Continuing Education within the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church constitutes a dynamic and multi-faceted ministry, functioning both as the foundation of Christian formation and as a strategic framework for lifelong learning. Within the broader Christian tradition, education occupies a place of critical importance, serving as the primary means by which the Armenian Church cultivates discipleship, preserves doctrinal integrity, and ensures the transmission of faith across generations. The programs, initiatives, and activities outlined below exemplify the Diocese’s commitment to education at every stage of life and within the important spheres of church engagement. This secures the rootedness of the Armenian faithful in their Christian faith, Armenian heritage, and ecclesial traditions.
The Sunday School of the Western Diocese—held regularly on Sundays in more than XX parishes—serves as a core ministry of the church. It nurtures the spiritual growth and faith formation of children and youth with a strong foundation in Scripture, liturgy, and the traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Beyond education, the Sunday School cultivates a sense of community, belonging, and moral responsibility, shaping young people to become active participants in the life of the Church.
The Christian Education Council (CEC) provides a unified program for all parish Sunday schools. Under the leadership of the Diocesan Primate, a six-year curriculum was developed and published in 2022. The program offers systematic and rigorous instruction based on the sacred teachings and traditions of the Armenian Church. It upholds the Faith of the Armenian Apostolic Church and cautions students about extraneous influences.
The Diocese organizes regular training sessions and develops curricula for teachers, underscoring the conviction that those who serve in these schools play a vital role in safeguarding the moral and spiritual treasures of the Armenian people.
Saturday Schools form a cornerstone of Armenian language and cultural education throughout the Diocese. In the 2025–2026 school year, the curriculum incorporates classes on the Armenian Church to strengthen the connection between language, culture, and faith.
The education mission of the Diocese expands further with day schools. The Hovsepian School in Pasadena, founded in 1984 at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, has long been a sought-after Armenian school for the community. It continues to thrive under the care of the Diocese and the parish, preserving the Armenian language and faith for new generations.
Recognizing the growing needs of the wider Los Angeles community, the Diocese will establish a new Armenian day school in Glendale. The building is currently under construction. These two schools will anchor Armenian identity in these flourishing communities.
This youth organization is one of the longest running and important programs of the Diocese, founding nearly 80 years ago. In recent years ACYO is experiencing a renaissance within the Diocese. Its diverse programming includes pilgrimages, charitable initiatives, spiritual discussions with clergy, and sports events. A growing number of youth actively participate in prayer gatherings and faith-based discussions, ensuring that young people remain integral to the life of the Church.
The Diocese hosts youth programs, retreats, and a variety of activities at the Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian Camp, a 160-acre property in Dunlap, California, just outside Kings Canyon National Park. Nestled at an elevation of 4,400 feet, the camp offers a peaceful and scenic environment ideal for reflection, fellowship, and community building.
Each summer, the program welcomes young campers for four one-week sessions, giving Armenian youth the opportunity to learn, grow, and connect in a supportive and natural setting.
The camp’s roots trace back to 1964, when it began as the Summer Religious Study Conference with only 32 participants at Dinky Creek in the Sierra Mountains. Today more than 500 youth annually take part in the programs.
Recognizing the vital importance of identifying and preparing future clergy, the Diocese places particular emphasis on the recruitment of qualified candidates who demonstrate both spiritual vocation and pastoral potential. Through outreach and discernment programs, the Diocese seeks individuals capable of sustaining the Church’s mission and providing generational leadership within the Armenian community. Preparatory courses are offered to guide candidates in discerning their call to ordained priesthood and to provide a foundation for advanced seminary studies. This structured formation ensures that future priests are not only well-equipped academically and spiritually but also prepared to shepherd their communities with faithfulness, integrity, and enduring pastoral competence.
The Diocese conducts annual week-long formation programs for newly ordained deacons and altar servers. Convened at the Diocesan Camp, these programs provide systematic instruction in liturgical practices, while fostering the participants’ spiritual development and deepening their vocational commitment. Through a combination of practical training, guided reflection, and mentorship, these sessions prepare participants to undertake their ministerial responsibilities with competence and devotion.
Building on this foundation, the new Altar Servers Leadership Program, launched in June 2025, is designed for the benefit of over 250 deacons and altar servers within the Western Diocese. The program aims to deepen participants’ theological understanding, enhance pastoral competencies, and refine liturgical practice. By fortifying their formation, it equips these emerging leaders to uphold the sacred traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church and develop their leadership in pastoral ministries of the parishes across the Diocese.
Launched in May 2024, the Lay Ministry Program builds on the ongoing educational series in Christianity and Armenian Church studies. Designed to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the Faith, it also equips them for future teaching and ministerial roles. Over the course of the year, learners progress through structured modules before moving into a second phase of specialized study under guided mentorship.
The growth of lay ministry carries special significance for the Western Diocese. In an era when parishes face increasing demands and clergy often serve multiple communities, trained and committed lay leaders would provide vital support in sustaining parish life. Lay ministers can assist in teaching, outreach, liturgical preparation, and community-building, ensuring that the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Armenian Church continues to flourish.
In February 2025, the Diocese launched the Parish Leadership Training Program, designed for parish council members, diocesan delegates, and committee executives. Through bi-monthly educational lectures and seminars, participants engage deeply with the faith, traditions, and mission of the Armenian Church—as well as practical parish and pastoral issues. By equipping parish leaders with both knowledge and vision, the program aims to strength the capacity of local communities to serve their congregations effectively.
