Father Raphael Archbishop Minassian was born in October 24, 1946.

In 1958 he went into the seminary of Bzommar Patriarchal Congregation where he got high school education.

In 1966 he was sent to Pontifical Levonian Armenian College.

He was a student at Pontifical Gregorian University where he got diploma of Philosophy and Theology. He continued his studies atSalesian University in Rome specializing in practical psychology.

In June 24, 1973 he was ordained a celibate priest in the capital of Lebanon, Beirut.

Until 1980, he was the parish priest of St. Gregory the Illuminator- St. Elijah church of Episcopal residence in Beirut.

In 1978 has was appointed as a secretary of an ecclesiastical instance of the Armenian Catholic Church in Lebanon, then he was appointed as an ecclesiastical judge.

From 1980 – 1984 he gave lectures on rituals at Holy Spirit University of Kasliq, in Beirut.

From 1983 – 1986 he was the parish priest of St. Cross church in Zalka (Lebanon) and due to him St. Cross church in Zalka was built.

In 1986-1988 he was the patriarchal secretary.

In 1988 – 1990 he was again appointed as a parish priest of St. Cross church in Zalka, meanwhile being the principal of the new built patriarchal collage.

In 1990 – 2006 he was appointed as the parish priest of California State. He is one of the founders of the “Armenian Alliance” beneficiary foundation which supports many humanitarian and beneficiary projects in Armenia. In Glendale, Father Raphael Minassian initiated the construction of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Catholic Church, the dedication of which was in 2001 to commemorate the 1700^th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia.

In September 2005, His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of Armenian Catholics appointed Father Raphael Minassian as the Eparch (Patriarch Vicar General) of the Eparchy of Jerusalem and Amman.

In 2005, he founded “Telepace Armenia” TV station in Rome.

In 2009 he established the permanent adoration of Holy Sacrament in the 4^th station of Holy Way of Cross in the Armenian Catholic Completion of Jerusalem. Sisters of St. Paul Congregation make sure of its continuation.

In June 24, 2011, according to the special papal bull of Pope Benedict XVI of Rome, Father Raphael Archbishop Minassianreceived the Episcopal order as the New Appointed Tutorial Archbishop of Cappadocian Caesarea of Armenia and the Ordinary of the Armenian Catholics in Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Eastern Europe.

The Episcopal ordination took place in July 16, 2011 in the St. Gregory the Illuminator- St. Elijah church of Episcopal residence by the hand of His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Catholicos Patriarch and the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the president of Congregation of Oriental Churches.

In August 7, 2011 the Enthronization of Father Raphael Archbishop Minassian took place in St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Arevik village in Shirak region.