In July 1946 he traveled to the United States and took up the pastorate of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
As dean of the seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, he assumed responsibility for the religious education of young seminarians preparing for the priesthood.
He returned to the United States in 1960, and entered the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to follow a course of graduate study.
This study was interrupted when in 1962 he was elected as Primate and Bishop of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America located in Los Angeles.
On October 14, 1962, he was consecrated a bishop at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia, by Vazgen I, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
He acquired several academic honors, including an honorary doctorate granted by the General Theological Seminary in Manhattan, New York.
[1][2] After consecutive 24 years of service in Eastern Diocese, Manoogian was elected 96th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem on March, 22.
One day after his admission he suffered from cardiac and pulmonary arrest (the heart stopped working because of the severe infection in the lungs that could permit neither oxygenation nor ventilation) and lost consciousness.
On October 12, 2012, Patriarch Torkom Manoogian died due to a blood infection caused by a severe pressure bed-sore.
He was an expert and lecturer on the Armenian composer Komitas, publishing a study of his liturgical music as well as several essays related to his musicological work.