Members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) are awarding the Order of Saint Romanos to St. Vladimir’s Seminary Alumnus Kenneth J. Kovach. The Order of St. Romanos recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to the field of liturgical music in the Orthodox Church in America and beyond.
The Holy Synod awarded Kovach along with two other noted liturgical musicians during their Spring Session in April. He will receive the Order of Saint Romanos on Sunday, September 2, 2018 at Saint Theodosius Cathedral, Cleveland, OH, where he has been choir master for 47 years.
Prior to serving the cathedral, Kovach was choir master at Saint John the Baptist Church, Warren, OH. He has been recognized as an “exemplary ambassador” for the Orthodox Church in America and Orthodox Christianity in general. Kovach is especially known for increasing public awareness of Orthodox Christianity through scores of public liturgical music concerts and presentations and a wide range of civic and cultural activities. He graduated from St. Vladimir’s Seminary with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in 1969, and is also a graduate of Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, PA, Saint Sergius Theological Academy in Paris, France, and the Ecumenical Institute in Geneva, Switzerland. He also holds a Masters degree in Sociology from Case Western Reserve University, and he completed course work for a Doctoral degree in Sociology.
Established by the Holy Synod of Bishops in 2014 under the patronage of Saint Romanos the Melodist, the Order is awarded to influential arrangers, composers, teachers, and conductors. Past recipients include Archimandrite Roman [Braga], Archpriest Sergei Glagolev, Archpriest Igor Soroka, Prof. Dr. David Drillock, Dr. Vladimir Morosan, Aleksei V. Shipovalnikov, Walter Shymansky and John Sutko.
Sections of this article are reprinted from OCA.org
Update
September 9, 2018
Kenneth J. Kovach was presented the Order of Saint Romanos on Sunday, September 2, 2018 at Saint Theodosius Cathedral, Cleveland, OH. Presenting the award was His Grace, Bishop Paul of Chicago and the Midwest, who celebrated the day’s Divine Liturgy with Archpriest John Zdinak, Dean, and the cathedral’s clergy.
