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!

-- 

(The photo and some information in this article have been reprinted from The Morning Journal.)

Attend the 2026 Summer Music Institute

We are excited to announce the return of St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Summer Music Institute, to be held on campus from June 23–27, 2026, with pre-institute intensive June 22–23.

This year’s Institute will celebrate and explore the planting, cultivation, and flourishing of Orthodox musical traditions in North America, and the musicians who laid the groundwork for the English language liturgical singing of today. Teachers and experts including Alexander Lingas, Vladimir Morosan, Photini Downie Robinson, Juliana Woodill, and Alice Hughes will lead courses of study on vocal technique and choral conducting, as well as advanced seminars on Orthodox music. Come worship, build skills, and enjoy fellowship together!

Learn More & Register to Attend

About the Institute of Sacred Arts

The Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary explores the intersection of human creativity and holiness. With a theology that is holistic, and a liturgy that unites multiple artistic disciplines and all the human senses, the Orthodox Christian tradition is ripe for the exploration and celebration of the sacred arts. Since its founding in 1938, St. Vladimir’s Seminary has fostered the study of icons, music and liturgy. The ISA serves to extend the seminary’s mission in exploring the mutual relationship between theology and the arts by: contributing to the work of people and institutions that practice and reflect on the sacred arts; engaging people and institutions of all backgrounds with Orthodox artistic tradition; inspiring wider public interest in spirituality and the arts. Learn more at www.instituteofsacredarts.com.

Throughout its history, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary has served, and continues to serve, as a training ground for Orthodox men and women, preparing them to serve the Church in its many ministries. The Church needs bishops, priests, and deacons, as well as scholars, teachers, catechists, choir directors, and educated leaders of many kinds. 

If you feel called to ministry in the Church, are interested in broadening your understanding and experience of the Orthodox Christian Faith, are curious about what seminary life is like, or are planning to apply for the Fall 2026 Semester, then please join us on campus at the St. Vladimir’s Seminary Winter Admissions Open House on February 15-16, 2026.

At this Open House, prospective seminarians are invited to experience “life at St. Vladimir’s” in its many facets. Worship with the seminary community in the chapel, attend classes, speak with seminarians and professors about the spiritual, academic, and residential life at the seminary, and, if applying, schedule interviews. Come and see if St. Vladimir’s Seminary is the place for you!

Transportation: Open House attendees will be responsible for their transportation to and from the seminary. 

Arrival & Meals: Attendees are welcome to arrive as early as Saturday, February 14 and to stay through Tuesday, February 17. Meals during the official Open House, February 15–16, will be provided free of charge. If your stay extends beyond these dates in either direction, meals will be available for purchase.

Housing: Pending available space, attendees may request to be housed on-campus on a first-come, first-served basis for free, at the invitation of St. Vladimir’s Seminary. Alternatively, rooms may be booked at the Hampton Inn & Suites Yonkers-Westchester; a block rate is available until January 31, 2026.

Registration Deadline: The registration deadline is Tuesday, February 10, 2026. 

Register Here

2026 Winter Open House Schedule

Sunday, February 15

9:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy at Three Hierarchs Chapel

10:30 a.m. — Coffee hour & fellowship in the Chapel Basement

11:30 a.m. — Lunch provided in Germack Refectory

1:30 p.m. — Group Discussion with the Director of Admissions in Gerich Board Room (Rangos Building) 

• Why Seminary?
• Degree Programs
• Tuition & Financial Aid
• Housing
• Admissions Process
• Discussion

3:00 p.m. — Tour of Campus

4:00 p.m. — Q&A with Current Seminarians in Germack Common Room

5:00 p.m. — Dinner in Germack Refectory

Evening — Informal Activities (TBD): socialize, explore the area, rest!

Monday, February 16 - A Day at Seminary

7:30 a.m. — Daily Matins at Three Hierarchs Chapel

8:15 a.m. — Breakfast in Germack Refectory

9:00 a.m. — Faculty Roundtable in the Gerich Boardroom (Rangos Building)

10:30 a.m. — Attend classes or schedule individual meetings

12:15 p.m. — Lunch in Germack Refectory

1:00 p.m. — Attend Choir Rehearsal (optional)

2:00 p.m. — Attend classes or schedule individual meetings

5:00 p.m. — Daily Vespers at Three Hierarchs Chapel

5:45 p.m. — Dinner in Germack Refectory

*This is the official end of the Open House; if you would like to stay through the the morning of Tuesday, February 17, please let us know, especially if you would like to attend one of the classes, schedule a meeting with the Director of Admissions, and/or have any meals in the refectory.

