The fifth session in the Light of the World Webinar Series was co-hosted by Fr Photius Avant (M.Div. ‘11), author, dedicated religious educator, and rector of St Sava Orthodox Church in Allen, TX, and Khouria Destinie Winn, author of the popular blog Ascetic Life of Motherhood, and wife of Fr David Winn (M.Div. ‘20). The webinar, titled “A Light to Bring Revelation: The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple–How Are We to Present Ourselves and Our Children to the Lord in the Church?” was held on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 7:00—8:30 p.m. Eastern, via Zoom livestream.
Fr Photius began the presentation by exhorting listeners to “confront the problem of modernity”—the popular modern tendency to relegate our Christian life and practice to going to church on Sunday, rather than striving to live and model our faith in our families each and every day. He encouraged parents to counter the “catechism of the world”, the increasingly counter-Christian ideas taught in schools and pop culture, by embracing their parental vocation to continuously bring “their children into the living experience of following Christ.”
Following Fr Photius’ talk, Khouria Destinie laid out her four guiding principles in raising her children to be Orthodox Christians: bring them to church; lead them in the Faith; establish a Christian home; and encourage piety. Khouria Destinie gave numerous examples of practical ways to engage children in living a life of Faith, emphasizing the importance of following established seasonal liturgical rhythms and making the hymns, feastday traditions, prayers, and saints of the Church real and tangible to children. By weaving the liturgical life of the Church into our homes, we “lay the foundation that sets the course of their entire life,” said Khouria Destinie, and we ensure that the “soil of their hearts is as rich as possible to receive the Truth” throughout their lives.
Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, moderated the Q&A session following the speakers’ presentations, which included questions from listeners about the role of godparents and how to deal with misbehavior or tantrums during church services. He thanked the speakers for their timely and actionable presentations, saying, “This has really been an enlightening and wonderful evening and time well spent.”
Chief Advancement Officer and webinar orchestrator, Sarah Werner, also thanked the speakers for their valuable insights and encouraged listeners to support current students at St Vladimir’s Seminary by making a donation to the scholarship fund at svots.edu/give.
To watch the recording of the fifth session of the Light of the World Webinar Series, “A Light to Bring Revelation: The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple–How Are We to Present Ourselves and Our Children to the Lord in the Church?”, click the link below.
This monthly webinar series features speakers from among St Vladimir’s Seminary faculty, alumni, and friends, speaking on a variety of topics while answering a core question:
How are we Christians to be the light of the world?
Drawing inspiration from feedback received through a recent survey, these webinars aim to address a diverse range of themes that address real and pressing issues facing Orthodox faithful in modern society.
These online webinars are open to the public and free of cost. They are recorded and uploaded to the St Vladimir’s Seminary YouTube channel after the live Zoom event for easy access.
In this student spotlight interview, we get to know Dn Peter Jared Ries (M.Div. ‘24). Before arriving at St Vladimir’s Seminary, Dn Peter Ries spent several years working in mental health case management. Here at Seminary, he has become an integral part of the community, serving as Student Sacristan and organizing periodic “Porch Nights” for fellow seminarians to gather on the Germack porch to talk, laugh, and sing songs together. We sat down with him in October 2023 for this candid conversation on his experience as an M.Div. student at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
Dn Peter, please tell us a bit about your background.
I’m from Cleveland, OH, and for over fifteen years I have been a member of St Innocent Orthodox Church (OCA, Diocese of the Midwest). I attained a degree in psychology from Cleveland State University in 2015, and then I spent several years working in mental health case management. In this field, I assisted and treated individuals with severe mental health diagnoses, primarily those with schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. I ultimately found myself on the path to seminary, and this Midwestern boy came to the Big Apple in the Summer of 2021. My wife, Sophie, and I met very early in my seminary journey, as she is from the area, and we were married in October of 2022. We are happily living here on campus, in our cozy apartment surrounded by friends and faith. Sophie is a professionally trained artist specializing in illustration and design.
