Members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin Defend Their Doctoral Theses
On March 15, three members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin defended their doctoral theses in the Mother See. Their presentations were held in the large hall of the Kevorkian Theological Seminary. His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided. The candidates made their presentations before an audience of high-ranking bishops, their fellow clergy, students of the Kevorkian and Vazkenian Theological Seminaries, and guests.
His Eminence Archbishop Shahe Ajemian, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Yerevan State University, chaired the Examination Commission. The candidates had previously submitted their theses to the Commission for consideration. Each candidate was required to present an oral abstract, and answer challenging questions by the panel.
All three candidates successfully defended their scholarly work. The Committee voted to grant the rank of Dzayrakooyn Vartabed (Supreme Archimandrite) to Very Rev. Fr. Muron Vartabed Kevikian, for his doctoral thesis entitled: ?Word and Inspiration?.
The rank of Vartabed (Archimandrite) was granted to Rev. Fr. Bagrat Galstanian, Dean of the Vazkenian Seminary of Sevan, for his doctoral thesis entitled: ?The Sacrament of Anointing the Sick in the Armenian Church?; and to Rev. Fr. Ashot Mnatsakanian for his doctoral thesis entitled: ?The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Interpretive Literature?.
In the Armenian Church the rank of Vartabed is granted to those celibate priests who have carried out scientific research in the sphere of theology. Vartabeds are empowered to preach, to interpret the Holy Scriptures and Church doctrine. The rank of Archimandrite is composed of 14 levels, from which the first 4 levels are granted to Vartabeds, and the remaining 10 levels are granted to Dzayrakooyn Vartabeds. Only those Bishops who have attained the rank of Vartabed, are given the authority to grant the rank of Vartabed.
Tomorrow on March 16, a special service of granting the ranks of Vartabed and Dzayrakooyn Vartabed will be conducted during the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Mesrob Mashtots in Oshakan. His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrossian, Secretary for the Inter-Church Relations Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and His Grace Bishop Mikayel Ajapahian, Primate of the Diocese of Shirak, will bestow the Holy Orders.
According to the Ritual Book of the Armenian Church (Mashtots), the Order of Granting of the Rank of Vartabed was established by St. Gregory of Datev, one of the greatest Vartabeds of the Armenian Church. During the service, each new Vartabed will be given his clerical staff, which specifically symbolizes wisdom.