Tuesday, February 17

7:30 a.m. — Daily Matins at Three Hierarchs Chapel

8:15 a.m. — Breakfast in Germack Refectory

9:15 a.m. — Attend classes or schedule individual meetings

12:15 p.m. — Lunch in Germack Refectory

"What do you want Protestants to know about Orthodoxy?" an Evangelical church asked St. Vladimir’s Seminary alumnus Fr. Christopher Foley.

Fr. Christopher’s response to that question and other topics appeared in the video “Perspectives on Liturgy & Orthodoxy.” The interview was produced by Center City Church in Greensboro, NC, as part of a series on liturgy and beauty.

“St. Paul says, if you read it in the Greek, [Christ] is the ‘icon’ of the invisible God, the image of the invisible God. ... So the fact that Christ really took on flesh means that matter matters,” reflected Fr. Christopher. “And this is the underpinning of all of our sacramental and liturgical life and understanding, that we participate in Christ through the sacramental life of the Church. So our worship is extremely kind of sensual, in the sense that it engages all of the senses.”

Watch the full interview below. Fr. Foley appears in the video starting around the five-minute mark.

The Very Rev. Christopher Foley is Rector of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, NC, where he has served since his graduation from St. Vladimir’s Seminary in 2006, from the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program. In recognition of his many years of faithful service, he was elevated to Archpriest in 2021 by fellow Seminary alumnus His Eminence Archbishop Alexander.

• From Mission to Consecration: Interview with Fr Chris Foley

Do you feel called to serve the Church—whether in ordained ministry, teaching, the mission field, or another much-needed vocation in the Church? Apply to become a seminarian at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS)! 

SVOTS is now accepting applications for the following degree programs for Academic Year 2026–2027: Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Theology (Th.M.) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). 

Prospective students may complete the entire application process online, including interviews. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2026, with a late application deadline of June 1, 2026. Scholarships and Financial Aid are available to qualifying applicants.* 

Apply Today

Download the Admissions Catalog

“Throughout the decades of its existence, St. Vladimir’s Seminary has remained faithful to its call and commission: to train men and women who would serve the Church of Christ,” said SVOTS Dean Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie. 

“The Gospel speaks of ‘good and faithful servants’ (Mt. 25:21), but imposes no ‘standard mold’ for ministry. At St. Vladimir’s Seminary we welcome men and women with a wide range of experiences, interests, talents, and goals, representing a variety of jurisdictions. Although they all learn to seek, to treasure, and to cultivate ‘the one thing needful’—the Kingdom of God—the Lord forges them into many kinds of servants to be sent into His vineyard.

“We pray that you listen and discern whether, how, and where the Lord is calling you to serve His Church.”

To explore the different degree programs at St. Vladimir's Seminary and learn more about applying, housing, tuition, scholarships, and other information, visit the Seminary’s Admissions Page. For questions or to schedule a campus visit or interview, contact Zachariah Mandell, Director of Admissions, at admissions@svots.edu or 914-961-8313 x342.

About St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) is a higher education institution that embraces the challenge of serving the Church and the needs of Orthodox Christians in the twenty-first century. SVOTS trains priests, lay leaders, and scholars to be active apologists of the Orthodox Christian Faith, focusing on academic rigor and spiritual formation within a residential Orthodox community. The Seminary is chartered by the University of the State of New York and accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) to offer the following program degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Ministry. Learn more at www.svots.edu.

*Prospective students who apply after May 1, 2026, will have lower priority for housing and financial aid. The deadline for all financial aid applications, including need-based grants, need-based scholarships, and merit-based scholarships, is May 1. Applications for financial aid submitted after the deadline will be considered only if funds remain available. Notifications of financial aid awards are normally issued with offers of admission.

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of His Grace Bishop Seraphim (Sigrist), former Bishop of Sendai, an alumnus of St. Vladimir’s Seminary. Bishop Seraphim fell asleep in the Lord on the morning of February 7, 2026.