How do you feel your educational/professional background prepared you for seminary?
When you work in the field of mental health, you encounter Christ very quickly and very bluntly. I witnessed incredibly raw and incredibly human moments during my time, and crisis was a large element of my daily workload. But most importantly, I learned in that field that service to those around you was paramount to sharing the Gospel. If you go out and preach to a community, but you do not serve them, it will be a hollow message falling on rightfully deaf ears. In something as secular as the social work field, I was still so poignantly aware of God’s operation in my clients’ lives, not through proselytizing them but rather through serving their needs in love.
Why did you choose St Vladimir's Seminary?
I knew early on that St Vladimir’s was my choice for seminary. Archbishop Paul, of blessed memory, was very involved in my discernment process, and he was helpful in pointing me to the place where I would benefit the most on my personal journey of spiritual and professional formation. Fr Alessandro Margheritino, an alumnus of this seminary and the current Secretary of the OCA, was my parish priest for much of my childhood, and he taught me about the resources St Vladimir’s Seminary has to offer: their CPE program, the caliber of their faculty, and the advantage that all us students are learning and struggling in a very tight, very intentional community, together. Campus life was a big draw for me, and I am grateful that Sophie and I were able to start our marriage here.
What is your year of study and degree program, and what have been some particularly impactful experiences during your time at the Seminary?
I am a 3rd-year M.Div. candidate, so I am nearing the end of my seminary adventure. An easy top answer to this question is my marriage to Sophie. We were able to have it at her home parish in New Jersey, attended by many seminarians, faculty, and staff. Sophie and I have always felt very cared for by the married faculty and students, and it has been so useful to be able to model their behavior as Sophie and I learn and grow together. Another memorable event was my recent ordination to the Holy Diaconate. It is a humbling obedience, and it was such a blessing to take on this responsibility while standing alongside my colleagues, mentors, and friends.
What are some ways you hope to grow during your last year at seminary?
An exciting aspect of the last year’s curriculum here is a tightened focus on pastoral formation. I am taking homiletics, pastoral theology, and am fulfilling an internship at one of the local parishes. Combined with the spiritual formation that is baked into the liturgical schedule and community life here on campus, I want to take this education and have it further develop my appreciation and desire for service. We are formed into servants here, to become shepherds of souls, and I want to grow into that role more fully.
When you contemplate the phrase "You are the light of the world," how do you hope to fulfill this directive in your own life and ministry?
Calling back to my pastoral theology course, I am reminded of a recent point made by the professor of that class, Fr Eric Tosi. He made mention of the Greek translation of the word apostolos. It means, quite literally, one who is sent forth, and I think that this is an important distinction to make when we talk about the Church as being Apostolic. Though this term very well calls to mind the fact that our tradition is handed down from Christ to the Apostles and carried through to today, we cannot forget that this tradition is, by design, meant to be taken out into the world. We are formed here so that we may go out there. There is not meant to be a separation between the Kingdom of God and creation, and so just as light permeates, we too must permeate the world by bearing witness to the light of Christ.
How can St Vladimir's Seminary community members pray for you and your family?
With this sending forth comes a level of uncertainty. Sophie and I do not quite yet know exactly where God will be sending us to do this work. It is a career path that demands one’s time and one’s patience, and obedience to the will of God. But that does not make it unique from the work God asks of all of us. So please, pray for me to develop my patience, and my love for the Church, and please pray that Sophie and I continue to grow in our marriage as we take these next steps. Please pray that I garner humility and a further appreciation of service so that I might be a good and faithful servant to the community and to Christ.
What would you like to say to supporters of the Seminary?
My time here is made possible by those who support this seminary, full stop. Without them, I would have never been able to come out here, I would have never had the opportunity to be formed by God through this institution. If you want to look at it in a schmaltzy way, without them I would have never found myself anywhere near New Jersey, a place where I found a beautiful and faithful woman to go on this journey with me. To those who support this seminary: thank you. Thank you for prioritizing the mission of the Church, and for helping educate the future of Orthodoxy in America and abroad. Thank you for taking the Lord’s directive seriously, and truly being a light to the world.
