
The Annual Bishop Zgon Memorial Lecture will be given at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, NY on Wednesday evening, October 20, 2004 at 7:00 PM. Dr. Abraham Terian, Professor of Armenian Theology and Patristics, will discuss A Forgotten Father of the Golden Age: St. Hovhan Mandakuni.
A Church Father from Armenia's Golden Age
Many are familiar with Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, who created the Armenian alphabet and, together with their disciples, translated the Bible into Armenian in the early fifth century. Yet few are particularly knowledgeable about other Armenian authors who were active in those early years of literary development. The great Armenian churchman, Catholicos, scholar and holy translator St. Hovhan Mandakuni is a wonderful reflection of that "Golden Age" of fifth-century Armenian scholarship.
Mandakuni's manifold writings include biblical commentaries, including one on St. Paul's Third Letter to the Corninthians. He enriched the liturgical books of the Armenian Church, composing prayers, hymns, and daily and sacramental services. The Armenian saint was also responsible for translating a great body of ancient patristic and canonical literature into Armenian. The development of an Armenian literary "style" and its cultural influence can readily be attributed to these early interpreted and translated contributions.
Professor Abraham Terian, who also serves as Academic Dean of St. Nersess, will draw on his extensive research, writings and published works in presenting the literary and theological contributions of this illustrious figure of the Armenian Church.
Lecture in Memory of Bishop Zgon Der-Hagopian
"I'm pleased to be honored by the essence of Bishop Zgon's vision and at the same time to be able to share the wonderful legacy of Catholicos Hovnan Mandakuni," Prof. Terian said. "While separated by sixteen centuries, their contributions to the Armenian Church are abundant!"
This series of annual lectures is dedicated to the memory of Bishop Zgon Der-Hagopian, a devout and learned servant of the Armenian Church, and is made possible by a fund established in his name.
At the threshold of the 1600th Anniversary of the sacred work of our Holy Translators, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary invites you to explore the richness of the distinctive Christian witness of the Armenian people in the person and writings of St. Hovhan Mandakuni.
The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the lecture.