Khoren I Paroian

Khoren I Paroyian (Armenian: Խորեն Ա. Բարոյան; 24 November 1914, in Nicosia – 9 February 1983, in Antelias) was the Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, from 1963 to 1983.

[1] He was born in Adalia, a settlement near the Magaravank in Cyprus with the birth name of Mesrob.

After studies at the seminary in Antelias, he was ordained a celibate priest in 1937, taking the name Khoren.

In 1977, because of his poor health, Catholicos Khoren I decided to have a Coadjutor to ensure that after his death there would be no disruption in the management of the church.

Karekin Sarkisian, the archbishop and Pontifical Legate of the Eastern Prelacy of the United States was elected as Catholicos Coadjutor (in Armenian աթոռակից կաթողիկոս), a post the latter served assisting Catholicos Khoren I in his duties.