The fifth webinar in the Light of the World Webinar Series is titled “A Light to Bring Revelation: The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple–How Are We to Present Ourselves and Our Children to the Lord in the Church?” It will be co-hosted by Fr Photius Avant (M.Div. ‘11), author, dedicated religious educator, and rector of St Sava Orthodox Church in Allen, TX, and Khouria Destinie Winn, author of the popular blog Ascetic Life of Motherhood, and wife of Fr David Winn (M.Div. ‘20). This webinar will be held on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 7:00—8:30 p.m. Eastern, via Zoom livestream.
The online webinar is open to the public and free of cost. It will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel afterward for easy access. Click the button below to register and to receive the Zoom webinar link.
Registration is closed.
About the Light of the World Webinar Series:
This monthly webinar series features speakers from among St Vladimir’s Seminary faculty, alumni, and friends, presenting on a variety of topics while answering a core question:
How are we Christians to be the light of the world?
Drawing inspiration from feedback received through a recent survey we conducted, these webinars aim to address a diverse range of themes related to real and pressing issues facing Orthodox faithful in modern society.
St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) is happy to announce that it has received a Worshipping Communities Grant of $24,630 from the Calvin Institute of Worship. The purpose of this grant is to support a year-long process of reflection and renewal relating to Eastern Orthodox liturgical singing in the Seminary Chapel of the Three Hierarchs. This program is made possible by a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Serving as project lead is Dr Alexander Lingas, Professor of Music and Associate Director of the Institute of Sacred Arts at St Vladimir’s Seminary. He is leading an Implementation Team of Seminary faculty that will:
Undertake an inventory of existing chapel musical repertories.
Host “Liturgical Music in Eastern Orthodox Theological Education,” a colloquium tobe held on 13–14 March 2024. Representatives of American and European Orthodox institutions will discuss how theological visions and socio-historical realities shape the practice of liturgical singing in their chapels. The keynote address will be given by the Very Rev. Prof. John Erickson, former Dean of St Vladimir’s Seminary. Other confirmed speakers included the Rev Dr Romanos Karanos (Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology), Deacon Petar Kozakijević (Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolis of Zagreb and Ljubljana), Dr Nicholas Schidlovsky (Dean of Holy Trinity Seminary, Jordanville), and Anastasia Kappanadze (St Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary).
Develop updated musical materials handbook for chapel use, with implementation starting in the Fall 2024 semester.
SVOTS President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, commented on the new initiative, saying, “This effort will deepen and enrich our seminarians’ understanding and knowledge of the rich variety of liturgical singing traditions we have inherited in the Orthodox Church. I applaud the Institute of Sacred Arts faculty, especially Dr Alexander Lingas, for setting this worthy project in motion.”
ABOUT THE CALVIN INSTITUTE OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), located at Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is an interdisciplinary study and ministry center that promotes the scholarly study of the theology, history, and practice of Christian worship and the renewal of worship in worshipping communities across North America and beyond.
ABOUT THE LILLY ENDOWMENT
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts. The Endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate, and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.
The Synaxis of the Three Great Hierarchs, Sts Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, was celebrated in the Three Hierarchs Chapel at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) with a hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Presiding at the liturgy were His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada (OCA), and two newly ordained hierarchs, His Grace, Bishop Nikodhim of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese (OCA), and His Grace, Bishop Benedict of Hartford and New England (OCA). The patronal feast of the seminary was enhanced by the ordination of seminarian Monk Stephen Guirgis (M.Div. ‘25) to the Holy Diaconate.
The 41st Annual Fr Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture was held in the evening of the feast day, with Dr Robin Darling Young, Ordinary Professor of Church History at the Catholic University of America, speaking on the topic “Evagrius of Pontus at the Border of Cosmos and Aeon.”
