The Pastor of St. Gregory Church
Եկեղեցւոյ Հովիւը
Der Torkom Chorbajian was born in Aleppo, Syria on September 12, 1990. He was raised in a devoted family and served the Armenian Church from his early childhood. In 2004, he decided to enter the Seminary of the Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia to become a clergyman. During the seven years of his education, he majored in armenological and theological fields of study and in 2011 graduated from the Seminary. While in Seminary, Der Torkom was one of the conductors of the choir in the Cathedral of Saint Gregory the Illuminator of the Holy See of Cilicia and also served as one of the librarians of the seminary and helped to reorganize it.
After graduating the Seminary he was appointed a choir conductor at Saint Mary Armenian Church in Nor Adana, Beirut, also serving in the department of the Christian Education of the Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon. Following this, he worked for five months as a director (kordzavar) in the Regional Committee of Hamazkayin. During the school year of 2012-2013 he continued his pastoral studies in Near East School of Theology as a candidtate for priesthood in the Eastern Prelacy.
Der Torkom and Yeretsgin Shogher were married on July 27, 2013, in Lebanon. That same year, on October 20, he was ordained to the rank of priesthood by His Eminence Archbishop Nareg Alyemezian. Before coming to the United States, he served in the Forty Martyrs Armenian Church in Bourj Hammoud. On March 20, 2014 the couple arrived to the States.
On October 16, 2014, Der Torkom was appointed a pastor at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church of Granite City, Illinois.
After graduating the Seminary he was appointed a choir conductor at Saint Mary Armenian Church in Nor Adana, Beirut, also serving in the department of the Christian Education of the Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon. Following this, he worked for five months as a director (kordzavar) in the Regional Committee of Hamazkayin. During the school year of 2012-2013 he continued his pastoral studies in Near East School of Theology as a candidtate for priesthood in the Eastern Prelacy.
Der Torkom and Yeretsgin Shogher were married on July 27, 2013, in Lebanon. That same year, on October 20, he was ordained to the rank of priesthood by His Eminence Archbishop Nareg Alyemezian. Before coming to the United States, he served in the Forty Martyrs Armenian Church in Bourj Hammoud. On March 20, 2014 the couple arrived to the States.
On October 16, 2014, Der Torkom was appointed a pastor at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church of Granite City, Illinois.