Abraham Terian (born 1942) is a renowned Armenian theologian, scholar, and translator who is widely recognized as a leading expert in Classical Armenian, Patristics, and Hellenistic Judaism. Born in Jaffa and raised within the historic Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem, his early life was deeply immersed in the liturgical and musical traditions of the Cathedral of St. James, which heavily inspired his lifelong dedication to ancient texts. After earning his Doctorate in Theology from the University of Basel in Switzerland, he spent decades in academia, most notably serving as the Academic Dean and Professor of Armenian Theology and Patristics at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New York from 1997 until his retirement in 2008. Terian is highly celebrated for his masterful English translations and critical annotations of early Christian and medieval Armenian literature—including works by Philo of Alexandria and the monumental prayers of St. Gregory of Narek—acting as a vital academic bridge that brings the treasures of ancient Armenian thought to modern global readers.
