On June 28, 2012, Father Vladimir Misijuk (SVOTS ’91) successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at Warsaw’s Christian Theological Academy. The title of his dissertation is “Spiritual Guidance in Orthodox Monasticism.”

Father Vladimir is the associate pastor at the parish of the Holy Dormition, Bialystok, Poland. Father Vladimir received his Master of Divinity from the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Warsaw and his Master’s Degree from the Christian Theological Academy. Father Vladimir completed a Master of Theology at St. Vladimir’s under Protopresbter John Meyendorff in 1991, with a thesis titled, “Spiritual Guidance in the Egyptian Desert in the 4th and 5th centuries."

Father Vladimir was a founding member of the Fellowship of Orthodox Youth in Poland. He served Syndesmos, The World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth, for over a decade: first as a member of the Board of Administration and later as the General Secretary of the fellowship. He has also been active within the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) and the World Council of Churches (WCC). Father Vladimir has also translated many of Metropolitan Kallistos’ (Ware) works into Polish.

Father Vladimir’s doctoral thesis, which was supervised by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw, studied the issue of spiritual leadership in the Orthodox Church, with a strong focus on the development of spiritual guidance in the early Church.

“Analysis of the ministry of spiritual guidance in the early centuries of the Church can become a reference point in the consideration of the contemporary understanding of this ministry, especially in the context of contemporary physical, psychological, and spiritual problems of the human person,” said Fr. Vladimir.

Father Vladimir lives in Bialystok with his wife, Tatiana, and seven-year-old daughter, Nina. May God grant Fr. Vladimir and his family many healthy and profitable years!

More than thirty-five St. Vladimir's Seminary alumni, representing twelve graduating classes, as well as friends and prospective seminarians, gathered at St. Joseph Church, Wheaton, Illinois for a Bright Friday dinner sponsored by the SVOTS Alumni Association. Archpriest Alexander Rentel, assistant professor of Canon Law and Byzantine Studies at the seminary, together with Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, director of Alumni Relations, joined the group for an evening of prayer, fellowship, and good food. 

Father Alexander gave a short presentation on the current state of the seminary and spoke about exciting programs and projects planned for the future. Protodeacon Joseph spoke briefly about the plans of the Alumni Association for the upcoming 75th Anniversary Year commemorating the founding St. Vladimir's (2013). Protodeacon Joseph also thanked the alumni for their good work in supporting the seminary, especially in terms of identifying young men and women interested in a seminary education, and he reported an increase in inquiries and applications to the seminary for the coming academic year over last year. 

The dinner was facilitated by the rector of St. Joseph Church, Archpriest John Matusiak, with help and support from the parishoners of the parish.

While a student at St. Vladimir's, Archpriest Steven Voytovich recorded a number of services celebrated in the Seminary chapel during the Great Lenten journey and Pascha of 1990. He has offered them in prayerful remembrance of Protopresbyter John Meyendorff, dean of the seminary (1984–1992).

Click here to listen! 

Father Steven invites you to share your reflections by commenting on Soundcloud, or posting on the SVOTS Facebook Page.

Brent Gilbert (SVOTS '04) has been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study in Athens, Greece for the 2011/12 Academic Year. The fellowship will fund research for Brent’s dissertation, titled “The Image of God, Greek Medicine and Trinitarian Polemic in Gregory of Nyssa’s De Hominis Opificio.” Brent’s dissertation investigates the influence of the ancient Greek medical tradition upon the theological debates of the fourth century, particularly St. Gregory of Nyssa’s polemic against Eunomius.

Brent will be conducting his research at the Gennadius Library, the Byzantine collection of the America School of Classical Studies at Athens. He will also be a Student Associate Member at the school. He will be embarking on this endeavor with his wife Rachel and children Max, Zelda, and Theo. We wish the entire Gilbert Family safe travels and success in this endeavor.

Father Rauno Pietarinen will soon begin a one year assignment in Ivalo, Finland, on the Barents Sea,  ministering to the Sami or Laplander native peoples of far Northern Finland.  The native Skolt Sami People have been Orthodox since the 16th century when St. Trifion evanglized, planted churches and founded the Monastery of Petsamo.

We wish Fr. Rauno and his family a safe, healthy and peaceful year of ministering to the natives of Finland.

