On June 3, 2016, with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and by the order of His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the “Hayartun” Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia hosted a Diaconate Exam. The exam was conducted according to the 2014-2015 academic year Diaconate Competency Exam for the 4th year students of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary. Stole-bearer Hovsep Chirakhyan and Stole-bearer Gevorg Antonyan (the Saint Gevorg Cathedral in Tbilisi), Stole-bearer Otari Gigauri (the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi), Acolyte Petros Gasparyan (the Surb Khach (Holy Cross) Church in Akhalkalaki) have participated in the exam.

The examination board comprised of the Very Rev. Fr. Babken Salbiyan, the Prelate of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia (the Chairman), Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, assistant to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Rev. Father Tatev Marukyan, Pastor of Akhalkalaki and nearby villages, Rev. Father Ghevond Topashyan, Sacristan of St. George Cathedral in Tbilisi, conducted a thorough exam. The examination board expressed satisfaction with the candidates’ knowledge and skills in the order of worship service, knowledge of sharakans (hymns), conducting rites and services, and assured the Bishop to ordain them to the diaconate.