Seminary Alumnus the Reverend Dr. John Tavlarides (D.Min., '96) fell asleep in the Lord on September 21, 2015. The entire seminary community expresses our condolences to his wife, Presbytera Harriet, and his family.

Father John was the Presiding Priest Emeritus of Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, D.C., where he faithfully served for nearly six decades. He graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1953, and was ordained to the priesthood shortly after.

Father John pursued graduate theological studies at several notable institutions, including General Theological Seminary in New York, New York, and The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Father John served the faithful of Saint Sophia Cathedral as an assistant priest from 1956-1960, and then subsequently led the community as Cathedral Dean from 1960-2011.

Seminary Alumnus Archpriest Thomas Succarotte (M.Div. '78) fell asleep in the Lord on August 8, 2015. The entire seminary community expresses its condolences to his wife, Matushka Tanya, his son Mark, and his extended family.

Father Thomas served as rector of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin Church in Madison, Illinois from 1979 until his retirement in 2010. In addition to his pastoral duties, he served as Dean of the St. Louis Orthodox Deanery.  He also acted as the police chaplain for the cities of  Madison, Granite City, and Pontoon Beach, and for the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, State Police, FBI, and ATF.

Memory Eternal!

On April 30, 2015, St. Vladimir's alumnus Fr. James Bozeman (SVOTS 2012) and the faithful of St. James Church in Beaufort, S.C. marked their patronal feast day with the celebration of the blessing of the newly acquired site on which their future church will be built.

Joining them were Fr. James' former classmate Archimandrite Gerasim (also Class of 2012), administrator of the Diocese of the South for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA); the Very Reverend Marcus Burch (SVOTS 1997), chancellor of the Diocese; alumnus the Very Reverend Thomas Moore, dean of the Carolinas Deanery; Alumnus Fr. John Parker, chair of the OCA's Department of Evangelization; and Fr. Christopher Foley, priest-in-charge of Holy Cross Church, Highpoint, NC.

Archimandrite Gerasim offered an inspiring sermon that illumined the true purpose for which God gives land to His people—to provide a place for His people to keep His commandments.

St. James Mission was planted on April 30, 2012 with the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Nikon. Father James, who was assigned Priest-in-charge two months later, celebrated the community's first Divine Liturgy on July 1, 2012. The mission was initiated under the direction of Fr. John Parker and the efforts of three Beaufort families who met in a classroom of a local Baptist church. St. James—one of five mission communities receiving a Planting Grant from the Orthodox Church in America—has grown to 20 families who meet in a rented facility.

"I am grateful to our parishioners for their support and vision for the future of our mission," said Fr. James. "We began with a small handful of people, meeting in a borrowed space, and possessing very few of the things we needed to celebrate divine services. In less than three years, through the support of our local sister churches, our deanery and diocese, and the OCA's Planting Grant, God has regularly provided for our mission's needs. By His grace, St. James is becoming a true 'Church family' with a vision not only for a beautiful building on a beautiful piece of land, but for Christ's name to be proclaimed in its fullness here in Beaufort and in coastal South Carolina."

Along with a goal of raising funds, breaking ground and building within the next five years, Fr. James and his parishioners continue to focus on missionary outreach in Beaufort and in building on this foundation a strong, growing and spiritually healthy Church community.

Seminary alumnus Archpriest Peter Baktis, Ch (COL) USA was honored recently for his twenty-five years of dedicated service as a chaplain with the United States Armed Forces. During the same retirement ceremony, held at the US Intelligence and Security Command Headquarters in Ft. Bevoir, VA, Matushka Jeanne also received the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for her dedicated service to soldiers, families and civilians.

Father Peter graduated from St. Vladimir's Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 1985 and wrote his thesis on the development of North African Ecclesiology. He also holds a Master of Theology degree from General Theological Seminary, New York City, and a Master in Strategic Studies degree from The United States Army War College, Carlisle, PA.

The grandson of Belarusian and Lithuanian immigrants, Fr. Peter grew up in Brooklyn, NY. He and his family were members of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, East Meadow, NY. It was while serving as an altar boy that Fr. Peter first felt the call to the priesthood.

Father Peter entered the Army Chaplain Corps in 1990. He was deployed as an active duty chaplain in Kosovo, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bosnia and also served at installations in the United States, Germany, and South Korea. His most recent assignment was as Intelligent and Security Command Chaplain at Fort Belvoir, VA. Immediately prior to that he served as Chief Chaplain at Fort Bliss, TX.

His awards include: Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Star, Armed Forces Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon–3, and the NATO Medal with Bronze Star.

We ask God to grant many more years of health to Fr. Peter and Mat. Jeanne as they take up active parish ministry at the Mother of God, Joy of All Who Sorrow Parish, Princeton, NJ.

