Gevorgian Seminary

Gevorkian Theological Seminary
Գևորգյան Հոգևոր Ճեմարան
	Gevorkian Seminary
Type	Seminary, Theological Institute
Established	October 5, 1874
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Director	Bishop Gevorg Saroyan
Location	Vagharshapat, Armavir Province, Armenia; 40°09′43″N 44°17′37″E / 40.16194°N 44.29361°E
Campus	Urban
Colours	Purple, Gold ;
Website	Official website

Gevorkian Theological Seminary^[1] (Armenian: Գևորգյան Հոգևոր Ճեմարան Gevorkyan Hogevor Č̣emaran), also known as Gevorkian Seminary^[2]^[3] (Armenian: Գևրգյան Ճեմարան Gevorkyan Č̣emaran, pronounced [gɛvɔɾkʰˈjɑn t͡ʃɛmɑˈɾɑn]), is a theological university-institute^[4] of the Armenian Apostolic Church opened in 1874. It is located in the town of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) within the complex of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia.

History[edit]

Nineteenth century[edit]

In May 1869 Catholicos Gevorg IV laid the cornerstone of the Gevorkian Seminary on the grounds of Etchmiadzin. The seminary was under construction from 1869–1874 while the Armenian Church negotiated its opening with the Tsarist government. On 28 September 1874 the seminary building's completion was celebrated. On 5 October 1874 the Caucasus Commission told the Armenian Church that the tsar had approved the seminary charter and it was allowed to open.

The seminary had its first graduates during the 1885–86 academic year.

Graduates of the seminary included Komitas, a pioneering ethnomusicologist and arranger of church music.

The seminary also prepared teachers for secular schools. During the first 43 years of existence, the seminary prepared 43 clergymen/teachers who in turn provided education for thousands of students.

Early 20th century[edit]

20th century figures who graduated from the seminary include Catholicos Gevork Vl Chorekchian, Karekin l Hovsepiants (Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia), Ruben Ter-Minasian, Komitas, Avetik Isahakian, and Levon Shant.

During and after the Armenian genocide, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was filled with massive numbers of refugees. Catholicos Gevork I and the director, Bishop Karekin Hovsepiants, decided to temporarily close the seminary in December 1917.

On 28 June 1928, Catholicos Gevork V applied to the president of the Peoples Commissariat Council Sahak Ter-Gabrielian to reopen the seminary. A building was allocated, but the government confiscated it stating a temporary need. It was never returned to the church and is currently the State Central Archive of Armenia.

1945 reopening[edit]

On 1 November 1945 the seminary reopened.^[5]

On 6 September 1945 educator and English language specialist Minas Minasian was appointed director.

In 1951 the first nine students graduated.

21st century[edit]

In 2001–2002 the Ministry of Education of Armenia granted the seminary the status of a Religious University.^{[citation needed]}

Structure[edit]

The academic council is the governing body of the seminary. The council is headed by the Catholicos of All Armenians.^[6] The educational methods committee of the seminary has a consulting role. The members of the committee are selected through the initiation of the academic council, approved by the Catholicos.^[7] In November 2015, the cultural committee of the seminary was formed.

Currently the seminary has the following chairs:^[8]

Chair of Biblical studies.
Chair of Historical Theology.
Chair of Christian Doctrine.
Chair of Practical Theology.
Chair of Philology.
Chair of Humanities.

The seminary offers bachelor, master and PhD degrees in the above-mentioned fields.

References[edit]

^ Mother See Projects: Gevorkian Theological Seminary
^ Gevorkian Seminary building
^ Gevorkian Seminary
^ "Higher Education in Armenia: Gevorkian Theological Seminary". Archived from the original on 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
^ “On 1 November 1945, the reopening of the Theological Seminary took place... Classes commenced on 2 November 1945.”Etchmiadzin Monthly, November–December issue, 1945
^ Gevorkian Seminary, the Academic Council
^ Educational Methods Committee of the Gevorkian Seminary
^ Gevorkian Seminary chairs

External links[edit]

Gevorgian Theological Seminary

[1] Mother See Projects: Gevorkian Theological Seminary

[2] Gevorkian Seminary building

[3] Gevorkian Seminary

[4] "Higher Education in Armenia: Gevorkian Theological Seminary". Archived from the original on 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2017-06-06.

