Category: Divine Liturgy

Fall Semester Concludes

12/14/2020

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On Saturday, December 12, the seminary concluded its Fall semester with a celebration of Badarak on the Feast of St. James of Nisibis (St. Hagop). Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan, pastor of Holy Trinity Armenian Church in Cheltenham, PA, was the guest celebrant and preacher. The seminarians and the dean, as well as Fr. Karekin Kasparian, participated in the service. During the service, everyone present lit candles in front of the icon of St. James which hangs in the chapel.

At the conclusion of the Badarak, Fr. Hakob blessed recent seminary graduate Dn. Armen Terjimanian and his wife Emily, who the previous weekend were married in their home parish of St. John Armenian Church in Southfield, MI. Dn. Armen is currently spending his year-long pastoral internship with Fr. Hakob at Holy Trinity.

Following the services, a festive luncheon was enjoyed by all in attendance. During the lunch, the newly married couple were honored by Fr. Mardiros Chevian who presented them with gifts from the seminary. The group also sang happy birthday to Professor Roberta Ervine!

The chapel, which was given in memory of Hagop & Khengaper Didizian, was consecrated and named St. James of Nisibis (Ս. Յակոբ Մծբնայ Հայրապետ) by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, on November 12, 2016. Each year, on the saint's feast day, Badarak is celebrated in the chapel.

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Recent Graduates Participate in Mini-Internships

6/26/2020

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On May 15, Dn. Timothy Aznavourian and Dn. Armen Terjimanian received their MDiv degrees from St. Nersess Seminary and St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary without any fan-fare due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Shortly after, the two graduates began mini-internships for the month of June which will end next week on June 30. In addition to the remote courses offered to lay people and clergy this month, the mini-internships were created to replace programs that were cancelled this summer and would have required the graduates' participation. In the near future, with the blessing of His Grace Bp. Daniel Findikyan, Dn. Timothy and Dn. Armen will each begin a year long internship within the Eastern Diocese.

We conducted a short Q&A with each graduate regarding their experience these past few weeks.

Dn. Timothy Aznavourian

Q: Where did you grow up and what is your home parish?
A: I was born in Boston, MA spending my childhood years in Malden, MA. I moved to Pawtucket, RI when I was 10, which is where I have spent the majority of my adult life. My home parish is Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Church in Providence, RI.

Q: What is your undergraduate degree?
A: I hold a B.A. in Philosophy from Rhode Island College in RI.

Q: Where are you interning and what are you doing?
A: I am interning at my wife Julianne Aznavourian's (née Tavitian) parish, Hye Pointe Armenian Church in Haverhill, MA with the Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalyan as my mentor.

I have learned much during my mini-internship post-graduation, particularly in the age of COVID-19 and civil unrest. I have learned that the need for the Church to be there for its faithful remains the same, regardless of the circumstances. I have learned that it is important to really listen to the struggles and trials of the flock which is entrusted to our care. I have also learned that it is essential to be able to take direction from experienced and tested leaders of our Church, of which Fr. Vart is a prime example. I sincerely thank Fr. Vart and the Hye Pointe Armenian Church for welcoming me -- albeit for a short time -- into their fold once more!

Dn. Armen Terjimanian

Q: Where did you grow up and what is your home parish?
A: I'm originally from Troy, Michigan. My home parish is St. John Armenian Church in Southfield, MI. I also spent 9 years attending St. Mary Armenian Church in Washington, DC, when I lived and worked in the DC region.

Q: What is your undergraduate degree?
A: I have a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Video Studies and Political Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, and a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University in New York City.

Q: Where are you interning and what are you doing?
A: Currently, I am doing a mini-internship with the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian (pastor) and the Rev. Fr. Armash Bagdasarian (assistant pastor) at St. John Armenian Church in Southfield, MI.

I have hit the ground sprinting in this month-long internship. I've been working with the parish's Armenian Medical Advisory Team (AMAT) on how to re-open the parish to the faithful in a phased manner and also participated in auxiliary zoom meetings. Two weeks ago, I facilitated a virtual Bible Study and delivered the Sunday sermon and will deliver another sermon soon. I've asked Hayr Aren and Der Armash to give me as diverse a parish experience as possible in these tumultuous times. It's been a great experience so far!

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St. Nersess Featured in Anthropology Article

5/14/2020

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The online academic forum/blog of the Society for Cultural Anthropology published an article written by Dr. Christopher Sheklian, Director at the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center and member of the St. Nersess faculty. The article is called "Communion in Quarantine: How Liturgical Churches Celebrated Easter." It featured Dr. Sheklian's St. Nersess virtual course for students and clergy and the seminary's Good Friday service.

"The premier academic association of anthropologists put out a call for pieces for an edited collection of essays to 'provide a forum for early observations and reflections on the pandemic as it unfolds'," commented Dr. Sheklian.

"... like Armenian Orthodox Christians, for whom liturgy is not merely a gathering of individual believers but an active partaking in Holy Communion that therefore stitches together the Church as such, there are fundamental theological concerns over the inability to physically come together for robust sacramental life," exclaims Sheklian in an excerpt from the article. "Though the ecclesial conundrums continue, for Armenian Apostolic Christians, alongside all Christians with a strong liturgical tradition, Holy Week and Easter has gone on in the midst of the pandemic, albeit with ad hoc, imaginative alternative liturgical celebrations," concludes the article.

To read the entire article, go to https://culanth.org/fieldsights/communion-in-quarantine.

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Fall Semester Concludes

Recent Graduates Participate in Mini-Internships

St. Nersess Featured in Anthropology Article

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St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
486 Bedford Road
Armonk, NY 10504

(PLEASE input "St. Nersess Armenian Seminary" into Google Maps for correct location!)

Contact Us

Fall Semester Concludes

​Recent Graduates Participate in Mini-Internships

St. Nersess Featured in Anthropology Article

Archives

Categories

Directions to the Seminary

St. Nersess Armenian Seminary​486 Bedford RoadArmonk, NY 10504​(**PLEASE** input "St. Nersess Armenian Seminary" into Google Maps for correct location!)

Contact Us

Recent Graduates Participate in Mini-Internships

St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
486 Bedford Road
Armonk, NY 10504

(PLEASE input "St. Nersess Armenian Seminary" into Google Maps for correct location!)