With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of St. Vladimir’s Seminary Trustee Emeritus Mitchell Zunich. Zunich, 93, died on the Feast of Holy Pascha, Sunday, April 19, at his home at St. Mary of the Woods Assisted Living in Avon, OH.
Zunich was born May 10, 1926 in Lorain, OH. He served with the US Army during World War II in the 357th Regiment of the 90th Infantry Division. During his service, he participated in the battles of Rhineland and Central Europe and received the European-African-Middle-Eastern Theater Ribbon with two Bronze Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, a WWII Victory Medal and an Occupation Medal for Germany. His division was awarded the Bronze Star and participated in the liberation of Flossenburg Concentration Camp. Zunich attended the Ohio State University where he earned a bachelor of science in accounting. He founded Mitchell Zunich & Co. Certified Public Accountants, retiring in 2001. He was active in the community, having served as an officer, president, and board member of many organizations including the Lorain Rotary Club, Lorain Salvation Army, Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority, the City Bank Co., Lorain Family YMCA, Clearview School Board, and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. In the 1990s, Mitchell and his wife, Violet, helped establish a scholarship for Serbian Orthodox seminarians at St. Vladimir’s so that no young Serbian Orthodox men would be turned away from becoming priests. Zunich was a member of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Lorain, the Serbian National Federation, the Ohio Society of CPAs, and the AICPA.
"Mitch was honored to be on the Seminary’s Board of Trustees," said fellow St. Vladimir's Trustee Emeritus Brian Gerich. "He served many years as one of the four Serbian trustees along with [Trustee Emeritus] Alex Machaskee, Leon Lysaght, and myself.
"During our 1990’s Capital Campaign, I asked Mitch to join with me in establishing endowments for scholarships for Serbian Orthodox students studying to become priests. He immediately accepted, and he and his beloved wife Violet added to their endowment regularly. Mitch was pleased to know that as students graduated they were debt free as they prepared for a lifetime of serving our Lord."
"I remember Mitch as a quiet, decisive, compassionate gentleman who was a staunch supporter of our Orthodox Christian faith and a great contributor of time, talent, and treasure to St. Vladimir's Seminary," added Alex Machaskee. "He was a founding contributor to Monastery Marcha in Richfield Ohio, a decorated veteran of World War II, and a highly esteemed civic leader."
Mitchell Zunich is survived by his sons, Mitch Zunich of Cleveland and Rob (Eva) Zunich of Avon Lake; grandchildren, Neven, Dane, Rada, and Mila Zunich; and sister, Sophie Tyrin of Chicago. Zunich was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Violet M. Zunich (née Kobac) on Sept 7, 2014; infant son, Nick Zunich, in 1959; parents, Nikola & Stanka Zunich (née Kunic); brothers, Demeter, George, Nick, and Mike Zunich; and sisters, Mildred Stamatis, Dorothy Kovan, Nellie Raynovich, and Mary Zunich.
Due to restrictions on social gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, private family funeral services will be held. Hieromonk Nektarije Tesanovic of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church will preside with burial to follow in Elmwood Cemetery in Lorain. Memorial contributions may be made to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, 3355 Grove Ave, Lorain, OH, 44055 or St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, 575 Scarsdale Rd, Yonkers, NY, 10707. Arrangements are under the direction of Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Ave, Lorain. Online condolences may be made at www.gluvna.net.
May the memory of Mitchell Zunich be eternal!
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(The photo and some information in this article have been reprinted from The Morning Journal.)
The Commencement of the Class of 2025 of St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will occur on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The ceremony will begin with a prayer of thanksgiving in Three Hierarchs Chapel at 2:00 p.m. Eastern, after which all guests of the graduating class will be asked to take their seats in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium in the John G. Rangos building. At approximately 2:30 p.m. Eastern, the visiting hierarchs, guests of honor, faculty, and graduating students will proceed to the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium for the ceremony. The ceremony will be live-streamed starting at approximately 2:30 p.m. EST.
SVOTS Professor Emeritus, the Very Rev. Dr Paul Tarazi, will give his remarks as the 2025 Commencement Speaker. Fr Paul served as a professor at St Vladimir’s Seminary almost forty years before his retirement in 2014. He taught courses in Old and New Testament, Biblical Hebrew and Greek, and Academic Arabic. Fr Paul also taught at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA and at St John of Damascus Institute in Balamand, Lebanon. A well-known scholar and speaker, Fr Paul’s many publications include the three-volume Old Testament Introduction (SVS Press), four-volume New TestamentIntroduction (SVS Press/ OCABS Press), fourteen commentaries on both the Old Testament and the New Testament books (SVS Press and OCABS Press), and numerous scholarly articles. Most recently, he authored The Rise of Scripture (2017, OCABS Press) and Decoding Genesis 1 - 11 (2020, OCABS Press).
The Commencement Ceremony of the Class of 2025 will be live-streamed for all who cannot attend in person. Please register below to indicate your plans for attendance and to receive the Zoom link to participate via live stream.
The services of Holy Week and Pascha were celebrated with reverence and joy at Three Hierarchs Chapel, with the special blessing of the presence of His Grace the Right Reverend Irinej (Dobrijevic), bishop of the Eastern American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His Grace presided over services on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday.
Here is a photo gallery featuring some highlights of this year’s Holy Week and Great and Holy Pascha at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
Holy Thursday
Old Testament Readings during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Holy Thursday
His Grace Bishop Irinej blesses the congregation
His Grace Bishop Irinej says a word at the conclusion of the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Holy Thursday
The weeping cherry tree in front of the Germack Building in full bloom
His Grace Bishop Irinej blesses the fellowship meal in the refectory after the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Holy Thursday
Holy Friday
Newly ordained Dn John Rexford (M.Div. ‘26) serves in Three Hierarchs Chapel on Holy Friday
Newly ordained Dn Joseph Winsler (M.Div. ‘24; Th.M. ‘25) reading the Gospel during Vespers on Great and Holy Friday
The Noble Joseph, when he had taken down Your most pure Body from the tree, wrapped it in fine linen, and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb.
