On Thursday evening, June 29th, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I presided over the 93rd commencement ceremony of the Armenian Theological Seminary held in Bikfaya.
Cilician brotherhood and priesthood, MPs and community leaders, heads of educational and cultural institutions, seminary teachers, parents, and friends attended the event.
An artistic performance prepared by the seminarians was presented to the audience. Deacon Nshan Andrian delivered a speech on behalf of the graduating class where he expressed gratitude to His Holiness, the dean, teachers, and everyone who took part in providing them with education, leadership training, and unforgettable memories.
The seminary’s dean V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian delivered his commencement speech and brought to the attention of the audience that the academic year of the seminary opens on the feast of the Holy Translators and concludes on the feast of Sts. Sahag Bartev and Mesrob Mashdots, the leading figures of the translators. Fr. Barouyr reminded the audience of the mission of the seminary and underlined that the graduate seminarians are cognizant of the fact that their post-seminary lives belong to the church and its people; as such deacon Nshan will continue preparing for the celibate priesthood and deacon Hrag for the married priesthood. The dean also extended his gratitude to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, the teachers, the women’s auxiliary, and the beneficiaries. He then invited His Holiness Aram I to present the diplomas and offer his message.
Subsequently, His Holiness described the unique mission of the seminary, one that tries to surpass the mere transfer of knowledge and also instill in its students a life dedicated to serving the church, its people, and the needy. The Catholicos also pointed out the importance of preparing the next generation of leaders, shed light on some of the concerns he encountered during his Pontifical visits, and emphasized the imperative of planning for the revitalization of the diaspora as exhorted in his encyclical of the “Year of the Armenian Diaspora.” Finally, His Holiness also extended his appreciation to everyone who played a role in the success of the academic year.
The commencement concluded with the Bahbanich prayer.
