St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • History of the Seminary
    • Prayer for the Seminary
    • Board of Directors
    • Fast Facts
    • Alumni/Recent Ordinations
    • Water Quality Report
  • Academics/Admissions
    • Global Classroom >
      • Seminary Lectures (audio)
      • Seminary Lectures (video)
      • St. Nersess Theological Review >
        • SNTR Volume 1-1
        • SNTR Volume 1-2
        • SNTR Volume 2
        • SNTR Volume 3
        • SNTR Volume 4
        • SNTR Volume 5 & 6
      • St. Nersess Armenian Spirituality Series
      • AVANT
    • Programs of Study
    • Faculty & Staff >
      • Dr Roberta Ervine
      • V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan
    • Course Offerings >
      • Classical Armenian
      • Church History
      • Armenian Patristics
      • Liturgy
      • Liturgical Music
      • Practicum
      • Biblical Studies
      • Church & Society
      • General Studies
    • Admissions & Application
    • St. Nersess Library
  • Liturgical Resources
    • Sacred Music Lab >
      • Daily Services >
        • Night Hour >
          • Hymns of the Night Hour
          • Deacon's Chants of the Night Hour
          • Ganonaklookh/Head of the Canon
          • Requiem Hymn (Hangstyan Sharagan)
          • Avak Orhnutyun
          • Orhnootyoon Sharagan (Penitential)
          • Orhnootyoon Hymns (Martyrs)
          • Takavor Haveedyan (Penitential)
          • Takavor Haveedyan (Martyrs)
          • Alleluia (Resurrection)
          • Alleluia (Nativity)
          • Alleluia (Cross)
        • Morning Hour >
          • Hymns of the Morning Hour
          • Deacon's Chants of the Morning Hour
          • Service of the Oil-Bearing Women
        • Sunrise Hour
        • Evening Hour >
          • Hymns of the Evening Service
          • Deacons' Chants
          • Martyrs Hymns of Psalm 120
          • Penitential Hymns of Psalm 120 (Tones 1-8)
          • Resurrection Hymns of Psalm 120
        • Peace Hour
      • Divine Liturgy >
        • Midday Hymns (Jashoo Sharagans)
        • Gospel Alleluia
        • Processional Hymns
        • Introit (Zhamamood)
        • Deacon's Chants
      • Sacraments >
        • Baptism
        • Marriage
        • Ordinations
        • Funeral
      • Holy Week >
        • Lazarus Saturday
        • Palm Sunday >
          • Palm Sunday - Night/Morning Services
          • Palm Sunday - Ceremony of Opening the Doors
        • Holy Monday
        • Holy Tuesday
        • Holy Wednesday
        • Holy Thursday >
          • Holy Thursday: Night Service
          • Holy Thursday: Morning Service
          • Holy Thursday: Absolution of the Penitents
          • Holy Thursday: Washing of the Feet
          • Holy Thursday: Divine Liturgy
          • Holy Thursday: Great Vigil (Khavaroom)
        • Holy Friday >
          • Holy Friday: Morning Service
          • Holy Friday: Service of the Crucifixion
          • Holy Friday: Service of Burial
        • Holy Saturday >
          • Holy Saturday: Night/Morning Services
          • Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil (Jrakalooyts) & Divine Liturgy
        • Easter Sunday
      • Festal Hymns >
        • Saints' Hymns (Սրբոց Շարականնե)
        • Theophany (Ծնունդ)
        • Mother of God (Ս. Աստուածածին)
        • Presentation of the Lord to the Temple (Տեառնդառաջ)
        • Great Carnival (Բուն Բարեկենդան)
        • New Sunday (Նոր Կիրակի)
        • Ascension (Համբարձում)
        • Holy Cross (Խաչի)
        • Holy Church (Եկեղեցւոյ)
      • Other Services >
        • Blessing of Water
    • Armenian Hymnal
    • Liturgical Services >
      • Services of Blessing
      • Special Services
      • Holy Week
      • Divine Liturgy
  • Youth & Vocations
    • Summer Conferences
    • Deacons' Training
    • Is God Calling You? >
      • Photo Galleries
  • News
  • Photos
    • Consecration Photos
    • Construction Photos, Armonk, NY
  • SUPPORT
    • Hope and Gratitude Commemorative Booklet
    • Donate Now
    • Summer Conferences 2019
    • The Path Forward
    • Leadership Giving Circle
    • Planned Giving Society
    • Legacy Donors, New Campus
    • Parish Patrons

Seminary Community Commemorates Forty Martyrs of Sebastia

3/5/2005

0 Comments

 
Picture
March 5, 2005

Several clergy joined the dean and seminarians in commemorating the Feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia on Saturday evening, March 5 in the seminary chapel. During the solemn Evening Service (Yeregoyan Zham) V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan lifted high above his head a golden reliquary containing a tiny relic of the Forty Martyrs, as the seminarians sang the hymn (sharagan) of the day.

Commemorated on the fourth Saturday of Great Lent in the calendar of the Armenian Church, the Forty Martyrs were Armenian Christians who were soldiers in the eastern garrison of the Roman army during the reign of Emperor Licinius in 320 AD. At this time the Emperor had initiatied a major persecution of Christians throughout the Empire. 

Young Armenian Soldiers Sacrifice their Lives for Christ
When the Armenian youths were found to be Christian, and repeatedly refused to renounce their faith, they were subjected to grueling and horrible tortures. Finally, they were stripped of their clothing and cast into the freezing waters of a pond on the outskirts of the western Armenian town of Sebastia on a bitter cold winter night. To further tantalize the youths, guards had set up cauldrons of hot water on the shore, hoping to lure the young men to reject their public profession of Christianity. One of the youths did yield but as he set foot on solid ground he collapsed dead.