Instructor of Liturgical Music Zachariah Mandell directing the mixed choir
Per longstanding tradition, light refreshments are served on the Three Hierarchs Chapel steps at the end of Liturgy on Holy Saturday
Great and Holy Pascha
Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, the angels in heaven sing! Enable us on earth to glorify Thee in purity of heart! The Rev. Dr Alexander Rentel begins the procession at midnight on Holy Pascha.
This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Christ is Risen!
The entire roster of ordained clergy (faculty and seminarians) serving together at the midnight Divine Liturgy for Great and Holy Pascha
Third-year seminarian, Dn Richard Okello, traveled back to Uganda for Pascha this year! Though physically far away, he remained near in spirit, sharing beautiful photos of the festal Liturgy. Here he distributes blessed eggs to children and families.
Dn Richard Okello (M.Div. ‘25) serves in his home parish in Gulu, Uganda, St Basil the Great Orthodox Church, presided by His Grace Nektarios of the Holy Diocese of Gulu and Northern Uganda, the Greek Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa
Dn Richard Okello has a beautiful story you can read here.
A view of Three Hierarchs Chapel before Agape Vespers on Pascha
By the grace of God, four current seminarians from three different Orthodox jurisdictions were ordained to holy orders over the first weekend of April 2025.
On Saturday, April 5, Dn Argey George (M.Div. ‘25) was raised to the Holy Diaconate by the hand of His Grace Dr Thomas Mar Ivanios, Metropolitan of the Diocese of South-West America (MOSC) at St Mary’s Malankara Orthodox Church in Farmers Branch, TX. SVOTS alumnus Toby John (M.Div. ‘21) was also ordained to the Holy Diaconate at the same service. Incoming Seminary President Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie traveled to Texas to attend Dn Argey’s ordination. “Dn Argey is a valued member of our seminary community, service-oriented and supportive of his fellow students, particularly his fellow Malankara Orthodox Syrian seminarians. I was honored to attend his ordination in his home parish,” related Dr Tudorie.
On Sunday, April 6, a group of ten students attended the diaconal ordination of their brother seminarian, Dn Matthew (Galen) Wiley (M.Div. ‘25), at St Anthony Antiochian Orthodox Church in Bergenfield, NJ. Dn Matthew was ordained by the hand of His Eminence, Metropolitan Saba of the Archdiocese of New York and All North America (AOCANA). Fr Nicholas Fine (M.Div. ‘23), pastor of St Anthony Orthodox Church and instructor of Byzantine chant at St Vladimir’s Seminary, concelebrated at the Divine Liturgy, witnessing the ordination of Dn Matthew, who had been a first-year seminarian during his last year at seminary. “It was such a blessing to be present at the ordination of my brother-in-Christ, Dn Matthew,” said Fr Nicholas. “May God grant him and Shamassy Christina many blessed years and strengthen them in this new ministry.”
Back on campus, the St Vladimir’s Seminary community was blessed with a hierarchical visit from His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, Auxiliary for the Diocese of the South (OCA), for the Sunday of St Mary of Egypt. His Grace arrived on Saturday, April 5, and presided over the Great Vigil that evening and the Divine Liturgy on the following day.
His Grace gave the homily during the Divine Liturgy, expounding the connections between the writings of St John of the Ladder and Saint Mary of Egypt. Bishop Gerasim reminded the congregation that true spiritual growth means surrendering pride and embracing the way of the Cross—radical humility, repentance, and service. Following this exhortation, His Grace ordained seminarian Sergio Hector Lopez (M.Div. ‘26) to the Holy Diaconate and seminarian Dn John Reavis (M.Div. ‘26) to the Holy Priesthood.
Aside from his liturgical engagements, His Grace, accompanied by Fr Marcus Burch (M.Div. ‘97), Chancellor of the Diocese of the South, Fr Justin Patterson (M.Div. ‘05), and Fr Giorgi Lomsadze (M.Div. ‘24) sat down with seminarians from the OCA Diocese of the South over lunch on Saturday. Bishop Gerasim took time to connect with the students as a group and individually through private meetings with students and their families. His Grace also met with seminary children in Three Hierarchs Chapel before Vigil to talk about the sacrament of Confession in anticipation of Holy Week.
Fr John Reavis expressed his gratitude and joy at the occasion of his ordination to the Holy Priesthood, saying, “I am humbled by receiving the grace of ordination and the love and generosity of God, expressed through His Bishop, but also through the Body of Christ, my friends and family. I receive this gift and great responsibility with humility and pray to be made worthy to serve God and His Church faithfully. Thank God, I do not receive this responsibility alone, but have the prayer, support, and accountability of others, most especially my wife, Matushka Christina, for whom I am grateful to have as a partner in this ministry.”
May God grant the newly ordained Fr John and Mka Christina Reavis, Dn Argey and Kochamma Riya George, Dn Matthew and Shamassy Christina Wiley, and Dn Sergio and Mka Ruth Lopez many blessed years!
Peter Kopcha joined the staff at St Vladimir’s Seminary in late January 2025, capping a distinguished career in public and corporate finance. In this interview, we learn about his upbringing in an Orthodox community in Connecticut, his goals for finance at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and his thoughts on how we as Orthodox Christians can approach giving back to the Church.
Please share a bit about your family and faith background; what has been your journey in the Church?
I grew up in the Russian Orthodox Church before the Metropolia received its autocephaly (1970), at Sts Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Church in Terryville, CT. I literally grew up singing in the choir, as my dad was the choir director. I would sing soprano next to my mom, and my three older sisters would sing soprano and alto. As I got a little older, when all my friends moved to the bass section, my dad said, “No, we have to stay in the tenor section.” So, from then on, I sang tenor.