Many graduates of St. Vladimir's fondly remember Dr. Veselin Kesich, not only as a fellow alumnus but also as professor emeritus of New Testament at the seminary, who taught at our school from 1953–1991. Professor Kesich celebrated his 90th birthday recently, having been born March 12, 1921. His son Gregory, a newspaper reporter, wrote a touching tribute to him in The Portland Press Herald, titled "The View from 90 Includes More Than a Few Surprises." The newspaper piece attests to Professor's unflagging and deep concern for people—all people (even Lindsay Lohan!)—and his equal concern that they minister to each other and to their communities.

Fellow alumni who had the privilege of studying under Professor Kesich may remember his underlying intimation that the Holy Scriptures have the ability to vivify lives, contemporary lives, which may seem on the surface far removed from biblical writings. He steeped his students in the New Testament, so that they might discern its truth and power amidst cultural influences that either coincided with it, or diverted from it. Professor Kesich was apt to have students compare the Gospel of John with The Bhagavad Gita, or to write a critique of the film "Jesus of Nazareth,"or to draw to their attention the Christian virtues he found in the characters in the popular film "Rocky." To sharpen the discernment of his students, he demanded memorization of New Testament passages and in-depth elucidation of texts.

Professor Kesich is a 1953 graduate of St. Vladimir's Seminary and holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has authored several SVS Press books, including The Passion of Christ (1965); The Treasures of the Holy Land (with his wife Lydia, 1985); The First Day of the New Creation (1982); The Gospel Image of Christ (1991); and Formation and Struggles: The Birth of the Church AD 33–200 (2007), as part of the press's The Church in History series. His works have been translated into several languages.

During the momentous occasion of Dr. Kesich's 90th year, we're calling upon former students of his to send him a congratulatory note or belated birthday message. You may write to Professor Kesich at: 15 Piper Road, Apt. C 301, Scarborough, Maine 04074.

St. Vladimir’s Seminary community is praying for the souls of two departed alumni, Fr. Theodore Ziton and Annette Milkovich.

Fr. Theodore, who studied in the Master of Divinity program at St. Vladimir's from 1951-1954, is formerly of St. George Cathedral in Wichita, Kansa s (1963–66) and was retired from St. George Church in Canton, Ohio. He fell asleep in Christ this past Friday, April 8th.

He is the father of Fr. Stephen Ziton, formerly of St. Mary Church in Wichita, and was preceded in death by Khouriya Vivian.

Annette, who earned her Master of Arts degree from the seminary in 1980, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, April 10th. Annette attended al l  ou r campus functions and activities for more than 40 years, and she also established The Very Rev. Michael and Matushka Anna Dziama Scholarship Fund, in memory of her parents and for the benefit of seminarians. 

Annette was the  beloved wife of 60 years of Zoran Milkovich, an alumnus of St. Vladimir's Seminary, the first president of the St. Vladimir's Theological Foundation, and a member of the seminary Board of Trustees for many years. She also is the mother of Lisa Madara and grandmother to Nicholas, Daniel, Anthony and Erika.

She was a member of the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs / Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America [FROC/FOCA] and other Church-related organizations. For over 20 years she taught in the Teaneck, New Jersey school district.

May the memory of Fr. Theodore and Annette be eternal!

Details about services scheduled for Fr. Theodore may be found here, on the Website of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese; details about services for Annette may be found here, on the Website of the Orthodox Church in America.

Deacon Nicholas Denysenko (alumnus, ’00) was recently appointed the new Director of the Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), where he also holds the position of Assistant Professor of Theological Studies, Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts. The Huffington Ecumenical Institute (HEI) focuses on issues impacting the daily lives of Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians.

“I am delighted to have the privilege to serve Loyola Marymount University in my recent appointment to be the director of Huffington Ecumenical Institute,” said Dn. Denysenko. “One of my own goals for the institute is to encourage all Orthodox to participate in this robust ecumenical dialogue. My hope is that Orthodox will benefit not only from presenting the Orthodox perspective to Catholics, but that in hearing others, we might also learn more about ourselves and our context.

“In November 2010,” he continued, “I was privileged to share Orthodox views on the Virgin Mary with Fr. Dorian Llywelyn, S.J., representing the Catholic tradition. Events like these are of great importance to the institute. In ecclesial and academic settings, we often analyze the historical and theological developments that have separated Catholics and Orthodox. One of our goals is to identify the many things Catholics and Orthodox share and engage in faith, worship, and daily life, in honest and open conversation.

