Nearly thirty deacons and Diaconal Vocations Program students immersed themselves in worship, theological learning, spiritual reflection, and liturgical practice during the Sixth Annual Diaconal Liturgical Practicum, held on the campus of St. Vladimir’s from June 10–13, 2012. Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov, director of Diaconal and Late Vocations for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), coordinated the Practicum. (Read an interview with Archdn. Kirill about the extensive growth of the Diaconal Vocations Program, here.)

Participants gathered throughout the day on Sunday, June 10th on the beautiful and serene seminary campus, which provided an ideal setting for fellow students from almost every diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) to meet each other.  After participants were welcomed with a supper, the Three Hierarchs Chapel bell tolled to call all to the “Prayer Service for the Beginning of Instruction.” Archpriest Alexander Rentel, assistant professor of Canon Law and Byzantine Studies at the seminary, led the service, as participants sang the responses and hymns.

Archdeacon Kirill facilitated an opening reflection about the ways adults learn, during which he invited students to consider the ways children naturally absorb and imagine liturgy; he suggested to participants that if they were to “convert and become like children” (Matt 18:2–4), they would particularly benefit from the liturgical practice that would ensue. Following introductions, Archdeacon Kirill and Priest Sergius Halvorsen, assistant professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St. Vladimir's, began instruction in patterns of liturgical movement and prepared participants for the next morning’s Divine Liturgy.

Each day of Practicum began early, with students gathering in the chapel for hands-on preparation for the Liturgy. They assisted as appropriate in the entrance prayers and preparation rites and served at Divine Liturgy as deacons, singers, readers, and servers. 

On Monday, June 11th, and Tuesday, June 12th, the Divine Liturgies initiated long days of experiential learning. Archpriest Alexander Rentel provided the theological context for liturgy.

Father Sergius Halvorsen led extensive sessions on preaching and speaking about the Orthodox Christian faith; as well, he provided voice instruction and coaching that helped participants to better chant and read in church. Archdeacon Kirill guided the deacons and diaconal candidates through the precision of serving the divine services, with emphasis on the patterns of the deacon’s service within a theological and historical framework that increases understanding and proper serving—especially in unfamiliar liturgical situations. Daily Vespers commenced each evening’s work, and opportunities for fellowship and reflection punctuated the packed but effective days.

In addition to Fr. Sergius’s and Archdeacon Kirill’s workshops, several special presentations enhanced the practicum experience for participants:

• Priest Martin Kraus, rector of Holy Trinity Church, East Meadow, NY, shared an example of charitable diakonia: he discussed his parish’s ministry to the hungry in mid-town Manhattan, and he explained how similar parish efforts could be set in motion.

• Dr. Albert Rossi introduced resources to help those addicted to Internet pornography. 
• Archpriest John Jillions, chancellor of the OCA, discussed issues facing the clergy, including the challenging issues of sexual abuse and misconduct. The Chancellor also spoke about the joys of serving in his new role and the growth he sees in Church life.  (Read Fr. John’s reflections about the Practicum, here.)
• Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, protodeacon to the Metropolitan, introduced participants to the skill of vesting hierarchs. Dn. Gregory Hatrak, the seminary’s Marketing Manager for SVS Press & Bookstore, provided valuable guidance to participants in the altar.

• Hierodeacon Herman, who serves as Chapel Music Director at St. Vladimir’s, led the choir, composed of practicum participants.

Archpriest John Behr, dean of the seminary, through the liturgical poetry of Melito of Sardis, taught about knowing the crucified and risen Christ in the “breaking of bread”—thereby uplifting the hearts of practicum participants.