Back then, the Terryville parish was very ethnic-oriented, like many active parishes at the time. After 1970, when autocephaly occurred, the church started using more English and less Church Slavonic, which created some tension. I credit Fr Michael Koblosh (SVOTS ‘68) of blessed memory for helping the parish understand that the Orthodox Faith is not Russian or American but simply Orthodox. There were mixed reactions to this shakeup; some embraced it, and some did not like it, but I know it was the right decision. Fr Michael knew Fr Alexander Schmemann, and his influence was clear in the way Fr Koblosh approached the parish.
I went to UConn and got a B.S. in Accounting, and got married just after college to my wife Pattie. The way we met is kind of an interesting story. Pattie’s aunt was married to my mother’s cousin, so we were distantly related by marriage, but we had never met until we ran into each other at an anniversary party for those mutual relatives.
After Pattie and I got married, we stayed in Terryville for quite a while. We have two kids, William and Rachel, and now three granddaughters: Thea, Natalie, and Samara.
In the late 1990s, I changed jobs and moved to Vermont, where we attended the Montpelier parish with Fr Mark Sherman. It was stressful for the whole family to move—my daughter was in grammar school, my son was in middle school, and my wife was home with the kids there in Vermont, having left all of our friends and family back in Terryville. Fr Mark Sherman was the right priest at the right time. He really knew how to guide the family in the three years that we were there, and we made friends in the Montpelier parish. Once that job ended, we moved back to Connecticut and ended up in Southbury.
We ended up buying a house in Southbury; unbeknownst at the time to us, the house was about a half a mile away from some property that was just donated to the Southbury parish for the building that we now have. So I can now walk to church if I wanted to (but I never want to). (laughter)
I’ve been the choir director at the Southbury parish since I started attending. I have no formal education for this except for back in ‘83 when David Drillock and Helen Erickson came from St Vladimir’s Seminary to New Haven to give some choir directing classes. They really opened my eyes to what directing is all about.
Our current parish is vibrant, with an explosion of growth, particularly among young people and families. What's striking is that there’s nothing ethnic about our church in Southbury, and that shift is largely due to the influence of Fr Michael Koblosh and then Fr Vladimir Aleandro (M.Div. ‘95), who recently retired. I would say that Fr Schmemann’s ideas played a significant role in shaping that broader, more inclusive vision of Orthodoxy.
How did you come to accept the position as CFO at St Vladimir’s Seminary?
Since moving to Southbury in 2000, I’ve had multiple jobs, and I had planned to retire in April of this year. About a year ago, I was talking with our now-retired parish priest, Fr Vladimir Aleandro, and mentioned my plans to retire in the following year so my wife Pattie and I could travel, I could learn Russian, and do other fun stuff. However, late last year when Dr Alex Tudorie was asking people if they knew any accountants who could take the CFO position at St Vladimir’s, Fr Aleandro recommended me for the job. I guess Dr Alex also heard about me from Fr Sergius Halverson, who used to be attached to my parish, and then when he asked our trustee Jeffrey Hoff if he knew of a Peter Kopcha, he said, “No, but I know a Will Kopcha!” My son was a part of Jeffrey’s home parish in New Jersey while he was going to school at Rutgers University.
I view all these connections as God guiding me on this path. Over my career, I've had different jobs: controller, CFO, and Vice President of Finance. I spent a number of years in public accounting before I went to corporate accounting. But when Dr Alex called me late last year and told me about this CFO position, I said, “Oh, that's not what I expected to do with my life at this stage of my career. Let me think about it. I’ll pray about it and get back to you.”
Of course, I talked about it with my wife first. She said, “You know, I know you can't say ‘No’ since this is the Church.” And she was right. I talked with Dr Alex and said yes, I will take the job. When I gave my notice to my old employer, they said, “Well, why don't you stay? You don't have to retire,” and I said, “No, I’m going to work for the Church–it's a calling.” I feel I have a skill set, and there's a need to be filled here.
I happen to be very good friends with Melanie Ringa, who retired as CFO of St Vladimir’s in January 2022 after 15 years on the job. She was my best alto in Southbury. So I called Melanie and she gave me the history about some turnover since she had retired, and I was fully aware of the challenges that would be facing somebody in this position.
Tell us about your first two months on the job.
There's a lot that needs to be cleaned up, but it’s not about judgment. Using the skills I've gained from all these different jobs, I know what needs to be done—I’ve done this before. The goal is to focus on what we need to do moving forward. I've been collaborating with Dr Alex, Dr John Barnet, and Fr Alexander Rentel to make sure we have solid policies and procedures in place, especially from a financial perspective. Once they're set in motion, it's not that hard to stick to them. It’s about working consistently with them on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Honestly, that part of the job is the easy part. The real challenge is what Dr Alex has started to tackle—making those hard decisions to get the finances back on track.
When people asked me if I was nervous about this job, I could honestly say the accounting aspect doesn't intimidate me—accounting is accounting. My background is in manufacturing, retail, and wholesale enterprises, so nonprofit accounting with endowments and grants isn’t extremely complicated. However, what does intimidate me is the seminary’s rich history. There are so many people who have been part of the seminary—graduates, instructors, theologians—who have profoundly impacted Orthodoxy, not just in America but globally. To be able to contribute to ensuring that the seminary remains strong for future generations, continuing that legacy, is truly awesome.
It’s a big responsibility. Working with Dr Alex has been great, and everyone I’ve met here shares the same vision for the seminary’s success. Dr Alex’s efforts in the months leading up to my hire were extraordinary. While he’s not a finance person, he was certainly on the ball, demonstrating a strong grasp of what needed to be done. He was under immense pressure from two fronts: the ATS focused team visit, which was coming in January to review the finances, and the audit for FY24, which had been started but not completed. There were errors in the transition from older systems, and much of the work hadn’t been done.
The small team we have here in finance put in a huge effort to keep things afloat and move things close to the finish line. By the time I came on board in January, the groundwork had been laid, and I was able to complete the audit. Dr Alex’s determination, despite lacking a finance background, was phenomenal. He really went above and beyond to ensure things were in order.
