Dr. David Drillock, emeritus professor of Liturgical Music, directed the choir, and Seminary Dean The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr and Senior Advisor Theodore Bazil also attended the Liturgy.
At the celebratory banquet afterwards, held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, Fr. Chad noted that "I was impressed with and encouraged by His Beatitude's comment during his address at the banquet: that he would make the OCA seminaries and their needs a high priority of his primacy."
Born Marc R. Mollard in Boston MA on July 15, 1966, His Beatitude entered the monastic community at St. Tikhon's Monastery shortly after his reception into the Orthodox Church in 1989. On February 14, 2004, he was consecrated to the episcopacy at St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery Church, to serve the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania for the OCA. On May 9, 2012, he was elevated to the dignity of Archbishop.
Upon his election he assumed the ex officio positions of President of the Seminary and Chair of its Board of Trustees. Dean Behr explained that "the Seminary community anticipates His Beatitude's first visit to our campus following his Enthronement, when he will preside at Three Hierarchs Chapel for the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord on February 2, 2013, and will receive a special primatial gift we've prepared for him."
The Enthronement capped off an eventful weekend, which also included St. Vladimir's participation in Friday's Washington, D.C. March for Life, held every year in conjunction with the anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe V. Wade decision which legalized abortion in all fifty states. United States Representative Chris Smith (NJ, 4th District), a featured speaker at the March for Life, attended Sunday's Enthronement banquet and expressed to Chancellor Hatfield his appreciation for the growing Orthodox Christian participation in Pro life events.
The Very Rev. Marcus Burch, chancellor of the Diocese of the South (DOS) of the Orthodox Church in America, visited diocesan students over an eventful weekend that included the 30th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture. The DOS Carolina Dean, The Very Rev. Thomas Moore, accompanied Fr. Marcus.
Father Marcus explained that the main purpose of the visit was to meet with the students and families who are finishing their time at SVOTS in May of 2013, in order to discuss placement possibilities after Commencement. Both Fr. Marcus and Fr. Thomas also met with students in the second year who are petitioning for ordination.
On Saturday afternoon, the visiting priests also hosted all DOS students for a meal and fellowship. "This provided us an opportunity to meet with the first year students, all the spouses, and children," explained Fr. Marcus. "I feel very strongly that we need to know not only the clergyman whom we will place in the DOS," he continued, "but also his wife and children. And we should know of any unique circumstances in their lives, to help us discern how they should be placed."
Additionally, Fr. Marcus met with Chancellor/CEO The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield and Seminary Dean The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr to discuss diocesan students and their future ministries. Father Marcus outlined some of the issues that the diocesan leaders addressed: the process for placement within the diocese, the desire that all rising seniors would be able to do a summer internship in a parish between the 2nd and 3rd years, the first assignment, and implementing the DOS Seminary Debt Service Program, which services student loans for seminarians who are assigned in the DOS, throughout the duration of their assignments.
While at St. Vladimir's, the DOS Chancellor and Carolina Dean also attended the panikhida service for the newly reposed DOS priest Fr. Jacob Myers, offered Saturday afternoon in Three Hierarchs Chapel prior to the Vigil. Both at the Vigil on Saturday evening as well as at the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning, Fr. Marcus and Fr. Thomas concelebrated with SVOTS clergy. "We thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship with old friends and new," said Fr. Marcus.
Priest and/or spouse single ticket price: $150.00; $300.00 per couple
SVOTS seminarian single ticket price: $100.00
(Black Tie Optional)
With special guests: His Grace Bishop Basil (Essey) of Wichita and Mid-America, and The Very Rev. Dr. John McGuckin, professor at Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University
Questions about the event? Please contact Maria Kouloumbis, Advancement Assistant, at mariak@svots.edu / (914) 961-8313 x360, or Robin Freeman, Annual Gifts Officer, at robin@svots.edu / (914) 961-8313 x317. For technical issues with online registration, please contact Georgios Kokonas, Associate Chancellor for Technology, at gkokonas@svots.edu / (914) 961-8313 x327.
Download a PDF flier of all Fall 2013 Events at SVOTS here.
