This northernmost Orthodox parish in North America consists of a diverse group: people of Russian, Yupik, and Aleut backgrounds; cradle and convert Christians; soldiers and families from Ft. Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base; and university students.  

Assisted by their host, The Rev. Isaac Farha, Fr. Chad and Monk James spoke for several days on the theme "Orthodox Christian Discipling: Back to the Basics." Monk James, offered these dispatches and photos from the field. 

 Thursday, April 4

We arrived in Fairbanks and began our weekend by offering the Akathist to St. Herman at St. Herman Church. This Akathist is sung every Thursday evening throughout the Diocese of Alaska. Father Chad Hatfield and parish rector Fr. Isaac Farha concelebrated the service before the first installment of our weekend of lectures in an annual Lenten retreat hosted by the parish called "Orthodox Revive 2013."

Listen to an excerpt from the Akathist, with Fr. Chad and Fr. Isaac and the choir of St. Herman Church, on Soundcloud or on Facebook.

Friday, April 5

The below–zero temperatures and snow are an interesting contrast to the spring weather we left behind in Yonkers, NY! Today Father Chad led a small discussion at a local book store and coffee shop, Gulliver's Books. He introduced the notion of Christian discipleship and discussed the setting for evangelism in North America.

In the evening, Fr. Chad served the Akathist to the Theotokos and gave another lecture on Mary and the church community, and the work of evangelization through baptism and renewal.

Saturday, April 6

This morning, I led a retreat with the University of Alaska at Fairbanks Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) on the topic "The Joyful Christian Witness." I emphasized the importance of confession in manifesting the Risen Christ in the midst of a community.

Later we joined the faithful and Fr. Isaac for the Vigil for the Feast of the Annunciation, which on the Old Calendar fell on the Sunday of the Cross this year.

Retreat session three was offered by Fr. Chad, who spoke about a return to the beginning and Paradise which occurs in us through Holy Baptism, and how Orthodox Christians must be engaged in mission to fulfill this renewal. After the busy day, we enjoyed fellowship with St. Herman's parishioners.

Tweet: Here in AK where they observe the old–style calendar, the Feast of the Annunciation falls on the Sunday of the Cross, making for rich feast. 

Sunday, April 7

During the Divine Liturgy this morning for the Sunday of the Cross, Fr. Chad was the homilist. After the service, he participated in a question and answer session, answering a wide variety of queries concerning the spiritual life, ritual and practice, and even some interesting theological questions about animals.

Then we enjoyed a quick diversion to the area north of Fairbanks to see the sights (a moose!).

Tweet: A moose came to visit during the our excursion!

Monday, April 8

We're traveling back to the Lower 48 today, and true Alaskan–style, we're departing in a "whiteout."  For those of you unfamiliar with that term it's a heavy snow and fog combination that is so thick you can't see in front of you.

Father Chad summarized the trip this way: "What touched me deeply was the generosity of the people who expressed their appreciation for the way St. Vladimir's and SVS Press have made a lasting impact on their lives as Orthodox Christians. When small communities with many legitimate needs reach deep in their pockets to express their thankfulness, it sets an example of generosity worth emulating."

Tweet: Father Chad at the Fairbanks airport. That’s snow out the window. Here’s to not having the flight cancelled!

View the photo galleries:

• Ordination of The Rev. Dn. Scott Miller (Facebook)
• Ordination of The Rev. Dn. Steven Bruns (Leanne Parrott Photography)

The midpoint of Great Lent marked a life–changing milepost for two of our seminarians, Scott Miller and Steven Bruns. Both were ordained to the Holy Diaconate during the season's distinctive Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

Seminarian Miller was ordained April 10th by His Grace The Rt. Rev. Nicholas, auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn and resident assistant to the Metropolitan for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA), at St. Stephen the Protomartyr Antiochian Orthodox Church in South Plainfield, NJ. On April 12th His Beatitude The Most Blessed Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), ordained Seminarian Bruns in Three Hierarchs Chapel on our campus.

Deacon Scott, who earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Social Science from Kansas State University, is a former broadcaster who worked primarily in talk radio. His broadcasting career eventually brought him to Boston, where he was baptized at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2007, taking St. Tikhon, patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America, as his patron.

