Academic Dean Dr. Ionut-Alexandru Tudorie presented his research into the legacy of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos at the latest installment of St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s monthly academic seminars. On March 5, Dr. Tudorie delivered the lecture, “New Constantine or New Judas? The Afterlife of an Excommunicated Emperor: Michael VIII Palaiologos (1258-1282),” in the Seminary’s Gerich Boardroom.
“My research topic—in general terms, the consequences of an excommunication on the body and soul of an individual and the question of whether Michael VIII Palaiologos was a potential saint or an outcast—is one that I have been developing for years now,” said Dr. Tudorie.
Dr. Tudorie has had the opportunity to discuss his findings on several occasions, including at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Spring Symposium of the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
“As interesting as the subject is, this topic has received surprisingly little attention from scholarly circles,” Tudorie added. “The one who took Constantinople back from the Latins ended this life as an excommunicated individual, both by the Greek and Latin Churches.”
“The legend about the repulsive appearance of his uncorrupted, swollen body erupted a century after his death and endured until the fall of Constantinople. This strong image of the so-called ‘New Constantine,’ provided and discussed by several authors, can be easily connected with a peculiar image of Judas in Hell in Byzantine and post-Byzantine iconography.”
The Seminary’s Monthly Seminar series—initiated by Dr. Tudorie himself—is meant to operate as a kind of academic laboratory for scholars, allowing each month’s presenter to share their latest findings to their peers, engage in discussion, and receive feedback.
“I got several questions, and it seems that the audience really enjoyed the topic,” Tudorie said. “Both students and faculty were engaged in the discussion.”
St. Vladimir's Seminary hears you. You want to know what the Seminary is doing to make sure the next leader at your parish is being formed and educated the right way, because their future ministry will affect you, your family, and your church. That's why we want you to hear face-to-face how we are raising up servants for the Orthodox Church—and why we have "doubled down" on our commitment to residential life for our seminarians. Of course, YOU are the reason this commitment to your future church leaders is possible. Consider becoming a sponsor, and let's take on this important work together.
Join the party in Fort Worth Texas, as St. Vladimir’s Seminary rolls out western-inspired food stations and music by Uptown Drifters to help raise support for the next generation of Church leaders. The River Ranch Stockyards will host the Big Hats & Cocktails fundraiser, which will also feature inspiration from Seminary President Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Trustee Priest Philip LeMasters, and Priest Jason Foster. Alumnus Priest Photius Avant will serve as emcee.
The evening kicks off at 5 p.m. Tickets and sponsorships may be purchased below. Questions? Email events@svots.edu.
Bishop Ignatije met with faculty and Serbian Orthodox seminarians, and was joined by Seminary board member His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Diocese of Eastern America. Seven seminarians and a Doctor of Ministry student from the Serbian church are currently enrolled at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. The Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade has shared much in common with St. Vladimir’s Seminary over their long histories, including dozens of mutual alumni and professors.
Sarah Byrne-Martelli, a Board Certified Chaplain endorsed by the Antiochian Archdiocese and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) student at St. Vladimir’s, chaired the event. Sarah serves as the Palliative Care Chaplain at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA.
“This event was an excellent way for chaplains of various denominations to visit the Seminary and to learn about the Orthodox faith," said Sarah. "The attendees remarked on the beauty of the campus and the hospitality of the SVOTS community."
Sarah added that several attendees came to Vespers at Three Hierarchs Chapel—the first time many of them had been to an Orthodox service.
Since 2012, all Master of Divinity (M.Div.) students at St Vladimir’s have been required to complete one unit of ACPE-accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Under the directorship of Priest Adrian Budica, the Seminary’s program was expanded to offer introductory CPE sessions to all students as part of first-year prison ministry. Additionally, in becoming a satellite CPE center accredited through ACPE—the gold standard for CPE in the U.S.—the Seminary has begun offering (and will eventually require) parish-based CPE.
St. Juliana Society
On Monday evening, the Seminary’s St. Juliana Society (SJS) welcomed Mother Christophora, who spoke to women of the Seminary community about Great Lent.
“Mother Christophora shared with us that humility is knowing yourself and knowing God, and she encouraged us as women and mothers to be ourselves,” said Kh. Anna Fields, whose husband, Fr. Herman Fields, is in his third year at Seminary. “She gave us a lot of practical advice about navigating fasting and long church services for those of us with young children.”
“Her talk was refreshing…” added Seminarian Asha Mathai, who said Mother Christophora reminded priest wives and mothers not to feel guilty if they can’t follow the practices of a fast as strictly as others. “She reminded us that these practices were created by single young monastics in the desert. She told us of her mother who couldn't prostrate after injury. She reminded her mother that her pain is her prostration.”
Mother Christophora also shared with the group that wives of clergy are the priests of their family while the husband attends to needs of his parish. While the father is away, the mother teaches a child how to cross oneself and pray. Additionally, the wife of a priest cares for her husband, who will be giving so much of himself to his parish.
The Wives’ Program on campus was formalized in 2007 to help strengthen the formation of clergy families. In 2010, the fellowship took the name of the St. Juliana Society. Women’s fellowship events and programs on campus also include women seminarians. Read more about women’s fellowship on campus and past events here.