The gathering was particularly blessed by the active presence of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the OCA, who participated in two days of liturgical services and spoke extensively with participants. On the final day of the practicum, seminary and practicum faculty, clergy, and participants concelebrated the Primatial Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude. At the liturgy, Metropolitan Jonah presented the homily, and he also prayed for the participants’ safe travel back to their homes and parishes. During his homily, His Beatitude addressed the proper attitude towards diaconal service in the Church, emphasizing the preeminence of Christ’s diaconate; he especially exhorted students to “peruse the scriptures daily”—as noted in the service of tonsuring for a reader—and “to enter into the flow” of each Divine Liturgy of the Church. Lastly, he urged participants to extend their diaconal ministry outside of liturgy, by feeding the poor, helping the destitute and lonely, and by acting as Christ in many other settings.

The Diaconal Vocations Program is a program of theological formation created by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA to prepare men for service in the Holy Diaconate.  The church-wide program—a blend of mentored learning in a local setting, online instruction, and diocesan programs of diaconal formation—utilizes practicums to prepare men for the central and visible liturgical aspect of the diaconal ministry. St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary has served as a frequent host for these practicums.  Archdeacon Kirill serves as Director of Diaconal and Late Vocations on behalf of the Holy Synod’s Board of Theological Education, chaired by His Eminence, Archbishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania. For more information, visit http://oca.org/about/boards-offices-commissions/dvp.

See a fuller gallery of photos, by Dn. Gregory Hatrak and Deborah Belonick, here.

The atmosphere surrounding the recent "Becoming a Healing Presence" workshop was "engaging, honest, direct, and challenging," said workshop leader, Dr. Albert S. Rossi, adjunct professor of Pastoral Theology at St. Vladimir's Seminary.

"The expressed interest in this topic seemed to be electrifying, almost contagious," Dr. Rossi continued. "It was sheer joy to co-present and lead the workshop, and I felt humbled to have such an opportunity."

Workshop participants discussed many topics during their three days of interactive training, including "Healing the Self to Heal Others" and "Healing Others as Love Delivered." The interactive workshop explored ways to empower participants to go beyond themselves, to transcend themselves, and in so doing, to transform others. “Healing" encompassed psychological and spiritual healing; physical healing was beyond the scope of the short workshop.

"The goal of the entire workshop," Dr. Rossi noted, "was for each of us to move from point A, where we began, to point B, demonstrating new growth in 'Becoming a Healing Presence.'

"During one session, each participant presented a personal reflection on the content of 'Becoming a Healing Presence' in their own lives," explained Dr. Rossi. "Both Father David Mezynski, my co-presenter, and I were deeply moved by the intensity and candor, the fire and the love within each presentation.    

"One of the themes of the workshop was, 'It is the Lord" (John 21),' " concluded Dr. Rossi, "and I would say, looking back, 'It was the Lord' who made such a high-quality experience occur for each of us."

Workshop leaders were Dr. Albert S. Rossi, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology at the seminary and licensed clinical psychologist in the state of New York; and Priest David Mezynski, Associate Dean for Student Affairs at St. Vladimir’s Seminary.

Photos by Dn. Gregory Hatrak

In early June, a mission team from the seminary community, led by Chancellor/CEO Archpriest Chad Hatfield, visited Guatemala to lend much-needed hands to Hogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage. The team assisted  in moving the orphanage from "Zone 1," a crime-ridden and dangerous area of Guatemala City, to Hogar San Miguel, a new orphanage in the mountains outside of Guatemala City.

"This was the first ever mission team organized from St. Vladimir's Seminary," noted Fr. Chad, “and this was my sixth time personally to be at the Hogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage and the Holy Trinity Monastery.

"This trip was supported by people all over North America and 'Team Guatemala' did an outstanding job of fundraising for their own expenses," Fr. Chad said. "Additionally, the funds included a very generous donation to support the work of the nuns at the orphanage, as they transition to their new facility, beginning in early February 2013.

"I have a personal goal to offer a missiology course on site there, at the new facility, in 2014," concluded Fr. Chad.

The mission team's task was to pack up cribs and beds for the children, for transport to the new facility in the mountains. In addition to Fr. Chad, team members consisted of Claudia Bazil, Mary Roth, Alumnus Ian Jones, Seminarian Subdn. Scott Miller, Seminarian Dn. Andre Paez, and recent seminary graduate Fr. David Wooten.

