On January 30, St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) marked its chapel's patronal feast with a day filled with liturgical and academic celebrations. The feast, commemorating the Synaxis of the Three Great Hierarchs—Sts Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom—was highlighted by a series of divine services and events in the seminary’s Three Hierarchs Chapel and the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium.
His Beatitude Met. Tikhon blesses the congregation at Three Hierarchs Chapel on the eve of its patronal feast. Photo: Scott Strickland
The day began with the Festal Vigil presided over by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon (OCA) in the evening before the feast. The seminary’s mixed and male choirs, led by Assistant Professor of Liturgical Music, the Rev. Dn Dr Harrison Basil Russin, and Mr Zachariah Mandell, Assistant Director of Chapel Music, chanted antiphonally during Vespers. Matins was sung by the newly reestablished St Vladimir's Seminary Chorale, an auditioned ensemble of students, faculty, and chapel community members under the direction of Zachariah Mandell. The Chorale’s performance marks the start of an exciting new chapter, with an official announcement of the group’s upcoming schedule and goals for the semester soon to follow.
Zachariah Mandell directs the newly reestablished St Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale for Matins of the chapel feast, the first time the current ensemble has sung in public. Photo: Scott Strickland
The following morning, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was concelebrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Serbian Archdiocese, with several faculty and student clergy. Prior to the Liturgy, His Beatitude tonsured seminarian John Rexford (M.Div. ‘26) as a reader and ordained him to the subdiaconate. The homily was delivered by the Very Rev. Dr Alexander Rentel, Rector of Three Hierarchs Chapel.
From left: His Grace Bishop Irinej, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, the newly ordained Fr Justin and Dn John, and their families. Photo: Scott Strickland
During the Liturgy, third-year seminarian Dn Justin Taylor (M.Div. ‘25) was ordained to the priesthood and second-year seminarian John (Caleb) Rexford to the diaconate. Following the Liturgy, His Beatitude offered heartfelt congratulations to the newly ordained, emphasizing that ordination is a divine gift rather than something earned. “Ordination is the proverbial gift that keeps on giving,” His Beatitude remarked, highlighting the ongoing grace bestowed through ordination.
In the evening, SVOTS hosted the 42nd Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, followed by its Commencement ceremony for mid-year graduates. Interim President and Academic Dean, Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, gave the opening remarks, recounting the significant progress SVOTS made over the past six months in terms of its finances and its positive evaluation by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in early January. He warmly welcomed the visiting hierarchs and academic colleagues from Yale University, City University of New York (CUNY), and Fordham University, as well as the Schmemann Lecture keynote speaker, Dr Henry Maguire, and his wife, Eunice Dauterman Maguire. Dr Tudorie also highlighted the recent addition to the seminary leadership team, the Very Rev. Dr Alexander Rentel as Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Peter Kopcha as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), remarking, “The presence of these new senior spiritual and operational leaders represents a milestone building on the noteworthy successes we have seen recently, namely, renewing our campus culture and strengthening the operational and financial foundations of our beloved institution with a renewed commitment to financial transparency.”
Read Dr Tudorie’s Opening Remarks
Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, opening the Mid-Year Commencement ceremony and introducing the Schmemann Lecture speaker, Dr Henry Maguire
Dr Tudorie then proceeded to award Dr Henry Maguire with a Doctor of Arts, honoris causa, from St Vladimir’s Seminary.
Dr Henry Maguire, Emeritus Professor of the History of Art at Johns Hopkins University, delivered the Fr Alexander Schmemann Lecture, “Heaven to Earth, Earth to Heaven: Neoplatonic Theology and the Art of Byzantine Churches.” Dr Maguire’s presentation explored the influence of Neoplatonism on the architectural and artistic elements of Byzantine churches, discussing the mystical hierarchy of lights that unites earthly materials with heavenly representations.
Dr Maguire taking questions from the crowd during the 42nd Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Lecture. Photo: Tatiana Hoff
The lecture was attended by the seminary community, including students, faculty, staff, and numerous online registrants. Over 300 people signed up for the live stream of the event, which is now available for viewing on the SVOTS YouTube channel.
Watch Schmemann Lecture with Dr Maguire
Following the Schmemann lecture, three graduates received their diplomas during the Midyear Commencement: Dn Habib (Caleb McGee; M.Div. ‘24), Sdn Christopher Abdelahad (M.A. ‘24), and the Very Rev. Dr Alessandro Margheritino (D.Min. ‘24), Acting Chancellor of the OCA. Fr Dr Alessandro gave a brief presentation about his participation in the Doctor of Ministry program at SVOTS, reflecting, “People pursue the D.Min. program for various reasons, to challenge themselves academically, to enhance their ministry, to become better priests, chaplains, administrators, youth pastors, counselors and so on. However, throughout this demanding journey, I've been continuously reminded of the foundational purpose of this, this formation to become a better servant of Christ and His Holy Church, irrespective of our specific ministry."
Acting Chancellor of the OCA, the Very Rev. Dr Alessandro Margheritino (D.Min. ‘24), receiving his Doctor of Ministry diploma. Photo: Scott Strickland
In the week following the Schmemann Lecture, Dr Henry and Dr Eunice Maguire remained on campus to engage with seminary faculty and students further to discuss the sacred arts. In addition to individual meetings with students and faculty, the Maguires led a colloquium on the sacred arts on Friday, January 31, attended by distinguished invited guests: Robert Nelson, Emeritus Professor of Art History at Yale University, Annemarie Weyl Carr, Emerita University Distinguished Professor at Southern Methodist University, Vasileos Marinis, Professor of Christian Art and Architecture at Yale Divinity School. These joined seminary faculty Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, Dr Peter Bouteneff, Dr Rossitza Schroeder, Dr Alexander Lingas, the Rev. Hieromonk Dr Vasily Permiakov, the Very Rev. Dr Bogdan Bucur, the Rev. Dr Sergius Halvorsen, the Rev. Dn Dr Harrison Basil Russin, Dr Ani Shahinian, together with Fr Lucas Christensen, distinguished sacred arts supporter Joan Shell, and select seminarians and community members. Following the colloquium on Friday, students were provided another opportunity to connect with Dr Henry and Dr Eunice Maguire in an evening "fireside chat" over tea and pastries on Monday, February 3.
At the colloquium on the sacred arts, (from left), Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, Joan Shell, Dr Henry Maguire, Dr Eunice Maguire, Dr Rossitza Schroeder, and Dr Peter Bouteneff. Photo: Scott Strickland
Dr Henry and Dr Eunice Maguire discussing sacred arts topics with seminarians in an evening “fireside chat.” Photo: Tatiana Hoff
The events surrounding the chapel feast day, open to both the public and the seminary community, were a fitting tribute to the memory of beloved former Seminary Dean, Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, and a celebration of the spiritual and academic life at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