Recognizing that vibrant parishes are essential to the life of the communities in the Diocese, the Innovating Our Parish initiative was launched in 2024 to revitalize parish life and foster fellowship and cultural vitality. Through regional gatherings in Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, parish leaders collaborate to share ideas, explore new strategies, and reimagine how their churches can more fully serve their communities. Complementing these gatherings, a practical guidebook provides tools to support faith formation, encourage youth engagement, and promote cultural enrichment.
Since 2006, the Diocese offers comprehensive Bible Study programs, reaching thousands of faithful across parishes and online platforms. These programs not only bring Scripture to life but also serve as a cornerstone for lifelong faith formation. They provide parishioners and wider community members with structured presentations to deepen their understanding of God’s Word. The Diocese aims to fosters both individual spiritual growth and collective engagement through the study of the Scriptures.
Weekly Faith Formation Courses
Since 2012, the Diocese has offered weekly courses examining the fundamental principles of the Armenian faith. Leveraging modern audiovisual technologies, these courses are recorded and widely disseminated, providing systematic faith instruction that is accessible to a broad and diverse audience. Through this approach, the Diocese ensures consistent theological education while engaging parishioners in meaningful study of their spiritual heritage. Evolving from the Christian Study Courses, the “Disciple’s Mission” (Առաքելոց Լսարան) initiative extends educational efforts beyond Los Angeles, bringing teaching, prayer, and fellowship to Armenian Church communities throughout the Western Diocese. Since its inception in 2012, nearly twenty parishes and missions have hosted these programs.
Diocesan Summer Camp Retreats: Since 2013, the Diocese hosts three-day retreats at the Diocesan camp, offering participants opportunities for in-depth study, communal prayer, and spiritual fellowship. These retreats exemplify the biblical principle of koinonia, fostering unity and shared growth in faith.
ACYOA Retreat: Annual retreats are organized for members of the Armenian Church Youth Organization, offering young people an opportunity to step away from daily routines and deepen their faith in a prayerful environment. Through worship, fellowship, and engaging discussions, participants strengthen their spiritual foundations while building lasting friendships rooted in shared values. These gatherings nurture the next generation of leaders.
Women’s Retreats are held annually, frequently held at a retreat site in Malibu. They provide a space and time for a prayerful and reflective experience for women—to come together and deepen their spiritual lives through liturgy, guided prayer, and conversations with pastors.
Since 2003, the Diocese has published over 500 titles, including more than 100 authored by the Primate, along with numerous booklets, study guides, and educational resources. These publications play a vital role in supporting spiritual education, providing parishioners of all ages with accessible and systematic materials for deepening their understanding of the Armenian faith.
Among these resources, the three-volume textbooks for Sunday Schools—available in both Eastern and Western Armenian—serve as foundational tools for parish-based education, ensuring consistent theological instruction across the Diocese. Landmark publications, such as the modern Armenian translation of Urbatagirk, the 1512 first ever printed Armenian book, further connect contemporary readers with the rich heritage of Armenian Christian literature. Through these efforts, the Diocese not only preserves and transmits sacred knowledge but also fosters a culture of lifelong learning, enabling the faithful to engage more deeply with Scripture, liturgy, and tradition.
Launched in 2019, the Voskeghenik series is a scholarly initiative dedicated to translating rare and classical Armenian spiritual texts into modern Armenian, thereby making these works accessible to contemporary readers. To date, six volumes have been published, with additional volumes in preparation, reflecting the Diocese’s ongoing commitment to preserving and disseminating the intellectual and spiritual heritage of Armenian Christianity. By bridging historical scholarship and modern readership, the series fosters both deeper understanding and active engagement with the Church’s rich theological tradition.
Opened in 2005 by His Holiness Karekin II, the library now holds over 15,000 volumes, including rare books, manuscripts, and illuminated miniatures. With a unique collection for Armenian studies in the Diaspora, the Library serves as an essential resource for both scholarly research and parish-based education—including educators, clergy, and laypersons.
Established in 2013, the Archbishop Hovnan Derderian Scholarship Fund represents a cornerstone of the Diocese’s mission in education. Grounded in the conviction that every Armenian child deserves an Armenian education, the fund has provided sustained support to numerous students in the Los Angeles area, particularly those from families with financial need. In just over a decade, it has evolved into a permanent foundation, serving as a vital instrument in safeguarding access to Armenian schools.
In 2024, the establishment of the Friends of Yerevan State University Foundation at the Diocesan headquarters marked a new level of institutional cooperation between the Diocese and Armenia’s leading university. In response to the displacement of the people of Artsakh in 2023, the Diocese, in partnership with YSU, extended direct tuition support to hundreds of displaced students. This timely intervention ensured that young people from Artsakh were able to pursue their higher education without interruption.
Since 2019, the Western Diocese has been recognized as one of the “100 Pillars of AUA,” contributing to the strengthening of the American University of Armenia through strategic investments in its programs, faculty, and infrastructure. These contributions underscore the Diocese’s commitment to ensuring that Armenia’s most talented students are afforded access to world-class academic opportunities.
Through its partnership with the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST), the Diocese has demonstrated its dedication to advancing innovation and research in Armenia. By supporting students from Armenia and the Diaspora engaged in pioneering STEM initiatives, the Diocese has aligned itself with the nation’s long-term innovation agenda, with a particular focus on the training of specialists in artificial intelligence and related fields.
In 2012, with the generous patronage of Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian, the Diocese undertook the full restoration of the Harichavank Monastic Seminary. Today, this historic complex serves as a center of theological formation for seminarians preparing for service in the Armenian Church. The seminary continues to receive the personal attention of Archbishop Derderian, who regularly visits the institution during his pastoral journeys to Armenia.
