Page 58 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

Hierarchy and Decision-making
59
pahapan). A clergyman, when departing from
a home or gathering, says, "stay in peace"
(mnac‘ēk‘ xałałut‘emb).
The clergy receive their basic theological
education and ministerial formation at semi-
naries. The Holy See of St. Etchmiadzin
operates two seminaries in Armenia, one in
St. Etchmiadzin and one in Sevan; the Holy
See of Cilicia operates a seminary in Bikfaya,
and a school for the training of married
clergy in Antelias, Lebanon; the Armenian
Patriarchate of Jerusalem runs a seminary
in Jerusalem. The seminary of the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople was closed
by the Turkish government in 1971. Besides
general knowledge, these theological semi-
naries provide basic courses on armenology
and theology. A great number of clergy
pursue their higher theological education at
universities and theological schools in the
Middle East, Europe, and North America.
Decision-Making Structures
From the early period of the formation of
the Armenian Church, the laity has partici-
pated in all aspects of its activities, including
the election of bishops and catholicoi and
decisions pertaining to theological, canoni-
cal, jurisdictional, and administrative mat-
ters. At the start, this participation did not
follow a precise rule. The administrative,