During his seminary training, Dn. Scott, with his wife Danielle, and daughters, Stella and Sofia, have served at St. Stephen's in Plainfield, where The Very Rev. Fr. Stephen Tewfik is rector but was not able to serve due to illness. In his stead, The Very Rev. Romanos Malouf, rector of St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Bridgeport, CT (former parish of the Miller family); The Rev. David Mezynski, assistant dean of Student Affairs at the Seminary; and The Rev. Adrian Budica (alumnus '10), attached priest at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY, served alongside Bishop Nicholas.

Deacon Steven earned a B.A. in Religion from University of Florida in 1993, and an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY. In 2011 he completed a Doctorate in Historical Theology through Middlesex University's London School of Theology. As an ordained United Methodist minister for twelve years, he served parishes in Florida and Kentucky in both suburban and rural settings, while teaching Church History, Theology, and Church Polity courses at Asbury Theological Seminary's Dunnam Campus in Orlando, FL.

Through his friendship with another former Protestant minister, Dn. Steven was introduced to Orthodoxy, and he and his family—his wife Pamela and children, Anna, Leah, Sarah, and Silas—joined the Church after a seven–year journey of study and discernment. During his tenure at St. Vladimir's, Dn. Steven has served at the Orthodox Christian Church of Christ the Savior, Paramus, NJ. After Commencement in May 2013, he will be attached to St. Justin Martyr Orthodox Church (OCA) in Jacksonville, FL, under the leadership of The Very Rev. Theodore Pisarchuk (alumnus '94).

At Dn. Steven's ordination, His Beatitude noted: "Among the clergy, a deacon is one who serves and leads a life of repentance, prayer, and service. May you find great joy in this moment, in the middle of Lent, in the week of the Cross, with hope in the resurrection and with courage like that of your patron, St. Stephen the Protomartyr."

In addition to His Beatitude, those serving at Dn. Steven's ordination included: The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, The Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel, The Rev. Dr. David Mezynski, The Rev. Dr. Benedict Churchill, The Rev. James Parnell, The Rev. Pdn. Joseph Matusiak, The Rev. Dn. Gregory Hatrak, and newly ordained The Rev. Dn. Scott Miller.

The St. Vladimir's Seminary Library recently received the Skvir–Buketoff Music Collection from The Very Rev. Daniel (SVOTS '69) and Tamara Skvir, rector and choir director of the Holy Transfiguration Chapel in Princeton, NJ (Orthodox Church in America). The Collection consisted of four boxes of Eastern Orthodox liturgical music published from the year 1819 up through 1950, and included several unique and rare scores.

The bulk of the Buketoff–Turkevich–Skvir collection of Russian Orthodox liturgical music belonged to The Very Rev. Constantine Buketoff, who came to the United States in the first decade of the 20th century as a church musician, and served as a rector of several parishes in the vicinity of New York City. It includes hundreds of pre–Revolutionary individual sheet music scores as well as anthologies. Dozens of Russian composers are represented, prolific composer, conductor and teacher Pavel Chesnokoff prominent among them.

The Buketoff portion of the collection was later passed on to Fr. Constantine's son, Igor Buketoff, a renowned symphony conductor and composer known for his unique rendition of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture that incorporates the choral component, and for his orchestration of Rachmaninoff's unfinished opera, Mona Vanna.

Subsequently, Fr. Daniel and Tamara Turkevich Skvir (Fr. Constantine's granddaughter) inherited the collection and supplemented it with the music collection of The Very Rev. John Skvir, who reposed in 1987 and served as the rector of Ss. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church in Jersey City for 35 years. The entire collection was then donated to the Father Georges Florovsky Library by the combined families.

"In addition to making this generous donation, the Skvirs also volunteered a significant amount of time in 2012 at St. Vladimir's to organize the Collection and create a list of its contents," noted Librarian Eleana Silk. "We are grateful to Fr. Daniel and Matushka Tassie for their efforts to make this Collection more accessible to our patrons. Many thanks! Please contact the librarians with any questions."

View the complete list of contents for the Skvir–Buketoff Collection.