Hogar Rafael Ayau was founded in 1857, as Guatemala's official national orphanage. In January 1996, a newly elected government began negotiations with the Catholic Apostolic Orthodox Antiochian Church in Guatemala to privatize and entrust the country's orphanage to the church, and plans for renovation and reopening began. In August 1996, the Hogar Rafael Ayau orphanage was received by the Orthodox Antiochian Church, and on October 13, 1997, after the basic reconstruction and renovation of the orphanage, Hogar Rafael Ayau reopened its doors and received 115 boys and girls who had been transferred from another dilapidated government institution. Mother Ines, Igoumeni of the Orthodox Monastery of the Holy Trinity–Lavra Mambre, was entrusted by His Eminence Archbishop Antonio (Chedraoui) to oversee the orphanage.

In its newly constructed quarters at Hogar San Miguel, the orphanage and women's monastic community hope to become self-sustaining. The new complex contains space for a school, workshops, refectory, kitchen, dormitory, medical clinic, covered play area, swimming pool, administration offices, and missionaries' quarters. San Miguel's is being organized to provide food for the community as well: farm-raised tilapia, rabbits, bees, orchards, coffee plants, and a vegetable garden will provide sustainance; while children will learn crafts and arts in special workshop areas, such as carpentry, iconography, incense making, sewing, baking, and so on. As part of their daily schedule, the children attend liturgical services daily, nourishing their souls as well as their bodies; the beautiful monastery church near the new orphanage will be their spiritual house.

Several "Team Guatemala" members commented on their rich missionary experience, including:

Ian Jones: "It's both inspiring and humbling to see God's work carried out so faithfully and constantly by the nuns at the Hogar, and to have been able to contribute to their mission with such a great team from St Vladimir's."

Subdn. Scott Miller: "One afternoon, some missionaries (including Dn. Andre Paez and myself) chaperoned some of the older orphans on a trip to the mall just outside Guatemala City. It was an upscale mall with lots of stores with signs in English, so we mostly just walked around, looking at things none of us could afford. The orphans were hesitant to let us treat them, but by the time we left, they and the other missionaries were laughing it up and enjoying some freshly-made crépes. It was nice how something so simple could be so special to them and to us."

"On the way back to the Hogar, the driver routed us through an area that he said is the poorest part of Guatemala City, just a mile or two from the Hogar. It was a valley of shacks, a sprawling shanty town. We didn't see it in much detail, but it we saw enough. The lives the children have at the Hogar, with love, shelter, food, sanitation, education, and spiritual guidance—compared to those on the streets—was quite stark."

Claudia Bazil: "For years, I have wanted to go on a missionary trip. When the opportunity arose to go to the Hogar Rafael Ayau with Father Chad, I decided it was time to stop thinking about it and just do it. I didn't really know what to expect, but I knew that I wanted to help in whatever way I could. My experience in Guatemala City was so much more complex than I ever could have imagined; it was so evident that our presence there was so much more important to these children than just a monetary donation would have been."

"The orphanage is a wonderful and nurturing place filled with happy children, but they still have a need for extra love and care. In a mere week, these children had left an indelible mark on my heart, and I was sad to say goodbye to them. Happily, they will be visiting the seminary May 22, 2013 on a music tour (pending the securing of visas), so I look forward to seeing my new friends again."

Fr. David Wooten: "The Hogar is a beautiful oasis for these orphans, who are given spiritual, educational, and material nourishment, while all around in Guatemala City there exists crime, corruption, and danger.  We were privileged to be a part of helping the mothers move to the next chapter of the Hogar's ministry, and I am grateful to have been able to go and serve there."

