Parish Spotlight: St. Vartan Armenian Church Of Oakland

As part of our Parish Spotlight series, we continue highlighting the communities that helped shape the history of the Western Diocese.

St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church of Oakland traces its roots to the 1920s, when Armenian families in the East Bay began organizing a parish of their own. The community held its first church service in 1924, formally established the parish in 1926, and consecrated its first church in 1932. As the congregation grew, the parish purchased its present site on Spruce Street, where the current church was consecrated on April 7, 1957. For generations, St. Vartan has served as a spiritual, cultural, and social center for Armenians throughout the Bay Area. Today, the parish continues that legacy under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Fr. Krikor Zakaryan Zakaryan, who has served St. Vartan since 2020.