Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On June 28, with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the closing ceremony of the 2023-2024 academic year of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary took place in the Auditorium of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary.

The event began with the Lord's prayer, following which the hymns of RA and Gevorkian Seminary were sounded. Following which, Proto- Archimandrite Shahe Ananyan, Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary and Vaskenian Theological Academy, welcomed the attendees.

Archimandrite Shahe, referring to the significance of the seminary in the life of the Church and the Armenian people, happily stated that the 2023-2024 and the upcoming 2024-2025 academic years mark the one and a half century anniversary of the foundation of the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary. "The history of this institution, founded in the Mother See of the Holy Etchmiadzin and nourished by that life-giving lymph, will be measured for centuries…

From the founder of the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary, Gevorg 4th the Great, to the Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians of our nation, this centuries-old tradition was created and is being created with the nurturing respiration and far-sighted vision of the patriarchs, it is their paternal respiration that keeps our dear Gevorgyan Seminary stable. Elders who grew up under its sacred arches wove the crown of the seminary education, which we wear on our foreheads today as seminary graduates," stated Archimandrite Shahe.

At the conclusion, Archimandrite Shahe expressed his gratitude to the Patriarch of All Armenians for the Paternal care and attention shown towards the Seminary, and for the sake of the seminary inspection.

Following the performances of the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary choir, on behalf of the lecturers, Prof. Dr. Arsen Harutyunyan, and on behalf of the students, the teacher of the 6th auditorium, Dn. Tono Ghazaryan conveyed their remarks.

During the ceremony, the Patriarch of Armenia presented awards to the students who recorded high progress in studies.

The morning event was concluded with the paternal message and blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians. His Holiness emphasized with satisfaction that another year of effective study, accumulation of knowledge and spiritual development was recorded in the annals of the Mother See.

Referring to the seminary's 150th anniversary, His Holiness noted: "The great jubilee once again reminds us of the importance of the vocation and mission of spiritual-educational institutions and the preservation of centuries-old deposits. The founder of Gevorgyan Theological Seminary, Patriarch Gevorg IV, and our Church, was always a great supporter and encourager of education, especially spiritual education, which is the condition for the formation of a healthy society with moral values, the God-blessed course of human life. His Holiness added that for a century and a half, the Gevorgyan Seminary, despite the hard years and hardships experienced by the Armenian people, educated generations of worthy clergymen and intellectuals who kept the torch of spiritual light burning in the national life, guided the children of the nation and gave impetus to their progress.

The Armenian Patriarch also emphasized the importance of the mission of the clergy in the current times, "The external and internal challenges facing our motherland today, the unacceptable manifestations of intolerance and hostility in the homeland and diaspora communities, the disturbing phenomena of continuous violation of national dignity and deepening hopelessness, the lack of a universal perspective on the future prove how complex and deep the problems are, with which the varied expectations from the Armenian Church and the clergy are great …

Undoubtedly, with a faithful and patriotic course of our life, selfless service and a principled attitude, the problems of the current difficult times facing our people will be solved, the misleading actions and phenomena will be eliminated and the God-denying and losing processes in our national life will be overcome.

We believe that as a Church, with the guidance of our Lord and the united efforts of our people, we will be able to find the paths leading to peaceful and safe havens with an undefeatable and powerful spirit."

The Catholicos of All Armenians also emphasized that it is possible to overcome the trials that have plagued our country only by relying on God and national unity, keeping the faith strong, strengthening and elevating our lives with Christian values and establishing it in the fields of justice, free from divisions and collapses, indifference, soulless and superficial mentality. In this regard, the Patriarch urged the future churchmen to confirm the graces of love, hope, and faith in the hearts of Armenians through their service, and to increase their loyalty and devotion to the homeland, Armenian identity and national sanctities by their own example.

On the occasion of the closing ceremony, the Armenian Patriarch expressed his appreciation to the inspection staff and lecturers, instructing them to continue to educate faithful, church-loving and patriotic clergymen and tireless evangelizers of the Word of God with a high awareness of the role and importance of the spiritual educational institution.

His Holiness also wished that the Almighty Lord brightens the minds and souls of the seminarians, keep them firm in their faith and steadfast in the sacred vocation of serving the people and the motherland.

At the conclusion, His Holiness Karekin II raised a prayer to God, that the Lord, under the auspices of His Holy Right, would grant peace and security to our native country, and a good life to our faithful people all over the world.