In loving memory of their sister, Sr Magdalen Margaret Abraham Vazhayil of the Knanaya Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Vazhayil family has established a new endowment to support the tuition fees primarily for Knanaya seminary students (both men and women) at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS). The first recipient of scholarship funds from this endowment will be Semayon Lukose (M.Div. ‘24).
Sr Magdalen Margaret (Achammakutty Abraham) was born in Kunnankarry, Kerala, India as the seventh child of the late Chachykutty and T. Abraham Vazhayil. She came to the United States in the early 1970s and completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, Massachusetts. After receiving novitiate training at St Margaret’s Episcopal Convent in Boston, Massachusetts, she entered monastic life soon afterward and in 1980, became the first woman in the Knanaya North American community to be tonsured a nun.
Known in the Knanaya community as a woman of prayer, Sr Magdalen Margaret was very caring and strived to love and serve all people around her. She was instrumental in initiating programs for the women of the North American Knanaya Community and served as the founding Vice President of the North American Knanaya Women's Organization (NAKWO). She donated her time and resources to her community and was focused on serving the Lord. She was the driving force for spiritual activities such as the NAKWO Prayer line, retreats for families, and the publishing of the NAKWO church calendar. She was serving as the Vice President of the NAKWO at the time of her repose in the Lord.
May the memory of Sr Magdalen Margaret be eternal!
Fr Elias Dorham (D.Min. ‘23) presented his doctoral research in a webinar entitled “The Good Wine: Strengthening Marriage through Mutual Forgiveness,” at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Director of the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program, the Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen gave introductory remarks and took questions from webinar attendees. 136 registrants from across the country signed up to hear Fr Elias speak on learning to see communication and conflict within marriage as an opportunity for mutual martyrdom and sanctification.
During his talk, Fr Elias gave a brief overview of his doctoral project, where he designed and piloted a marriage enrichment program geared towards Orthodox Christians. The program was designed with two goals: to ground participating couples in an Orthodox Christian theological vision of marriage and to help them reframe common marital challenges related to communication and forgiveness. Fr Elias elaborated on his main motivation for undertaking this project, saying, “I felt that if I could help couples learn to see the ordinary challenges of marriage as encounters with Christ, these challenges might become a means for their healing and their transformation.”
Fr Elias spoke eloquently on the ways husbands and wives can proactively initiate healing in their marriages by “choosing to forgive,” even before the other partner may realize that they have done something to hurt or offend. Webinar attendees submitted a range of questions, offering Fr Elias the opportunity to demonstrate the depth of his experience in counseling couples toward healthier, more Christ-centered relationships.
Fr Elias Dorham’s D.Min. final project and the recording of the webinar are available via the links below.
Fr Elias Dorham serves as the Associate Pastor and Adult Education Coordinator at Holy Transfiguration parish in McLean, VA. He and Khouria Sylvia have been married for 30 years and have 10 children and three grandchildren. Prior to ordination, his professional experience encompassed coaching and leadership development across the military, federal/local government, and technology sectors. He holds a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) from St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, as well as an M.A. in Theological Studies from Christendom College, an M.S. in Information Systems Technology from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a B.S. in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy.
The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen
The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen (M.Div. ‘96; Ph.D., Drew University, 2002) is Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St Vladimir's Seminary and serves as director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. In addition to teaching homiletics and preaching, he also teaches courses in apologetics, faith and science, and Christian education. Fr Sergius is a priest of the Orthodox Church in America and is attached to Christ the Savior Church in Southbury, CT. He is an accomplished liturgical musician and has contributed to a number of "Archangel Voices" recordings. He currently lives in New Haven, CT with his wife and three children. He loves gardening, hiking, biking, and reading biographies and fiction.
