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Under the Primate’s leadership, the Diocese’s education and youth ministries unite thousands of young Armenians across the Western United States in faith, culture, and community.
BURBANK, Calif. — October 17, 2025 — More than 3,000 children, teens, and young adults are actively engaged in the youth and educational ministries of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America. This is a reflection of a growing movement of faith, service, and leadership under the guidance of the Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.
Through parish schools, youth organizations, camps, and leadership programs, the Diocese is nurturing a new generation of Armenian Christians.
“Education is the soul of our mission,” said Archbishop Derderian. “It is how we pass on not only knowledge but our faith, our values, and our identity as Christians and Armenian.”
Faith and Culture: The Foundation of Learning
Across the Western Diocese, Saturday and Sunday schools remain the cornerstone of faith and cultural education. During the 2024–2025 academic year, more than 2,300 students in 34 parishes are enrolled in programs led by nearly 200 teachers dedicated to forming both the minds and spirits of young Armenians.
Sunday Schools, held in 18 parishes, serve over 750 students with a unified six-year curriculum rooted in Scripture, liturgy, and Armenian Apostolic tradition. Saturday Schools, active in 16 parishes, welcome 1,600 students and 100 teachers, focusing on Armenian language, history, and culture.
In addition, the Hovsepian School in Pasadena continues to thrive with 250 students and 40 faculty members. The Western Diocese is establishing two new Armenian day schools — in Glendale and Las Vegas — which are under construction.
A Renaissance of Youth Faith and Fellowship
Nearly 80 years after its founding, the Armenian Church Youth Organization (ACYO) is experiencing renewed vitality, with more than 500 participants annually in service projects, sports events, retreats, pilgrimages, and spiritual gatherings.
At the heart of this renewal stands the Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian Camp in Dunlap, California — a 160-acre center nestled in the Sierra foothills. Each summer, some 500 campers and 175 counselors, clergy, and volunteers take part in four weeks of worship, study, and community-building.
From morning prayers to evening campfires, participants discover their faith in a setting that unites natural beauty with sacred tradition. What began in 1964 with 32 campers has grown into one of the Diocese’s most beloved ministries.
“Our youth are not only the future of the Church; they are its present,” Archbishop Derderian said. “Their energy and conviction give new life to our communities every day.”
Forming the Leaders of Tomorrow
To prepare the next generation of Church leaders, the Diocese has launched new formation programs that bridge faith and leadership. The Altar Servers Leadership Program, introduced in June 2025, designed for more than 250 deacons and altar servers, deepening their theological and liturgical understanding.
Faith, Leadership, and Community
From parish classrooms to mountain retreats, the youth ministries of the Western Diocese embody a mission that has defined generations — to build faith, cultivate leadership, and strengthen community.
“Every child who learns to pray, every youth who serves at the altar, every camper who finds God under the stars — they are the living Church,” said Archbishop Derderian. “They are our legacy and our promise.”
The Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America, headquartered in Burbank, California, serves more than 40 established and mission parishes across the Western United States. Under the leadership of the Primate, the Diocese is dedicated to the spiritual, educational, and cultural formation of the Armenian faithful, upholding the sacred traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church and strengthening the bond between faith and heritage.
