Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
INAU GURATION OF THE SEMINARY’S 77TH ACADEMIC YEAR
"THE SEMINARY IS THE STRUCTURE
OF FORMING TRUE MEN"
Says His Holiness ARAM I
The 77th academic year of the Antelias Seminary was launched on October 15
in Antelias with an official ceremony following the service on the Feast of
Holy Translators.
His Holiness Aram I presided over the service. Holy Mass was conducted by
Seminary Dean V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian who talked about the mission of
the Seminary in the service of the Armenian Church and nation.
After the service, a procession of the Cilician Brotherhood and the Seminary
students marched towards the Veharan where the Pontiff presided over the
inauguration ceremony.
Speaking on behalf of the Seminary’s administration, V. Rev. Fr. Panossian
expressed his gratitude to His Holiness for trusting him with the important
responsibility of the Seminary’s Dean. He briefly talked about the new
academic curriculum and the current situation of the staff and teachers. The
Dean also touched on the high expectations of the Armenians from the
Antelias Seminary.
The Pontiff announced the official start of the new academic year at the
Seminary with his Pontifical blessings. Drawing on images from the Bible, he
spoke about the importance of dedication and quality in the Seminary
students.
"The Seminary forms such people who will completely dedicate themselves to
our nation and church. The Bible says that a healthy tree bears healthy
fruits. The fruits testify that the tree is healthy and vice versa. The
Seminary is a tree, nurtured in the garden of life of our church; a tree,
which, during the past 76 years, bore a lot of fruits and our nation witness
ed the healthy fruits of that healthy tree. However, there were also bad
fruits that feel from the tree so it can remain healthy and continue giving
healthy fruits, because our Antelias Seminary is the structure of forming
true men, said His Holiness Aram I.
The program of the ceremony also featured the performance of hymns and
readings from the Bible and Nareg.
At the end of the ceremony, the new and old Seminary students and their
parents received the Pontiff’s blessings by kissing his right hand. The
choir sang "Der Getso", "Cilicia" and "I Veh Partsants".
Classes at the Seminary of the Catholicosate started Monday morning in
Bikfaya.
##
View photos here:
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Theological
Seminary of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.