About the Doctor of Ministry Program
The Doctor of Ministry degree at St Vladimir's Seminary enhances the practice of ministry for ordained and lay ministers in the Orthodox Church. The program integrates enhanced competencies in pastoral analysis with skills necessary to lead students to an advanced understanding of the nature and purposes of ministry. Working in communities of teachers and learners, the students gain deeper knowledge about the practice of serving others in Christian love as they grow in spiritual maturity as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The D.Min. program at St Vladimir's Seminary provides priests, chaplains, and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in order to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering. Integrating doctoral-level academic work with pastoral spirituality, this program will help you to acquire and refine the skills to minister to those whom God has called you to serve. Please consider joining us in a doctoral program that will give you an opportunity to foster deep and lasting friendships as we engage in work that contributes to authentic spiritual and pastoral renewal. The next D.Min. cohort will commence in Fall 2024.
The Doctor of Ministry Program at St Vladimir’s Seminary is supported by the Danilchick Family Endowment for Pastoral Studies, thanks to the generosity of Protodeacon Peter and Tanya Danilchick.
The Board of Trustees of St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) met this past week, May 18–19, 2023, for its semi-annual Board of Trustees (Board) meeting. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon presided over the meeting as Ex-Officio Chairman of the Board, and Dr Nick Pandelidis, the newly elected Executive Chair, led the meeting.
Following two years of extensive discussion and preliminary planning, the board will continue investigating its aspirational vision for expanding the seminary’s mission in the service of the American Orthodox Church.
The vision (first announced in November 2021, and again in January 2022) conceives a new campus as a center of American Orthodoxy with an expansion of its educational programs for clergy and lay Orthodox leaders, a center for contemporary Orthodox apologetics, continuation of the seminary’s long tradition of theological academic excellence within the Church, promotion of pan-Orthodox unity, and engagement with the current movement to build out Orthodox K–12 and undergraduate education.
“As the primate of the Orthodox Church in America, I fully support the goal of expanding the offerings for theological education in North America,” said His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. “I also recognize the important contribution that SVOTS has historically made towards this sacred task through the sacrificial work of the faculty, staff, and board of trustees of the seminary. At our recent Board meeting, some very fruitful and honest discussions took place resulting in the Board’s decision to reset the previously announced process of relocation. There is further due diligence that needs to be done to refine the vision and to address a number of communication, operational, and financial aspects of the future of the seminary. I am encouraged that the Board is placing the needed attention to the points that are outlined below as well as considering the further costs and benefits of remaining in Yonkers or relocating at a future time.”
The board recognized the need to develop the solid foundation necessary for working toward the future vision of SVOTS, and will take the following immediate actions:
Seek the counsel and support of the Orthodox Church of America (OCA) hierarchs and other Orthodox jurisdictional hierarchs, as well as SVOTS stakeholders, which includes clergy, alumni, and donors, to inform the development of a 3 to 5-year strategic plan;
Design and execute a dedicated communication strategy to keep constituents informed and gather feedback;
Examine the SVOTS administration to ensure appropriate organizational structure, adequate staffing, and operational strategy;
Grow SVOTS annual fundraising efforts in order to sustain robust operations.
“Exploring this vision will require ongoing communication and dialogue with our hierarchs, alumni, and donors; careful and meticulous analysis and planning; and above all else, a prayerful and humble submission to the Lord’s will,” said Dr Nick Pandelidis.
"Over the past fifty years and more, St Vladimir's Seminary has been a strong partner with the Antiochian Archdiocese in preparing our clergy to carry the joyful light and healing grace of Christ to contemporary North America. We look forward to working together on this new vision, in order to amplify and enhance that essential mission,” said the Right Rev. Archimandrite Jeremy (Davis), Protosyngellos of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and SVOTS trustee.
The board expressed gratitude to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon for his insight and counsel regarding pursuing the seminary’s expanded mission and vision.
The Board of Trustees also offered their sincere thanks to the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield and the seminary’s faithful staff and faculty who have worked tirelessly to accomplish so much despite limited financial resources.
His Beatitude, the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the administration asked for your continued and renewed prayers and financial support to accomplish the work before them in order to magnify our “shining light on the hill.”
SVOTS will release more information about its progress, as information becomes available.
