Defense of Doctoral Theses in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and Granting of the rank of Archimandrite
13.02.2023
On February 13, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; an oral defense of the doctrinal thesis was held in the Auditorium of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In order to receive a private doctrinal degree, Rev. Fr. Anania Tsaturyan, member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See, defended his doctoral thesis on the topic of " Order of Ordination of Monks in the Armenian Church".
His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Primate of the Diocese of Tavoush, chaired the Examination Committee. The Examining Committee was also composed of 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 St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral of Yerevan and Dean of the Theological Faculty of Yerevan State University.
During the defense, Fr. Anania Tsaturyan presented his doctrinal thesis and answered the questions of the examination committee members. At the conclusion of the oral defense, the examining committee determined that Fr. Anania was acceptable and deemed the priest worthy to be granted the rank of "Vardapet" (Archimandrite).
On the same day, according to the tradition, in the Church of St. Mesrop Mashtots in Oshakan, His Grace Bishop Ararat Galtagchyan, member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See, bestowed the rank of Vardapet to Rev. Fr. Anania Tsaturyan.
Afterward, His Holiness Karekin II, received Fr. Anania, accompanied by His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan, Grand Sacristan of the Mother See and His Grace Bishop Ararat Galtaghchyan.
His Holiness congratulated Father Anania who was awarded the doctrinal rank and conveyed his message and blessings, highly appreciating Father Anania's long-term dedicated and humble service in the Armenian Church. His Holiness expressed his confidence that the new Archimandrite will more responsibly continue his mission in the spiritual education and upbringing of faithful Armenians.
At the conclusion, His Holiness bestowed him with a pectoral cross and blessed him with the “Protector” prayer.
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