Vardapet

A vardapet or vartabed (Armenian: վարդապետ, Armenian pronunciation: [vɑɾtʰɑˈbɛd] in Western Armenian or [vaɾda'pεt] in Eastern Armenian) is a highly educated archimandrite in the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church traditions who holds a Doctorate in Theology. Members of this order of ecclesiastics frequently have charge of dioceses, with episcopal functions.

In the English-speaking world, one of the best known of the doctor-monks of Armenia is Mekhitar of Sebaste, founder of an Armenian Catholic community of monks, the Mechitarists.

Tsayraguyn vardapet (Armenian: ծայրագույն վարդապետ), on the other hand, is the rank of supreme doctor of Christian dogma in the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church. It is bestowed upon a vardapet, a pastor, who has shown outstanding educational and leadership qualities.

References
  • Pope John Paul II (2001-07-03). Address of John Paul II to the Mechitarist Order on the third centenary of their founding (Speech). Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  • The dictionary definition of vardapet at Wiktionary
  • The dictionary definition of վարդապետ at Wiktionary

See also


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