When I left my last job and told my boss I was moving to the seminary, he asked me why. In my previous role, my motivation was simple: I wanted a paycheck. We were a publicly traded company, and our job was to ensure the shareholders received their dividends. But that wasn't a good motivation for me. Coming to the seminary is a completely different motivation—working for the Church, working for future generations. It’s a big responsibility, and I just pray to God that I can meet the challenge.
You mentioned your goals for your time at St Vladimir’s: ensuring financial stability and consistency. What other concrete goals do you have?
From the outset, one thing that was made clear was the goal of keeping things in the black and making that process a little easier. To achieve this, I need to work closely with people like Ginny Nieuwsma, Ted Bazil, and Jeff Brown to generate funds for the endowments and grants. Another part of the goal is ensuring that the funds we have are sufficient to cover scholarships. Right now, due to the history of the endowments, it’s a bit challenging to maintain financial stability. It’s not just about breaking even or making a small profit; we need to re-energize those endowments. If they are inadequate, it will negatively impact the amount we can contribute to scholarships. The goal is for students to attend with zero out-of-pocket costs, relying on their parish, diocese, endowments, and grants from the seminary. To make this possible, we need to ensure our investments are strong.
Another key part of the goal is managing costs—not just through large cuts but also by making small, mindful adjustments. We need to be cautious and ask, "Why are we spending this? Can we do it more efficiently or cost-effectively?" Ultimately, the focus is on ensuring we have sufficient funding to support our students now and in the future.
You have spoken eloquently about your upbringing in the Orthodox Faith and about your commitment to serving the Church. As a finance professional and faithful Orthodox Christian, how do you view the role of financial stewardship in the Orthodox Church?
Thinking back to my younger days, I remember the concept of church dues—how, if you were behind on your dues, you couldn’t be buried in the church cemetery. To me, that always seemed like a strange concept.
As I reflect on it now, I see how the concept of tithing—giving your time, talent, and money—became more meaningful to me. It’s about getting your priorities straight in life. Tithing is important because you’re giving back to the Church and to God what you can. I don’t necessarily subscribe to the idea of a set 10% as the "right" amount. As a finance person, I typically focus on numbers, but I don’t think tithing should be limited to a hard and fast percentage. For me, tithing means giving because you love the Church, Orthodoxy, and God. Setting a specific percentage like 10% feels too much like paying dues, like $50 a month.
For me, it starts here—in the heart, in the soul. If your priorities are straight, you’ll have no trouble giving what you can. The important thing is that God comes first. Once you get your priorities right, everything else will fall into place. I remember speaking with some fellow parishioners recently—a wonderful young woman, her husband, and their energetic toddler. She’s five months pregnant and just got laid off from her job at the IRS. I can relate to that feeling because, in my own career, I’ve been through transitions where my job was eliminated or my employer moved. You never know where it will lead, but I believe God will guide you to where you need to go. You may not like it, and you may not understand it, but everything that happens is part of God’s plan. If you have faith and place your trust in God, knowing that He will take care of you, then you’ll be okay. It starts here—from the soul.
Beautifully said! In our final question, we would like you to speak a bit more on your work here at the seminary, which relies on donor support. What would you say to those who support the seminary?
First of all, I want to thank our donors. Without them, the seminary wouldn’t be here. To those who support us, I would say that we have to think about the future of the Church as a whole. One thing that frustrates me as an Orthodox Christian is the jurisdictional divisions within the Church. There are squabbles, even when it comes to funding. Some might say, "I’m only going to fund students from my jurisdiction," but that’s maddening to me. We are one Orthodox Church, and we must think about finances from the perspective of unity. There is one God and one Orthodox Church, and we need to ensure the Church as a whole can prosper and grow.
I’ve seen the fruits of this vision in Southbury, where we’ve witnessed tremendous growth, especially among young families. There’s a thirst for Truth in this country, and young people are doing their research, testing the waters. Not everyone will choose this path, but there’s a real desire for Orthodoxy, and we need to nurture that. For that to happen, the seminary must have the funds to support both laypeople and clergy in their education. We need to broaden our perspective and think beyond our own jurisdictions to ensure the growth of the Orthodox Church as a unified body.
This spring, as we celebrate the first anniversary of the St Vladimir’s Society, we would like to honor a few of our dedicated members and faithful supporters. SVOTS Trustee and one of the Society’s inaugural members, Dn Philip (Carston “Rick”) Wagner, has made giving to St Vladimir’s Seminary a consistent priority in his personal almsgiving efforts for many years. In his honor, we are resharing an interview he gave Chief Advancement Officer, Ginny Nieuwsma, in 2018, including some recent updates and reflections.
Dn Philip and Jean Wagner hail from St Paul, Minnesota. Dn Philip completed his undergraduate education in chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill and then earned a Ph.D. at Duke University. Jean attended Duke University in Biomedical Engineering, obtaining both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. After Dn Philip finished a NIH post-doctoral Fellowship at Pennsylvania State University, the Wagners moved to Minneapolis, MN, where Dn Philip joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota and Jean went on to become an Information Technology project leader and manager for several companies. The Wagners attend St Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis. Dn Philip was ordained to the Diaconate in August 2019.
Dn Philip (Carston "Rick") Wagner has enjoyed a distinguished career as Professor and Endowed Chair in Medicinal Chemistry, and now Department Head, at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota. As director of the Wagner Research Lab at the University, Dn Philip (who also goes by his nickname Rick) enjoys his work with bright young graduate students.
In the field of medicinal chemistry, Dn Philip and his team of graduate students study drug design and development. Over the years, their work has evolved so that it now focuses on anti-cancer and anti-viral research, and they’ve been discovering new ways to treat pain and to use the immune system to target and kill cancer cells. He also teaches pharmacy and graduate student classes at the University.