Mary Roth: "The experience to Guatemala was amazing. The children there are so beautiful spiritually. They taught me a lot about situations and things I take for granted, such as having food, not being wasteful, and completely trusting that God will help. I never once heard the children or the workers at the Hogar complain about having to do work or chores, or having to go to school. They knew what needed to get done and they did it, even though they have a more rigorous schedule than I do during the day."

"The children were cheerful, and ready to work and play when given the opportunity. The children also showed so much enthusiasm when they had time to play with those of us visiting. Most of us would feel sorry for ourselves if we had to live their lives; but if you were to meet them on the street, you would think that they came from a two-parent, loving home. I learned many things from those that work with them daily, and I believe God was able to use this experience to help me learn how to work on myself. I look forward to keeping in touch with not only the children but also the workers at the Hogar, in order to continue my own personal spiritual growth."

Photos on this page by members of Team Guatemala! View a fuller photo gallery by Team Guatemala member Ian Jones, here.

On May 24-27, 2012, Professor Paul Meyendorff, The Father Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology at St. Vladimir's, attended a conference with the theme "Ecclesiology and Nationalism in Post-Modern Era" at the Volos Academy for Theological Studies in Volos, Greece. Dr. Meyendorff presented a paper entitled "Ethnophyletism, Autocephaly, and National Churches: A Theological Approach and Ecclesiological Implications."

The well-attended conference brought together theologians and scholars from several countries, including Russia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, England, Germany, and the Middle East, for a fruitful discussion of the complex issues raised by nationalism and ethnophyletism as related to church life, both in traditionally Orthodox countries and also in the West. Noted speakers included Metropolitans John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon and Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia. The proceedings were broadcast live on the web TV channel www.intv.gr, and on the "Orthodox Witness" Radio Station of the Holy Metropolis of Demetrias.

Read more about the conference (English-language page) and see more photos, here.

View Father Chad Hatfield’s speech (39:06) and Q&A responses (1:14:37) on C-span: click on the Video Playlist  "Conference on Religious Freedom: Session 3 Uniting to Preserve Robust Freedom," in the right-hand column, here.

This Thursday, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, seminary Chancellor and CEO, participated in the 2012 National Religious Freedom Conference, sponsored by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), which is based in Washington, D.C.  Father Chad served as the Orthodox Christian representative in a session dedicated to the topic “Uniting to Preserve Robust Freedom.”

The EPPC was established in 1976 to clarify and reinforce the bond between the Judeo-Christian moral tradition and the public debate over domestic and foreign policy issues. At this particular conference, government officials, religious leaders, and public policy experts from across the nation discussed a host of topics, including the new Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate requiring religious organizations to provide health care coverage for contraceptives.

During the session on preserving religious freedoms, Fr. Chad both delivered a presentation and also participated in a Q&A moderated by Professor Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University. In his presentation, Fr. Chad noted the dramatic lessons from history that Orthodox Christians worldwide could contribute to debates and think tanks regarding the interplay between religion and civil rule; he particularly pointed out the lessons learned by Russian Orthodox Christians under the communist yoke and by Middle Eastern Orthodox Christians under Islamic rule.

Father Chad further noted that Orthodox Christians in the West are bringing “a new kind of zeal” to public policy debates in the U.S., especially those newly converted to the Orthodox Christian faith who are bringing “a familiarity with the way that Americans do business.”  Fr. Chad also drew a parallel between the strong civic witness Orthodox Christians have presented through examples of holiness and sanctity in the recent and ancient past, and new types of witness Orthodox Christians are presenting in the public square.

He observed, “We Orthodox are not only finding our interior way, but we are finding our external voice.” As an example, he cited the statement issued by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America regarding the “infringement of liberty” caused by the recent HHS mandate; in their statement, the bishops urged Orthodox Christians to voice their concerns to their elected officials “in the face of this threat to the religious liberty.”