The board of the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative (OCLI) convened in Houston, TX in February to discuss the mission and future of OCLI and its work in the Orthodox Church.
Sponsored by the Orthodox Vision Foundation and graciously hosted at The Saint Constantine School, the gathering allowed for fruitful discussion, establishment of purpose, and preparation for the third annual Advanced Leadership Conference. The conference will be hosted over the weekend of September 20-22, 2019, at St.Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY. Dedicated to nurturing and empowering Orthodox Christian servant leadership, OCLI plans to expand its ministry in the coming years by hosting seminars throughout the United States.
St. Vladimir’s Seminary is playing a key role in OCLI’s efforts. The meeting in Texas was attended by Seminary President Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Seminary Trustee Dr. Frank B. Cerra, and Trustee Emeritus Protodeacon Peter Danilchick.
“The mission of St. Vladimir’s fits well with that of OCLI,” said Fr. Chad. “Both organizations are invested in raising up leaders for the Church, so I am pleased we are able to contribute the Initiative’s efforts.”
The anniversary celebration May 11 and 12 includes services, speakers, and a banquet. The celebration culminates with Divine Liturgy Sunday morning at Mother of God Church concelebrated by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and His Eminence Archbishop Michael, followed by a banquet at the historic Nassau Inn in Princeton featuring St. Vladimir’s Seminary Professor Emeritus Dr. Paul Meyendorff as guest speaker. See below for the full schedule of events.
All events of the 225th Anniversary Celebration are free and open to the public, with the exception of the Sunday banquet. Banquet reservations are $55 per person. Attendees have a choice of Chicken Saltimbocca, Grilled Atlantic Salmon, or Penne Primavera. To reserve seats and indicate choice of meal, contact Teresa Filippini.
225th Anniversary Celebration Schedule
Saturday, May 11 (at Mother of God Orthodox Church)
10 a.m. – Akathist to All Saints of North America
11 a.m. – Welcome by Archbishop Michael, Address by Archpriest Chad Hatfield
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
2 p.m. – Address by Metropolitan Tikhon
3 p.m. – Response to presentation by Jim Winkler
3:30 p.m. – Q&A
5 p.m. – Vespers
6 p.m. – Reception
Sunday, May 12 (at Mother of God Orthodox Church; Banquet to be held at Nassau Inn 10 Palmer Square Princeton, NJ 08542)
9:30 a.m. – Greeting of Metropolitan Tikhon, Vesting, and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
1:30 p.m. – Banquet featuring Guest Speaker Dr. Paul Meyendorff
Registration for the webinar is now closed. Please check SVOTS.edu/events for information on future D.Min. webinars
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An opportunity to transform your ministry for the better might sound too good to be true, but that is exactly what St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program was set up to be. And its most recent graduates want you to see fruits of the D.Min. program for yourself.
On Thursday, February 28, we are continuing our latest round of webinars featuring D.Min. graduates presenting their final projects. These webinars—free and open to the public—are meant to give people a taste of what the D.Min. program offers and what it can do for your ministry.
Registration ends at 12 a.m. Monday, February 25, so register soon if you plan on joining us!
This latest webinar presentation will feature Rev. Alcuin Kellerhouse, D.Min., and his project, titled, “Responding to Substance Use Disorders.”
“We read of the impact of the opioid epidemic on our society, and in the ministries our clergy encounter Substance Use Disorders (SUD) in a variety of settings,” explains Fr. Alcuin. “This presentation will explore how Orthodox clergy perceive the adequacy of their preparation, their readiness to recognize SUD and respond appropriately. Implications for the larger Church and theological education will be explored.”
Registrants will be emailed a link to join the webinar via computer or phone.
On Monday, the St. Juliana Society (SJS) welcomed to campus His Beatitude the Most Blessed Tikhon, archbishop of Washington, metropolitan of All America and Canada, and chair of St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
His Beatitude met with the group, comprised of women seminarians and wives of seminarians, at the home of Archpriest Chad and Matushka Thekla Hatfield. Matushka Thekla coordinates SJS. Metropolitan Tikhon discussed a number of topics proposed by the group, including his own journey from childhood to primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), his mother, the role of youth in the OCA, the March for Life, and humility.
The Wives’ Program on campus was formalized in 2007 to help strengthen the formation of clergy families. In 2010, the fellowship took the name of the St. Juliana Society. Women’s fellowship events and programs on campus also include women seminarians. Read more about women’s fellowship on campus and past events here.
It’s New York’s turn to experience Tenebrae: Music of Holy Week from East & West. After a performance in Washington D.C., the St. Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale will bring the spectacular evening of music to New York City’s beautiful St. John Nepomucene Church on Friday, April 5.
The concert takes its name from a candlelit Holy Week service from the Western Christian tradition (tenebrae means “darkness” in Latin). The evening’s program will immerse listeners in the solemn Lenten journey to the cross and the empty tomb.