For further information, mail Eleana Silk at es@svots.edu

Read about other recent library donations:

• The Liberty Fund
• The Fr. John Leonard Collection

One of the other Orthodox participants, SVOTS Board of Trustees Corporate Secretary The Rev. Dr. Philip LeMasters, presented a paper on "Eastern Orthodox Social Ethics in the Anaphora of St. Basil the Great" in one of the study groups. Father Philip is professor of Religion, director of the Honors Program, and dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion at McMurry University in Abilene, and in 2011 he presented the keynote address for St. Vladimir's annual Education Day.

Following the conference, Dr. Meyendorff led a parish retreat on the theme of the Sacrament of Confession at St. Luke Orthodox Christian Church in Abilene (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America), where Fr. Philip serves as the rector. Noted Fr. Philip, "Professor Meyendorff unfolded for us the historical development of the practice of confession, and then responded to questions from parishioners during a lively discussion time. Those who attended learned a great deal and were most appreciative for the spiritual encouragement provided by his presentation, coming as it did at the beginning of Great Lent." 

Two public lectures at St. Vladimir's during the second week of Lent featured authors known for their expertise on the topics of caring for the illnesses of the soul and body. On Monday evening after the conclusion of services for the Feast of the Annunciation, the seminary's pro life ministry, the St. Ambrose Society, hosted author, physician and philosopher Dr. Jeffrey Bishop in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium for his talk, "On the Corpse and the Chaplain: How Medicine is Destroying Pastoral Care." The lecture was streamed lived on the Society's website and will also be posted at a future date to the Voices from St. Vladimir's Seminary podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

Widely recognized for his work in medical ethics in the field of death and dying, Dr. Bishop earned a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Dallas. He also holds a medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School, and serves as the Tenet Endowed Chair of Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University. His story of conversion to the Orthodox faith is told in the SVS Press book Turning East, and in his lecture at St. Vladimir's he discussed how this faith informs his approach to the issues faced by today's health care providers and chaplains. "The words 'holy' and 'health' and 'holistic' are all related," he noted. "The great philosophers also used to be physicians." Yet in more recent history, he explained, the living body became "nothing more than matter in motion: medicine is now about controlling the cogs which are failing in this body, which is a machine."

The week's second SVOTS lecture followed the Wednesday Lenten Presanctified Liturgy and community potluck, when author Klaus Kenneth spoke about the themes explored in his book Born to Hate, Reborn to Love (Mount Thabor Publishing). Born in 1945 in Czechoslovakia at the time of the flight of the Red Army after World War II, Mr. Kenneth experienced abuse and rejection in his early childhood and subsequently traveled the globe looking for truth and meaning. Along the way he explored numerous religious paths, eventually discovering the Orthodox faith. An encounter with Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), the founder of the Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Tolleshunt Knights, Essex (UK), changed Klaus Kenneth's life and set him on the path of spiritual healing.

In his talk in the Kunett Auditorium at Three Hierarchs chapel, Mr. Kenneth unfolded the story of his life and travels, describing how he eventually visited most of the world in his relentless spiritual quest. Rejecting Christianity in his youth after suffering abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest, Klaus acquired spiritual knowledge and even occultic powers through Moslem, Buddhist, Hindu, and New Age phases of his life. A meeting with Mother Teresa didn't convince him to return to Christianity although it opened his heart to his need for prayer and Christ.

After years of spiritual wandering, Klaus encountered Orthodox Christianity and eventually became the spiritual child of Elder Sophrony. "In his talk, Klaus stressed the importance of using the tools at our disposal as Orthodox Christians, and he particularly emphasized the importance of the practice of the Jesus Prayer," noted a lecture guest afterwards. "He referred to the prayer rope on his wrist as his Rolex, saying that the Prayer held more power than all of his former religious practices combined." 

During the first week of Lent, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir's, and Chancellor/CEO The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, hosted a distinguished campus visitor, His Grace Bishop Suriel of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions. In a productive meeting, the three explored possible collaboration between their respective institutions in both hemispheres. SVOTS alumnus Fr. Athanasius Farag of St. Antonious and St. Mina Coptic Church in East Rutherford, NJ, also joined the meeting.

"We had great discussions about cooperation with His Grace's theological school in Australia, St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Theological College in Donvale, Victoria," explained Fr. John. "We also discussed our overarching vision for working together with the Coptic Church to help them further their goals in theological education."