Picture
Immediately one of the guards saw a miraculous, brilliant light shining above the heads of the martyrs. Convinced that this was a sign from God, the guard proclaimed his faith in Christ and ran into the water, becoming the fortieth holy martyr.

Early the next morning, the guards were instructed to collect the remains of the forty martyrs and to burn them to prevent other Christians from being emboldened by the Christian conviction of the Armenian youths. The ashes were cast back into the pond. Nevertheless, local Christians harvested the holy relics of the martyrs, which radiated a bright light from beneath the water.


Picture
A Relic of the Forty Martyrs at St. Nersess
One of these relics is now in the protection of St. Nersess Seminary. The tiny relic, together with documentation certifying its authenticity, was given to the Seminary in 2001 by the Franciscan Friars of St. Crispus, who live near the Seminary in Yonkers, NY. They offered the gift as a gesture of love and friendship on the 1700th anniversary of Armenia's Christian conversion.

Participating in the Evening Service with the dean and seminarians were Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian, a member of the Board of Directors and Pastor of St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church (White Plains, NY); Rev. Fr. Antranig Baljian, Pastor of St. Stephen Armenian Church (Watertown, MA) and father of seminarian Deacon Nishan Baljian; and Rev. Fr. Daniel Karadjian, a priest from Plovdiv, Bulgaria studying this year at St. Nersess.

Are You Ready to Testify to the Truth of Your Faith?
"The Forty Martyrs of Sebastia are particularly important to us at St. Nersess," said Fr. Karadjian in his sermon following the service. "Like them, we too are surrounded by people who question or deny the truth of our faith in Jesus Christ. Are you ready to testify in word and deed to the truth of our faith?," he asked the seminarians provocatively.

Following a tradition of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, a basin of water had earlier been set up on a table in the seminary chapel. In it floated forty burning candles, a poignant symbol of the light of Christ burning in hearts of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia as they sacrificed their earthly lives for Him. 

At the conclusion of the service, those present came forward to venerate the sacred relic of the Forty Martyrs.


0 Comments

Dean Leads Lenten Retreat for St. Leon Armenian Church

3/5/2005

0 Comments

 
Picture
March 5, 2005

Seminary dean Fr. Daniel Findikyan led an all-day Lenten retreat for members of St. Leon Armenian Church (Fair Lawn, NJ) on Saturday, March 5 at the Carmelite Retreat in Mahwah, NJ.

The theme of the retreat was "The Holy Cross: In the Life of Jesus, the Life of the Armenian Church, and Your Life." 

Following introductory remarks by Mrs. Lucy Chagachbanian, retreat organizer, and Rev. Fr. Diran Bohajian, Pastor, Fr. Daniel opened the first session by asking participants to think of a person, event, or time in their life that assured them of God's love for them. "The cross is our proof of God's love for us," Fr. Daniel said.

Changing gears for the next session, Fr. Daniel displayed an image of the crucifixion of Christ taken from the 15th-century Armenian manuscript Gladzor Gospel. Drawing attention to details in the Armenian artist's depiction of the Jesus' crucifixion, Fr. Daniel led the participants into a graphic illustration of how our Armenian Christian ancestors understood the significance of the cross for their lives.


Picture
A study of relevant passages from sacred scripture followed. Breaking up into smaller groups, the participants studied the deeper meaning of passages from St. Paul's Epistles dealing with the mystery of Christ crucified.

"This was one of the best retreats I have ever attended," said Mrs. Regina Ohanian, a long-time St. Leon's parishioner. "There is no path to God apart from the cross. Our people, having endured persecution after persecution in their history, have always understood this central tenet of our Christian faith," she said.

"There is no pain, no suffering, that is beyond God's power of transformation," said Fr. Daniel during one of the sessions. "The Armenian people embraced Jesus Christ because they were convinced that he was their only hope. That conviction can be a source of great strength for us today as we strive to live our lives in faith and in hope."

At the end of the day, Frs. Daniel and Diran, accompanied by another St. Nersess alumnus, Deacon Ara Kadehjian, led a short prayer service in the chapel of the retreat center. The participants read, in turn, lines from the splendid hymnic prayer of church father Sahak Dzoraporets'i for the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak.

Fr. Daniel and the other members of the Seminary faculty are frequently invited to lead retreats and workshops for Armenian and other church communities throughout the United States.


0 Comments

    Archives

    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2019
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2019
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2018
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2017
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2016
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2015
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2014
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2013
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2012
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2011
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2010
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2009
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2008
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2007
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2006
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2005
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_27 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_24 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_23 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2004
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 2003
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2003
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 2003
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 2003
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2003
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 2002
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_22 2002
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_21 2002
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 2002
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_31 1999
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_30 1999
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_29 1999
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_28 1999
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_20 1999
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_26 1998
    php.Blog.BlogRenderer_25 1998

    Categories

    templates.platform.theme.base.blog.modules.categories_1
    Acculturation Program
    Alumni
    Annual Appeal
    Board Of Directors
    Christmas Conference
    Clergy
    Clergy Support
    Deacons' Training
    Divine Liturgy
    Donations
    Fundraising
    Graduation
    History
    Leadership
    Lectures
    Library
    Liturgical Music
    Music
    New Armonk Campus
    Ordination
    Picnic
    Prayers & Blessings
    Retreat
    Seminarians
    Seminary
    Seminary Events
    Seminary Faculty
    Sermons
    Studying In Armenia
    St. Vladimir's
    Summer Conferences
    Youth Programs

    templates.platform.theme.base.blog.modules.rss_1

Picture
Preparing leaders for service in the
Armenian Church since 1961
.

Directions to the Seminary

486 Bedford Road
Armonk, NY 10504

Subscribe to the eNewsletter

Contact Us

Phone: (914) 273-0200

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm


  • Website by Filament Designs