[5] “On 1 November 1945, the reopening of the Theological Seminary took place... Classes commenced on 2 November 1945.”Etchmiadzin Monthly, November–December issue, 1945

[6] Gevorkian Seminary, the Academic Council

[7] Educational Methods Committee of the Gevorkian Seminary

[8] Gevorkian Seminary chairs

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v t e Vagharshapat
Places of worship	Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Etchmiadzin Cathedral Saint Hripsime Church Saint Gayane Church Zvartnots Cathedral Shoghakat Church Holy Mother of God Church Church of the Holy Archangels Saints Vartan and Hovhannes Baptistery
Education and culture	Gevorkian Theological Seminary Catholicosal Museum Khrimian Museum Alex and Marie Manoogian Treasury House Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Manuscript Depository Karekin I Centre of Theology and Armenology Eurnekian School Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Manuscript Library
Other	Nersisian Park Komitas Square Etchmiadzin Stadium Vagharshapat Football Academy FC Vagharshapat BMA-Arai Echmiadzin

v t e Universities in Armenia
State	Armenian National Agrarian University Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture and Sport Armenian State Pedagogical University Armenian State University of Economics Crisis Management State Academy European University of Armenia French University in Armenia Gavar State University Goris State University Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan National Polytechnic University of Armenia National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia Shirak State University Vanadzor State University Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography Yerevan State Medical University Yerevan State University
Inter-governmental	Armenian National Academy of Sciences Fondation Université Française en Arménie Russian-Armenian University Ternopil National Economic University
International private	American University of Armenia
Local private	Eurasia International University Haybusak University of Yerevan
Bible colleges	Gevorkian Theological Seminary

v t e Modern Armenian churches and seminaries
Armenia	Yerevan Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral Holy Trinity Saint John the Baptist Saint Sarkis (Kentron) Saint Sarkis (Nor Nork) Saint Anna Church Holy Vartanants Martyrs Church Elsewhere Gyumri Holy Saviour's Church Holy Mother of God Church of the Holy Saviour Vagharshapat Church of the Holy Archangels Oshakan Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church Abovyan Saint John the Baptist Church Seminaries Gevorkian Theological Seminary Vaskenian Theological Academy
Caucasus	Tbilisi, Georgia Ejmiatsin Church Vank Monastery Church of the Red Gospel Church of the Holy Seal Azerbaijan Saint Gregory Church of Baku Ghazanchetsots Cathedral Kanach Zham
Russia	Moscow Armenian Cathedral Saint Catherine's Armenian Church, Saint Petersburg
Europe	Austria Mekhitarist Monastery of Vienna France Paris Cathedral Italy Mekhitarist Monastery of Venice (San Lazzaro) Santa Croce degli Armeni Romania Armenian Church, Bucharest United Kingdom Church of St Yeghiche St Sarkis
Middle East	Cyprus Holy Mother of God Cathedral, Nicosia Lebanon Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia Armenian Catholic Patriarchate Cathedral of St Elias and St Gregory the Illuminator Syria Church of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia St. Hagop Church St. Gregory the Illuminator Church Holy Trinity Church Holy Cross Church Armenian Genocide Memorial Church (Der Zor) Iran St. Sargis Church, Tehran Holy Mother of God Church, Tehran St. Vartanants Church, Tehran Shoghakat Church, Tabriz Turkey Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople St. Giragos Armenian Church Kartal Surp Nişan Armenian Orthodox Church Taksim Surp Harutyun Church
Asia	Singapore Saint Gregory
United States	Church of Our Savior, Worcester Holy Trinity Church, Fresno St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church St. Vartan Cathedral Saint Sarkis of Dearborn