At the conclusion of a cool and sunny spring Sunday, joyous bells on the campus of St. Vladimir's Seminary summoned worshipers to the 43rd Annual Pan–Orthodox Vespers, sponsored by the Westchester Orthodox Clergy Fellowship. His Grace The Right Rev. Michael, bishop of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, Orthodox Church in America (OCA) presided over the Vespers and served as homilist. The Very Rev. Dr. Nicholas Pilavas, rector of Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Yonkers and the president of the Fellowship, led the group of clergy that included Three Hierarchs Chapel priests as well as those from surrounding parishes.
The Vespers drew Orthodox Christians from Westchester's towns to mark the "Sunday of Orthodoxy," a feast that memorializes the final defeat of iconoclasm and the restoration of icons in the Church. In this case, the Vespers also heralded the liturgical start of the Feast of the Annunciation. "It's a beautiful and unusual occurrence," noted Bishop Michael, "that we celebrate the Sunday of Orthodoxy and the Vespers for the Feast of the Annunciation on the same evening." Chapel Choir Director Hierodeacon Herman (Majkrzak) led the musicians in songs drawn from both Byzantine and Slavic hymnography, and the choir offered responses in Greek, English, Russian, Arabic and Romanian, honoring the variety of traditions represented by those serving and attending.
"The Fathers declared that God has taken flesh and we can represent Him in color and light, on wood and canvas," said Bishop Michael in his homily. "Yet do we love to be in our
churches with these beautiful icons, or do we take this for granted? My prayer is that the theology we haveThe Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, the Seminary's dean, greeted the visitors, Special Events Coordinator Tatiana Penkrat hosted a reception for the guests downstairs in the Kunett Auditorium.
Clergy, including St. Vladimir's delegation, pose for group shot at Sdn. Anoop's ordination (Photos: Gina Joshua). On a mid–March Saturday a few days before the official start of spring, His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, metropolitan of the Northeast American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, ordained third–year M.Div. student Anoop Thomas to the Subdiaconate. Along with members of Subdeacon Anoop's family and friends, a delegation of St. Vladimir's students attended the service in Damascus, MD at St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Church.
Concelebrating clergy at his March 16 ordination included: The Rev. K.P. Varghese, The Rev. Vijay Thomas, The Rev. Andrew Daniel, The Rev. Mat Alexander, The Rev. Gregory Varghese, The Rev. Mathew T. Mathew, Sdn. Daniel Mathai, and Sdn. Abey George. Other clergy who attended included: The Rev. K.K. John, The Rev. Poulose Peter, The Rev. Boby Varghese, The Rev. George C. Mathew, Pastor John Bromhal and Subdeacon Anoop's parish priest The Rev. Reji Chacko.
Subdeacon Anoop, treasurer for the SVOTS Student Council, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Howard University. During his years of study at St. Vladimir's, he has served at St. Mary's Orthodox Church in White Plains, NY. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Subdeacon Anoop served as an acolyte at the St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Silver Spring, MD, and as a teenager became active in the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Student Movement (MGOCSM) in the greater D.C. area.
Eventually, Subdeacon Anoop became a National Council Representative for MGOCSM for his region of the American Diocese. He served in this capacity for four years, providing input to the Council, which ultimately articulated its vision for youth in three areas: worship, study, and service. During these years he was also active in the missions movement of MGOCSM. As such, he participated in a mission outreach in Hyderabad, India and subsequently assisted mission efforts in the communities of Wichita, KS, Houston, TX, and New Orleans, LA.
During his college years, as Subdeacon Anoop was finishing his biology degree and preparing for dental school, he realized that the Lord was calling him to the ministry. Instead of studying dentistry, he moved to New York to study theology at St. Vladimir's. This spring will be an eventful one for him, and will include his May graduation from the Seminary, followed by marriage to his fiancée Tina Zachariah in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony on June 2.
On a sunny Florida Saturday in early March, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean and professor of Patristics at St. Vladimir's Seminary, presented two parish retreats on the topic "Becoming Human." In the morning of March 9 at the St. Stephen the Protomartyr parish (Orthodox Church in America) in Longwood, FL, Fr. John was warmly welcomed by The Rev. Daniel Hickman (SVOTS '10), who not only studied at St. Vladimir's but also served as SVS Press Bookstore Operations Manager and starred on the SVOTS basketball team before leaving New York to assume his ministry in Longwood.
