On December 26, 2016, in the Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi, the Feast day of Saint Stephen, Deacon and First Martyr of the Church was commemorated with celebration of Divine Liturgy. The Liturgy was celebrated by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan.

During the Divine Liturgy, according to established tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church, on the occasion of the Feast day of Saint Stephen, an ordination of deacons was offered. For the first time in almost twenty years this ceremony took place in the Cathedral of Saint George.

With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Stole-bearer Hovsep Chirakhov 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) were ordained to the diaconate by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Mirzakanyan. With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, they had successfully completed the diaconate examination. Following the ordination, the Primate reflected on the mystery of the Feast day of St. Stephan, noting that today the Armenian Church commemorates the first martyr of Universal Church, who through his life-giving blood strengthened the Holy Church of Christ. In his message to the newly ordained deacons, the Bishop urged them to follow the example of St. Stephan, who martyred his life and was a loyal servant, to accept with love the responsibilities of their calling and experience the real meaning of the burden of Christ.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia conveyed his fatherly love and blessings to the newly ordained deacons, and called on them through their noble acts as well as knowledge and service, truly glorify the name of the Armenian Church.

During Evening Services on December 25, the Diocesan Primate presided over the service of ordination for the minor orders of sub-deacon. Four Acolytes of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia were ordained as sub-deacons.

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; and the clergy were in attendance of the services.

It is worth mentioning that on December 26, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Artak Antonyan and Egishe Harutyunyan, the students of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, born in Tbilisi, were ordained to the diaconate.