St. Nersess Seminary graduated three young men during impressive commencement ceremonies at the Seminary in New Rochelle, New York this Sunday, May 22. The three earned Master's degrees for course work at St. Nersess and nearby St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary.
More than 100 friends and family of the graduates and of St. Nersess packed the intimate chapel and living room of the Seminary on Sunday morning as His Eminence Abp. Yeghishe Gizirian, retired Primate of the Armenian Church of England, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and preached the sermon.
More than 100 friends and family of the graduates and of St. Nersess packed the intimate chapel and living room of the Seminary on Sunday morning as His Eminence Abp. Yeghishe Gizirian, retired Primate of the Armenian Church of England, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and preached the sermon.
"It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness," His Eminence said in the sermon, urging the graduates to respond to God's calling to ministry with faith, never falling prey to fear or disillusionment.
Presiding at the Divine Liturgy was His Eminence Abp. Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America and President of the Seminary's Board of Directors.
Presiding at the Divine Liturgy was His Eminence Abp. Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America and President of the Seminary's Board of Directors.
Early in the service Abp. Barsamian elevated two of the graduates, Yervant Kutchukian and Daron Bolat, to the order of tbir or acolyte, giving them the authority to read the Scriptures during church services, to minister at the holy altar during the Badarak, and to open and maintain the sanctuary. He ordained Kutchukian to the rank of sub-deacon.
Also participating in the services were the Dean, V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, and all of the remaining seminarians, who served at the altar and sang the hymns. Present as well were a classmates of the seminarians from the Indian Orthodox and Coptic Orthodox churches, which are in full communion with the Armenian Church.
Following the Divine Liturgy the commencement ceremony took place under a tent on the beautifully verdant grounds of the seminary. The graduates were escorted into the tent area by a procession of their classmates, teachers and clergy. For the first time in the history of St. Nersess Seminary, the faculty wore cap and gowns of the institutions where they had earned their doctoral degrees. The colorful academic regalia of Columbia, Basel, Notre Dame, Oxford and other prestigious universities, added to the spectacle and emotion of the day.
Also participating in the services were the Dean, V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, and all of the remaining seminarians, who served at the altar and sang the hymns. Present as well were a classmates of the seminarians from the Indian Orthodox and Coptic Orthodox churches, which are in full communion with the Armenian Church.
Following the Divine Liturgy the commencement ceremony took place under a tent on the beautifully verdant grounds of the seminary. The graduates were escorted into the tent area by a procession of their classmates, teachers and clergy. For the first time in the history of St. Nersess Seminary, the faculty wore cap and gowns of the institutions where they had earned their doctoral degrees. The colorful academic regalia of Columbia, Basel, Notre Dame, Oxford and other prestigious universities, added to the spectacle and emotion of the day.
Graduating with a Master of Divinity degree was Deacon Levon Kirakosyan, a native of Armenia, who recently completed a one-year pastoral internship at St. Vartan Cathedral in New York City under the supervision of Cathedral Dean and former St. Nersess Dean, Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian. Deacon Levon will be assigned to a parish in the Eastern Diocese as deacon-in-charge. His ordination to the sacred priesthood should follow in due course. Deacon Levon and his wife Anna are expecting their first child this summer.
Yervant Kutchukian completed a Master of Arts degree in theology. A native of Albany, New York, Kutchukian has shown special gifts for academic study and will begins doctoral studies in theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. His parents, Armenak and Winifred, were present to celebrate Yervant's graduation, as well as several other family members and friends.
Daron Bolat, a native of Washington, DC, also graduated with a Master of Arts degree with a specialization in youth ministry. Bolat came to St. Nersess two years ago with an impressive record of church youth leadership in his local parish, St. Mary Armenian Church, as well as at the national level. His ambition is to bring the love of God and the treasury of the Armenian Church to young American Armenians. Daron will begin a one-year internship in the Department of Youth and Education at the Eastern Diocese in New York with a few weeks.
Will seminary enrollment decrease now that three students have been graduated? "Not at all," said the dean. "We have accepted five new students for the Fall 2005 semester along with three new part-time students," said Fr. Findikyan.
Will seminary enrollment decrease now that three students have been graduated? "Not at all," said the dean. "We have accepted five new students for the Fall 2005 semester along with three new part-time students," said Fr. Findikyan.
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