Honored guests in attendance at the lecture included His Grace, Bishop Nikodhim of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese (OCA), and His Grace, Bishop Benedict of Hartford and New England (OCA). The talk was also attended by the student body, many faculty, staff, and community members, and almost 200 registrants signed up for the online live stream of the event. For those unable to attend the lecture live, the recording has been uploaded to the SVOTS Youtube channel.
Preceding Dr Darling Young’s presentation, the 2023-2024 Mid-Year Commencement took place. The Rev. Gregory Christakos was awarded the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree, having completed his doctoral thesis titled The Anatolian Genocide: Understanding Narratives of Tragedy from an Orthodox Perspective. The Rev. Theodore Paraskevopoulos was also awarded the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree; his graduate thesis was titled Do You Want to Die?”: Towards an Eschatological Vision. Both D.Min. graduates presented their reflections on their experience as D.Min. students at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and thanked the faculty who guided them through their program of study.
The event concluded with a festive reception for all in attendance.
The St Vladimir’s Seminary Institute of Sacred Arts would like to invite you to a musical night featuring two great composers of past and present: Giovanni Palestrina and Arvo Pärt.
On February 1, 2024, the world-renowned Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir will perform a program of Giovanni Palestrina and Arvo Pärt curated by Grammy Award-winning conductor, Maestro Tõnu Kaljuste. The concert will take place at the Church of St Ignatius Loyola in New York.
We would like to offer you a unique opportunity to enjoy this concert—access to the best seats, and a post-concert reception with the musicians and the conductor.
If you are interested in reserving premier seating and joining other special guests at the post-concert reception (ticket price, $150), please call or email Daria Mayrose, St Vladimir’s Seminary Director of Events & Donor Relations, at: (914) 961-8313 ext. 379, or dmayrose@svots.edu.
Seminarians from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) at St Vladimir’s Seminary were blessed with a hierarchical visit from His Grace Dr Thomas Mar Ivanios, Metropolitan of the Diocese of South-West America, on January 23-24. His Grace presided over Vespers on the evening of Tuesday, January 23, and the midnight watches and matins services the following day in the St Thomas Chapel on campus. Assistant Professor of Malankara Studies, the Rev. Dr Varghese M. Daniel assisted His Grace in leading the divine services and helped to coordinate his visit.
His Grace’s visit coincided with the three-day “Ninevah Fast,” during which Malankara faithful remember the prophet Jonah’s sojourn in the belly of the whale on his way to Ninevah. After both the evening and the morning services, His Grace exhorted the students in attendance with words of counsel for their pursuit of a life of ministry. His Grace, or “Thirumeni”, as Malankara hierarchs are known to their spiritual children, also took time to meet with seminarians one-on-one.
“Having Ivanios Thirumeni with us during the Nineveh Fast was certainly a blessing,” said Kripaya Varghese (M.A. ‘24). “His Grace took time out of a busy schedule to come and be with his spiritual children. Thirumeni shared a lot of encouraging words with the seminarians during his days with us. His Grace reminded us that we are servants of Christ and should live as such. When we happen to fall away, it is simple for us to turn back. We have to remember the ‘4 R’s’ during that time: repent, reconcile, return (to God), and rejoice. We are what we are by God’s grace and so our lives should reflect that. It was a joy to pray with Thirumeni, learn from Thirumeni, and end the fast in liturgy with Thirumeni. It is my hope that His Grace continues this trip to the seminaries during the Nineveh Fast as it would be a fruitful time for all the seminarians.”
From left: Fr Geevarghese Renish Abraham (M.Div. ‘24, Th.M. ‘24), His Grace Dr Thomas Mar Ivanios, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie
In addition to meeting with the students, His Grace also met with Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, and Academic Dean, Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie in the Rangos Building boardroom. After the meeting, Fr Chad remarked, “It was very good to spend time with His Grace–we greatly appreciate his care for the Malankara seminarians at St Vladimir’s, and we look forward to welcoming many more students from the Diocese of South-West America in the future.”
Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture and Mid-Year Commencement 7 p.m. EST
In-person and online attendance is welcome for the Divine Liturgy, Mid-Year Commencement, and the Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture.
In celebration of the Feast of Three Hierarchs, St Vladimir’s Seminary will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Tuesday, January 30, at 9 a.m. at Three Hierarchs’ Chapel.
On Tuesday at 7 p.m., in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, St Vladimir’s Seminary will hold Commencement for all mid-year graduates. Following the ceremony, the 41st Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture will begin. This year, Dr Robin Darling Youngwill deliver the keynote presentation, “Evagrius of Pontus at the Border of Cosmos and Aeon.”
Dr Darling Young describes her presentation with the following summary:
A shrewd reader of the Alexandrian tradition before him – principally of the works of Philo, Clement, and Origen – Evagrius of Pontus made it his life’s work to propose a carefully-articulated theory and practice of a Christian politeia reorienting all rational beings toward their original domain, union with God. Working in the late fourth century, as church and empire began fully to cooperate, Evagrius composed treatises, scholia, and kephalaiasubtly to propose another path of cooperative politeia – that of ascetic teachers who would train students toward an alternative point of view and communal way of life. For Evagrius, it was necessary for that teacher to stand at the juncture of cosmos – the created world – and aeon, the full scope of which may become clear in this lecture. Thence, at the border of cosmos and aeon, the teacher could look and speak from and toward these two directions. In the words of Evagrius: “When the mind has put off the old self and shall put on the one born of grace, then it will see its own katastasis (state) in the time of prayer resembling sapphire of the color of heaven. This katastasis is called by scripture “the place of God.”
You are invited to attend the Liturgy, Mid-Year Commencement, and the lecture in person or watch live online. You will receive one link to watch both after you register. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Light reception to follow the lecture.
Registration is closed.
About Dr Robin Darling Young:
Robin Darling Young is Ordinary Professor of Church History at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She works in the field of early Christianity in the eastern Roman Empire, concentrating on Greek, Syriac and Armenian Christian cultures and texts. Recently she has coedited and translated Evagrius of Pontus: Letters in Armenian (Peters: CSCO 2022), and has been chief translator of Evagrius of Pontus: The Gnostic Trilogy (Oxford, 2023). Prof. Darling Young is now writing a book on the philosophy of Evagrius and is revising a new translation of Origen’s Contra Celsum with her friend and colleague J.W. Trigg, for the Graphai series of Dumbarton Oaks. She has served on the official U.S. Eastern Orthodox-Roman Catholic Dialogue and belongs to both the U.S. Oriental Orthodox-Roman Catholic Dialogue and the International Theological Commission.
The fourth session in the Light of the World Webinar Series was co-hosted by Dr Albert Rossi, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services and most senior faculty member at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and Laura Ionescu, second-year student in the M.Div. program at St Vladimir’s Seminary. The webinar, titled “Light is Sown for the Righteous, and Gladness for the Upright in Heart: How Do We Practice Self-Care as Orthodox Christians? (Psalm 97.11)” was held on Thursday, January 18, 2024, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST, via Zoom livestream.
Dr Rossi and Laura engaged in a warm and edifying conversation about what "self-care" can mean to an Orthodox person, the different types of self-care, and above all, the importance of trusting oneself completely to Christ's care and giving thanks to Him in every situation, no matter how ambiguous or uncertain one’s life may feel.
Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, moderated the Q&A session following the speakers’ presentations, which included questions from listeners about navigating self-care and the acceptance of suffering and self-care while also caring for one’s neighbor. He thanked the speakers for their heartfelt and Christ-centered words, quoting a comment from a listener, who said, “This was a blessing from God during a time I really needed it.”
Chief Advancement Officer and webinar orchestrator, Sarah Werner, also thanked the speakers for their thoughtful and insightful talks and encouraged listeners to support the students at St Vladimir’s Seminary by making a donation to the scholarship fund at svots.edu/give.