Archimandrite Gerasim [Eliel], seminary alumnus (’12), was nominated at a special Assembly of the Diocese of the South, Orthodox Church in America (OCA), on February 16, 2015, to fill the vacant See of Dallas and the South as its hierarch. Father Gerasim received 81 votes on the first ballot—more than the required two-thirds majority to be nominated—with the remainder of the votes divided between four other candidates. His name will be submitted to the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops for canonical election at their spring session in March 2015.

As valedictorian of the Class of 2012, Father Gerasim delivered the Valedictory Address, and at Commencement he was awarded triple honors: magna cum laude academic standing; a commendation for his contribution to community life; and a commendation for his Master of Divinity thesis, titled, “Russian Icons in a Native Church: Conflict in Culture in Western Alaska.”

From 2000 until 2009 Father Gerasim served as Abbot of St. Herman of Alaska Monastery, under the Serbian Orthodox Church. After his graduation from St. Vladimir’s, he served for one year as assistant priest at Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA. Since September 2013 Father Gerasim has served as rector of St. Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, TX.

The seminary community congratulates Father Gerasim on his nomination, and wishes him God’s blessing.

The Reverend Deacon David George Daumit, alumnus and former member of St. Vladimir's Seminary’s Board of Trustees, reposed in the Lord on January 28, 2015, at the age of 59. Ordained to the Holy Diaconate on March 21, 2010, Dn. David had been serving at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Phoenix, AZ, with The Very Reverend Christopher Salamy.

St. Vladimir's Alumni Association Board Chair and fellow St. George parishioner Gregory Abdalah notes, “As a trustee and an alumnus, Dn. David was an excellent witness to the gospel and to the mission of St. Vladimir's. He provided a wonderful model of service and humility in his years as a student, and then later, when he served on our Board. As a mentor to many, his presence will be greatly missed.”

In addition to earning his M.Div. degree and M.A. in Religious Education degree in 1984 from St. Vladimir’s, Dn. David also earned an M.S. degree in Gerontology. While at Seminary, and following his graduation, Dn. David served as the Assistant Director and Director of the Department of Youth Affairs of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, and was also given a grant under the direction of The Very Reverend Dr. Joseph Allen, to research the creation of a Department of Ministry to the Aged.

Deacon David spent the last 25 years in the Senior Services industry, most of which have been in the Assisted Living sector. He started his first assisted living company, Potomac Group Home Corporation, in 1989. In 1990, in conjunction with the greater Washington chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, he developed the first specialized activities program for Alzheimer’s residents. He retired from Potomac Homes in 2004.

Deacon David most recently was operating New Dawn, an Assisted Living and specialty Alzheimer’s Care company, of which he was Founder and CEO. He had served on the National Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association, The National Board of Directors of The Assisted Living Federation of America, and several state chapter boards, including Maryland and New Jersey.

Deacon David is survived by his loving wife, Ronice, and three children, Rebecca, Harmony, and Travis; and three beautiful grandchildren, Addison, Jackson, and Nola; and brothers Rick and Ronald.

St. Vladimir’s representatives who will be attending Dn. David’s funeral include Chancellor/CEO The Very Reverend Dr. Chad Hatfield, Board of Trustees Treasurer Anthony Kasmer, Associate Chancellor for Finance Melanie Ringa, and Senior Advisor for Advancement Theodore Bazil.

The funeral schedule is as follows:

Sunday, Feb 1, 2015—Trisagion Prayers following Divine Liturgy

Thursday, Feb 5, 2015—Viewing from 5 p.m.–7 p.m. and Trisagion at 6:30 p.m., St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church

Friday, Feb 6, 2015—Funeral 10 a.m., followed by the Interment at Paradise Memorial Gardens

A Meal of Mercy will be offered in memory of Dn. David in The Legacy Ballroom following the interment.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church (4530 E. Gold Dust Ave., Phoenix, AZ  85028) in Dn. David's memory. All memorial gifts will be used for St. George's ministry to senior citizens.

The Rev. Christopher Eid (SVOTS 2010) was named Dean of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Charleston, WV in 2014. He will assume the role in late July of 2015, when SVOTS alumnus The Very Rev. Olof Scott retires. Archpriest Olof has served at the St. George Cathedral for 39 years. The Cathedral is the episcopal home of The Right Rev. Thomas, auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Charleston, Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic.

A native of Syria, Fr. Christopher was raised in an Orthodox home among the clergy members of his family. He attended and served at the Bosra Horan Archdiocesan Chancery Church of St. George in Syria before moving to the United States. While working full-time after arriving in the U.S., Fr. Christopher also attended the City University of New York (CUNY), obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in International Criminal Investigation.

