On Saturday, May 18, 2019, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary will be hosting Hope and Gratitude to honor the Most Reverend Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and the Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan as the past and present St. Nersess board presidents.
 
The event, to be held at the Old Tappan Manor in Old Tappan, NJ, will also celebrate the seminary's distinguished history and bright future throughout the evening. St. Nersess Seminary remains a center of learning and inspiration for its alumni, students, clergy, and youth for the past 58 years.
 
Abp. Khajag Barsamian was the seminary's president of the board of directors for 28 years. During his tenure, he guided the seminary through five deans and ordained 25 St. Nersess graduates into the holy priesthood. He also was instrumental in leading the revitalization and relocation of the seminary from New Rochelle to Armonk, NY. "We are so grateful for his belief in the mission of the seminary and his confidence in our future, which has guaranteed our success today," commented the Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, Dean.
 
Fr. Daniel Findikyan, a 1989 St. Nersess graduate, will be consecrated as a bishop by His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, at Holy Etchmiadzin on May 12. Fr. Daniel is the first clergyman born in America to serve as a diocesan primate and president of the St. Nersess board of directors and only the second American-born clergyman to be elevated to the rank of bishop. "We are also appreciative of Fr. Daniel as a former seminary dean and current professor. Under his leadership, the academic level of the seminary was brought to new heights," Fr. Mardiros added.
 
To celebrate their successes and to express the seminary's gratitude to Khajag Srpazan and Hayr Daniel for helping the seminary reach its spiritual and educational goals, a commemorative booklet is being published for the May 18 event. All proceeds will go directly to St. Nersess Seminary and its mission.
 
For booklet donation information and for reservations to Hope and Gratitude, please contact Mrs. Lynn Beylerian, event co-chair, at 201-914-0354 or lynnbeylerian@gmail.com. Booklet donations may also be made online at www.stnersess.edu.

Seminarian Dn. Timothy Aznavourian has been studying at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary located at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin since September 2018. We asked him to share his thoughts and impressions about studying and living in Armenia with his wife Julianne. Dn. Timothy is from Rhode Island and is a second year student. They will remain there until June 2019.
 
Q: What classes are you taking?
A: Dn. Timothy: Currently, I am taking Western Armenian, Classical Armenian, Russian, Armenian Literature, National History, Church History, Ecclesiastical Music, New Testament, Old Testament. The education at Gevorkian Theological Seminary is very intense and students are expected to master the material given to them at a very advanced level. Taking classes here has helped me identify some of the areas that I need to work on in order to pursue ministry within the Armenian Church. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which I am extremely grateful. My wife Julianne is taking intensive Armenian language and literature courses at the Philological Faculty of Yerevan State University.
 
Q: Please share your worship and prayer life in Holy Etchmiadzin.
A: Dn. Timothy: There are a lot of opportunities for prayer and worship in Armenia. I feel most connected to Jesus Christ in my prayer life when I listen to and pray with others here, whether on Friday evenings at the hospital in Kanaker or with the many people that I meet throughout the day. Because we can participate in liturgy every day at Holy Etchmiadzin, a line from a sharagan or a prayer will strike me that I had never thought of before in that particular way. For example, in the Night Service there is a prayer addressed to Jesus the Good Shepherd that reads, "bless everyone, instruct everyone, enlighten everyone, and bestow upon everyone your Kingdom of Heaven". A short line like this can stay with me throughout the day and inform the way I interact with students, my wife, family, friends and myself as well.
 
Q: What has been your experience living in Armenia?
A: Dn. Timothy: While living in Armenia is certainly different than living in New York at St. Nersess, it has by no means been a hardship on either myself or my wife Julianne. Particularly if one lives in or near Yerevan, the standard of living is similar to that of working-class America. The major difference is that there is a strong sense of community. It is almost expected for someone to be close friends with their neighbors.
 
Q: Please describe a special moment you have  experienced.
A: Dn. Timothy: On New Year's Eve, starting at around 10 or 11pm, many people in apartment buildings go around door-to-door wishing each other a healthy and successful New Year. It is an expression of goodwill that is, unfortunately, becoming less and less common in America as we become increasingly afraid of one another. Celebrating the New Year here was particularly special for us because we re-connected with old friends, have made acquaintances with new friends, as well as have connected with the families of clergy from our own Eastern Diocese.
 
I was moved on New Year's Day when the next-door neighbor's son unexpectedly knocked on our door and asked us if we would like to join them for New Year's dinner. I asked him when he would like to have us over and he said "ges jamits' -- in a half-hour and then ran away to play outside in the pag 'neighborhood' with his friends. Julie and I went to our neighbors, scrambled to find a gift to bring for them and spent the next three hours with four generations of family members -- laughing, sharing stories and watching the eldest son play the clarinet and sing the traditional Armenian "Khnjouyki yerk" for us. We also prayed for the health of the family and safety of the father who was unfortunately absent because he was serving in the army in order to provide for them.
 
We have so much to be grateful for living here in Holy Etchmiadzin, and we would particularly like to thank His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Very Rev. Fr. Garegin Hambardzumyan, Dean of Gevorkian Theological Seminary, as well as our Diocesan Primate the Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan and the Dean of St. Nersess the Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian for all of their assistance in helping us to adjust to life in the homeland.

Recently, the seminary embarked on a campaign to reconnect with summer conference alumni. We interviewed two alumni, Glenn and Margie Ajamian, who met at a Post High School session and later married. They attend St. Leon Armenian Church in Fair Lawn, NJ. Find out how St. Nersess has influenced their lives!
 
Q: What year did you first attend a St. Nersess Summer Conference? When did you meet at the seminary?
A: Glenn & Margie: Glenn first attended a St. Nersess Summer Conference in 1982. We both went to a Post High School conference in 1983 and that is where we met.
 
Q: How have you stayed connected to or currently support the seminary?
A: Glenn & Margie: Glenn is currently on the St. Nersess Board of Directors. We have stayed in contact with the seminary through family members who graduated from the seminary: Glenn's twin brother Vartan, his sister Shake' Derderian, our nephew Fr. Ghevont Ajamian, and niece Maria Derderian. We have attended many graduations and various fundraisers. Many of our St. Nersess friends from that 1983 conference have gone on to work in their local parishes and the diocese. Financially we donate to the seminary every year. Over the years, seminarians have come to our home in NJ for Thanksgiving and Christmas as their families are often far away. And of course, Der Mardiros is my cousin!!
 
Q: Do you have children who have attended a Summer Conference or any St. Nersess events?
A: Glenn & Margie: Our daughter, Courtney, attended a St. Nersess High School conference, and both our son, Derek, and Courtney attended St. Vartan Camp and were active in ACYOA. Our kids tease that when they go to the seminary, they feel we are trying to get them married off!
 
Q: How did your St. Nersess experience help you become active in your local parish?
A: Glenn & Margie: We were both active in our respective parishes growing up but going to St. Nersess together gave us a religious bond that made us want to work together for the church. After we married, we taught Sunday School together and were the ACYOA Jr. Advisors. Many of our ACYOA members who attended St. Nersess summer conferences would compare notes with us! We have served on Parish Council, Women's Guild and are now raising income for the parish through hall rentals.
 
As you can imagine, St. Nersess is a very special place for us. When we met, Fr. Arshen Aivazian was the dean of the seminary. He attended our wedding and helped marry us. Even though the location of the seminary has changed, we still feel that once you step foot on the campus you are in an "unique" environment where conversing with the Lord is the norm!