ABOUT SVOTS
Saint 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. www.svots.edu
Fr Elias Dorham (D.Min. ‘23) will present his doctoral research in a webinar entitled “The Good Wine: Strengthening Marriage through Mutual Forgiveness,” at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Director of the Doctor of Ministry program, the Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen will give introductory remarks.
Fr Elias introduces his research as follows:
Many married couples experience challenges in the areas of communication and navigating conflict. Over time these challenges can lead to the breakdown of marriages and families. To better help the people I serve, my D.Min. project focused on creating a model of ministry that helps couples understand and navigate the everyday challenges in the areas of communication and conflict within the context of an Orthodox Christian vision of marriage as mutual martyrdom/mutual sanctification. Seen this way, challenges in marriage can help couples to grow spiritually and personally, and can serve as an applied marital mystagogy for couples, strengthening marriages and families.
Join us for this thought-provoking and edifying presentation on the Orthodox Christian approach to communication within marriage.
This webinar will be open to the public for online attendance. To attend the webinar, register at the link below. There is no entrance fee, but donations are much appreciated and will directly benefit St Vladimir’s Seminary.
Registration for this event is closed.
About the Speakers
Fr Elias Dorham
Fr Elias Dorham serves as the Associate Pastor and Adult Education coordinator at Holy Transfiguration parish in McLean, VA. He and Khouria Sylvia have been married for 30 years and have 10 children and three grandchildren. Prior to ordination his professional experience encompassed coaching and leadership development across the military, federal/local government, and technology sectors. He holds a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) from St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, as well as an M.A. in Theological Studies from Christendom College, an M.S. in Information Systems Technology from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a B.S. in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy.
The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen
The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen (M.Div. ‘96; Ph.D., Drew University, 2002) is Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St Vladimir's Seminary and serves as director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. In addition to teaching homiletics and preaching, he also teaches courses in apologetics, faith and science, and Christian education. Fr Sergius is a priest of the Orthodox Church in America and is attached to Christ the Savior Church in Southbury, CT. He is an accomplished liturgical musician and has contributed to a number of "Archangel Voices" recordings. He currently lives in New Haven, CT with his wife and three children. He loves gardening, hiking, biking, and reading biographies and fiction.
About the Doctor of Ministry Program
The Doctor of Ministry degree at St Vladimir's Seminary enhances the practice of ministry for ordained and lay ministers in the Orthodox Church. The program integrates enhanced competencies in pastoral analysis with skills necessary to lead students to an advanced understanding of the nature and purposes of ministry. Working in communities of teachers and learners, the students gain deeper knowledge about the practice of serving others in Christian love as they grow in spiritual maturity as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The D.Min. program at St Vladimir's Seminary provides priests, chaplains, and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in order to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering. Integrating doctoral-level academic work with pastoral spirituality, this program will help you to acquire and refine the skills to minister to those whom God has called you to serve. Please consider joining us in a doctoral program that will give you an opportunity to foster deep and lasting friendships as we engage in work that contributes to authentic spiritual and pastoral renewal. The next D.Min. cohort will commence in Fall 2024.
The Commencement of the Class of 2023 at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) was held on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The day began at 9:00 a.m. with a hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Three Hierarchs Chapel presided by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). During the liturgy, seminarian Ferenc Fehervari (M.Div. ’25) was tonsured a reader; Assistant Professor of Liturgical Theology, the Rev. Dn Dr Vitaly Permiakov was awarded the double orarion; and Assistant Professor of Liturgical Music Dr Harrison Russin was ordained to the Holy Diaconate.
Following a brief recess for lunch, graduates, their families, visiting hierarchs, SVOTS trustees, faculty, staff, and the seminary community gathered in Three Hierarchs Chapel to start the commencement ceremony with a moleben, in accordance with longstanding practice at St Vladimir’s Seminary. His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon was joined by His Eminence Metropolitan Saba, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Archdiocese of All North America (AOCANA); His Grace Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos of the Northeast American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church; His Grace Bishop Sinoda of Washington, D.C. of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church; His Eminence Metropolitan Ghattas of Baghdad, Kuwait, and Dependencies; the Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Papazafiropoulos, Chancellor of the Greek Archdiocese of America (GOA), representing His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros; and the Right Rev. ProtosyngellosJeremy Davis of the Antiochian Archdiocese.