Father John spoke to a full house, unpacking the same themes he elucidates in his upcoming Fall 2013 SVS Press book Becoming Human. Exhibiting the hospitality so legendary in the South, parishioners threw a pre–Lenten barbecue for Fr. John after the retreat. "The St. Vlad's author, dean, and professor was well received by the pan–Orthodox community of Central Florida," noted Fr. Daniel. "People came from at least seven local parishes to hear his retreat, in which he challenged us with a unique and careful reading of the Scriptures. Our theology reading group looks forward to studying his new book when it comes out."
"It was a great blessing to be with the Orthodox Christians of Florida, who are hospitable, dedicated and enthusiastic," noted Fr. John. Before returning to New York, Fr. John and Tim Nieuwsma stopped by the headquarters of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) in St Augustine, where they toured OCMC's beautiful facilities dedicated in May, 2009. They were hosted by the former Executive Director of OCMC, His Grace Bishop Dimitrios (Couchell) of Xanthos, along with Assistant Missionary Coordinator Margo Kelley. Bishop Dimitrios is a veteran of numerous inter-Orthodox efforts in America, including the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), now found on many college and university campuses.
On Sunday February 10 at the John Gano Memorial Chapel on the campus of William Jewell College in Liberty, MO, St. Vladimir's Seminary Assistant Professor of Liturgical Music Dr. Nicholas Reeves attended the premier performance of his multimedia musical reflection, “The Light of the World." The William Jewell College Concert Choir under the direction of Conductor Anthony Maglione presented the performance, which was considered the showcase event for William Jewell's annual Justice Summit hosted each year by the school's Center for Justice and Sustainability.
"The Light of the World" featured images, interviews, and historical footage juxtaposed with the choral performance of Dr. Reeves' composition based on the Sermon on the Mount. The pre–recorded video focused on the notorious 20th–century Romanian Communist prison, Pitesti. This artistic vehicle allowed for a creative "analysis of moral principles in light of the practice of torture," explained Dr. Andy Pratt, executive director of the Center for Justice and Sustainability.
Prior to the conference, Dr. Reeves offered a talk for concertgoers at 3 p.m. in Gano Chapel, and afterwards he attended a post–concert reception. "I was honored to have been a participant in the Center for Justice and Sustainability's event," noted Dr. Reeves. "What I found particularly rewarding was the audience’s reception to the work's unfamiliar subject matter (the Pitesti Re–education Prison). I was pleasantly surprised by how much these themes resonated with them."
Fusing classical, sacred and popular idioms in his original compositions, Composer Reeves has produced concerts both privately and in conjunction with St. Vladimir's on themes ranging from the oppression of Orthodox Christian composers during the years of Soviet Communism, to the St. Matthew Passion of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev). In addition to his responsibilities as an assistant professor at St. Vladimir's, Dr. Reeves was also appointed as the Project Manager for the Arvo Part Project at St. Vladimir's Seminary in 2012.
The videographer for "The Light of the World," Dmitry Trakovsky, grew up in suburban Los Angeles, holds a degree in the History of Art and Visual Culture from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is the founder of a small production company, Trakovsky Film LLC.
Adapted from an article by Ms. Cara Dahlor, associate director of College Relations and New Media, William Jewell College.
By plane, auto and boat, a St. Vladimir's Seminary (SVOTS) delegation of three journeyed from New York to several destinations in Kodiak, Alaska, during the seminary's week of spring break. On their first full day in Alaska, The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, SVOTS chancellor/CEO and the former dean of St. Herman Seminary, third–year student The Rev. James Parnell, and second–year student Sdn. Nicholas Roth, presented a workshop for seminarians at sister institution St. Herman's Theological Seminary.
Based on feedback from the students and faculty at St. Herman's, Fr. Chad chose to address the theme "Speaking to Protestants," in which he presented an introduction to Protestant churches and offered counsel about how to engage their missionaries when they come to Alaskan villages. "These missionaries are coming in greater numbers, well funded and well organized," noted Fr. Chad. "In particular, this is a challenge for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). We have many parishes in Alaska and we need to be sending our own missionaries—catechists and youth workers—to strengthen the faithful there."
