TO DISCOVER THE UNKNOWN PAGES OF THE HISTORY OF THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

- Mr. Ghuschyan, how many years have you been at this faculty?

- A year before the foundation of the faculty I was invited by the Chair of Religions as a postgraduate, later, together with His Holiness Shahe we founded the Faculty f Theology. During the first year the faculty accepted 25 students (today many of them are the lecturers of the faculty), since the second year we have had 70-75 entrants.

The faculty was opened on September 15 or 16 of 1995. The lectures were delivered in 2-3 rooms allotted to us at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, and two weeks later we moved to our today’s campus, so called “Black building”. We became the first faculty of that building after its reopening.

-What is the most remembered day of the faculty?

- The foundation itself was the most remembered as it was a unique situation for the former Soviet counties. The faculty was opened on the agreement of the President and the All Armenian Catholocos as a result of lots of disputes at YSU Rectorate, as there was a communist thinking and the Faculty of Theology was not perceived ambiguously.

The first years of the faculty were the most unforgettable. We put lots of efforts into its foundation.

- Who was present at the opening event?

- All Armenian Catholicos Garegin I, the RA President, NA President, the Prime Minister, almost all top officials.

-What was the students’ reaction when you entered the auditorium dressed in soutane?

- They met me with interest, gave numerous questions, particularly when they learnt that I was a YSU alumnus.

- What made you go to Etchmiadzin seminary?

-I had a personal reason.
The students of the Faculty of Theology are a family which experienced many unforgettable times together: pilgrimages, travels, assemblies, even baptizing of students.

- What job opportunities does a student of this faculty have?

- They are prepared to teach History of Armenian Church subject at schools, or History of Religions at universities. No matter what profession we choose, we should know the role of Armenian church in our history. We should always remember the fact of our being the first Christian country.
Many of our students work at the Matenadaran, cooperate with the educational center of Mother See.