As a mentor and an academic, Dn Philip respects the formation of lives that takes place at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
“The Seminary is the preeminent scholarly center for modern Orthodox theological scholarship, education and theology in the world,” Dn Philip says, “and recent years, they’ve expanded the boundaries of pastoral training by providing opportunities for seminarian education outside of the Yonkers campus in parishes and hospitals, through the CPE program.
“St Vladimir’s continues to strengthen their leadership, the faculty, and the financial and operational foundations of the school,” adds Dn Philip. “With these positive moves, it’s a critical time for those of us who love the Seminary to step up and push the fulfillment of the Seminary’s mission to new heights.”
Dn Philip and his wife Jean have been supporting St Vladimir’s Seminary for 20 years, most recently as members of our community of committed monthly donors, the St Vladimir’s Society. The Wagners converted to the Orthodox faith as students at Duke University, and are active members in their home parish of St Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis (OCA). Dn Philip has been a volunteer and founding member of the advisory board of FOCUS-MN since 2010, and an Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry of Minnesota volunteer since 2007 and Director since 2009. In 2024, Dn Philip was elected to the St Vladimir’s Seminary Board of Trustees.
As lifelong learners, Dn Philip and Jean appreciate the resources of the Seminary that benefit laypeople. Describing his first visit to St Vladimir’s Seminary in 1988, soon after converting to Orthodox Christianity, Dn Philip recalled, “I have a vivid memory of walking through the Germack building on campus and bumping into Fr John Meyendorff outside his office, arms full of papers. During that visit, I spent a long time perusing the SVS Press Bookstore. People nowadays tend to forget how difficult it used to be to find such a large assortment of Orthodox literature in one place that you could purchase. At that time, it was truly a rare blessing–under normal circumstances, you would have to place a mail order through a catalog, or rely on the resources your parish might have provided.”
“SVS Press publications have been such an invaluable source of Orthodox education for Christians in America, and around the world,” continued Dn Philip. “My faith has been formed by many of its authors, including Fr Alexander Schmemann, Fr John Meyendorff, Fr Thomas Hopko, Fr John Behr, and many more.”
In addition to reading SVS Press books, Dn Philip has attended several Summer Institutes at St Vladimir’s Seminary and has benefitted from the liturgical instruction in the OCA Diaconal Vocations Program that meets on the Seminary campus almost every summer.
“St Vladimir’s is a leader in the U.S. and internationally—other organizations look to the Seminary for theological and scholarly leadership,” notes Dn Philip. “A world without St Vladimir’s Seminary would be a world without the great writers and professors who have shaped the Church over the last 50 to 60 years.”
"And the impact of the Seminary reverberates far beyond the Yonkers, New York campus," adds Dn Philip. "Worldwide Orthodoxy has been greatly impacted by St Vladimir’s. The Seminary is continuously pointing the Church around the world towards the vision of a united, engaged communion. This is the reason I continue to support the Seminary. Its contribution to the growth and flourishing of the Orthodox Faith in our contemporary world is impossible to overstate.”
About the St Vladimir’s Society
When you give to St Vladimir’s Seminary each month through the St Vladimir’s Society program, you ensure the future of Orthodox theological education for generations to come.
St Vladimir’s Seminary focuses on rigorous education and deep spiritual formation within a residential community. Your monthly generosity supports the continual training of priests, lay leaders, missionaries, musicians, and teachers, and provides a stable foundation for our ministry.
With your partnership, we can continue to send priests and missionaries to shepherd and strengthen individuals, parishes, and communities across the country and around the world.
With faith in Christ and hope in the Resurrection, we share the news of the repose of Archpriest Daniel Skvir (SVOTS ‘69), a respected senior clergyman of the Orthodox Church in America, who fell asleep in the Lord at his home on Sunday, March 23, 2025, after a battle with cancer. Fr Daniel had just retired as Chaplain of the Holy Transfiguration Chapel in Princeton, NJ, at the end of 2024, a position he had held for 36 years. In retirement, he continued to be attached there as Chaplain-Emeritus.
Daniel Skvir was born on April 25, 1945, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, the son of Fr John and Matushka Barbara Skvir. The young Priest John Skvir was then the pastor of Sts Cyril and Methodius Church in Bellaire, Ohio. Fr John served the Church exemplarily in many capacities over many decades. Notably, he is remembered as the only member of both the task force that negotiated the terms ofautocephaly for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) in 1970, as well as the OCA delegation that traveled to Moscow to receive the Tomos of Autocephaly.
Daniel Skvir grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, serving as an altar boy at Sts Peter and Paul Church (now Cathedral), where his father had been assigned in 1952. After high school, he was admitted to Princeton University, where he was instrumental in establishing an Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) chapter and where he wrote his AB thesis on St Philaret of Moscow, under the mentorship of Fr Georges Florovsky. After graduating from Princeton in 1966, he pursued further yearlong studies as a Rockefeller Scholar at General Theological Seminary in New York City before enrolling at St Vladimir’s Seminary in Yonkers (Crestwood), New York.
Fr Daniel and Matushka Tamara at the OCA Chancery in 2012
On June 4, 1967, Daniel Skvir married Tamara Grot Turkevich, the granddaughter ofMetropolitan Leonty and the daughter of the Rev. Dr John Turkevich and Dr Ludmilla Buketoff Turkevich. Tamara’s father was a noted chemistry professor at Princeton and also a priest, who would be a member of the OCA delegation receiving the Tomos of Autocephaly in Moscow in 1970. Tamara’s mother was the first woman ever to teach at Princeton. Additionally, she was an energetic advocate and organizer of programs for church-wide ministry to seniors in the Orthodox Church in America. Daniel and Tamara would be blessed with the birth of two daughters, Nika Alexandra and Kyra Elizabeth, in the 1970s.
On December 8, 1968, Daniel Skvir was ordained to the holy diaconate byMetropolitan Ireney at his father’s parish in Jersey City. At St Vladimir’s Seminary, Dn Daniel served as President of the Student Council and was the valedictorian of the class of 1969 when he received a Bachelor of Divinity degree Magna cum Laude.