Upon the conclusion of the moleben, attendees found their seats in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium in the John G. Rangos Building ahead of the formal procession of hierarchs, faculty, and graduating seminarians into the auditorium, marking the beginning of the 84th Commencement Exercises of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. SVOTS President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield gave his opening remarks, including a detailed recap of key events and achievements at SVOTS and SVS Press during the 2022–23 academic year.
The Commencement Address was given by the Hon. Alex M. Azar II, who was also awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, in recognition of his faithful and dedicated philanthropic service over many years within the Church. Secretary Azar gave a stirring speech, drawing on his high-profile leadership experience as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018–2021) and president of Lilly USA, LLC (2012–2017) to encourage SVOTS graduates to embrace a collaborative style of leadership within their future ministries, to always communicate the “why” behind their decisions, and to respectfully seek input from members of the communities they are called to lead.
Twenty-seven seminarians graduated at this year’s Commencement: fifteen were granted the Master of Divinity (M.Div.); eleven received the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree, and one received a Master in Theology (Th.M.). Graduates represented twelve different Eastern and Oriental Orthodox jurisdictions.
The conferral of diplomas was preceded by the salutatory address, given by salutatorian Mother Cassiana Colchester (M.A. Concentration in Theological Scholarship and Research). Mother Cassiana gave thanks to God for a fruitful and humbling experience at SVOTS, reflecting that above all, seminary is about “learning to be weak,” to truly see one’s darkness and failings, “for in this weakness can Christ’s strength and His glory truly shine through.”
Immediately following the conferral of degrees, Student Council President Mark Sultani (M.Div.) presented the Saint Macrina Award to the Rev. Dn Dr Vitaly Permiakov. The Saint Macrina Award is an honor given each year to a professor elected by the student body to recognize his or her effort and excellence in teaching. Sultani commended the entire faculty at SVOTS, saying, “This award gets harder and harder each year because our faculty is just that good. It really feels as if we are in a golden age of stellar faculty who continue to teach us and push us to be better.”
Sultani then presented an unexpected and touching class gift to Fr Chad Hatfield, an icon commissioned with a local iconographer, depicting the Mother of God with Christ in her womb overlooking the seminary campus.
The Rev. Dr Anthony Gilbert (M.Div.) was then named valedictorian of the Class of 2023. In his valedictory address, Fr Anthony urged his classmates to consider two themes in the farewell address, or valediction, our Lord Jesus Christ gave to his disciples in the Gospel of John. In this passage, the longest discourse by Jesus recorded in the gospels, He counsels us to be prepared for tribulations throughout our lives, but also to “be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world (John 16.33).” Fr Anthony concluded his address by calling his fellow graduates to always remember that “He is the source of our strength, and that when we falter or stumble or get lost, He is near and we know His voice.”
The commencement exercises were concluded by a short concert by St Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale and final remarks by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon. Graduate Fr Nicholas Fine (M.Div.) led a large choir of men and women in singing “Let God Arise” in Byzantine chant. Seminarian Naomi DeHaan (M.A. ’24) then led the women’s choir in a new arrangement of the Paschal Exapostilarion, arranged for women’s voices by a student musician. Finally, the Rev. Dn Dr Harrison Russin led the entire chorale in singing “Christ is Risen” by Alexander Kastalsky.
His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon concluded the ceremony, first with some lighthearted comments, and then with an earnest injunction, saying,
“By dint of obtaining your seminary degree, all of you will, to some degree or other, be seen as spiritual and intellectual leaders in your communities. Many who dream of church leadership, dream vainly about imposing their own ideas, preferences, and agenda on the Church. Believers do not come to church because they want their pastors’ and lay leaders' personal ideas and priorities. Believers come to the Church because they want Jesus Christ. They hear His voice. He knows them, and Him do they follow. And so to all seminarians and especially the graduating clergy, I say if you wish to serve the Church, if you wish to be a shepherd of Christ's flock, then let go of your own voice and become the voice of Christ.”
