Defense of Doctoral Theses in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

AZG Armenian Daily #078, 29/04/2006

Armenian Church

DEFENSE OF DOCTORAL THESES IN THE MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

Four New Vardapets in the Armenian Church

On April 21, three members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and
one member of the Brotherhood of the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople defended their doctoral theses before the doctoral
examination committee in the Mother See.

Rev. Fr. Abgar Hovakimian, Vicar of the Diocese of Syunik, defended
his doctoral thesis entitled “St. Dionysius the Areopagite in
Armenian Bibliography”.

Rev. Fr. Mkrtich Proshian, Dean of the Vaskenian Seminary of Lake
Sevan, defended his doctoral thesis entitled “An Analysis of Feminist
Sotierology”.

Rev. Fr. Hovakim Manukian, Office Director of the Department of
Inter-Church Relations, defended his doctoral thesis entitled
“Ecumenism in the Twentieth Century and the Armenian Church”.

Rev. Fr. Sahak Mashalian from the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Faith and
Miracle”.

The examination committee was comprised of His Grace Bishop Yeznik
Petrosian (Chairman); His Grace Bishop Mikayel Ajapahian, Primate of
the Diocese of Shirak; and His Grace Bishop Arshak Khatchatrian,
Chancellor of the Mother See.

Following each candidate’s presentation and question and answer
period, the committee determined that all four presentations were
acceptable and deemed the priests worthy to be granted the rank of
“Vardapet” (Archimandrite).

On Saturday, April 23, in the Church of St. Mesrop Mashtots in
Oshakan, His Grace Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, bestowed the rank of
Vardapet on the three members of the Brotherhood of Holy
Etchmiadzin. The priests recommitted themselves to the service of the
Armenian people and Holy Church by taking an oath near the tomb of the
“Great Teacher” St. Mesrop, whereupon they received their doctoral
staffs.

Rev. Fr. Mashalian will be granted his doctoral staff in the month of
June.