“The Huffington Ecumenical Institute seeks to be a home on the West Coast where Catholics and Orthodox can gather, exchange dialogue, share fellowship, and pray together. We will continue to make clergy and laity, along with academics, feel welcome to join our conversation. It is our hope and prayer that open and honest dialogue might serve as viable help in progress towards reconciliation,” he concluded.

Dn. Denysenko, who holds a doctoral degree from The Catholic University of America, has taught at The Catholic University of America, George Washington University, and at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. He is an ordained deacon of the Orthodox Church in America. He joined LMU in Fall 2010.

His areas of current research include the “Blessing of Waters in the Byzantine Rite”; “Orthodox Ecclesiology in Ordination Rites”; “Contemporary Pastoral Liturgy”; “Heortology”; “The Christmas and Lenten Liturgical Cycles”; “Mariology in Liturgy”; the “Ukrainian Famine of 1932–33” and “Faith.” He has published many articles in such prestigious journals as Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, Studia Liturgica, Theological Studies, and St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly.

Today we commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the repose of His Grace Boris, bishop of Chicago and the Midwest (1978–1988) and St. Vladimir’s Alumnus (’46).

The son of a priest, Bishop Boris felt nurtured and called to service in the Church from an early age. “Ever since I can remember, I was in church, singing and chanting in English and Slavonic,” His Grace recalled. "We were blessed to be in the Church as a family, in worship, love, laughter, and sadness.” His Grace entered St. Vladimir’s straight out of high school and while at seminary also completed a Bachelor's degree at Columbia University. He attended St. Vladimir’s during the difficult first decade of the school's existence, when the seminary was located at General Theological Seminary in New York City. Bishop Boris directed the seminary choir and after graduation directed choir at All Saints Church, Garfield, New Jersey.

His Grace is known for his many years of chaplaincy in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, especially during the Vietnam War. In 1971, after Bishop Boris returned from Vietnam, his wife, Helen (née Korba) passed away unexpectedly at their home in Carlsbad, California. Bishop Boris retired from the Navy in 1975. After working at the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America and serving parishes in the New York area, Bishop Boris answered a call to the episcopacy, and in November 1978 was consecrated as Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest. His Grace recalls making the decision: “I spent time alone in New Hampshire, fishing, playing golf, and praying. After two months I decided: ‘I am ready. I will give a certain time of my life to the Church in whatever capacity. Use me as You want—if I am worthy enough to be bishop’."

Bishop Boris served the Orthodox Church in America and the Diocese of the Midwest until his retirement in 1988. Upon retirement, he moved to Southern California and became part of the community at St. John of Damascus Church in Poway. He once recalled his time at St. John’s in the following way, “I came to St. John of Damascus in December 1988 and chose to attach myself here. I am retired, without authority and jurisdiction, but I have found this to be one of the finer experiences of my life. I live here with the people and the priest, grow together with them, and experience joys and sorrows of life as given us by the Lord Himself. I don’t wish I were twenty; I enjoy where I am. This is life itself. Leave that which you have gone through, go on to what lies ahead. One of these days you will meet your Maker. He will accept you as you are. I rest with a good conscience."

Bishop Boris fell asleep in the Lord at his home on Saturday, December 30, 2000, survived by his daughter Helena and his son Boris, daughter-in-law Alexandra, and their children Maria and Nicholas.  His funeral was celebrated at St. John of Damascus Church.

Read a full biography of His Grace. 

Archpriest Alexander Atty, SVOTS alumnus ('79), was recently installed as the seventh dean of St. Tikhon's Seminary. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), and His Grace Tikhon, bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, the seminary's rector, concelebrated the formal installation Service of Thanksgiving at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA. Father Alexander is the first priest of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese to hold the position of dean at St. Tikhon's, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Philip.

Prior to his appointment as dean, Fr. Alexander served as pastor of one of the nation's largest pan-Orthodox parishes, St. Michael the Archangel Antiochian Orthodox Church, Louisville, KY. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Philadelphia, a Master of Divinity from St. Vladimir’s Seminary, and a Doctorate in Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Father Alexander, who officially assumed his duties on July 1, 2010, is joined at the seminary by his wife, Khouria Olga, and their two children, Katherine and Alexander. A recent interview with Fr. Alexander has been made available on "Come Receive the Light" radio (following an introductory interview with Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko), and a podcast of his 2009 lenten retreat at St. Vladimir's Seminary is available on "Ancient Faith Radio."