Just prior to the lecture, His Eminence will receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree, bestowed by the seminary's Board of Trustees and faculty. Metropolitan Hilarion is an appointed member of the seminary board and also author of the Orthodox Christianity Series published by SVS Press.

The academic convocation and lecture will be held in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium of the John G. Rangos Family Building on the seminary campus, and a public reception will follow. Because of the special convocation and lecture, the seminary's normal Saturday evening liturgical schedule has been changed: Great Vespers will be celebrated at 5 p.m.