Seminary administrators, alumni hierarchs and clergy, and seminarians gathered at the St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY, last week to participate in funeral services for St. Vladimir's Seminary's Board of Trustees Vice President and Vice Chairman, His Eminence The Most Reverend Philip (Saliba), archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. A 1965 graduate of the seminary, Metropolitan Philip reposed in the Lord on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 after a brief illness, at age 82.
On Wednesday, March 26, our seminary Dean, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, and Chancellor/CEO, The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, presided at a panikhida (memorial service), with the seminary's male Octet singing responses. Both Frs. John and Chad spoke of their memories of Sayidna Philip and expressed their sorrow at his repose.
On Friday, March 28, His Beatitude The Most Blessed Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and President and Chairman of St. Vladimir's Board of Trustees, presided at another panikhida, attended by area OCA clergy, many of whom joined with seminarians and other alumni to sing responses. In his remarks at the conclusion of the service, His Beatitude said: "The Church here in North America has lost an outstanding pastor and inspired visionary who made evangelization and Christian witness the cornerstone of his episcopal ministry."
Services for Metropolitan Philip continued through the weekend, concluding with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday. Former Board of Trustees Executive Chair Anne Glynn Mackoul (for whom Metropolitan Philip served as a friend and mentor), joined Fr. Chad and SVS Press Marketing and Operations Manager The Rev. Dn. Gregory Hatrak, in representing the Seminary. In the afternoon, his body was taken to the St. Ignatius Church at Antiochian Village in Ligonier, PA, where vigil with Gospel readings and periodic Trisagion Prayers was kept until interment at the Village on Monday, March 31.
His Eminence was a beloved leader among the 8 bishops, 167 alumni clergy, and more than 300 alumni total who serve in the Antiochian Archdiocese in North America and throughout the world. Memory Eternal!
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