While a seminarian, Daniel Skvir served as choir director at Holy Trinity Church in East Meadow, NY. He continued in this position even after his diaconal ordination until his assignment in November 1969 to Jersey City to minister under his father and, at his own request, with Metropolitan Ireney’s blessing, to serve on alternate Sundays at Holy Transfiguration Chapel at Princeton University. After nearly two decades of service as deacon and choir director, upon his father’s repose, Protodeacon Daniel was ordained to the priesthood on September 20, 1987 byArchbishop Peter of New York and New Jersey at Sts Peter and Paul Church in Jersey City, where he would be attached until he was assigned as Chaplain of Holy Transfiguration Chapel in Princeton, effective January 1, 1989.
In addition to his various church ministries, he was a teacher and administrator at Princeton Day School for 41 years. Known as Fr Dan and the spiritual father of the school, he served in a variety of ways over the years (Director of Admissions; teacher of Russian, History and Religion; College Counselor and much more). With his wife, Matushka Tamara –affectionately known as Tassie–he took students to the Soviet Union for years, introducing many to Russian culture firsthand. He always supported his students and his own daughters in the classroom, on sports fields, and in life’s endeavors.
A music enthusiast, Fr Daniel enjoyed choir directing and was an avid arranger of music for choral singing. He was awarded the Order of Saint Romanos by the Holy Synod of Bishops in 2022 for his work as director, arranger, and collector of liturgical music. He, together with Matushka Tamara, prepared the English libretto of Rachmaninoff’s unfinished and only opera, Monna Vanna, that was orchestrated by Igor Buketoff, Matushka Tamara’s uncle. Fr Daniel and Matushka Tamara also preserved a manuscript of Russian composer Maximilian Steinberg’s Passion Week, passed on to them by Igor Buketoff–a composition that had never been performed due to religious persecution in the Soviet Union. The Skvirs made the manuscript available and were instrumental in facilitating the world premiere of this work 90 years after it was composed. They also donated a unique and valuable composite collection of diverse musical scores amassed by Igor Buketoff, Fr Constantine Buketoff (Matushka Tamara’s maternal grandfather), and Fr John Skvir (Fr Daniel’s father) to the Fr Georges Florovsky Library at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
Most of all, Fr Daniel was known for his calm, wise presence that impacted the lives of hundreds of students, parishioners, friends, and family. In recognition of his long pastoral ministry, the Holy Synod awarded Fr Daniel the privilege of wearing a miter.
Fr Daniel is survived by his beloved wife, Matushka Tamara of Pennington, NJ; daughters Nika Skvir-Maliakal (Sanjiv) of Stamford, CT and Kyra Frankel (Joshua) of Brooklyn; his sister Natalea Skvir of Edmonds, WA and brother John Skvir of Westwood, MA; as well as grandchildren Sadie and Wylie Frankel of Brooklyn, NY and Katherine and Madeline Maliakal of Stamford, Connecticut.
Thursday, March 27 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Viewing 7:00 p.m. Funeral Service
Friday, March 28 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Viewing 10:00 AM Panikhida followed by burial atSt Vladimir’s (Rova Farms) Cemetery 316 Cassville Road, Jackson, NJ 08527.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Fr Daniel may be sent to: Princeton OCF/ Transfiguration Chapel Endowment Fund PO Box 74 Pennington, NJ 08534
On Wednesday, March 19, His Eminence Metropolitan Saba of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA) visited St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS), leading the seminary community in the celebration of the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts in Three Hierarchs Chapel. The service was celebrated according to the rubrics of the Antiochian Archdiocese, with the chanting entrusted to the Seminary’s Byzantine Choir, led by alumnus and Byzantine chant instructor, the Rev. Nicholas Fine (M.Div. ‘23).
The celebration of the Presanctified Liturgy ended with a Trisagion for Metropolitan Philip of thrice-blessed memory (departed on March 19, 2014). After a Lenten meal with the community, Sayidna Saba gathered with seminarians and seminarian spouses in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, where he offered a pastoral talk and a time of fellowship and spiritual encouragement.
In his word of welcome, Interim President and Academic Dean, Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie noted that, according to his recent autobiographical book, A Life Testimony, His Eminence had intended, as a young monastic, to study at St Vladimir’s Seminary. The Lord’s providence worked in different ways, however, returning Sayidna Saba to America as head of the Antiochian Archdiocese, to continue the fruitful ministry of Metropolitans Anthony Bashir and Philip Saliba, who were also friends and close collaborators of the Seminary.
His Eminence’s talk focused on the importance of humility, community, spiritual growth, and staying true to the Orthodox faith, without succumbing to fear and resisting the temptation of ideologization in the face of modern challenges. He urged the seminarians to remain realistic and humble in their approach to ministry, stressing that sanctity is not about achieving perfection, but about performing small tasks with great love and devotion.
Antiochian seminarian Nathan Jekel (M.Div. ‘26) expressed his gratitude for Metropolitan Saba’s visit, reflecting, “We were very thankful for Sayidna Saba’s visit on Wednesday, to have the chance to celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy with him and hear his wisdom. The service was beautiful and prayerful, really a sacred moment. His Eminence inquired about the students’ experience of living in community at St Vladimir’s. He shared his belief that fostering a true Christian community ‘is one of our most important responsibilities and that such communities of love are an antidote to many of the problems that threaten the Church and society at large.’”
The visit was a blessed occasion, enriching the seminarians' spiritual lives and strengthening the traditional ties between St Vladimir’s Seminary and the Antiochian Archdiocese.
By God’s grace, there were 9 ordinations, one elevation, and one tonsure to monastic orders among St Vladimir’s Seminary alumni, faculty, and students during the latter half of 2024. Giving glory to God, we would like to announce the recipients of Holy Orders and elevations among our alumni and students here.
ELEVATIONS
His Eminence Archbishop Elia (Wallgrén) (M.Div. ‘03)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church of Finland
Elevation: Elevated as Primate of the Orthodox Church of Finland (Ecumenical Patriarchate), on December 15, 2024, at Uspenski Cathedral, Helsinki.