Bishop Seraphim was born Joseph Sigrist on December 13, 1941, in New York and baptized in a Presbyterian Church. He was brought up in Pleasantville, NY, and studied at Nyack College. While studying at Nyack he began to attend the Orthodox Church and, on completing his degree there, he was received into the Orthodox Church at Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in New York. He then began study at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and, after graduating in 1967, went to Japan to assist the Orthodox Church in that country.

In Japan, working first as a teacher in a church-related school and assisting as a deacon at the Toyohashi Church, he was tonsured a monk with the name Seraphim and served first as a parish priest in the town of Nakanida and then, being consecrated in Tokyo on December 19, 1971, from that time served as Bishop of East Japan living in Sendai.

Bishop Seraphim served in Japan for nineteen years, returning to the United States in 1987. He taught in the graduate department of religion at Drew University, wrote three books, and visited Russia frequently in recent years in support of mission especially to youth in Russia.

May Bishop Seraphim’s memory be eternal!

Article adapted from OCA.org

Top Photo: Bishop Seraphim at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in March 2011

The St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVOTS) community celebrated a truly joyous altar feast of The Three Holy Hierarchs on Friday, January 30, as the Seminary welcomed to campus seven hierarchs, a number of other noted clergy and alumni, Seminary trustees, friends, and renowned Orthodox theologian the Very Rev. Dr. Andrew Louth. Later that evening, following the morning’s Divine Liturgy, Fr. Andrew delivered the 43rd Annual Fr. Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture and received an honorary doctorate from St. Vladimir’s.

Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs

His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, and President of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, presided over Divine Liturgy at the Seminary’s Three Hierarchs Chapel. Joining His Beatitude were His Eminence Archbishop Michael of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey (OCA); His Grace Bishop John  (SVOTS Class of ’84) of Worcester and New England (Antiochian Archdiocese); His Grace Bishop Irinej (’82) of Washington-New York and Eastern America (Serbian Orthodox Church); His Grace Bishop Nikodhim (’07) of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese (OCA); His Grace Bishop Benedict (’10) of Hartford and New England (OCA); and His Grace Bishop Vasily (’04) of San Francisco and the West (OCA). Among the priests present were—including Seminary clergy, guests, and alumni—Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino (’14 and ’25), Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America; Three Hierarchs Chapel Rector Archpriest Alexander Rentel (’95), SVOTS’ Assistant Professor of Liturgical Theology and Canon Law; Protopresbyter Nicolas Kazarian, Ecumenical Officer and Director of the Department of Inter-Orthodox Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America); Archimandrite Jeremy (Davis; ’04), Archiepiscopal Vicar, Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest (Antiochian Archdiocese), and Seminary Trustee; Archpriest Andrew Louth, Archpriest Emeritus of the Diocese of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate); Seminary Spiritual Formation Director Archpriest Michael Nasser; Archpriest Volodymyr Zablotskyy, the Rector of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Yonkers, NY; and Archpriest Bogdan Bucur, SVOTS’ Associate Professor of Patristics.

“When a community celebrates its patronal feast day, they pause to give thanks to all those who came before them to bring us to this point … to express the kingdom of heaven in this place and in this time,” His Grace Bishop John noted as he gave the homily. “Let us remember the Three Holy Hierarchs and their love for each other as we learn to know each other and love each other, so that in unity we can, in one voice, proclaim the Good News and share the life that God chooses to share with the entire world.”

On behalf of Seminary Dean Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie and the entire community, Fr. Alexander Rentel warmly welcomed all the hierarchs and guests at the conclusion of Divine Liturgy. 

His Beatitude then offered a beautiful reflection on the numerology which marked this blessed feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom:

“The grace and peace of these three great saints is multiplied twofold through the presence of the venerable hierarchs and brothers who join me, six in number, for our concelebration today…”

Read Met. Tikhon’s Remarks for the Feast

Strategic Planning for the Seminary’s Future

Part of this busy week at the Seminary, including Friday afternoon, was reserved for a major undertaking by SVOTS administration and the Board of Trustees. Board members engaged in the work of strategic planning that will guide the Seminary for the next several years and beyond. This work was a continuation of efforts that began during the Board’s October 2025 session. During the January session, trustees discussed and discerned important topics about the Seminary's future, work that involves the voice of the Church as well as the Seminary. The Board is eager to ensure this strategic planning reflects the close connection of SVOTS and the Church that has been a strong emphasis of recent administrative and board work overseen by His Beatitude and Dr. Tudorie. Input from stakeholders—including hierarchs, alumni, donors, seminarians, faculty, staff, and others—is part of this ongoing work.

