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The Rt. Rev. Alexander (Golitzin), bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese, Orthodox Church in America  (OCA), will present the second annual Father John Meyendorff Memorial Lecture, 7 p.m., Sunday, September 14, 2014, at the seminary. His Grace has chosen the topic: "Force Your Mind to Descend into the Heart": Some Resemblances between Byzantine Hesychasm and Merkavah Mysticism.”  

Raised at Saint Innocent Church, Tarzana, CA, Bishop Alexander received a Bachelor of Arts degree in of Diokleia. During this time, he also spent two years in Greece, including one year at Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos. After receiving his D.Phil. degree in 1980, he returned to the U.S., was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood, and for 22 years, beginning in 1989, he taught in the Theology Department at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, while attached to Ss. Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Church.

The free, public lecture will be held in The Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, located on the top floor of The John G. Rangos Family Building. A reception will follow.