HOLY PRIESTHOOD
Priest John (Masatoshi) Shoji (M.Div. ‘07)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in Japan (Moscow Patriarchate)
Holy Priesthood: Ordained on July 14, 2024, by His Eminence, Archbishop Seraphim (Tsujie), Metropolitan of All Japan.
Current Ministry: Rector at Holy Protection of the Mother of God Orthodox Church, Shizuoka, Japan; Rector of the Chapel of the Nativity, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Priest Josef Candelario (M.A. ‘25)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA))
Holy Priesthood: Ordained July 19, 2024, by His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, on behalf of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon (OCA) at St Seraphim of Sarov Cathedral, Holy Protection, Santa Rosa, CA.
Current Ministry: Concluding studies at St Vladimir’s Seminary
Priest Mark Sultani (M.Div. ‘23)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Priesthood: Ordained August 18, 2024, by His Eminence Metropolitan Saba, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America, at the Basilica of St Mary, Livonia, MI.
Current Ministry: Assistant Pastor at St George Orthodox Christian Cathedral, Wichita, KS.
Hieromonk Vasily (Vitaly) Permiakov (M.Div. ‘04)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA))
Holy Priesthood: Ordained September 14, 2024, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon (OCA) at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Current Ministry: Ecclesiarch of Three Hierarchs Chapel, St Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY.
*On January 17, 2025, he was tonsured to the small schema at St Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery (South Canaan, PA) with the name Vasily.
Priest Juxhin Shkurti (M.Div. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Albanian Archdiocese, Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Priesthood: Ordained September 21, 2024, by His Grace Bishop Nikodhim of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese at Sts Peter and Paul Church, Philadelphia, PA.
Current Ministry: Assigned Priest at St George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral, Boston, MA
Priest Paul Hunchak (M.Div. ‘90)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Priesthood: Ordained October 20, 2024, by His Eminence Archbishop Michael of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey at Our Lady of Kazan Church, Sea Cliff, NY.
Current Ministry: Acting Rector at Our Lady of Kazan Orthodox Church, Sea Cliff, NY.
Priest Alexander Nelson (M.Div. ‘25)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Priesthood: Ordained December 25, 2024, by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, on behalf of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon (OCA), at the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection in New York, NY.
Current Ministry: Concluding studies at St Vladimir’s Seminary
HOLY DIACONATE
Deacon Nicholas (Ghassan) Kassab(M.Div. ‘21)
Jurisdiction:Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained November 24, 2024, by His Grace, Bishop Alexander of Ottawa, Eastern Canada, and Upstate New York, at St George Church, Montreal.
Current Ministry: Deacon at St George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Montreal, Canada.
Deacon Stéphane Sollogoub(M.Div. ‘07)
Jurisdiction: Metropolis of France, Ecumenical Patriarchate
Holy Diaconate: Ordained December 28, 2024, by His Grace, Metropolitan Demetrios of France, at the Cathedral of Saint-Stéphane, Paris, France.
Current Ministry: Deacon at the Orthodox Church of Saint Basile le Grand et Saint Alexis le Juste, Nantes, France.
MONASTIC ORDERS
Hieromonk Danaks (Dennis) Rhodes (D.Min. ‘77)
Jurisdiction: Albanian Archdiocese, Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Small Schema: Tonsured as a Riasophore Monk on September 20, 2024, by His Grace Bishop Nikodhim of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese at Sts Peter and Paul Church, Philadelphia, PA.
If an alumnus you know received holy orders or an elevation during the summer/fall of 2024 and is not mentioned here, let us know! Please send the details and a photo to advancement@svots.edu, and we will be happy to update this announcement page.
Today we give thanks to God for the life and witness of Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko. a husband, a father, a teacher, a pastor, a dean of St Vladimir’s Seminary, a friend, a mentor, a man whose love of Jesus Christ touched all of us. Whether we knew him personally or knew him through his writing or podcasts, Fr Tom’s ministry and life of faith have deeply touched all of us.
More than twenty-five years ago, I attended the Divine Liturgy for the first time in a mission parish near my hometown in the mountains of Northern California. A friend of mine, who was a member of the parish, invited me to come that Sunday because a guest priest was visiting that weekend to give a retreat. I was un-baptized, un-churched and my estimation of Christianity was pretty low: somewhere between a closed-minded ritual, and some sort of cult. So I came to church on that Sunday morning extremely skeptical.
I was led to a seat near the front of the church and was quickly captivated by the beauty and grandeur of the Liturgy. Then, during the sermon, I had two realizations that pierced my skeptical heart. The visiting priest who delivered the sermon that morning was not dumb. Nothing about him seemed closed-minded or shallow. He was articulate, and thoughtful and intelligent…very intelligent. Not only was this man brilliant, but he really, truly believed what he was saying. His faith was obvious, and his conviction was contagious.
The visiting priest did not serve that morning, so when he finished his sermon he came back and stood among the faithful, just in front of where I was standing with my friend. Later in the Liturgy, it was the practice of that community for everyone to exchange the “kiss of peace”, except that it was more like the “handshake of peace.” People were shaking hands, saying “Christ is in our midst.” They were smiling, and warm and enthusiastic, and this was fine, I could do this. So, I’m exchanging the “handshake of peace” with the people around me, and I happen to turn and see the visiting priest looking right at me, so I reach out my hand like I had to all the others. But to my complete surprise, this priest with thick glasses and a neatly trimmed beard greets me and then kisses me on the cheeks. The last time a man kissed me was when I was about five, and that was my dad, not some stranger!
This was the first time I met Fr Tom. To say the least, that first experience in the Orthodox Church completely blew my mind. I had no idea how it was possible, but on that morning something had changed in my heart, I knew that I had to become an Orthodox Christian. The one time that Fr Tom ever visited that little parish in California, was the first time I ever attended the Divine Liturgy, and that meeting forever changed my life.