Schmemann Lecture & Honorary Doctorate

As the Fr. Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture got underway that evening, Dr. Tudorie announced a special honor for guest lecturer Fr. Andrew Louth: the bestowal of an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from St. Vladimir’s Seminary.

“[Father Andrew] is a great teacher of the Church, a scholar of renown, and one of the most respected voices in patristic studies today, for whose decades of ministry both at the altar and in the library we are deeply grateful,” stated Dr. Tudorie.

READ THE HONORARY DEGREE CITATION

The Very Rev. Dr. Andrew Louth is Professor Emeritus at the University of Durham; Honorary Fellow of the St. Irenaeus Orthodox Theological Institute at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands; a Fellow of the British Academy; and Archpriest Emeritus of the Diocese of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate). He is the author of several books, including St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press’s Greek East and Latin West: the Church ad 681–1071, The Church in History, vol. III (2007); and he has also served as editor and translator for other Press titles over the years.

“I am completely overwhelmed,” said Fr. Andrew upon receiving the honorary doctorate. The honor was a surprise and kept secret from Fr. Andrew until shortly before the Lecture. “St. Vlad’s has always meant a great deal to me, and … over the last thirty years or so [I’ve] kept in touch with the Seminary. … I just feel very, very moved that you’ve chosen to give me this great honor.”

Father Andrew then offered his lecture, entitled, “Shadows and Darkness in Patristic Theology.”

“Orthodox Theology is often regarded, by ourselves and others, as essentially ‘apophatic,’” explained Fr. Andrew in his introduction. “Even though the language of apophatic/cataphatic, affirmation or denial, or negation, was only introduced into Greek Patristic theology by Dionysios the Areopagite in the early sixth century, a negative theology of an unknowable God already had a long history, both among Christian Fathers and among their contemporaries, the philosophers of the Greek Platonic tradition. There has, however, been a tendency to see Greek Patristic theology from the perspective of what is, in truth, Neoplatonic apophaticism, and to regard the various ways in which shadows and darkness feature in the Fathers somewhat as stumbling blocks towards a fully fledged apophatic theology.”

Listen to the entirety of Fr. Andrew’s lecture below, or on the Seminary’s YouTube channel.

At the end of this memorable day of worship, fellowship, and meditation, His Beatitude offered a word of gratitude before concluding the event with prayer.

“Your inspiring exposition … [reflects] the years of prayerful labor and research that you have offered not just for your own spiritual growth and academic growth—or even for that of your students—but for the Church. And we are grateful to you not only for your words but your example, reminding us so clearly how we all must, in a certain sense, pass through those stages of shadow to image and truth.”

Scenes from the Feast Day & Schmemann Lecture

A joint tribute by St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University

Join us for a two-day commemoration honoring the 100th birthday of Fr. John Meyendorff (February 17, 1926–July 22, 1992), one of the most influential Orthodox theologians of the twentieth century.

A scholar of extraordinary range, Fr. John shaped the study of Byzantine theology, Orthodox ecclesiology, and ecumenical dialogue for generations. His dual role as Dean and Professor at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and Professor of Byzantine History at Fordham University made him a unique bridge between Orthodox theological education and the broader academic world. This joint tribute honors that legacy at both institutions where he left an indelible mark.
 

Registration is closed.
 

Friday, February 6 | St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

5:30 PM — Memorial service in the Seminary Chapel followed by reflections on Fr. John’s legacy:

• His Grace Bishop Irinej (Dobrijevic), Bishop of Eastern America, Serbian Orthodox Church
• Dr. Vera Shevzov, Professor of Religion and Director of the Program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Smith College
• Dr. Paul Meyendorff, Father Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology Emeritus, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary

Reception to follow, open to all.