After completing his professional training, he established a career in executive protection security and investigation. However, his love for the Church compelled him leave his job; with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Philip of blessed memory, he enrolled in seminary and completed his M.Div. degree in May of 2010.

After graduation, Fr. Christopher was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on September 8, 2011 and then to the Holy Priesthood on September 11, 2011.

Immediately following ordination, Fr. Christopher was given a temporary assignment to serve alongside Fr. Elias Bitar (SVOTS 1975) at St. George Orthodox Church in Little Falls, NJ, before moving to Houston, TX to serve at St. George Orthodox Church from December 2011 to December 2014.

Remembering his time at St. Vladimir's, Fr. Christopher noted that "because of my years of education at St. Vladimir's, I have been equipped to quench the spiritual thirst of those seeking Christ. Continuing on the same path that the M.Div. program encouraged us to follow, I am committed to working with all Orthodox Christian organizations in order to serve the future of Orthodoxy, whether they be children born into the faith or and those who will be coming home through mission work."

Alumnus The Rev. N. Constantine Masood of Duxbury, MA, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2015, one day after his 75th birthday.  

Father was born in Altoona, PA on January 14, 1940, the son the late Dr. Naseeb and Dorothy (Cassell) Masood. He received his Master of Divinity degree from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1978, and a second Master's degree from Boston College in Counseling Psychology. Following his ordination to the Holy Priesthood in the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America, Fr. Constantine faithfully served for many years as a parish priest in Danbury, CT; Beckley, WV; New Kensington, PA; Philadelphia, PA; Beaumont, TX; S. Glens Falls, NY; and also Omaha, NE.

He leaves his wife Kh. Diana (Bistany) and their six children: Daniel (Laurie), Gregory (Olga), Christopher (Ruth), Peter (Silvana), Andrea Tougas (Roger), and Alexandra Perrigo (Jonathan). Father Constantine is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren, his brothers Edward Masood of Maryland and Jonathan Masood of Texas, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

Memorial donations in his memory may be made to St. Mark of Ephesus Orthodox Church, 261 Main St., Kingston, MA, 02364.

"The Great Northwest has many SVOTS Graduates who are doing outstanding ministries, both lay and ordained," noted The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield. "My personal goal is to make a much stronger connection to our alumni and supporters in that part of the country."

The St. Vladimir's Chancellor/CEO was reflecting on a December trip he took to the greater Seattle, Washington area, visiting with alumni and participating in the ongoing dialogue between the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). During his travels, he was warmly welcomed at Holy Resurrection Church in Tacoma, pastored by alumnus The Very Rev. John Pierce.

Hosanna! 
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!  [Mark 11:9–10]

Today Jesus enters into Jerusalem, and the cheering crowds greet him like a king entering the city after a military victory—the first-century equivalent of a “ticker tape parade.” The crowds have heard about Jesus, about his powerful teaching and his miracles, specifically raising Lazarus from the dead. They cry out “Hosanna in the highest,” a shout of praise and a plea for salvation. “Save us, Lord!” For years, for generations, these people have languished under the heavy boot of Roman occupation and oppression. They are weary of high taxes, soldiers in their streets, and the constant threat of violence. The people are tired and weary and hungry, and they want freedom.

Do you ever feel this way?

Today, in some parts of the world, Christians struggle under the heavy yoke of political oppression and military occupation. In some places, Christians are in the middle of military conflict and civil war. But, even people who enjoy great political freedom can feel this sense of soul crushing oppression. We can be oppressed by strained relationships among family and friends. We can be oppressed by the anxiety and stress of economic uncertainty. We can be oppressed by the agony of addiction. We can be oppressed by the pain and grief of illness and death. And wherever there is oppression, there is a powerful desire for freedom. We may not face oppression from the Roman Empire, but standing with our palm branches today, singing “Hosanna in the highest,” we stand shoulder to shoulder with our first-century brothers and sisters, longing for freedom. But how do we get that freedom? How do we find liberation from our physical, emotional, and spiritual oppression?

The obvious answer is to go out and fight for it. This was what the crowds in Jerusalem wanted from Jesus as he traveled on that “red carpet” of palm branches and the clothes off their backs (Mark 11:8). In their eyes, Jesus was the perfect leader for a righteous rebellion. Surely God’s Anointed One could raise up an army and restore the Kingdom of Israel. After all, if Jesus had the power to raise Lazarus from the dead, he would be invincible in the face of Roman legions. If Jesus was truly God’s anointed one, then he would be invincible in battle. The crowds wanted the kind of freedom that you win with the spear, the chariot, and the sword.

