Spiritual universities – replenished: six applicants enter Gevorkian Seminary

YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. 6 applicants succeeded in passing the first phase entrance examinations to enter the Gevorkian Seminary. Deacon Vahan Sahakyan, Department of Public Relations and Propaganda of Gevorkian Seminary, informed that the first phase of examinations of spiritual and educational institutions of in Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is completed and second is about to begin. Deacon Vahan Sahakyan mentioned in his interview to Armenpress that currently there are 36 applicants to enter the Seminary.

Officially the Gevorkian Theological Seminary is a theological university of the Armenian Apostolic Church founded as a seminary by CatholicosGevork IV in 1874. It is located in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) within the complex of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia. In 2001-2002, the Gevorkian Theological Seminary acquired the status of an "institution of higher religious education", and consequently granted the status of a theological university by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Armenia. The seminary is operating as a theological university since 2003, becoming the oldest higher education institution in the modern history of Armenia.

During the tenure of Catholicos Gevork IV (1866–1884), he called for the creation of a theological school at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to meet the educational needs of the clergy. In the summer of 1872 he called upon Archimandrites Gevork Surenian, Vahan Bastanian, Vahram Mankuni and Aristakes Sedrakian to facilitate the re-establishment of the historic school. It was decided to open a new seminary.