In a second workshop, St. Vladimir's students Fr. James and Sdn. Nicholas, both of whom have served several tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and are preparing to be chaplains, spoke about the military chaplaincy and ministry to veterans. "They were so well organized and presented so well!" said Fr. Chad. "For me, there was an enormous amount of satisfaction in seeing two of our seminarians handle themselves so professionally as they communicated at St. Herman's." That evening, the SVOTS delegation joined Alaskan clergy in praying the Akathist before Holy Relics of St. Herman in Holy Resurrection Cathedral, and Fr. James offered another reflection. Then on Friday morning, the newly ordained Fr. James served liturgy at the All Saints of Alaska Chapel. "That was a great joy," he reflected. "I even able to learn some of the Yup'ik liturgical phrases and responses."
"We were warmly welcomed by the faculty and students alike, who showed us great hospitality," added Sdn. Nicholas Roth. "The students were eager and engaging during our presentations, and it was a great opportunity to provide them with information on how to minister to veterans. St. Herman Archivist Daria Safronova was also kind enough to show us some of the Seminary's treasures—the writings, journals, and possessions of St. Innocent and St. Jacob Netsetov."
On Friday afternoon, the special sessions concluded and the trio traveled to the Coast Guard base in Kodiak, where the seminarians had the opportunity to hear Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant chaplains describe their ministry there. Alumnus Fr. Eugene Wozniak (SVOTS '95), who is stationed in Juneau, flew up to Kodiak and arranged the tour and presentations. "The Coast Guard trip was a nice capstone to our time at St. Herman's," said Fr. James. "It highlighted for us how embedded the military community is in Kodiak, and just how important the ministry and chaplaincy is to them."
After the trip to the base, Fr. Chad presented a gift of newly published SVS Press books to the St. Herman's Seminary library. "In addition to thinking about new book donations, our librarian Eleana Silk always makes sure that seconds from our library are sent to the St. Herman's library for use by Librarian Dn. Irenaus Anderson."
In another word of thanks, Fr. Chad noted that "we are always thankful to benefactor Eva Cadwell, who generously supports this yearly exchange between St. Vladimir's and St. Herman's. There has been a strong historical connection between our two seminaries over the years, and we look forward to strengthening that relationship." He added wryly, "the Alaskan seminarians are very keen to travel next year for a basketball tournament with STOTS and SVOTS. They are confident they can beat the Lower 48 seminaries!"
Medicine is Destroying Pastoral Care" with Jeffrey P. Bishop M.D., Ph.D. The lecture will be held at 7:30 p.m. on the Feast of the Annunciation, Monday, March 25th in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium in the John G. Rangos Family building on the Seminary's Yonkers campus. The lecture will be followed by a light reception hosted by the Society, which is a student-run, pro-life group at the Seminary.
An Orthodox Christian, Dr. Bishop teaches medical ethics and philosophy at Saint Louis University, where he holds the Tenet Endowed Chair in Health Care Ethics and directs the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics. His scholarly work has focused on the historical, political, and philosophical conditions that underpin contemporary medical and scientific practices and theories. As an author, Dr. Bishop has published his work in medical, philosophical, and theological journals and has addressed a wide array of topics from enhancement technologies to clinical ethics consultation and medical humanities. His first book, The Anticipatory Corpse: Medicine, Power, and the Care of the Dying, is a philosophical history of the care of the dying, and was published by the University of Notre Dame Press.
In other professional activities, Dr. Bishop also serves on the editorial boards of The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy and Christian Bioethics, and he is an assistant editor of the "Philosophy and Medicine" series published by Springer.
We warmly welcome you to our campus for this event. To accommodate our friends who cannot be with us, the lecture will be live-streamed from the St. Ambrose Society Website, and will also be available as a podcast.
Download a PDF poster of the event to share with your friends, family, and church family, here.
On the Sunday of Meatfare of the Last Judgment, His Eminence The Most Rev. Benjamin, archbishop of San Francisco and the West, Orthodox Church in America (OCA), ordained Deacon Andre Paez to the Holy Priesthood in Three Hierarchs Chapel at St. Vladimir's Seminary. Father Andre is in his third year of the Master of Divinity program at St. Vladimir's. The day before, His Eminence also presided over the baptism of Fr. Andre and Matushka Samantha's infant daughter Mariel.
In addition to Archbishop Benjamin, other participating clergy at the ordination included: The Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel, Fr. Stefanos Alexopoulos of Athens (The Church of Greece), The Rev. Dr. David Mezynski, The Rev. Dr. Benedict Churchill, The Rev. Andre Paez, The Rev. Dn. Gregory Hatrak, and The Rev. Dn. Adam Horstman. Several friends and relatives of the Paez family traveled over long distances to attend.