Please pray for the graduates of the Class of 2023! May our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ bless them in their future ministries and grant them many blessed years!
The Commencement of the Class of 2023 of St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will occur on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The ceremony will begin with a prayer of thanksgiving in Three Hierarchs Chapel at 1:00 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 1:30 p.m. Eastern, the visiting hierarchs, guests of honor, faculty, and graduating students will proceed to the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium for the ceremony.
The Hon. Alex M. Azar II will give his remarks as the 2023 Commencement Speaker. Azar has had an illustrious career, most recently serving as the 24th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as the president of Lilly USA, LLC. A devoted Orthodox Christian, he was awarded the St Innocent Medal, gold class, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon in Spring 2022.
The Commencement Ceremony of the Class of 2023 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 Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) hosted Dr Alexander Lingas as Artist in Residence for the Spring 2023 semester. Dr Lingas is a distinguished church musician, choral director, scholar, and teacher. Music director and founder of the celebrated vocal ensemble Cappella Romana, he is also a Professor Emeritus of Music at City, University of London, and a Research Fellow of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge (UK).
This is far from the first time Dr Lingas has been welcomed at St Vladimir’s Seminary; he first came to campus as a doctoral student in 1990, taking classes in Patristics and Liturgical Theology with Fr John Meyendorff and Paul Meyendorff as part of his Ph.D. coursework. Over the last few decades, Dr Lingas has been a regular guest lecturer and conference participant at the Seminary, but was “very pleased to be invited to stay for a longer period for the first time since 1990, to have the entire term on campus as an artist in residence.”
Highlights of Dr Lingas’ semester at SVOTS included The Byzantine Inheritance, a special performance given on February 17, 2023 by Cappella Romana, sponsored in part by the ISA; a Byzantine chant master-class with student chorale members, taught by Cappella Romana members and prominent church musicians John Michael Boyer and Photini Robinson; an advanced course titled Sacred Arts 441: Text, Sound, and Meaning in Byzantine Liturgy; an interview on the Luminous podcast with ISA founding director and SVOTS Professor of Systematic Theology, Dr Peter Bouteneff; and a lecture on the development of Orthodox liturgical music throughout history presented at the final faculty seminar of the academic year.
Seminarians who took Sacred Arts 441 came away with a deep appreciation for the historical development of liturgical music. Dn Tesfay Rezene (Th.M. ’23) commented,
“Dr Alexander Lingas taught a truly fascinating course, designed to have students experience the lives of the ancient Church community, a community that was full of thanksgiving, praise, and worship. Dr Lingas guided us through the various stages of the Church's liturgical music, sound, and meaning of the texts.”
Another student, Fr Stephen Guirguis (M.Div. ‘25) noted Dr Lingas’ masterful cultivation of the teacher-student relationship, including, “the way he presents the material in class, the way he listens to the students, the way he understands rightly what was inside the students and helps them to express it fittingly, and the way he runs the discussion and answers questions.”
Dr Lingas participated actively in community life at St Vladimir’s Seminary, singing in the choir for chapel services, lending his voice to the student chorale for the Lenten concert, and meeting with students from the M.A. concentration in Sacred Arts program to discuss liturgical music and answer questions. He also made several high-profile appearances in New York and abroad during the semester, most notably at the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023, where he led the Byzantine Chant Ensemble in chanting verses from Psalm 72 during the ceremony.
Following the 2023 Commencement ceremony on May 20, 2023, Dr Lingas will conclude his residency at St Vladimir’s Seminary. To receive further updates on Dr Lingas’ work and learn about his upcoming performances with Cappella Romana, visit cappellaromana.org.
The Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) hosted a panel discussion entitled Sacred Arts East and West: A Conversation with Aidan Hart, Jonathan Pageau, and Andrew Gould, on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium on campus. The event was attended in person by many seminarians and community members; more than 600 people registered to attend the event via Zoom live-stream.
