Career
Prior to becoming a bishop, he served as the Abbot General of the Order of the Mechitarists, and as the rector of Saint Ann"s Cathedral in New York City. Pope John Paul II named Batakian as the Titular Bishop of Trapezus degli Armeni and the Apostolic Exarch of the United States of America and Canada on January 5, 1995. The principal co-consecrators were Eparchs Grégoire Ghabroyan, I.C.P.B. of Sainte-Croix-de-Paris and Mikail Nersès Sétian, the Exarch Emeritus of the United States.A. and Canada.
He was installed in Saint Ann"s Cathedral on May 7, 1995.
Tertsakian served as exarch until his resignation was accepted by Pope John Paul on November 30, 2000. He died at the age of 78 on January 28, 2002.