In a charge to his listeners and to Fr. Andre, His Eminence stressed the meaning of Judgment Sunday in his homily. "Liturgically speaking, this Sunday has nothing to do with meat," he noted. "Instead, we are called to remember the Last Judgment. Christ is our neighbor, and our neighbor is Christ. We can't love an abstract idea of humanity; we must love individual people."
Father Andre grew up in a Columbian American, Roman Catholic home. He encountered Orthodoxy while attending Pepperdine University in Southern California, and was chrismated in 1997 at his parish, Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco. When he joined the Church, Fr. Andre wanted to attend St. Vladimir's immediately. "However, my parish priest, the late Archpriest Victor Sokolov of blessed memory, advised me to grow in the Church first," noted Fr. Andre. "I heeded his wise counsel and it was after 13 years of serving and growing in the Church, getting married, and having children, that I received Archbishop Benjamin's blessing to come to the Seminary."
Father Andre's wife, Samantha, is Lebanese American, and holds a Masters level degree in social work; she currently writes grant proposals for various non–profit institutions. With the addition of little Mariel, the Paez family now has three children: Rafael, Isabel and the baby.
After the opening remarks by His Eminence the Rt. Rev. Nikon, archbishop of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean and professor of Patristics at St. Vladimir's, and The Very Rev. Andrew Tregubov (SVOTS '95), presented the patristic and iconographic perspectives in their talks. On Saturday morning a panel discussion commenced with participants Dr. Albert Rossi, adjunct professor of Pastoral Theology, educator and author Mtka. Jennifer Mosher (SVOTS '09), The Rev. Theophan Whitfield (SVOTS '10), and Sister Nonna Harrison. Lastly, attendees participated in workshops to process the day's information.
"On Friday evening," said panelist Mtka. Jennifer Mosher, "Fr. John spoke on how becoming human does not fully happen until we die, and how the creation of male and female is unique to humanity in the creation account. Father Andrew then spoke about iconography and how the creation of man and woman, the love of the Trinity, the love of the Theotokos and Child and the love of married couples such as Anna and Joachim, are depicted therein. After the talks there was some time for questions, and some stayed even later for further discussion."
Saturday's panelists continued the dialogue. Dr. Rossi described male/female differences in psychology and relationships, Sr. Nonna compared and contrasted monasticism and marriage, Mtka. Jennifer explored marriage as the context for children and family life, and Fr. Theophan outlined the pastoral response to the most difficult questions regarding marriage and sexuality. These presentations offered much content as grist for the workshops that followed the lunch break.
"People asked questions or made comments about homosexual relationships, contraception, how youth relate to one another and to adults in our quickly evolving and high tech culture, the influence of media on people's expectations for their relationships and their family life, among many other things," noted Mtka. Jennifer. "It was intimate and friendly, and people engaged in a positive way. New England is a close–knit diocese; we know Archbishop Nikon well and he was very much in the midst of the event speaking, answering questions, and sharing insights."
"The purpose of these Holy Conversations is to better communicate Orthodox Christian teachings on these issues and to discuss how they can be applied faithfully, charitably and effectively," said The Rev. John Vitko when the Vermont pilot program was announced in February. Father John, who chairs the Strategic Plan Committee and is the rector at St. Luke Church in McLean, VA, also noted that "an implementation team led by Priest Caleb Abetti will continue to work on identifying an appropriate format for conducting such conversations."
After several grueling days of rehearsals and class instruction at St. Tikhon's, the choir sang at the Monastery Church of St. TIkhon of Zadonsk for a Saturday evening Vigil and then a Sunday morning Divine Liturgy in which Metropolitan Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) presided. The weekend culminated in a Sunday evening concert at St. Stephen's Episcopal Cathedral in Wilkes–Barre, PA.
The combined choir, assembled in celebration of the 75th anniversary years of St. Tikhon's and St. Vladimir's and the 65th anniversary year of Holy Trinity, met three times daily for rehearsals and instruction with Maestro Gorbik. The renowned music instructor taught a Master Class at St. Vladimir's in June of 2012 and is well known within the SVOTS community.
"Vladimir Gorbik brings grow."
Added Fr. Herman, "after we had finished all our rehearsals and sound check before the concert and were waiting for it to begin, Maestro Gorbik explained to us how much joy he had experienced, being able to sing with us and work with us, and that he would be happy no matter what the outcome, out of gratitude for the time he'd shared with us."