To watch the recording of the fourth session of the Light of the World Webinar Series, “Light is Sown for the Righteous, and Gladness for the Upright in Heart: How Do We Practice Self-Care as Orthodox Christians? (Psalm 97.11)”, click the link below.
This monthly webinar series features speakers from among St Vladimir’s Seminary faculty, alumni, and friends, speaking on a variety of topics while answering a core question:
How are we Christians to be the light of the world?
Drawing inspiration from feedback received through a recent survey, these webinars aim to address a diverse range of themes that address real and pressing issues facing Orthodox faithful in modern society.
These online webinars are open to the public and free of cost. They are recorded and uploaded to the St Vladimir’s Seminary YouTube channel after the live Zoom event for easy access.
By God’s grace, there were fifteen ordinations among St Vladimir’s Seminary alumni, staff, and students, to the holy episcopate, the priesthood, the diaconate, and to monastic orders during the latter half of 2023. Giving glory to God, we would like to announce the recipients of Holy Orders and elevations among our alumni and students here.
HOLY EPISCOPATE
His Grace, Bishop Nikodhim (Preston) (M.Div. '07)
Jurisdiction: Albanian Archdiocese, Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Elevation: Ordained to the Holy Episcopate on September 16, 2023, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, at Saint George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral in South Boston, MA.
Current Ministry: Bishop of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese
His Grace, Bishop Benedict (Churchill) (former SVS Press Editor)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Elevation: Ordained to the Holy Episcopate on December 2, 2023, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Boston, MA.
Current Ministry: Bishop of Hartford and New England
HOLY PRIESTHOOD
Priest Alexander Gratsias (M.Div. '21)
Jurisdiction: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained June 18, 2023, by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Jackson Heights, NY.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained July 2, 2023, by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church & National Shrine, New York, NY.
Photo credit: Subdeacon Steve Chobanian
Priest Dr Mark Therrien(Th.M. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained January 30, 2023, by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Daniel, Archbishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained July 22, 2023, by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Daniel, Archbishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago, IL.
Current Ministry: Rector, St Nicholas Orthodox Church, Mentor, OH
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Classics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.T.S. from the University of Notre Dame; Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame in Theology (specialization in Greek patristics); taught theology as a professor at the University of St Mary of the Lake.
Priest Dr Geevarghese (Renish) Abraham (Th.M. ‘24, M.Div. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained August 20, 2022, by His Eminence, Met. Dr Youhanon Mar Demetrios, Metropolitan of Delhi, at Sts Peter and Paul’s Orthodox Church, Parumala, Kerala, India.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained July 29, 2023, by His Eminence, Met. Dr Youhanon Mar Demetrios, Metropolitan of Delhi, at St John’s Orthodox Church in Chempanmukham, Ranni, India.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in English language and literature from Catholicate College, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India; M.A. in English literature and Ph.D. in English studies from the University of Delhi; Assistant professor of English at St Stephen's College, University of Delhi (on sabbatical).
Priest Spyridon Ickes (M.Div. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (Romanian Episcopate, OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained July 2, 2023, by His Grace, Bishop Andrei of Cleveland at Sts Peter and Paul Church, Dearborn Heights, MI.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained October 8, 2023, by His Grace, Bishop Andrei of Cleveland at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Current Ministry: Student parish assignment at Saint Dimitrie Romanian Orthodox Church in Easton, CT
Educational and Professional Background: B.S. in Criminal Justice from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN; completed a 6-year police officer career in Ohio prior to seminary.
Priest Njegos Perkovic (M.A. ‘21)
Jurisdiction: Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Eastern America
Holy Diaconate: Ordained October 14, 2023, by His Grace, Bishop Irinej of Eastern America at St Sava Cathedral in Cleveland, OH.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained October 15, 2023, by His Grace, Bishop Irinej of Eastern America at the Monastery of the Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel, New Marcha, in Richfield, OH.
