Category: Leadership

12 Vocations Celebration

2/23/2021

SAVE THE DATE!

12 VOCATIONS
FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF ST. NERSESS ARMENIAN SEMINARY

Join us on the evening of SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary and the vocations of the first 12 priests to graduate from St. Nersess and St. Vladimir's Seminaries and be ordained.

This is the first in a series of events to recognize the alumni of St. Nersess, both ordained and lay, who are in service to the Armenian Church, in any capacity.

This year's honorees, based on their ordination dates, are:

REV. FR. KEVORK ARAKELIAN (1973)
REV. FR. GARABED KOCHAKIAN (1976)
REV. FR. YEPREM KELEGIAN (1977)
REV. FR. MARDIROS CHEVIAN (1985)
REV. FR. SHNORK DEMIRJIAN (1991)
REV. FR. DIRAN BOHAJIAN (1993)
REV. FR. SAHAK KAISHIAN (1993)
REV. FR. TAVIT BOYAJIAN (1993)
REV. FR. ARAKEL ALJALIAN (1993)
REV. FR. VASKEN KOUZOUIAN (1994)
REV. FR. STEPANOS DOUDOUKJIAN (1996)
VERY REV. FR. SIMEON ODABASHIAN (1996)

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St. Nersess Alumnus Publishes New Book

2/1/2021

The seminary is pleased to announce that a new book, written by St. Nersess Alumnus Fr. Garabed Kochakian, was recently published by the Eastern Diocese.

Tending the Flock of God offers clergy insights into parish ministry and guides lay ministers, Church leaders, and parish organizations on the life of a priest and what he, as an individual, has learned as he is called to serve in his ministry. The new publication offers parish leadership, and parishioners active in parish ministries, ways to collaborate with their pastor in his various responsibilities and how their collective work can converge.

Fr. Garabed, now retired from his pastoral ministry, continues to serve the Armenian Church and the St. Nersess Alumni Association during retirement. This book is his most recent publication available to the public and is available for sale from the seminary. All book proceeds will support the mission of St. Nersess Seminary. To order, please call 914-273-0200, email info@stnersess.edu, or click here.

Also, Fr. Garabed has another book for sale, The Armenian Church in the World Today, through St. John Armenian Church. To order, call 248-569-3405, or email St. John's Administrator, Paul Andonian.

Nobel Peace Prize

10/14/2020

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By: Grace Petoyan,  daughter of Archpriest Fr. Sarkis Petoyan, St. Gregory Armenian Church, Pasadena, CA
The Nobel Peace Prize is an award for people who have done or are doing an act to improve the world. There are many people who deserve it, yet in my opinion, I believe that the late Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan (1904-1989) is worthy to be the next nominee. He made a great impact on the Armenian community all over the world.

Born in 1904, in Aintab, Turkey, he was fortunate to be a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. Many people in the Kharpet Genocide and the Armenian Genocide were killed by the Ottoman Turks. He escaped to Syria to continue his life. He attended the Armenian seminary of Jerusalem and ordained a priest in 1928. Then, he moved to London and served there during World War II. In 1957, he was nominated as the Patriarch of Jerusalem but did not receive the position.

After the war, he was elected to be the Archbishop Primate of the Eastern Diocese of North America. Upon his arrival, he had the vision to purchase an entire city block in midtown Manhattan as the future site of the very first Armenian Cathedral in North America. There, he established eleven churches and ordained twenty-one members of the clergy.
He also founded the ACYOA which is the acronym for the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America. The four pillars that makeup ACYOA, are worship, education, service, and fellowship. ACYOA is now an active organization, (despite the global pandemic) throughout Europe, North America, and as of recent, Armenia. Currently, I am an active second-generation ACYOA member.

Nersoyan also developed a program to train youth to become church choir members. This bridges the gap between our ancient hymns and the next generation. Not only did he merge the youth into one nation-wide organization, but he also started an Armenian seminary called St. Nersess Armenian Theological Seminary, located in Armonk, New York. Men and women can both attend where they earn their M.A. in theology. They also train men for the priesthood in the Armenian Church specializing in service in the United States. In order to attend St. Nersess, you must have a Bachelor Degree. As of today, St. Nersess has prepared thirty-seven priests and four bishops.

St. Nersess is one of my father’s (Archpriest Fr. Sarkis Petoyan, serving at St. Gregory Pasadena) alma maters. Another great outcome of St. Nersess is the current Primate of the Eastern Diocese, Bishop Daniel Findikyan, who is the first American Armenian born bishop to serve in North America. He was also a dean of St. Nersess Seminary. Another great outcome of St. Nersess, is the Very Reverend, Fr. Aren Jebejian, serving in Detroit, Michigan. He also happens to be Nersoyan’s great-nephew, my father’s classmate, and a good friend.

Although Nersoyan is not with us today, he deserves so much credit for how the Armenian diaspora has become a family. As he did witness the Armenian Genocide and the outcomes of it, he implemented so many ways for the diaspora to connect. Armenia and Artsakh are in challenging times, and we have done so many charitable acts through these organizations to help our brothers and sisters. The worldwide community he started is why we are here today, attending an Armenian church, school, and helping our fellow Armenians, post the first genocide of the 20th century. Therefore. I believe Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.

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12 Vocations Celebration

St. Nersess Alumnus Publishes New Book

Nobel Peace Prize

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Directions to the Seminary

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

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

Contact Us

12 Vocations Celebration

St. Nersess Alumnus Publishes New Book

Nobel Peace Prize

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

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

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