The hard work for the choirs paid off, when hundreds of concert goers filled St. Stephen's Cathedral to hear the sublime sacred music selections prepared by the musicians. At the conclusion of the concert, the combined choir received five standing ovations that required the singers to present four encore pieces. (Listen to a sample of their selections.)
The Rt. Rev. Michael, bishop of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey and rector of St. Tikhon's Seminary, thanked Maestro Gorbik and noted that the concert reminded him of how the three seminaries can work together "in harmony" to promote Orthodox theological education. In October of last year, choirs from St. Vladimir's and St. Tikhon's jointly sang a molieben to launch an icon exhibit at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
"We hope that the success of this event will mark a new era of cooperation between the music departments of our seminaries," said St. Tikhon's Choir Director Benedict Sheehan. Father Herman concurred: "Our students stepped up and I'm proud of them. It was a big commitment but we all experienced a very positive dynamic between the three seminaries. It was a significant milestone for us all."
Photography and video credits: Christopher Patton, assistant to the Dean for Media, Publications, & Public Affairs, St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary
In a full ten–day schedule, The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield traveled throughout Southern California accompanied by Associate Director of Advancement Tim Nieuwsma. The Chancellor/CEO served at Vespers, offered a Sunday homily, spoke at a symposium, lectured at a conference, and held a series of strategic meetings with current and potential Seminary partners. "In the several days we spent reconnecting with long–time significant supporters of St. Vladimir's and building new bridges, we were able to share key details from the newly approved Strategic Plan," explained Fr. Chad. "Our many friends on the West Coast are important to us."
To launch his trip, Fr. Chad joined the clergy and faithful at St. Anthony the Great Antiochian Orthodox Church in San Diego for a Divine Liturgy in their newly completed temple. Warmly welcomed by the parishioners and The Rev. John Reimann and Khouria Christina Reimann (an SVOTS alumna), Fr. Chad served at a Saturday Vespers, offered the Sunday homily, and later gave a presentation during coffee hour.
The SVOTS delegation then drove to Pasadena where they met with several leaders at Fuller Theological Seminary. Fuller is one the world's largest institutions of its kind, with over 4,000 students studying on seven campuses and in distance learning programs. In fruitful discussions with Mary Hubbard Given, vice president of Alumni/ae and Church Relations, Dr. Scott W. Sunquist, dean of the School of Intercultural Studies and Professor of World Christianity, and Dr. Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., professor of Church History and Ecumenics and director of the David J. DuPlessis Center for Christian Spirituality, Fr. Chad identified several areas of common interest. "Fuller has been a premier school in the area of missiology," noted the SVOTS chancellor/CEO, "and with our neophyte program in missions, they gave helpful counsel and advice, and expressed a willingness to work with us in the future."
In another visit to an institution of higher learning, Fr. Chad and Mr. Nieuwsma joined C.S. Lewis Oxford scholar The Rev. Dr. Andrew Cuneo (SVOTS '10) for a tour of St. Katherine's College in San Diego. Father Andrew teaches English Language and Literature at the newly established Orthodox undergraduate institution, and is also the rector of St. Katherine of Alexandria Mission in Cardiff–by–the–Sea. Father Chad also learned more about St. Katherine's College when he and Mr. Nieuwsma met with two of the founders of the school, Drs. Frank and Julie Papatheofanis.
Wrapping up his California trip, Fr. Chad offered presentations at two conferences: the Liberty Fund colloquim titled "Liberty, Society & the Economy in Modern Eastern Orthodox & Roman Catholic Thought" held in La Jolla near San Diego, and "Prayer in the Church Fathers," the first symposium of the Sts. Cyril & Athanasius of Alexandria Institute for Orthodox Studies, hosted by St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Riverside.
"I found the Liberty Fund Conference to be enlightening in the area of missiology, and gleaned several key ideas which will be useful for our discussion in our upcoming Conference on Poverty," he said.
In the symposium at St. Andrew, "Prayer in the Church Fathers," Fr. Chad joined His Eminence the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia and other presenters. In his Sunday afternoon lecture, "Praying with the Psalms: The Fathers, and Christians Today," Fr. Chad spoke on praying in silence with the Psalter.
Father noted the success of the Symposium, which gathered nearly 500 attendees in Northern and Southern California during several February sessions. "Once again it highlighted for me the desire among the laity for theological conferences and content," he reflected. "In that same vein, it was also delightful to hear Metropolitan Kallistos talk about the enormous impact that SVS Press has had on global Orthodoxy, particularly through the wide distribution of the books in our Popular Patristics Series."
