Clergy Profile

Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian

St. Nersess Armenian Seminary

Born with the baptismal name Michael in 1951 in Providence, RI, to Tateos and Rose Chevian, Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian became involved with the Armenian Church at a young age, serving at the altar of his home parish of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Armenian Church.

A graduate of Barrington College in Rhode Island with a degree in social sciences, Fr. Mardiros began his studies at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary as a St. Nersess student in 1973, and received a Master of Divinity degree in May 1976. As part of his training, he took part in a three-month Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program in pastoral care and counseling at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MA.

Shortly after his graduation from St. Vladimir's and St. Nersess, Fr. Mardiros was ordained as a deacon by Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, then-Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). Over the next two years, he studied and taught at the seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia.

He returned to the United States in 1978, serving three years as deacon-in-charge of St. Gregory Church in Waukegan, IL. In 1981, Fr. Mardiros was asked by Archbishop Manoogian to play a leadership role in the reopening of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary at its new location in New Rochelle, NY.

As the director of recruitment and vocation programs for the seminary, Fr. Mardiros became instrumental in attracting young Armenian men to the priesthood and in developing the curriculum and programming for the seminary.

Following his priestly ordination in 1985, Fr. Mardiros continued to serve as the rector of St. Nersess Seminary while taking graduate courses in education at Fordham University. In 1991, he was asked by Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian to devote his talents to the task of establishing a Department of Youth Ministry at the Diocese. This became the foundation for the department, which is known today as the Department of Youth and Education and the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries.

Fr. Mardiros was named dean of St. Vartan Cathedral in 1994. At the cathedral, he spearheaded a number of initiatives, including programs to attract members to the cathedral parish, and an outreach effort to assist new immigrants from Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In November 2012, Fr. Mardiros returned to St. Nersess Seminary to serve as its dean, which he continues to serve as today.

Fr. Mardiros and Yn. Diane—formerly Diane Vidian of Racine, WI—have two children, Alexandra and Kristina.