Fall Semester Welcomes Four New Students
The 2025–26 academic year is underway at both St. Nersess Armenian Seminary and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. “We are happy to welcome back our three full-time students and four new students who are studying for service in the Armenian Church,” shared Fr. Mardiros Chevian, Dean.
This fall, the Seminary welcomes Dn. Armen Bandikian, Dn. Thomas Toghramadjian, Dn. Sargis Ginosyan, and Sdn. Serge Demirbacak, who join returning Master of Divinity students Dn. Karo Boyadzhyan, Dn. Arin Parsanian, and Sdn. Shane Janian. We also have four hybrid part-time students, all preparing for ministry in the Church.
Dn. Armen Bandikian, raised in New York City and active at St. Vartan Cathedral in Manhattan, holds a degree in Information Systems and Finance from Stony Brook University. “At the heart of our Armenian identity lies the Christian faith — the timeless flame nurtured within the walls of our ancient Church,” he shared.
Dn. Thomas Toghramadjian, from Minnesota, earned degrees from Boston College and Yerevan State University, where he completed a master’s in Modern Armenian Literature and served as a deacon in both Yerevan and Stepanavan. “I pray that each of us will prove worthy of your trust, answering the call to a lifetime of service to Christ and the Armenian nation,” he reflected.
Dn. Sargis Ginosyan, originally from Armenia, studied at the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in theology and served for eight years. “The Armenian Church has shaped who I am, and it is a true blessing to serve in her ministry,” he shared.
Sdn. Serge Demirbacak, from Hoofddorp in the Netherlands, has served at Soorp Hoki Armenian Church in Amsterdam. He holds degrees in Education, Child Psychology, and a master’s in Forensic Family Child Psychology from Leiden University. “For me, the Seminary is not only a place of study, but a path of devotion where faith, tradition, and service come together,” he expressed.
We joyfully welcome all our new and returning seminarians as they study and prepare for service in the Armenian Church.
Hokehankisd was held at the start of semester for Abp Tiran Nersoyan, founder and first dean, and Mr. Haig Didizian, grand benefactor of Armonk campus.
