Rev. Fr. Mamigon Vosganian, whose baptismal name is Garabed, was born in 1911 in the Musalla quarter of Kumkapi in Istanbul, to Vosgehan and Azniv-Mariam Vosganian.  His very early years coincided with the period of the Genocide. 

 

Even as a youth, Fr. Mamigon's love for the church was noticed by Fr. Drtad Boyajian, the presiding priest at the cathedral in Kumkapi, who recommended him to musician Krikor Mehterian, who taught the young boy the hymns, liturgy, and traditions of the Armenian Church. 

 

In 1937 Fr. Mamigon became the choirmaster of the St. John Chrysostom Armenian Catholic Church of Taksim-Pera.  During his tenure he organized a chorus and taught the Yegmalian as well as the Komitas versions of the Armenian Divine Liturgy.

 

During World War II, Fr. Mamigon was drafted into the Turkish army and assigned to hard labor on mountains in provincial areas.  While in the military, he gathered all the Armenians and held Sunday services according to the Komitas version of the badarak.  For this he was punished by the authorities and was incarcerated on several occasions, but he continued his devoted service to God.

 

After his discharge from the army, Fr. Mamigon served as the assistant of the musician Nerses Khudaverdian, who was the choirmaster of Sts. Vartanants Church of Ferikoy.  The parish council eventually entrusted the office of choirmaster to Fr. Mamigon.

 

Fr. Mamigon also served as a visiting musician at St. Krikor Lusavorich Church of Galatia, the Khntragadar Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church of Ortakoy, and at the Soorp Khach Church of Usgudar.  Fr. Mamigon also taught at the Soorp Khach Seminary.

 

In 1944 Fr. Mamigon married Markrid Yoghunian, a native of Erzurum.

 

In 1955 he was ordained a deacon.  In 1959 Archbishop Karekin Khachadourian, Patriarch of Constantinople, and Archbishop Tiran Nersoian ordained him a priest. 

 

In 1962 Fr. Mamigon and his family moved to the United States.  He served as pastor in Haverhill, MA, New York, and Montreal.  For 20 years he was the pastor of the Armenian Church of Western Queens in New York City. 

 

Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, then-Primate of the Eastern Diocese, gave Fr. Mamigon the right to wear a pectoral cross.  In 1984 Fr. Mamigon was granted the title of Avak Kahana.

 

In 2001 Fr. Mamigon lost his wife. He passed away in June 2002.