By God’s grace, ten St Vladimir’s Seminary alumni and students were ordained to the priesthood and the diaconate during the first half of 2023. One alumnus was also honored by His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Giving glory to God, we would like to announce the recipients of Holy Orders and awards among our alumni and students here.
HOLY PRIESTHOOD
Priest John Black (M.Div. ‘23)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained December 16, 2017, by His Eminence, The Most Reverend Mark, Archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Pottstown, PA.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained January 22, 2023, by His Eminence, The Most Reverend Mark, Archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Current Ministry: Acting Rector at St Michael’s Orthodox Church, Jermyn, PA
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. Music (Composition & Conducting), Lebanon Valley College, 1997; St Tikhon’s Diaconal Formation Program, 2013. Worked as a software engineer for 20+ years, and also a choir director at multiple parishes in PA for 25 years.
Priest Mykel Giannakakos (M.Div. ‘21)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained on April 5, 2023, by His Grace Bishop Anthony of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest, at St Nicholas Orthodox Church, Grand Rapids, MI.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained April 13, 2023, by His Grace Bishop Anthony of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest, at St Nicholas Orthodox Church, Grand Rapids, MI.
Current Ministry: Pastor at St George Orthodox Mission in St George, UT, beginning on July 1, 2023.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. Arts and History from California State University, San Marcos.
Priest Joseph Thornburg (M.Div. ‘23)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained on October 31, 2021, by His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph at Saint Anthony Orthodox Church, Bergenfield, NJ.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained April 13, 2023, by His Eminence, The Most Reverend Saba, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at Saint Anthony Orthodox Church, Bergenfield, NJ.
Current Ministry: Assistant Priest, St Silouan Orthodox Church, College Station, TX.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Christian studies with a minor in philosophy from California Baptist University; youth director and developer of Sunday school curriculum for High School-age youth; served as an adult catechist for a number of years.
Priest Andrew Salvia (M.Div. ‘23)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained on January 16, 2022, by His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph at St John the Baptist Antiochian Orthodox Church, Levittown, NY.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained April 15, 2023, by His Eminence, The Most Reverend Saba, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at Saint Ignatius Orthodox Church, Florida, NY.
Current Ministry: Assistant Priest at St Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church, Austin, TX.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in History from Roanoke College, Salem, VA; Worked in auto insurance and auto body industries as an insurance adjuster and service advisor, assisting people dealing with insurance claims.
Priest Mark Roosien (Th.M. '24)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained September 8, 2018, by +His Eminence Archbishop Paul (Gassios) at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago, IL.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained May 6, 2023, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon at Holy Ghost Orthodox Church in Bridgeport, CT.
Current Ministry: Acting Rector of Holy Ghost Church in Bridgeport, CT, starting July 1.
Educational and Professional Background: BA in Philosophy, North Park University, Chicago; M.T.S. and Ph.D. in Theology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN; worked as a cheesemonger, taught theology in the diaconal vocations program of the OCA Diocese of the Midwest, as well as the University of Notre Dame and Yale Divinity School.
HOLY DIACONATE
Deacon Dr Mark Therrien (Th.M. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained January 30, 2023, by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Daniel, Archbishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Classics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.T.S. from the University of Notre Dame; Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame in Theology (specialization in Greek patristics); taught theology as a professor at the University of St Mary of the Lake.
Deacon Juxhin (Eugene) Shkurti (M.Div. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained April 23, 2023, by His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Philadelphia and Locum Tenens of the Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America at St George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral in Boston, MA.
Educational and Professional Background: Studied Theology at The Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Seminary in Shën Vlash, Durrës, Albania; graduate of the class of 2019; worked as a catechist teacher and as a leader of the Orthodox youth group at the Diocese of Korçë in Albania.
Deacon Joshua Birdsall (M.Div. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained May 14, 2023, by His Eminence, The Most Reverend Saba, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at Saint George Orthodox Church, Little Falls, NJ.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. English Literature from Gordon College (2006), worked as a volunteer coordinator at a homeless shelter and as a professional chef and manager of operations in the food industry.
Deacon Dr Harrison Basil Russin (M.Div. ‘13)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained May 20, 2023, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Music from Swarthmore College, M.Div. from St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, M.A. in Musicology from Duke University, Ph.D. in Musicology from Duke University; Assistant Professor of Music at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.
Deacon Andrew Kayaian (M.A. ‘20, Th.M. ‘21)
Jurisdiction: Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
Holy Diaconate: Ordained June 4, 2023, by His Grace, Bishop Daniel Findikyan at St Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church, White Plains, NY.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in History and M.A. in History from Fordham University; M.A. in Theology at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary and St Nersess Armenian Seminary; Th.M. at St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary; M.S. in Library and Information Science at Simmons University (in progress); Librarian at Georges R. Florovsky Library, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary.
ELEVATIONS & AWARDS
The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Nicholas Bacalis (M.Div. '68)
Jurisdiction: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Holy Priesthood: Ordained August 6, 1972, by His Eminence Metropolitan Silas at Ionian Village, Peloponnesus, Greece.
Elevation: Elevated to the Office of Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, on behalf of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, on May 15, 2023, at the Clergy Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Convention in Garfield, New Jersey.
Current Ministry: Dean of the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Richmond, Virginia
The Rev. Dn Dr Vitaly Permiakov (M.Div. '04)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained September 14, 2021, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Elevation: Awarded the Double Orarion on May 20, 2023, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Current Ministry: Ecclesiarch of Three Hierarchs Chapel; Assistant Professor of Liturgical Theology, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary.
