsibility, their faith, and their confidence in the future.

In the Armenian diaspora, the Church remains one of the strongest institutions for preserving language, culture, and identity. Through the Western Diocese’s Saturday and Sunday schools, its day school, and its youth camps, more than 3,000 young people each year deepen their connection to the Armenian language, Armenian history, church tradition, and cultural life. More than 220 teachers and educators support that work, linking one generation to the next and keeping Armenian identity active in daily life. With its consecration, St. Hripsime and All Saints Armenian Church in Denver becomes part of that larger work: a spiritual home, a cultural anchor, and a living answer to the defining question of diaspora life: how to remain Armenian far from the homeland.