ISA founding director and SVOTS Professor of Systematic Theology Dr Peter Bouteneff and Associate Professor of Art History Dr Rossitza Schroeder moderated the discussion. The moderators challenged each panelist to present his own work and approach to liturgical art from the lens of cultural adaptation and bridge-building, asking:
How do liturgical artists in the West honor their cultural heritage while adapting it to Orthodox worship in their own contexts?
And how does this experience of building bridges between artistic and religious traditions offer perspective on the state of art and culture in the modern world?
Andrew Gould, a designer of liturgical buildings and objects, described his efforts to design churches that appeal to the churchgoers in the American communities where he does his work, by drawing on local history, culture, ethos, and building materials. Architectural elements such as columns fashioned from Southern pine, or walls featuring both wood paneling and frescoes are chosen to help create a liturgical environment that fits into an American cultural aesthetic, increasing the likelihood that local inquirers will feel at home worshiping in the Orthodox Church.
Gould also touched on the work he and his fellow panelists have done to promote excellence in contemporary liturgical art in the Orthodox Arts Journal, speaking about the need for quality Orthodox art that appeals both to cosmopolitan, areligious people and to those from religious backgrounds favoring more emotionally charged, “sweet” religious images, while remaining true to Church tradition.
Following Andrew Gould’s presentation, icon carver, public speaker, and prominent YouTuber Jonathan Pageau related his own endeavors to create religious objects that feel authentic within Western cultural contexts, but that are faithful to established Orthodox Tradition in their symbolism. Pageau encouraged Orthodox artists to think carefully and ask for feedback when incorporating distinct cultural elements into their work, to avoid evoking a sense of “pastiche” or disjointedness. He compared and contrasted several of his own works to demonstrate a nuanced integration of Scandinavian, Romanesque, Celtic, and Byzantine artistic influences.
The final panelist presentation came from Aidan Hart, iconographer and prolific liturgical artisan in a wide range of artistic media. Showing examples of his iconography and artwork in churches in the United Kingdom, Hart explored the localized themes he strives to incorporate into his work, highlighting Western Orthodox saints, ornamental depictions of the local flora and fauna, and architectural elements reflecting the traditional buildings in the surrounding area.
A lively Q&A session followed the panelists’ presentations, with questions and comments taken from online and in-person participants, including iconographer Fr Silouan Justiniano, Orthodox Arts Journal editor and featured author and member of the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross (ROCOR) in Long Island, NY. The entire discussion was recorded live and is now available to watch on the SVOTS YouTube channel.
St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) announces the creation of St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology, an accessible extension of the Seminary offering quality online Orthodox education to the general public, taught by SVOTS faculty. This new initiative is supported by a grant awarded in 2022 by Lilly Endowment Inc., propelling the Seminary’s entrance into online education.
The initial offerings from St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology are two non-degree courses, with plans to expand into certifications, potentially adding M.A. degree programs in the future.
The first course, Preparing to Read the Fathers, will be taught by the Rev. Dr Bogdan G. Bucur, Associate Professor of Patristics, starting June 6, 2023. In this lecture series, Fr Bogdan will discuss four historical lenses for properly approaching the Church Fathers, giving participants valuable tools for learning to understand "the mind of the Fathers."
Associate Professor of Old Testament Dr Michael Legaspi will teach the second course, Orthodoxy & the Old Testament, starting July 11, 2023. Dr Legaspi will explore the essential role and purpose of the Old Testament in Church Tradition and worship, and challenge participants to adopt an Orthodox orientation to the Scriptures.
Both courses are four weeks long and will take place via Zoom live-stream on Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:15 p.m. (EDT). Each lecture will accompany recommended readings, a Q&A session, and weekly email communications from faculty.
Arpi Nakashian, Director of Online Education, described the intended audience for the new online courses, saying, “We hope these courses can benefit a wide array of participants, including inquirers who are just beginning to learn about Orthodox Christianity; Orthodox laypeople who seek to enrich their understanding and practice of the Orthodox Faith; and ordained and lay ministers who wish to continue their study of theology.”
