Rank of 'Vardapet' Granted to Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan
07.08.2003
On the morning of August 7, Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, Dean of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary of New York, and member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, defended his doctoral thesis in the Mother See. The Examining Commission was composed of His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrossian, Director for the Department of Inter-Church Relations of the Armenian Church, His Grace Bishop Paren Avetikian, Director of Administrative and Organizational Affairs of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and His Grace Bishop Mikayel Ajapahian, Primate of the Diocese of Shirak.
The candidate had previously submitted his scholarly work, a study of the historical-philological, liturgical and theological aspects of "The Ancient Ceremony of Consecration of the Church", to the Examination Commission for consideration. He was required to present an oral abstract, and then answer questions from the panel. The Commission voted to grant the rank of Vardapet (Archimandrite) to Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan.
In the afternoon, a special service of granting the rank of Vardapet was offered in the Church of St. Mesrop Mashtots, in Oshakan. His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrossian bestowed the Holy Order to the new Archimandrite. According to the Ritual Book of the Armenian Church (Mashtots), the Order of Granting of the Rank of Vardapet was established by St. Gregory of Datev, one of the greatest doctors of the Armenian Church. During the service, the new Archimandrite was given a doctoral staff, which specifically symbolizes wisdom, thus granting the priest authority to preach, and interpret the Holy Scriptures and Church doctrine.
Upon returning to Holy Etchmiadzin in the evening, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received Fr. Daniel in the Pontifical Residence, and bestowed him with a pectoral cross.
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Biography of Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Vardapet Findikyan
Father Daniel was born in 1962 in the U.S. State of Texas, and christened as Michael.
In 1980-1985, he studied at the State University of New York and received his Bachelor of Sciences degree with a double major in Chemistry and Music.
In 1985-1989 he studied at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary of New York and graduated from the seminary with a certificate in Armenian Church Studies. Together with his studies at St. Nersess, he was concurrently enrolled in St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary and received his Master of Divinity degree by defending his graduation thesis entitled: "The Magnificat Troparia of the Armenian Orthodox Church: Translation with Historical and Theological Commentary."
From 1986-1990 he studied in the Music Department of the City University of New York. In 1990, he received his Master's degree in Musicology, by defending a thesis entitled: "Rediscovering the Genere in Monteverdi's Eighth Book of Madrigals."
On September 14, 1989, the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Torkom Manoogian.
In 1990, Deacon Michael arrived in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and took lessons in Armenian language, liturgics and sacred music.
From 1992-1994, he studied at the Pontifical Oriental Institute of Rome, and received his License Degree in Eastern Liturgiology. In 1997, he defended his thesis entitled: "Bishop Stepanos Siunetsi (c. 685-735) and the Armenian Liturgy of the Word."
In 1997, Deacon Michael received his Doctorate in Eastern Ecclesiastical Studies (Liturgy), from the Pontifical Oriental Institute of Rome. His dissertation was entitled: "The Commentary on the Daily Office of the Armenian Church by Bishop Stepanos Siunetsi (c. 685-735): Edition of the Long and Short Recensions with Liturgical Analysis."
On September 14, 1997, again on the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Deacon Michael was ordained a Celibate Priest by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), in Saint Vartan Armenian Cathedral of New York, and began teaching at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary.
In 2000, he was appointed Dean of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary.
On August 7, 2003, Father Daniel successfully defended his doctoral thesis in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and was granted the rank of Vardapet (Archimandrite). His scholarly work was entitled: "The Ancient Ceremony of Consecration of the Church: A historical-philological, liturgical and theological study."