Email a JPG flier of all Fall 2013 Events at SVOTS here.
Princeton University's Philip and Beulah Rollins Professor of History Emeritus Dr. Peter Brown presented the 30th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture to a standing room only crowd in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium of the John G. Rangos Family Building. Titled "Constantine, Eusebius, and the Future of Christianity," the presentation focused on how Christians understand the historical period of late antiquity in which the Emporer Constantine and the historian Eusebius stand out as central figures.
Dr. Brown presented his lecture with humility and humor. "It's a great honor to find myself here, and a great joy, an occasion to repay the debt that I've long owed the outstanding members of this Seminary. Father Schmemann combined an infectious sense of the timeless joy of the kingdom of Christ with an equally acute sense of history." The historian then described the backdrop of the 4th century era and noted that Christians who came after the towering figures of Constantine and Eusebius often erred in projecting backwards their own "images of Christianity which belong to a later period," rather than understanding the unique times in which both of these men lived.
Some of the characteristics of the Christian mindset of this era, Dr. Brown explained, were a conviction that paganism did not pose a threat to Christianity, a passion for the "exaltation of the Church," and a "thin universalism" that did not envision the Christianization of the Roman Empire per se, but rather welcomed the possibility of the inclusion of all people who would choose to embrace the Christian faith.
Noted Dr. Brown, "the strength of the Church is not in the past, present, or future, but in Christ." Additionally, he said, the freedom as Christians to speak aloud and be heard, and to exalt our faith through our liturgies and our places of worship, is in itself "a huge virtue" to be appreciated and cherished.
Before the lecture began, the faculty processed in full academic regalia, and Chancellor/CEO The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield warmly welcomed guests to both the Academic Convocation and Schmemann Lecture. Dr. John Barnet, associate dean for Academic Affairs, then read a citation summarizing Dr. Brown's accomplishments. Among other things, the commendation noted that he is a "writer of elegant prose, opening up to us the cultures of the early Christians, enabling them across the centuries to speak to us today." At this time, Dr. Barnet, as the representative for the Seminary's Board of Trustees and faculty, awarded Dr. Brown the Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa.
Following the awarding of the honorary doctorate, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir's, introduced Dr. Brown's lecture by noting that "Fr. Schmemann was always looking beyond the campus to speak to the broader world.
"Today," he continued, "we have the good fortune to hear from someone who has not only worked in the field of history but also has redefined that discipline...late antiquity is now not seen as a period of decline and fall, but rather as a period of great creative distinctive and decisive significance."
An array of distinguished guests attended the lecture, including His Beatitude The Most Blessed Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), The Rev. Msgr. Peter Vaccari, rector of St. Vladimir's sister seminary St. Joseph's, and members of the Board of Trustees who had concluded their series of meetings just hours prior and had stayed on the Yonkers campus to enjoy the presentation by the erudite and renowned scholar.
An outstanding scholar, Dr. Brown is credited with having virtually created the field of study referred to as "late antiquity" (A.D. 250–800), the period during which Rome fell, the three major monotheistic religions took shape, and Christianity spread across Europe. A native of Ireland, Professor Brown earned his B.A. in history from Oxford University (1956), where he taught until 1975 as a Fellow of All Souls College. He joined the Princeton faculty in 1986 after teaching at the University of London and the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Brown's primary interests are the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages and the rise of Christianity, and he has pursued them through investigations into such diverse topics as Roman rhetoric, the cult of the saints, the body and sexuality, and wealth and poverty.
Traditionally hosted in January on the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, the Schmemann Lecture has been a high point of St. Vladimir's academic year since 1984. Over the years, outstanding theologians and church leaders such as Protopresbyter Boris Bobrinskoy, dean of the St. Sergius Theological Institute in Paris; His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; and His Eminence, The Most Rev. Hilarion (Alfeyev), metropolitan of Volokolamsk and chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, have touched upon a wide range of subjects from theological themes, music, liturgy and Christian history.
Dr. Brown concluded his lecture to vigorous applause, after which a lively question and answer session ensued. The singing of "It is Truly Meet" concluded the formal portion of the evening, and then guests enjoyed an array of refreshments prepared by Chef Nat Fasciani and Special Events Coordinator Tatiana Penkrat. The Convocation and Schmemann Lecture officially launched the 75th anniversary year of the Seminary, founded in 1938, and will be followed by other Jubilee events.
