
Dr. Abraham Terian, Professor of Armenian Patristics and Academic Dean at the Seminary will present a lecture entitled, "Koriun the Orator" at the Seminary on Monday, December 5, 2005 at 7:30 PM.
The lecture will be the fourth in St. Nersess Seminary's Fall Lecture Series, which, in part, is dedicated to the 1600th Anniversary of the creation of the Armenian alphabet by St. Mesrob Mashdots and his patron, Catholicos St. Sahak.
The object of Dr. Terian's talk is a biography of St. Mesrob written by his youngest disciple, Koriun, in 443 AD, just three years after the saint's death.
"The Life of Mashdots is a short but overwhelming book," says Terian, who has recently completed a new English translation of the work. "It is not only the first original work in the Armenian language, it must be considered a true masterpiece of early Christian literature."
Terian will broach an aspect of this work which no scholar has previously addressed: the oral presentation of Koriun's biography of St. Mesrob.

Terian will highlight the many rhetorical elements in Koriun's masterful book, compositional techniques and tricks which make his message both persuasive and pleasing to the ear. Terian will illustrate his talk by reading a number of excerpts from Koriwn's book both in Armenian and English translation.
"The first Armenian author was such a remarkable writer and orator that his work influenced generations of Armenian writers," remarks Terian. "It is music to my ears," he adds.
The lecture is presented in loving memory of Bishop Zgon Der Hagopian, longtime Pastor and Shepherd of the Armenian Church. As a legacy, Zgon Srpazan established a fund to supporting the ongoing study of the Armenian Church's literary and theological heritage. Dr. Terian's research and teaching on Koriun's Life of Mashdots have been subsidized by the Zgon Srpazan Fund.
The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.