"It was a very productive hour with His Grace Bishop Suriel," added Fr. Chad. "St. Vladimir's has long been recognized as the epicenter of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox dialogue, and our conversations this past week commit ourselves to renewing that essential work and witness."

strengthens our relationship further."

First–year Coptic student Mina Andrews noted Bishop Suriel's contribution to the Coptic Church. "He is a pioneer in the establishment of the first accredited Coptic Seminary in the diaspora. His Grace's vision has been very much influenced by the late Pope Shenouda III and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, and his work is not only recognized in his diocese but in the church at large." An Australian who emigrated with his parents to Sydney as a preschooler, His Grace's enthronement as Bishop of Melbourne in December, 1999 enabled him to return to his roots to minister to the Australian Coptic community of his childhood.

Bavly Kost, another first–year Coptic student, also met with His Grace during his visit to St. Vladimir's. "Hosting Bishop Suriel last week was a great honor," he said. "The connection between the Coptic community and St. Vladimir's has been given life, and God willing, this collaboration will attract more Coptic students in the years to come." 

The revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin
As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, O Full of Grace,
The Lord is with You!

Troparion of the Feast, Tone 4

On the Feast of the Annunciation, His Beatitude The Most Blessed Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), presided over a Hierarchical Festal Liturgy that included the ordination of third–year M. Div. student Deacon Adam Horstman to the Holy Priesthood, and the awarding of the double–orarion to Deacon Gregory Hatrak, SVS Press and Bookstore's manager of Marketing and Operations. The visiting priests who served alongside the Chapel clergy consisted of the three spiritual mentors who'd been significant in Fr. Adam's spiritual journey: The Rev. Justin Patterson of St. Athanasius Church, Nicholasville, KY; The Rev. Paul Coats of St. Anthony the Great Mission, Rock Hill, SC; and The Rev. Nathan Preston of St. Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church in Ridgewood, NY. Parishioners from all three parishes attended the Ordination as well.

"Today, a new mode of existence is come into being," declared The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir's, in his homily about the Feast of the Annunciation. "One Who is God comes to us in an all too human way, living a life of ministry, service, and sacrifice. And to the extent that we are willing to share in His ministry with sacrifices of our own, today will be the beginning of our salvation," he concluded.

Metropolitan Tikhon noted the same theme at the end of the Liturgy, when he commended Dn. Gregory for his faithful service to the Church and congratulated Fr. Adam on his entry to the ministry. His Beatitude emphasized that Fr. Adam and his wife, Patricia (Trish) will find their own unique way to serve Christ in His Church by using their strengths and combining their personalities for the good of those they will serve.

Originally hailing from the Midwest, Fr. Adam earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Wright State University in Dayton, OH, as well as a Masters in Theological Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. His military career began when, after graduating from high school in 1997, he joined the Air Force National Guard as a military policeman. After the events of September 11, 2001, he was called to active duty. During his military deployment, he found an Orthodox prayer book and began acquiring a love for Orthodoxy.

"While studying church history and theology at Asbury Seminary, I found myself drawn still further to the Eastern Orthodox Church," noted Fr. Adam. "In the Spring of 2005 I attended an Orthodox service for the first time and never looked back. My wife and I were received on the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross in 2006 at St. Athanasius Orthodox Church in Nicholasville, Kentucky."

Holy Cross. While a student at St. Vladimir's, Fr. Adam served the community of St. Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Estates, NY with Fr. Nathan Preston. On campus, he participated actively with the Interseminary Dialogue, an informal student–led organization composed of eight different Jewish and Christian seminaries in the New York area that plans regular meetings to address issues of common concern and interest.

As an Air Force veteran, Fr. Adam is currently a Reserve Chaplain candidate in the U.S. Army Reserve. After 2013 Commencement, he hopes to serve as both a parish priest and a Reserve Chaplain. Father Adam's wife Trish holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from Wright State University. The Horstmans have two children, Luke and Leah. 

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. 

View Leanne Parrott's Facebook photo gallery.

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."

(according to the website!) hosted the St. Vladimir's dean for another delicious Southern barbecue.

"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.