Vardapet

A vardapet or vartabed (Armenian: Õ¾Õ¡Ö€Õ¤Õ¡ÕºÕ¥Õ¿, Armenian pronunciation: [vɑɾtʰɑˈpÉ›t]) is a highly educated archimandrite in the Armenian Apostolic Church tradition 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: Õ®Õ¡ÕµÖ€Õ¡Õ£Õ¸Ö‚ÕµÕ¶ Õ¾Õ¡Ö€Õ¤Õ¡ÕºÕ¥Õ¿), on the other hand, is the rank of supreme doctor of Christian dogma in the Armenian Apostolic 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 Õ¾Õ¡Ö€Õ¤Õ¡ÕºÕ¥Õ¿ at Wiktionary

See also

• Gregory the Illuminator, Apostle of Armenia
• Mesrop Mashtots
• Komitas Vardapet
• Oriental Orthodoxy
• Christian monasticism