St. Nersess Armenian Seminary is blessed with a vibrant network of alumni — clergy and lay ministers — who faithfully serve the Armenian Church with love and humility North America and abroad.

To recognize their devoted service, the seminary will host a gala banquet on Saturday, November 22, 2025, celebrating the vocations of three bishops, seven priests, a deacon, and a lay minister, all of whom received their education at St. Nersess.

This event marks the third in a special series of tributes highlighting alumni who serve the Armenian Church in diverse roles. The first “12 Vocations” celebration was held in November 2021, with a second following in 2023. This year, the theme continues with “12 Vocations: Variety of Gifts - One Spirit,” inspired by 1 Corinthians 12:4-6: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.”

The gala will take place at Macaluso’s in Hawthorne, New Jersey, beginning with a cocktail hour at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and a celebratory program filled with reflections, tributes, and special recognitions. His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese and President of the St. Nersess Board of Directors, will preside.

Honorees (listed by ordination or graduation year) include:

Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian  (ordained 1990); Bishop Nareg Berberian (ordained 1992); Bishop Daniel Findikyan (ordained 1997); Fr. Vartan Joulfayan (ordained 1998); Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatian (ordained 2010); Fr. Ghevond Ajamian (ordained 2013); Fr. Samuel Rith-Najarian (ordained 2014); Fr. Yeghishe Ksachikyan (ordained 2015); Fr. Avedis Kalayjian (ordained 2016); Fr. Armash Bagdasarian (ordained 2016); Dn. Rubik Mailian (graduated 1998); Maria Derderian (graduated 2007).     

The evening will also feature a special presentation by Dottie Bengoian, a beloved educator, motivational speaker, and humorist. Her talk, “God’s Gift: Humor and Hope,” will blend Armenian humor with inspirational storytelling in English.

Invitations will be mailed in September, and information on how to include a message to the honorees in a commemorative keepsake booklet will be shared in August. All proceeds from the event will support the ongoing mission of St. Nersess Seminary.

For more information, please contact event co-chair Lynn Beylerian at lynnbeylerian@gmail.com or (201) 914-0354. Details will also be available at www.stnersess.edu

Caption: 12 Vocations Gala - November 4, 2023