On Sunday evening, a group of St. Vladimir's Seminary's friends gathered in Westboro, MA, at the Self–Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese 's Diocese of Worcester and New England Chancery. Alumni and other long–time supporters of the school invited by Alumni Board Chair Gregory Abdalah (SVOTS '08) met for refreshments, fellowship, and presentations about the work of the Seminary.
In a brief reflection, His Grace the Right Rev. John (Abdalah) shared his memories of St. Vladimir's and emphasized the Seminary's importance in his formation as a priest and hierarch. Following His Grace's talk, SVOTS Dean and Professor of Patristics The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr then updated the guests as to recent developments at the Seminary and future projects under discussion, such as an international house of studies which would serve Orthodox scholars and students from around the world.
"It was an honor to host an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of St. Vlad's in New England," enthused Gregory Abdalah. "I hope this is the beginning of a resurgence in the bonds between my beloved alma mater and this region."
On Monday morning, Antiochian clergy from the Diocese of Worcester and New England convened over breakfast at the Chancery before participating in a morning clergy retreat led by Fr. John Behr. Dean Behr spoke about topics covered in his upcoming SVS Press book Becoming Human. "We talked about how we know Christ through the opening of the Scriptures and the breaking of the bread in the light of His Passion, His conquering of death by His death, and how the early martyrs saw their own impending martyrdom as a birth in which they are conformed to Christ.
"With all this in mind," Fr. John noted, "we then turned to today's pastoral challenge. By and large we don't view the realities of death in the way that earlier generations did. The bodies of the deceased are no longer kept at home, laid out for the wake until taken to church to be commended to God and interred in the earth. Instead they are taken away as soon as possible, to be made up to look as if they are still living. Then the funeral service, with the body present commending them to God, is often replaced with a 'memorial event' at which the body is no longer there."
Continued Fr. John, "but if Christ shows us what it is to be God in the way that he dies as a human being, then, if we remove the face of death from society as we have done, we also remove the face of God. This is, I would suggest, the most important pastoral challenge facing us today."
After the retreat, Bishop John expressed appreciation for the opportunity to hear Fr. John's patristic and scholarly reflections. "The clergy were so impressed with Fr. John's presentation that they asked him to return and do a more extensive retreat for them," he said.
At the invitation of His Grace Bishop Basil of the Self–Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America's Diocese of Wichita and Mid–America, SVOTS Chancellor/CEO The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield journeyed to Wichita, KS, to join the faithful and clergy at the St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral for a series of meetings and services. In addition to preaching at the cathedral on the Sunday after Theophany, Fr. Chad served the 40 Days Trisagion Service for His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV of Antioch and All the East, along with Bishop Basil and other clergy from St. George.
Throughout the extended weekend, Fr. Chad conducted a series of meetings to lay the groundwork for an event and workshop in Wichita slated to follow the services for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, August 15–18. Appropriately, the focus of the events will be the Seminary's Bishop Basil Program in Byzantine Liturgical Music, a St. Vladimir's initiative which aims to offer a concentrated course of study in Byzantine music for students. The workshop in August will be taught by SVOTS Lecturer in Choral Conducting Mtka. Robin Freeman and St. George's Music Director Chris Farha.
Bishop Basil's musical contributions within American Orthodoxy have been substantial. After his graduation from St. Vladimir's in 1973, His Grace served as director of the Department of Youth Affairs for the Antiochian Archdiocese, while simultaneously teaching contemporary Byzantine chant at St. Vladimir's. He also co–chaired the Joint Orthodox Church in America (OCA)–Antiochian Archdiocese Canonization Commission, which led to the glorification of Bishop Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn in 2000. Bishop Basil oversaw the publication of the book containing St. Raphael's Vita, Akolouthia and Akathist, arranged the hymnography for St. Raphael to Byzantine melodies, and directed the Clergy Brotherhood Choir that recorded the hymns for St. Raphael's feast. Since his enthronement in 2004, His Grace has continued to develop musical resources for his clergy and parishes.