The concert is a fundraiser that helps the Seminary educate and form the future leaders of the Orthodox Church. There is no admission fee to attend the event. Tickets are available at the door, or you may reserve your seat in advance (see below). A reception will follow for the first 100 people to RSVP with a donation. Donations made before the concert, by April 1, of over $100 will be listed in the event program.
*Choose the sponsorship level of your choice below. No matter what level you select, you may contribute to any area of need of your choosing. Simply indicate your preference on your check, or if paying by credit or debit card email advancement@svots.edu to let us know.
On Tuesday St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) featured one of its own, faculty member and alumnus Dn. Evan Freeman, in a special seminar. Dn. Evan’s talk, “Art and Liturgical Reform: Byzantine Eucharistic objects and the development of the Prothesis rite," was the first in a series of monthly seminars to be hosted on campus featuring members of the SVOTS academic community and guest speakers.
A full house, including both faculty and students, gathered to hear the presentation in the Seminary’s Gerich Boardroom.
“I argued for the importance of liturgical arts for understanding the history and experience of liturgy,” said Dn. Evan. “Eucharistic objects such as the chalice and diskos, for example, were active participants in the development, interpretation, and performance of the Prothesis rite. Corresponding with the words and ritual actions of the Prothesis, Eucharistic objects enabled the clergy to visualize and commemorate Christ’s incarnation and Passion in the preparation of the bread and wine through their forms, materiality, inscriptions, and iconography.”
Dn. Evan is lecturer in Liturgical Art and assistant director of the Sacred Arts Initiative at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. He holds a Th.M. and M.Div. from the Seminary and is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of the History of Art at Yale University. He is currently writing his dissertation on portable objects of the Middle Byzantine liturgy. His dissertation is titled, “Ritual Object, Ritual Space: Art, Agency, and Performance in the Middle Byzantine Liturgy.” Dn. Evan’s research has been supported by an Andrew W. Mellon Mediterranean Regional Research Fellowship from the Council of American Overseas Research Centers and by a Dissertation Grant from the Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture.
St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVOTS) celebrated an eventful Feast of the Three Hierarchs on its campus Wednesday. The day began with Divine Liturgy and concluded with the 36th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Lecture and Mid-Year Commencement. The day’s conclusion also marked the end of three-days of the Orthodox Church in America [OCA] and Anglican Church in North America [ACNA] dialogue, which was also hosted on campus.
Divine Liturgy for the feast of the patrons of the Seminary’s campus chapel—Ss. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom—was presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West (OCA) along with His Eminence Archbishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania (OCA), both of whom are SVOTS alumni. Joining clergy from among the Seminary faculty and student body were several other alumni, including Archimandrite Gerasim, administrator of the Diocese of the South (OCA) and dean of St. Seraphim of Sarov Cathedral, Dallas, TX; and Dean of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary Archpriest John Parker.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Seminary President Archpriest Chad Hatfield presented a palitza (epigonation) embroidered with an icon of the Three Hierarchs to each of the archbishops as a gift from the Seminary.
OCA-ACNA DIALOGUE
The Divine Liturgy was also attended by Anglican clergy who were preparing for the final day of meetings with a delegation from the OCA. The OCA-ACNA Dialogue began on Monday, January 28. The OCA delegation included Archbishop Melchisedek, dialogue co-chair Archpriest Chad Hatfield, and Archpriest John Parker; Anglican representatives included co-chair Bishop Kevin Bond Allen and Bishop Ray R. Sutton.
The ACNA entered into informal dialogues with the OCA in 2009, and has met regularly with the OCA since then to explore the history of the Orthodox and Anglican ecumenical dialogue and to encourage cooperation.
On Wednesday evening, University of Notre Dame Professor Dr. David Fagerberg delivered the 36th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Lecture, titled “The Anchor of Schmemann’s Liturgical Theology.”
“The man who was famed as a liturgical theologian says his main interest is not liturgical embellishment. The first floor [of the ‘house of Schmemann’] is not his total occupation,” said Fagerberg. “I therefore propose we do him an injustice if we fail to excavate down to the anchor of his thought.”
“I know it’s customary for a speaker to say that he is glad to be wherever he’s speaking, but I really, really mean it. It’s not just customary for me. The material that has come out of this place has affected me in my own work, and it’s a privilege for me to be back and make a public statement of ‘repayment of debt.’”
Listen to Dr. Fagerberg’s lecture in its entirety below.
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY MID-YEAR COMMENCEMENT
The Seminary’s Mid-Year Commencement Ceremony followed the lecture, as two Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) candidates received their degrees in absentia: Priest Alcuin Kellerhouse, assistant priest at Dormition of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church, Carnegie, PA (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia) and St. Gregory's Orthodox Church, Homestead, PA (OCA); and Priest David Subu, rector of St. Mary Orthodox Church in Falls Church, VA.
At the evening’s conclusion, Archbishop Benjamin offered a final word of thanks and encouragement to the seminarians present.
"One of the things that Fr. Schmemann spoke about was the beauty of the Liturgy and its ability to transform lives," His Eminence remarked. "...And if I had a word for the students, I would say, when you graduate, if you are ordained, make the Liturgy beautiful. The world needs the beauty of the Liturgy."