Other panelists speaking to the issue of preserving robust religious freedom included:

• Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Presidency of the Seventy, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• The Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone, Bishop of Oakland
• Dr. Timothy George, Dean and Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
• Rabbi Dr. Meir Y. Soloveichik, Director, Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, Yeshiva University

With deep sorrow, the community of St. Vladimir’s Seminary bids farewell to an illustrious and beloved alumnus, His Eminence Metropolitan Constantine, 76, who was Ruling Hierarch of the Central Eparchy and Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. His Eminence fell asleep in the Lord this morning, May 21, 2012—one day after celebrating the 40th anniversary of his Archpastoral ministry in the Pittsburgh area.

Metropolitan Constantine (baptismal name “Theodore”) was born to the late Stanley and Catherine Sydor Buggan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1936.  From his youth, he was raised in an environment of deep faith and was encouraged by his family and parish priests to pursue a priestly vocation.

In September 1954, he entered St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, at that time the only Ukrainian Orthodox Seminary in North America. His four years there provided an opportunity to learn from the greatest Ukrainian Orthodox theologian in recent centuries, Metropolitan Ilarion (Ohienko). Completing his studies at St. Andrew’s in 1959 with a Licentiate in Theology, young Theodore entered St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary to further his academic and spiritual formation through the inspiration of its renowned professors, Nicholas Arseniev, Sergius Verhovskoy, and Fr. Alexander Schmemann.

Metropolitan Constantine warmly reminisced about his time as a seminarian at St. Vladimir’s (then located in Manhattan), in a published interview in The SVS Vine, Annual Report FY 2010, saying:

"Back then, we seminarians were divided in a large apartment building, on separate floors—2, 4, and 6; I shared apartment 66, owned by 'Mama Oakie' as we nicknamed her, with 'Tom Hopko' and 'Paul Ziatyk'. We had to cook our own meals. All the seminarians would gather together for chapel, which was a converted apartment on the third floor, and then we’d walk across the street to our classes at Union Theological Seminary. It was surely a very different environment than what the seminarians of today know, but it was a wonderful experience and I have many warm memories."

Returning to Pittsburgh after his studies at St. Vladimir's, he then pursued undergraduate and graduate studies in Philosophy at Duquesne University, completing his doctorate in 1967. On April 23, 1967 he was ordained into the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence, Archbishop Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) in St. Andrew’s Memorial Church in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. Deacon Theodore was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in his home parish of St. Vladimir on the South Side of Pittsburgh on July 23, 1967, by His Beatitude, Metropolitan John (Theodorovich) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.  He was assigned to serve as assistant pastor at St. Vladimir Cathedral in Chicago on September 1, 1967. His pastoral assignment was to St. Nicholas Parish in Troy, New York, from 1968–1972. During this time he immersed himself in all aspects of parish life, inspiring his flock with the profound richness of genuine Orthodox theology and liturgics. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, he served as Spiritual Advisor to the Ukrainian Orthodox League.

Father Theodore was tonsured into the monastic schema on December 18, 1971, being given the name Constantine, and was elevated to the dignity of Archimandrite on December 19. He was consecrated Bishop at the hands of His Beatitude Metropolitan Mstyslav and His Grace Bishop Mark (Hundiak) in St. Vladimir Cathedral in Philadelphia on May 7, 1972 and assigned to the Episcopal See of Chicago, becoming the first hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church since St. Petro Mohyla to be born outside the borders of Ukraine. He was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 1976. He was elevated to the dignity of Metropolitan on 1992, and upon the repose of His Beatitude Metropolitan Mstyslav on June 11, 1993, he became Prime Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and the Diaspora.

The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, during its meeting on March 12, 1995, under the presidency of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, unanimously accepted His Beatitude Metropolitan Constantine and his fellow Ukrainian Orthodox bishops of the USA and Diaspora under the omophorion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Thereafter the Holy and Sacred Synod proceeded to elect His Beatitude Metropolitan Constantine titular hierarch with the title of Metropolitan of Irinoupolis, to serve the pastoral needs of the Ukrainian Orthodox living in the USA, thus leading the faithful sons and daughter of the Church into the fullness of canonical world Orthodoxy. In July 2000, Metropolitan Constantine was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity from St. Andrew’s College of the University of Manitoba.

