ST. NERSESS ARMENIAN SEMINARY
Ս. ՆԵՐՍԷՍ ԸՆԾԱՅԱՐԱՆ
Preparing Leaders for Service in the Armenian Church since 1961
Dean Travels to the Western Diocese

At the invitation of Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese and Vice President of the St. Nersess Board of Directors, Fr. Mardiros Chevian is in California this week to lead a one-day Deacons Workshop for altar servers on Saturday, December 18. It will be held at the diocesan headquarters in Burbank, CA.

During his visit, Fr. Mardiros will also join an ACYO project and attend the annual ACYO Christmas Fellowship hosted by Hovnan Srpazan. On Sunday, he will participate in church services at St. Leon Armenian Cathedral and attend a special recognition honoring Dn. Dr. Hrair Dekmejian, who originally hails from the East Coast.

Fr. Mardiros will also have the opportunity to meet with two new candidates who plan to apply to St. Nersess Seminary this coming year.
Fall Semester Concludes

On Saturday, December 11, the seminary concluded its fall semester with a celebration of Holy Badarak. Fr. Haroutiun Sabounjian, a 2018 seminary graduate and pastor of the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, New Britain, CT, was the guest celebrant.

Fr. Nigoghos Aznavourian, a 2020 seminary graduate and pastor of St. Mark Armenian Church, Springfield, MA, offered the homily in which he stated, “When we are seminarians, we learn how to climb a mountain; and when we graduate, we ask for God's wisdom and guidance to lead our flock to Christ.
He then compared that climb to St. James of Nisibis (St. Hagop), who climbed Mount Ararat in search of a relic of Noah's Ark and when he found it, he returned to his people and preached the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The chapel, which was given in memory of Hagop & Khengaper Didizian, was consecrated and named St. James of Nisibis (Ս. Յակոբ Մծբնայ Հայրապետ) by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, on November 12, 2016.

Also in attendance were Fr. Karekin Kasparian, Dn. Alexander Calikyan and Dn. Johnny Chadoyan, both 2019 seminary graduates, and other members of the seminary community.
During the Badarak, everyone was given a candle to light in front of the icon of St. James, which hangs in the chapel. 

Following the services, a festive luncheon was enjoyed by all in attendance. During the lunch, the group celebrated and sang “Happy Birthday” to Professor Roberta Ervine. Fr. Mardiros Chevian thanked the two alumni priests for their participation that morning and commended their dedicated work to the church.
The day before, on Friday, December 10, the seminarians enjoyed their customary Christmas outing, this time a visit to the New York Botanical Garden to see the Holiday Train Show. The group had the opportunity to explore the grounds and enjoy the natural beauty of the exhibit. The excursion was followed by a delicious dinner at Badageoni Georgian Kitchen in Mount Kisco, NY.
Continuing Education in Pastoral Ministry

On Friday, December 3, St. Nersess Seminary hosted the latest in its series of day-long learning and sharing opportunities for clergy, lay ministers and seminarians. The day was a particularly intense experience for attendees and presenters alike, as it dealt with aspects of “Pastoral Ministry in Times of Suicide or Sudden Death.” 

In the morning, Dr. Chuck Slagen laid the groundwork for the day with his presentation on the complexities of mandated reporting and survivor guilt. Fr. Kapriel Mouradjian then offered a training session in the QPR method of suicide recognition and prevention. In the afternoon, Dn. Yervant Kutchukian spoke on pastoral companioning in the immediate aftermath of a sudden death, while Fr. Yeprem Kelegian closed out the day by drawing attention to sensitive pastoral considerations in planning the funeral, and the importance of post-funeral follow-up. 

All sessions were recorded, and will be available on the website soon for all to watch at their convenience.
New Book Available by St. Nersess Alumnus
 
Dn. Ryan Ezras Tellalian, a 2009 seminary graduate, spent several months in Artsakh and Armenia as a photographer during and after the 2020 war. 
 
His new book, Humanity During War, brings together photographs from that period in a powerful documentary format. Deceptively simple and intimate in style, the photographs showcase ordinary life as lived under extraordinary circumstances, with dignity, faith and resourcefulness. The book is available for viewing and purchase by clicking here.
 
*Photo caption: “Rejoice, Holy Church” – wartime wedding in Shushi’s Ghazanchetsots Cathedral by Ezras Tellalian, Humanity During War, 2020.