Archbishop Anania Arabajian, Primate of the Diocese of Kegharkun, Armenia, accompanied His Eminence Archbishop Khajaga Barsamian, Primate, for an evening visit to St. Nersess Seminary, on Thursday, September 23, 1999. The two hierarchs joined the seminariansfor the Evening Service, Vespers, and dinner. During dinner Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Dean of Seminary, welcomed the two Archbishops and thanked them for honoring the seminary with their visit. He introduced the seminarians and the ministry and mission of the Seminary to the guest Archbishop. Following Fr. Vahan's remarks, Archbishop Anania expressed his joy for being able to visit St. Nersess Seminary and enjoy spending the evening with the seminarians and the faculty. He thanked God for the seminary and its ministry in America and asked the students to work diligently to become worthy heirs and torchbearers of the sacred tradition of the Armenian Church.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, in his capacity as the President of the Board of Directors of the Seminary, welcomed the guest Archbishop. He commended the faculty and the seminarians for their hard work and emphasized his and the diocesan continuous support for them and for the mission of the Seminary.
Following dinner, Archbishop Barsamian, accompanied by Fr. Vahan, Professor Abraham Terian, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and Fr. Daniel Findikyan, Professor of Liturgy, gave Archbishop Arabajian a tour of the facilities of the Seminary, including the Library, Reference Room, Computer network, Recreation Room and Dormitory. This also gave the students and the members of the faculty an opportunity to meet the guest Archbishop and have personal conversations with the two hierarchs.
Archbishop Anania Arabajian is a member of the Brotherhood of Etchmiadzin. He served the Holy See of Etchmiadzin in various capacities including Editor in Chief of the Official Holy See Monthly Publication, Etchmiadzin, Instructor and Dean of the Seminary of Etchmiadzin, and Primate of Azerbaijan. Archbishop Arabajian is currently the Primate of the Diocese of Kegharkun in Armenia and a member of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Church.