The word ordination comes from the Latin word Ordinatio, which means to bestow an ordo, (gark tnel, gark dal), or to appoint an official to an office. The Armenian word Dzernatrutyun comes from the Greek word cheirotonia, which means "the lifting up of hands." In Classical Greek, this word signifies the act of election, but early Christianity extends it to designate not just the first half of the process of clerical appointment, but the whole ordination – both election and prayer with the laying on of hands. Primarily, the word seems to have been understood as a reference to the second action, rather the first- the lifting up/laying on of hands in prayer –and thus, that gesture received greater prominence. The person called for ordination lifts up his hand saying, "Here I am". In Acts 8:17, we find the first usage of the word dzernatrutyun, "Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit." Similar usage is found in 2 Tim. 1, when Paul reminds Timothy that "Rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands." (2 Tim. 1:6). .
Although all the baptized Christians are called to participate in the salvific work of Jesus Christ without having any hierarchical ranks in the church, we still find references in the Old Testament, when God calls specific people for priesthood. In the narrative of Abraham and Melchizedek, Scripture calls the latter, "He was priest of God Most High." (Gen. 14:18). In the house of Israel, the order of priesthood was established by Moses, "And put upon Aaron the holy garments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve me as priest." (Ex: 40:13), which remained constant until the birth of Jesus Christ. The Son of God became the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law. Through His crucifixion, all forms of Judaic priesthood and animal sacrifices came to an end.