Current Ministry: Archivist of the Eastern American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Educational and Professional Background: Saint Peter of Dabar-Bosnia Theological Seminary High School (2008-2013) in Foca, Bosnia & Herzegovina; Saint Sava School of Theology, Bachelor of Divinity (2013-2017) in Libertyville, Illinois.
Priest Philip Ritchey (M.Div. ‘20)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained November 5, 2022, by His Grace, Bishop Gerasim, Auxiliary to the Diocese of the South (OCA) at St Symeon Orthodox Church in Birmingham, AL.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained October 22, 2023, by His Eminence, Archbishop Alexander of Dallas, the South, and the Bulgarian Diocese at St Symeon Orthodox Church in Birmingham, AL.
Current Ministry: Assistant Priest at St Symeon Orthodox Church in Birmingham, AL; Project lead for OCA's Department of Liturgical Music and Translations.
Educational and Professional Background: B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL; Forensic Scientist in the Drug Chemistry discipline of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Priest Silouan Parchert (M.Div. ‘25)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained July 4, 2020, by His Eminence, Archbishop Alexander at The Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael in Cañones, NM.
Holy Priesthood: Ordained December 25, 2023, by His Grace, Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, Auxiliary to the Diocese of the South at All Saints of North America Orthodox Church in Albuquerque, NM.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Electrical Engineering and M.A. in Education. Work experience as an engineer, teaching middle and high school math, and working in special education.
HOLY DIACONATE
Deacon John (Masatoshi) Shoji (M.Div. ‘07)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in Japan
Holy Diaconate: Ordained July 9, 2023, by His Eminence, Archbishop Seraphim (Tsujie) of Sendai and Vicar of the Archdiocese of Tokyo (now Metropolitan of All Japan).
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Sociology; teaching license for junior and high school; longtime work experience as a tour agent for the Balkan region both in Japan and Croatia.
Deacon Peter (Jared) Ries (M.Div. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained September 13, 2023, by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Chicago and the Midwest at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Psychology, Cleveland State University; several years of work in mental health case management.
Deacon Elias (Elio) Nicolas(M.A. ‘19)
Jurisdiction:Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained December 4, 2023, by His Eminence, Metropolitan Saba at Virgin Mary Church in Yonkers, New York.
Current Ministry: Deacon Elias works at the Archdiocese headquarters with His Eminence in Englewood, New Jersey.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. Religious Studies, Hellenic College Holy Cross; M.A. in Theological Studies, St Vladimir’s Seminary; M.S. Management Information Systems, Security and Network Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Deacon Giorgi Lomsadze (M.Div. ‘24)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained December 13, 2023, by His Grace, Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, Auxiliary to the Diocese of the South, at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Philology, Tbilisi State University; M.A. in Medieval Studies, Ilia State University, Republic of Georgia.
Deacon Alexander Nelson (M.Div. ‘25)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained December 25, 2023, by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey at the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection in New York, NY.
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Theology from Fordham University; work experience as Building Manager/ Superintendent in Manhattan (Labor Union 32BJ).
MONASTIC ORDERS
Dayroyo Abrohom Jacob (M.Div '19)
Jurisdiction: Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East
Elevation: Tonsured to the monastic order on September 9, 2023, by His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, at St Ephrem the Syrian Monastery in Maarat Saidnaya, Syria.
ELEVATIONS
The Very Rev. David Alexander (Th.M. ‘11)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Elevation: Elevated to the rank and dignity of Archpriest on June 4, 2023, by Bishop John, Auxiliary of the Diocese of Worcester and New England at St Patrick Orthodox Church in Bealeton, Virginia.
The Very Rev. Alessandro Margheritino (M.Div. ‘14, D.Min. in progress)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Elevation: Elevated to the rank and dignity of Archpriest on August 27, 2023, by His Eminence, Metropolitan Tikhon at All Saints of America Church in Alexandria, VA.
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Elevation: Elevated to the rank and dignity of Archpriest on September 28, 2023, by His Eminence, Metropolitan Saba at Three Hierarchs Chapel in Yonkers, NY.