Memory Eternal! +

Read an Official Press Release about Metropolitan Constantine of Blessed Memory (1936–2012), from the Consistory Office of Public Relations of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, and look in the future for details about memorial services for His Eminence, here.

Send condolences to the clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, and to Metropolitan Constantine’s family:

Regular Mail: Consistory Administrative Offices • Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA •
P. O. Box 495
• South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

E-mail: ConsistoryOPR@aol.com

Fax: 732-356-9437

Currier Delivery: Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA • 135 Davidson Avenue
• Somerset, NJ 08873

 The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean, and The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor and CEO of St. Vladimir’s, congratulated and encouraged the graduates as well. Father John reminded seniors that they not only had "worked hard" during their tenure at St. Vladimir's, but also had been "worked over" by the curriculum and long hours in chapel and field assignments, and that by those means, they had been made into "fertile soil" for the gospel message to grow. Father Chad reminded the students of the generations of alumni that had preceded them. The Chair of the Alumni Board, Gregory Abdalah, presented each graduate with a beautiful solid cherry wood frame to display their diplomas, and welcomed them to the St. Vladimir's Alumni Association.

Also present at the Commencement Exercises were visiting hierarchs The Most Rev. Tikhon, archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; The Rt. Rev. Michael, bishop of New York and New York and New Jersey; and His Eminence Mor Titus Yeldho, archbishop and patriarchal vicar of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America. The hierarchs were present to honor graduates and seminarians from their respective dioceses.

[Photos in this article are by Leanne Parrott]

The entire campus community wishes the Class of 2012 many years!

View the Commencement Program, here.

View a photo gallery of Commencement Week, here.

Listen to Trustee Brian Gerich explain how St. Vladimir's graduates have touched his life, here.

View a photo gallery of Commencement Exercises by Leanne Parrott, here.

Listen to all of the Commencement speakers, here:

• Welcome by Dean Archpriest John Behr, with a recap of the academic year
• His Grace The Rt. Rev. Alexander, bishop of Toledo and Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America, 2012 Commencement Address
• Introductions by Chancellor and CEO Archpriest Chad Hatfield
• Valedictorian graduating senior Igumen Father Gerasim [Eliel]
• Salutatorian 2nd-year M.Div. student Harrison Basil Russin
• Metropolitan Jonah's closing remarks about joyful Christian witness

Joining His Beatitude in celebrating the liturgy was The Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander [Golitzin], newly ordained Bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese (OCA). Bishop Alexander also delivered the Commencement Address to the Class of 2012 at the afternoon graduation ceremony (read that story, here).

The newly ordained Fr. Timothy had been ordained to the Holy Diaconate in May 2011. During this past year at St. Vladimir's, as he completed his Master of Divinity degree, he also was a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) intern at St. John's Hospital in Yonkers, New York. Now that Fr. Timothy has graduated from the seminary, he will be moving to Columbia, South Carolina, along with his wife, Matushka Tamara, and their four children. There, he will pursue a 12-month CPE residency at Palmetto Health, a regional health care facility. He also will be attached to Holy Apostles Orthodox Church, where The Very Rev. Thomas Moore is rector.

At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, The Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel, assistant professor of Canon Law and Byzantine Studies and a member of the Commission on Canons and Statutes for the OCA, was awarded the palitza, a priestly vestment, in recognition of his special contributions to the seminary as a faculty member and to the Orthodox Church as an expert in canon law. 

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, The Very Rev. Steven Belonick, past Alumni Director and most recently Campus Chaplain at the seminary, and now rector of Holy Ghost Russian Orthodox Church in Bridgeport, was presented with a carved wooden cross by the Chair of the Alumni Board Gregory Abdalah, in recognition of his service to the alumni of St. Vladimir's over the years.

View a gallery of photos of the Divine Liturgy and ordination, here.