But to win this kind of freedom you need wealth, strength, and power. They sound awfully good, don’t they? With money, a strong body, and political influence, freedom is yours for the taking. Or is it? Ancient Israel had great power, but fell to the Babylonians. In Jesus’ time the Roman Empire had great power, but over the centuries that empire fell to other nations. As one nation rises, other nations fight to gain supremacy. The same is true for people. Today one person might be wealthy, strong, and have all the power in the world. But one who gains worldly power quickly becomes a target for everyone who wants a place at the top of the food chain.

And so, strength, wealth, and power come with a terrible price. They come with a price of fear, isolation, and anxiety. The more you possess of this world, the more this world will try to take away. So we prepare for battle, we harden our defenses and sharpen our attacks. Whether we attack others with swords or words, with bullets or in business, we strike others where they are weakest, where we can do the greatest amount of damage and gain the greatest advantage. The crowd was hungry for power, and they hoped that Jesus would lead them to victory in an epic battle that would change their world.

On a certain level, the crowd was right. They were at the threshold of a great battle that would change everything—a battle that would grant freedom to the oppressed, and vanquish the foe. However, the army that Jesus came to fight was not flesh and blood; it was, as St. Paul says, a battle against the “spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12) However, this battle had begun long before Jesus entered into Jerusalem.

After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, he went out into the wilderness and fasted for forty days. After that long fast, the tempter comes and tempts Jesus.

“You are hungry? If you are the Son of God, command those stones to become loaves of bread,” says the evil one. This is not merely a temptation about food. Satan is tempting Jesus with wealth. If Jesus were to turn stones into bread, he would never go hungry. And if one were to possess an unlimited supply of bread, he could have virtually unlimited wealth. But Jesus launches a counterattack and replies, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (Matt 4:4)

Then the tempter takes Jesus to the holy city, sets him on the top of the Temple, and says, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” (Matt 4:6) Satan tempts Jesus with strength, with physical invincibility. “If you are really the Son of God, then you can do anything you like, even jump off a cliff, and you’ll be fine.” According to this demonic logic, not only could Jesus perform superhuman feats, but he also would be physically invulnerable. He could literally live forever, doing anything he pleased in this world. The spiritual battle becomes more intense, and Christ replies, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” (Matt 4:7)

Finally, Satan takes Jesus up to the top of a high mountain, shows him all of the kingdoms of the world, points out all the glory of all those kingdoms, and he says, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” (Matt 4:9) It is the ultimate offer of power. What would it be like to rule over the entire world, over all its kingdoms and all its peoples, and have access to all its wealth and all its pleasures? At some level, Jesus must have known that all of this could be his: perfect strength, infinite wealth, and limitless power. Yet, he strikes a powerful blow against the powers of wickedness in his reply: “Begone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” (Matt 4:10)

Today, on Palm Sunday, we have fasted forty days, we are hungry, and if ever we face temptation from Satan, it is now. We face the temptation to gratify ourselves with worldly delights. We face the temptation to demand our liberty from everything and everyone that oppresses us. We face the temptation to fight for strength, and wealth, and power. This is the spiritual warfare that constantly rages on all sides, and today on Palm Sunday the battle is particularly violent.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, he faces these temptations as never before—all of those people cheering, crying out “Hosanna!,” just begging him to be their worldly general, their commander, their emperor. Yet, Christ refuses to be the earthly king that the people demand. Instead he will be revealed as a kind of king that the world has never seen, a perfect king, a heavenly king, a humble king, crowned with thorns, robed in the purple of mockery, and enthroned on the Cross. Though Christ enters Jerusalem and is enveloped in a firestorm of temptation, he keeps his eyes on the Cross. This is the victory of Palm Sunday.

And today Jesus Christ enters into the Jerusalem of our hearts to lead us to victory. Today, Christ fills us with his power, his strength, and his resolve to overcome the temptation to worldly power. For “the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt 20:28)

Today we cry out “Hosanna in the highest!,” for Christ vanquishes the powers of evil, and through his perfect sacrifice on the Cross we are liberated from the oppressive desire for worldly power. Christ leads us to the unexpected victory in which the King lays down his own life for the salvation of all. In dying, the true majesty and power of the Lord is perfectly revealed and the powers of hell are vanquished. Following Christ, we lay down our lives as he did: for our brothers and sisters, our neighbor, and even our enemy. Today we cry out “Hosanna in the highest!” as we follow our Lord to his voluntary passion and death on the Cross.

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Fr. J. Sergius Halvorsen (SVOTS ’96) is Associate Professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. He completed his doctoral dissertation at Drew University in 2002. From 2000 to 2011 he taught at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell Connecticut, where he also served as Director of Distance Learning. He was ordained to the priesthood in February 2004 and is attached at Christ the Savior Church in Southbury, Connecticut. He and his wife, Dina, reside in Connecticut with their children Thomas, Timothy, and Mary.