Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On October 28, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, a defense of doctoral thesis was held in the ‘Vatche and Tamar Manookian’ Library of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

For the ecclesiastical degree of Archimandrite (Vardapet), Rev. Fr. Poghos Vardanyan, members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin presented his theses.

The committee was chaired by the Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan. The committee members were His Grace Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, Primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn; His Grace Bishop Gevork Saroyan, Primate of the Diocese of Masyatsotn and His Grace Bishop Anushavan Jamkochyan, Dean of the Theological Faculty of Yerevan State University and Dean of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Yerevan;

During the defense, the Archimandrite presented his doctrinal thesis, answered the questions of the members of the committee and those present.

Following the presentation of the theses, the review commission accepted the defenses and approved to grant the priests the rank of Archimandrite.

In the coming days, according to established tradition, a special ceremony of bestowing a ecclesiastical degree of Archimandrite (Vardapet) will be held in Saint Mesrop Mashtots Church of Oshakan under the high direction of the Patriarch of All Armenians.