Annual Orientation Retreat

The seminary held its annual orientation retreat over the weekend of September13-15 at the Ararat Center in Greenville, NY. This year, Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, pastor of St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet and a seminary alumnus, led the retreat with Professor Roberta Ervine. The theme this year was “Avant” (Inheritance), where students and faculty alike were challenged and invited to use pictures, rather than words, to think about ourselves and all that we have inherited.

Students in attendance were Dn. Arman Shirikyan, Dn. Arin Parsanyan, Dn. Zareh Mirzayan, Dn. Karo Boyadzhyan, and Shane Janian. The Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean, and Dr. Ani Shahinian, Assistant Professor of the Grace & Paul Shahinian Lectureship in Armenian Christian Art & Culture, were also in attendance.

Fr. Mardiros led daily services and spoke to the students about seminary life. He expressed his delight and joy in this year’s robust student body. On Saturday, the seminary family enjoyed apple picking at a local orchard and in the evening the retreatants gathered around a campfire to enjoy fellowship. Dr. Ani Shahinian also presented a session during the retreat..

The retreat concluded with Divine Liturgy at St. Peter Armenian Church on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, where Fr. Stepanos and members of the parish welcomed back the orientation group. Seminarians began their service by harvesting basil from the parish garden for the day’s celebration. Dn. Zareh Mirzayan offered the spiritual message in Armenian and Dn. Karo Boyadzhyan offered the spiritual message in English, while the other students served on the altar and Shane Janian spoke with the Sunday School students. Following services, Fr. Stepanos joined the seminarians at the parish barbeque.