Vaskenian Theological Academy

Vaskenian Theological Academy
Surp Hakob (Saint James) Chapel of Vaskenian Theological Academy
Basic information
Location	Sevan peninsula, Lake Sevan, Armenia
Geographic coordinates	40°33′54″N 45°00′39″E / 40.565130°N 45.010761°E / 40.565130; 45.010761Coordinates: 40°33′54″N 45°00′39″E / 40.565130°N 45.010761°E / 40.565130; 45.010761
Affiliation	Armenian Apostolic Church
Country	Armenia
Status	Active
Architectural description
Architectural style	Armenian
Completed	1990

Vaskenian Theological Academy (also Vazgenian, Vazgenyan, Vazgenian Seminary), is a theological academy of the Armenian Apostolic Church on the Sevan peninsula on the shores of Lake Sevan in Armenia. It operates under the direct supervision of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Vaskenian Theological Academy of Sevan was re-established in 1990 on the picturesque peninsula of Lake Sevan. The Academy was opened during the Pontificate and with the blessings of Catholicos Vasken I, and by the direct initiative of Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, who was then the Vicar of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese. As the re-opening of the Academy was encouraged and approved by Vasken I, it was decided in 1994 by Supreme Patriarch Karekin I that the Academy should be renamed the Vaskenian Theological Academy in honor of Vasken I.

During the first stages of its existence the Academy was housed in the ancillary building that was constructed in 1897 by Catholicos Mkrtich Khrimian (1892-1907) as a building of the Seminary. However, it was never used for that purpose. In the early 1990s it served both as classrooms and a dormitory building for the students of the Seminary, and a portion of the building was made into a dining room. As the seminary grew, the Seminary property was extended and a stone building was added, to be used as classroom. The original building was converted to a complete dormitory. In addition to the two buildings, the complex encompasses two Churches that are on the Sevan peninsula adjacent to the seminary, the St. Karapet and St. Arakelots Churches, which serve as the heart of the Sevan Seminary.

During the course of its history the Vaskenian Seminary, which was always headed and supervised by the Catholicos, had several Deans. Khoren Martirossian (1990-1991), Sasoun Vardanian (1992-1995), Archimandrite Arakel Karamian (later Archbishop) (1995-1996), Minas Martirossian (1996-2000), Bagrat Galstanian (later Archbishop) (2000-2003), Garegin Haroutjunnian (2003-2004), and Mkrtich Proshian (from 2004).