[Photos: D. Belonick and G. Hatrak]

Check back: gallery of photos by Leanne Parrott coming soon!

Check back: a video clip of the ordination coming soon!

St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary is pleased to announce it has received a $40,000 special planning grant from the Henry Luce Foundation that will assist the seminary in laying the groundwork for a collaborative project with the famed Orthodox Christian Estonian composer, Arvo Pärt. The seminary envisions the “Arvo Pärt Project” as including a unique concert and lecture venture as well as publications about the composer’s life and works. The Program Director for Theology at Luce Foundation, Lynn Szwaja, recommended the funding of the project and informed the seminary of the Luce Foundation’s support in a letter dated May 1, 2012.

Chancellor/CEO of the seminary, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, acknowledged the Luce grant with gratitude, saying, “Our seminary has been shifting and rebuilding our musical program, including special events, over the last few years. We have achieved amazing things and learned much in the process. Now, with this generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundation we are well on our way to fulfilling our dream of special ventures centered around the life and work of Arvo Pärt.”

Pärt is one of the world’s most celebrated and performed living composers, and his uniquely developed musical genre, known as tintinnabulation, has proved itself universally compelling; it has extended beyond the circles of classical music and has included admirers in the pop and rock music worlds. Moreover, there exists an inextricable connection between Pärt’s musical methodology and his inner creative impulse—with Orthodox Christian spirituality at its core—and it is this connection that St. Vladimir’s Seminary will explore and promulgate as it develops the project.

The project was initiated by two faculty members of St. Vladimir’s: Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff, associate professor of Systematic Theology, and Dr. Nicholas Reeves, assistant professor of Liturgical Music. Both have been meeting personally with Pärt and his wife and manager, Nora, to develop the project.

Remarking on the inspiration for the project, Dr. Bouteneff said, “On the one hand, this collaboration makes such perfect sense. Yet the fact that it is actually happening, that Arvo Pärt has welcomed us with enthusiasm, feels like a miracle, and it is a profound honor to the seminary.”

Dr. Reeves spoke further about the development of the project, noting, “Many concert goers know Arvo Pärt‘s music, and some realize a connection between his works and the spiritual life while others sense instinctively an otherworldly character inherent in his compositions.

“This project with Arvo Pärt seeks to make clearer for all admirers of these pieces their religious and, many times, Orthodox underpinnings, which remain virtually unknown to the general public,” he concluded.

Both professors expressed their gratitude to the Luce Foundation, with Dr. Bouteneff saying, “The Luce Foundation’s support of theological education is some of the most creative and finely-tuned in the landscape of philanthropy. With this grant they have helped put us squarely on the road to a project of far-reaching significance and of great beauty.”

Note: In the past, the Henry Luce Foundation has generously supported St. Vladimir's Seminary in the area of sacred music, including a $225,000 grant in 2000; that grant allowed the seminary to hire faculty, catalog a music collection, present seminars and workshops, and publish both liturgical and historical music books and also CDs. As well, the Luce Foundation was instrumental in funding the seminary's Library Developmental Project in 1999, with an award of $115,000, which allowed the seminary to purchase a UNIX server to handle its database, and to make significant progress in cataloging its collection and developing an on-line search program for the library's holdings..

Further details about the Arvo Pärt project will be posted regularly on the seminary’s Website: www.svots.edu.

The seminarian scholarship program of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania began when His Eminence The Most Rev. Tikhon was installed as the diocesan bishop in 2005. The diocese gives $2,000 annually to students enrolled in accredited Orthodox Christian theological schools. Seminarian Russin accepted the generous offering, acknowledging with gratitude the meaningful support from fellow Orthodox Christians of his home diocese.

NOTE: Scholarship monies from parishes, parish organizations, and diocese are eligible for matching funds in accordance with St. Vladimir's Seminary's "Fully Paid Tuition Plan." Read more about it here, and please consider granting a scholarship to a seminarian in your parish or diocese!