Saturday, February 7 | Fordham University, Rose Hill Campus

9:00 AM — Breakfast and coffee 

9:30 AM–12:00 PM — Academic Symposium: “Orthodoxy, Byzantium, and the Rise of Russia Revisited”

Speakers:

• Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, Dean, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
• Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou, Professor of Theology and Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture, Fordham University
• Dr. Nadieszda Kizenko, Professor of History, University at Albany
• Dr. Dimiter Angelov, Dumbarton Oaks Professor of Byzantine History, Harvard University
• Dr. Tikhon Alexander Pino, Director of the Pappas Patristic Institute, Hellenic College Holy Cross

Attendance at this joint, two-day event is free and open to the public.

Fr Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture

Renowned Orthodox scholar and author the Very Rev. Dr. Andrew Louth will deliver the 43rd Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture at St. Vladimir’s Seminary on Friday, January 30, 2026, on the Feast of the Three Hierarchs.

The lecture is free and open to the public to attend in person or online. It begins at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST.

Registration is closed.

Fr. Andrew’s lecture is titled, “Shadows and Darkness in Patristic Theology.”

“Orthodox Theology is often regarded, by ourselves and others, as essentially ‘apophatic,’” writes Fr. Andrew. “Even though the language of apophatic/cataphatic was only introduced into Greek Patristic theology by Dionysios the Areopagite, a negative theology of an unknowable God already had a long history. There has, however, been a tendency to see Greek Patristic theology from the perspective of Neoplatonic apophaticism, and overlook the various ways in which shadows and darkness feature in the Fathers. This lecture is an attempt to redress this.”

The Schmemann Lecture is part of St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s yearly celebration of the feast of our chapel patrons, the Three Hierarchs: Holy and Ecumenical Teachers Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon will preside over Divine Liturgy at 9 a.m. that morning at Three Hierarchs Chapel. A light reception will follow the lecture. 

About Fr. Andrew Louth

The Very Rev. Dr. Andrew Louth is Professor Emeritus, University of Durham; Honorary Fellow of the St. Irenaeus Orthodox Theological Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Fellow of the British Academy; and Archpriest Emeritus of the Diocese of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate). Author of several books, including The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition: from Plato to Denys (1981; revised ed., 2007); Denys the Areopagite (1989); St John Damascene: Tradition and Originality in Byzantine Theology (2002); SVS Press’s Greek East and Latin West: the Church ad 681–1071, The Church in History, vol. III (2007); Modern Orthodox Thinkers: from the Philokalia to the present (2015); and numerous articles, a selection of which can be found in Selected Essays, in two volumes: I. Studies in Patristics; II. Studies in Theology, edited by Lewis Ayres and John Behr (2023).

Seminarians from St. Vladimir’s and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox seminaries offered prayers and marched alongside His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and other Orthodox clergy and laity Friday, January 23, at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.

The group from St. Vladimir’s Seminary also included Dean Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, His Grace Bishop John (Abdalah), Fr. Michael Nasser, and Fr. Kirill Sokolov.

"After many years of wanting to attend the March for Life, I was thankful that I was able to attend for the first time,” said Fr. Michael. “I was so impressed to see the Orthodox hierarchs, other clergy, and faithful gathered together to pray for an end to the killing of unborn children in our country. And I was thankful our seminarians could see the dedication of these beloved brothers and sisters—and the thousands of others alongside whom we marched—and with whom we could add our own efforts."

“It was wonderful to see so much support for the Pro-Life movement from so much of the Orthodox Church in North America,” said second-year seminarian Benjamin Franks, who helped lead the group of seminarians on the trip. “There were bishops from several jurisdictions present as well as local parishes, and both St. Tikhon's and St. Vladimir’s seminaries. Being together and advocating as one for the Orthodox Christian witness to life was an immense blessing. As seminarians, it is important for our formation to participate in pan-Orthodox engagement in society to advocate for an end to this and all injustice.”

Each year the student-led St. Ambrose Society plays a major role in organizing St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s participation in the March. A few days prior to the March, the St. Ambrose Society hosted an informational session for seminarians with leaders of the group Orthodox Christians for Life (OCL). OCL is a key part of the Orthodox presence at the March every year.

The gathering for the March for Life Rally began at noon Friday at the National Mall. The assembled hierarchs gathered to offer the opening prayer, given by Seminary Alumnus and Trustee His Grace Bishop Irinej (Dobrijevic) of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His Beatitude presided at the Service of Supplication to End Abortion, after which the March for Life began.

View Photos from the March for Life