The beginning of the functioning of the school of the Armenian Catholicosate in the Armenian language went together with the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots in the beginning of the 5th century. The mother school founded by Mesrop Mashtots in Vagharshapat at that time was the first Armenian school that prepared teachers, preachers, translators, interpreters, and highly-qualified scribes. Despite the movement of the capital of Armenia and the throne of the Catholicos, the activity of this school did not cease – it also moved along with the throne and functioned continuously. The Armenian catholicoses from the 7th to the 10th centuries, as well as Hovhan Mayravanetsi and Stepanos Siunetsi were graduates of the school of the Catholicosate in Dvin. Thanks to the efforts of the Catholicos Anania Mokatsi, this school continued its activities also in Argina in the 10th century. In the 11th century, among the pupils of the famous teacher Grigor Vkayaser of the Catholicosate school in the Shoughri Karmir monastery in Cilicia were the brothers Grigor and Nerses Pahlavouni (afterwards the catholicoses Grigor III and Nerses Klayetzi), as well as the interpreters Barsegh, Sargis, and Ignatios, who later became celebrated writers bearing the nickname “Shnorhali” (“Filled with Grace”). In the 11th century, Nerses Shnorhali wrote his famous exegeses and other pedagogical works for the Catholicosate school that had moved to Hromkla. His students Grigor Tgha and Nerses Lambronatsi continued the activity of the school. In the 12th century, the Catholicosate school was in the capital of the Cilician Armenian kingdom, Sis, where noted theologians Sosthenes, Sargis Rabouni, and Hovhannes taught.

After the reestablishment of the throne in Holy Etchmiadzin in 1441, Daniel the monk graduated from the school in Etchmiadzin. The first manuscript commissioned by him is still extant – the lectionary of the priest Grigor, dating to 1450.

The 17th century saw Voskan Yerevantsi, Simeon Joughayetsi, and Arakel Davrijetsi as the most celebrated pupils of the Catholicosate school under Philippos Aghbaketsi. Ninety manuscripts copied in this period by the pupils of that school and members of the brotherhood of the Mother See have survived.

In the beginning of the 18th century, this school received the title, “Jarangavorats” (“Seminary”). The celebrated Catholicos Simeon Yerevantsi was a graduate and afterwards a teacher of this school. The noted bishops Minas, Isahak, Philipos, and Ghounkianos Gragir as well as Hovsep Arghoutian and the catholicoses Daniel and Davit were among his pupils in this school.

The works of the pupils and teachers throughout the centuries of the Catholicosate school have played great roles in resolving issues within the Armenian Church. They continue to bear significant value.