About a year later, I was baptized and chrismated, And early on, I began thinking about going to seminary, and maybe serving as a priest. One day, I approached a senior priest from another parish and very timidly told him that I was thinking about going to seminary, and possibly becoming a priest. I asked him if he could give me any advice. In a very gruff way, he said, “Are you in college?”
“Yes,” I said.
“What is your major?”
“Biology.”
“Hmph. That doesn’t have much to do with theology, does it?”
“No, I guess not,” I said, and I walked away disheartened.
Some months later, I attended a national college conference at Antiochian Village. This was the second time I met Fr Tom, who delivered a number of the talks during the conference. Again, I was captivated by what he had to say, and inspired by his contagious enthusiasm. Knowing that he was a professor at St Vladimir’s, I approached him during the conference and very timidly told him that I was thinking about coming to seminary. As was his way with everyone he met, he was kind, and encouraging, and we talked for a while. Then he asked me, “What is your major?” Oh no, the dreaded question from before. Sheepishly, I apologized, “Uh, well, Biology…and yes, I know, it doesn’t have much to do with theology.” Fr Tom said, “You know, St Isaac the Syrian says that we must love all of God’s creation, even the lizards. And for someone who lived in the desert, that’s really saying something. It’s good to study biology. So finish your degree, and then apply to seminary.” So I did, and a few years later I came here to St Vladimir’s.
During my years at seminary, Fr Tom’s classes were some of my favorites, but they were hard. They forced me to ask hard questions about my faith and my understanding of God and the Church; my understanding of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. One of the many topics that we covered in Fr Tom’s classes was the teaching of St Gregory Palamas. Not only did the topic capture my imagination, but a number of my classmates and I got into a heated debate about the uncreated energies. In retrospect, it is painfully obvious how completely ridiculous and arrogant this was: seminarians, engaging in a heated debate about the finer points of the very summit of the ascetical life. It was as foolish as a bunch of teenagers arguing about how to be a grandparent. Yet, there I was with my classmates, going at it, out on the front porch of the Germack Building. The argument was in full swing as Fr Tom walked by. He stopped, listened for a bit, and then one of us tried to get him to endorse our side of the argument. (If Fr Tom was with you, who could be against you?) Fr Tom thought for a moment, and said, “Yes, the uncreated energies are important, but just stick with Jesus.” and then he walked away.
In my youthful arrogance, I found his answer to be a bit unsatisfying. “What? Just stay with Jesus? What about the ‘light’ what about Motovilov and St Seraphim?” But of course, Fr Tom was right. While Fr Tom’s knowledge of theology, philosophy, history, and culture was encyclopedic, and while he brought this knowledge to bear in his teaching, preaching, and writing, he always remained focused on Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. And whenever I would get sidetracked, or worked up, about one detail or another, Fr Tom would always remind me to just stick with Jesus: focus on Christ. That sound advice, has, on several occasions, served as a beacon of light in the midst of the dark storms of temptation and controversy. No matter what else may be going on, as Fr Tom says, “Be always with Christ, and trust God in everything.”
During my years at St Vladimir’s, my grandmother passed away, and my relatives asked me if I would preach at the service. I had never preached at a funeral before, so I asked Fr Tom for advice on what to do, what I should say. He said, “If you say anything at all, speak about how the life of the departed is a Word of God. Answer this question: How can we see God at work in the life of this person we loved?” This approach defined Fr Tom’s entire ministry. Whether he was talking about dogmatic theology or the Liturgy, or about history, or culture, Fr Tom always showed us how God was at work in the world, at work in our lives.
As St Paul says, “to the pure all things are pure” (Titus 1.15) and Fr Tom was a herald of God’s presence in the midst of a dark and broken world. But most importantly, Fr Tom saw the image of God in the people he met, the students he taught: he saw the image of God in us. Fr Tom embodied the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is lost. As Jesus says, “God the Father does not desire that one of His little ones should perish.” (Mt. 18.14) In Fr Tom’s ministry, everyone mattered, everyone was worth his time. He always saw the good in people, perhaps even sometimes to a fault. This is why so many people sought him out as a father confessor, and this is why Fr Tom would so often be the last one in the chapel, late on a Saturday night, hearing confession after confession after confession.
Fr Tom was the person who saw something good and pure and holy in every one of us, he was the one who saw the image of God in us…especially when we couldn’t see it ourselves. Fr Tom helped us to experience the love of God in Jesus Christ, in everything he did, in his teaching, in his writing, in his countless letters and cards and phone calls, in his hundreds of hours of podcasts, Fr Tom shared with us the love of Jesus Christ: the love that does not forget, that love that heals the broken hearted, the love of the Crucified Messiah who stands with us in our darkest hour. Through Fr Tom, God worked miracles in the hearts of so many of us: miracles of repentance, miracles of reconciliation, miracles of renewed faith.
Now Fr Tom and I did not always agree, and he was not perfect. Fr Tom had his faults, and he was quick to say as much in private, and in public. But in Fr Tom, in his life, in his ministry, I was able to see Christ. Perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith is that Christ reveals himself to us through one another. Helping us to see Christ in our neighbor, and showing us that God is truly present in our lives, is one of Fr Tom’s greatest gifts.
We will dearly, dearly miss Fr Tom, who was a spiritual father to so many in the truest sense. But today, as we bring to a close the forty days since Fr Tom departed this life, we stand like Jesus’ disciples, on that mountain in Galilee on the fortieth day after the Lord’s Pascha. Today we commend Fr Thomas into the hands of God. And just like those disciples on the day of Ascension, we are commanded to “forge on” as Fr Tom always said, to “forge on” in the same ministry to which he dedicated his life: the ministry of teaching the commandments of Jesus Christ; ministering to the lonely and broken-hearted; and bringing the love of God into the world through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Lord, thankyou, for the gift of your servant Protopresbyter Thomas, and may his memory be eternal.