SVOTS President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield related his enthusiasm regarding the launch of St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology, commenting, “In the increasingly digital world we live in today, it is essential that St Vladimir’s Seminary continues to find new ways to share the Gospel and proclaim the Orthodox Faith to all who seek to know truth.”
Enrollment is now open for the two inaugural online courses at St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology; early registration is encouraged to secure a seat. To learn more and register for the courses, visit online.svots.edu or contact us at online@svots.edu.
The Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will host a panel discussion with artists and scholars Aidan Hart, Jonathan Pageau, and Andrew Gould, on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. The event will be moderated by ISA founding director and SVOTS Professor of Systematic Theology Dr Peter Bouteneff and Associate Professor of Art History Dr Rossitza Schroeder.
Understanding that Orthodox liturgical art mostly reflects the cultures of Eastern Europe, Greece, and the Middle East, the panelists will address the following questions:
How do liturgical artists in the West honor their cultural heritage while adapting it to Orthodox worship in their own contexts?
And how does this experience of building bridges between artistic and religious traditions offer perspective on the state of art and culture in the modern world?
Aidan Hart, Jonathan Pageau, and Andrew Gould are all artists of the highest caliber, creating icons and carvings and designing churches in Western Europe and North America. Each of them has also reflected deeply on issues related to the nature of the Eastern legacy and its ongoing life in new contexts. Join us for a penetrating conversation with the Institute of Sacred Arts at St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
This roundtable discussion will be open to the public for in-person and online attendance. Registration is highly encouraged using the link below. There is no entrance fee, but donations are much appreciated and will directly benefit the Institute of Sacred Arts at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
About the Panelists
Jonathan Pageau
Jonathan graduated with distinction from the Painting and Drawing program at Concordia University in Montreal during the late 1990s. Quickly disillusioned with contemporary art, he discovered icons and traditional Christian images along his own spiritual journey. Rekindling his love of art through the study of traditional forms, Jonathan developed a passion for wood carving. Having studied Orthodox Theology and Iconology at the University of Sherbrooke, since 2003 Jonathan has been carving different types of liturgical objects. His carvings have been commissioned by churches, bishops, priests, and laypeople in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. He has participated in several exhibitions of icons and teaches icon carving with Hexaemeron. Jonathan is also a respected voice in the English-speaking Orthodox world, contributing to the Orthodox Arts Journal as a writer and editor, and producing popular online videos discussing Christian symbolism in all its forms. His YouTube channel has 177,000 subscribers.
Andrew Gould
Andrew is an artisan and designer specializing in traditional buildings and liturgical art. He studied art history at Tufts University and University College London and earned a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He started practicing in Charleston in 2004, apprenticing with designer/builder George Holt, with whom he still collaborates from time to time.
Andrew has designed dozens of new buildings, renovations, and custom liturgical furnishings. When designing churches and liturgical art, Andrew works in the Eastern Orthodox traditions (Byzantine and Russian), and his work can be found throughout North America and beyond.
His company, New World Byzantine, is recognized as a leader in traditional design and urbanism. In 2011, Andrew founded New World Byzantine Studios, a liturgical supply company and artists cooperative for the manufacture and sale of traditional Orthodox arts. He is also the founder of the Orthodox Arts Journal, a publication that covers visual arts, music, liturgical ceremony and texts, and relevant art history and theory, with contributions from a host of contemporary Orthodox artists and scholars.
Aidan Hart
Aidan Hart, a member of the Greek Orthodox Church living in Britain, has been a full-time liturgical artist for over thirty-five years. His passion is to create works and church interiors that reflect something of the beauty of life in Christ and help people experience that union of heaven and earth that is the ultimate purpose of liturgical art. Aidan and his team work in a wide variety of media, including egg tempera for panel icons, stone and wood carving, mosaic, wall painting, and church furnishings. He has worked in over twenty-five countries of the world, commissioned by Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Anglican cathedrals, monasteries, and individuals.
