Armenian Apostolic Holy Church Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On 07 October, Postgraduate Accreditation was officially awarded to the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. A ceremony was held in the Komitas Hall of the Gevorkian Seminary under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and with the attendance of Mr. Levon Mkrtchyan, Minister of Education and Science.

The ceremony began with the Lord’s Prayer, and the singing of the hymns of the Republic of Armenia and the Gevorkian Seminary. Rev. Fr. Garegin Hambardzumyan, Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary gave opening remarks, stressing the significance of the accreditation in terms of the seminary's educational improvement.

Ms. Lilit Arzumanyan, Chairman of the Advanced Qualifications Commission of the Republic of Armenia, presented the findings approved by the Minister of Education and Science on the Gevorkian Seminary professional staff, with the list of scientific disciplines and policies, to His Holiness.

“I am very happy that I could contribute to this ceremony and this phenomenon. … I think that this will be a factor in furthering the activities of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary and add to the glory which it had in the past and shall continue to have”, stated the Chairman.

Minister Mkrtchyan made congratulatory remarks. Congratulating everyone on the occasion of this important milestone within the life of the Seminary, the Minister specifically noted: “We are located within an institution, in the Republic of Armenia, in this small part of our historic homeland, where teaching of professional education began. And I remember the years of my youth, even during the Soviet years, what a great honor it was to teach here. The chosen ones came here to teach and they were proud to declare it, as it is here were the quality of the Armenian nature is nurtured”.

The Minister stated that through the granting of the Postgraduate accreditation, the Seminary advances to the level of an international institution, which through the specialty in Theology and formation of a professional board has an important mission to fulfill given the conditions of the present world, as the bearer of the Armenian Church's centuries-old heritage and values and to contribute to modern theological developments.

Minister Mkrtchyan expressed gratitude to His Holiness for his great attention to educational, scientific and patriotic upbringing.

During the ceremony, the Gevorkian Theological Seminary choir, led by Mr. Harutyun Topikyan, Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia; performed national songs.

The service was concluded with the blessings and remarks of the Catholicos of All Armenians.

“Through the vision and tireless efforts of the late Catholicos Gevorg IV, this spiritual institution was established, with the purpose of restoring the good traditions in our ecclesiastical life and educating worthy clergymen and Armenians. The motto of the institution is: first of all educate worthy Armenian men, an Armenia individual, and meanwhile, prepare worthy Armenian clergymen.

And this institution has fulfilled its mission with honor and glory in our national life. Many prominent intellectuals came out of this institution and contributed their important service to our national life. Also, worthy clergymen, who came to brighten the spiritual life and enlighten our people's faith’, stated His Holiness.

Through their prayers, remembering all the merited who eternally held the torch of the Seminary, His Holiness noted with satisfaction that today in the conditions of the Motherland independence, the Institution will continue its mission with a new intensity, giving deserving generation of priests to the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.

His Holiness expressed confidence that the Postgraduate accreditation would be not only an inspiration for the seminarians and priests but also raise the level of accountability, so that a generation of doctoral clergy be created inside the Seminary, strengthening and developing the Armenian spiritual mind in different theological areas.

His Holiness expressed his appreciation to the Minister of Education and Science, for the constant support given to the Armenian Church, and conveyed his Pontifical blessings to Ms. Arzumanyan, and to Mr. Movses Movsisyan, Head of the Licensing Agency of the RA Ministry of Education and Science.

The Catholicos of All Armenians also expressed his appreciation to the professors and faculty of the Seminary for their work. His Holiness urged the seminarians to exert every effort to realize the vision of becoming doctoral clergymen.

At the conclusion, His Holiness blessed the attendees through the “Protector” prayer.

The ceremony was attended by the Seminary professors and students, and the participants of the International Symposium on “Armenian Translation of the Holy Bible and Its Publication in the Evolution of History”.