Defense of Doctoral Theses in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
Four New Vardapets in the Armenian Church
On April 21, three members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and one member of the Brotherhood of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople defended their doctoral theses before the doctoral examination committee in the Mother See.
Rev. Fr. Abgar Hovakimian, Vicar of the Diocese of Syunik, defended his doctoral thesis entitled "St. Dionysius the Areopagite in Armenian Bibliography".
Rev. Fr. Mkrtich Proshyan, Dean of the Vaskenian Seminary of Lake Sevan, defended his doctoral thesis entitled "An Analysis of Feminist Sotierology".
Rev. Fr. Hovakim Manukian, Office Director of the Department of Inter-Church Relations, defended his doctoral thesis entitled "Ecumenism in the Twentieth Century and the Armenian Church".
Rev. Fr. Sahak Mashalian from the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople defended his doctoral thesis entitled "Faith and Miracle".
The examination committee was comprised of His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrosian (Chairman); His Grace Bishop Mikayel Ajapahian, Primate of the Diocese of Shirak; and His Grace Bishop Arshak Khatchatrian, Chancellor of the Mother See.
Following each candidate's presentation and question and answer period, the committee determined that all four presentations were acceptable and deemed the priests worthy to be granted the rank of "Vardapet" (Archimandrite).
On Saturday, April 23, in the Church of St. Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan, His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, bestowed the rank of Vardapet on the three members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin. The priests recommitted themselves to the service of the Armenian people and Holy Church by taking an oath near the tomb of the "Great Teacher" St. Mesrop, whereupon they received their doctoral staffs.
Rev. Fr. Mashalian will be granted his doctoral staff in the month of June.