In May of 2010, recognizing his service to the Church, the St. Vladimir's Board of Trustees conferred a Doctor of Divinity honoris causa upon His Grace, and established the music program in his name, to ensure that the heritage of teaching Byzantine music continues to evolve and develop at St. Vladimir's.
"Wichita has long been a strong base of financial support for St. Vladimir's, including our close ties with the esteemed Farah Foundation, and the outstanding bookstore Eighth Day Books," noted Fr. Chad. "It's always a source of inspiration for me to return, not only to my home parish of St. George Cathedral, but to any of the Orthodox communities dotting the Kansas plains both small and large, because of their mutual support and dynamic vision for making a strong Orthodox Christian witness."
Publisher Releases Festschrift Volume in Honor of SVOTS Professor, Fr. Paul Tarazi, a series, "Bible in the Christian Orthodox Tradition," and includes a collection of articles discussing the latest scholarly findings in the field of the Old Testament studies. Scholars from around the world conducting research in the Old Testament text, theology, canon, interpretation, and criticism, have contributed their recent findings in the fields of their research and teaching to the festschrift.
A lecturer and professor at SVOTS since 1977, Dr. Tarazi is a prolific author and speaker. His books include biblical commentaries on 1 Thessalonians and Galatians, a three–volume introduction to the Old Testament, and a four–volume introduction to the New Testament, all published by SVS Press. He has also authored complete audio commentaries on both the Old and New Testaments through the Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS), and serves as editor–in–chief of JOCABS, an online OCABS journal.
The festschrift's editor, Nicolae Roddy, is associate Professor of Theology at Creighton University. For the past sixteen years, Dr. Roddy has served as co–director and area supervisor for the Bethsaida Excavations Project, a significant archaeological site located at the foot of the Golan Heights near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. In addition, Dr. Roddy is a faculty associate for the Goren–Goldstein Center for Judaic Studies at the Faculty of Letters, University of Bucharest, Romania.
For the voice of the Father bore witness to You And called You His beloved Son. And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, Confirmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ, our God, You have revealed Yourself And have enlightened the world, glory to You!
Troparion - Tone 1
Theophany 2013 was celebrated at St. Vladimir's Seminary with a full schedule of services. On Friday, January 4, campus clergy celebrated the Great Hours of Theophany and on Saturday, January 5, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was followed immediately by Vespers service and the Great Sanctification of Water. On the Saturday evening the community convened again for the festal Vigil consisting of Great Compline and Matins.
In the culmination on Sunday, the Great and Holy Day of the Feast, the festal Divine Liturgy in Three Hierarchs Chapel was followed immediately by the Great Sanctification of Water on front campus, which took place on the bridge over Troublesome Brook.
Several members of the staff and faculty also opened up their homes for blessings on Sunday afternoon after the services. Additionally, Associate Dean for Student Affairs Fr. David Mezynski will be scheduling times for blessing student apartments, and following the festal Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord on February 2, all single student dormitory rooms and the remainder of the seminary facilities will be blessed by chapel clergy.
In 1962, the first St. Vladimir's Seminary Octet visited some 100 parishes throughout the United States, beginning in Philadelphia and traveling as far west as Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The following summer a second Octet journeyed to the west coast, and a third Octet went out the next summer as well. Eventually, the traditional Octet tour took place every two years; in between, the eight–member all–male choir visited parishes within driving distance to present concerts and serve as goodwill ambassadors for the Seminary.
Recalls Dr. David Drillock, professor of Liturgical Music, Emeritus, the Octets also helped promote "liturgical music—in English, and done well, in a style conducive to worship. Each Octet also transported materials—books, records, icons—that were little known to thousands of Orthodox and non-Orthodox who attended the services and concerts given at local churches."
Recently, Svots.edu discussed this year's group with Octet Director Hierodeacon Herman (Majkrzak), lecturer in Liturgical Music and Chapel Choir Director at SVOTS. Two of this past year's Octet members, Seminarians Harrison Russin and Ian Abodeely, joined the conversation as well.
How is the Octet chosen?
HDH:
The eight–member all male Octet is a decades–old institution at SVOTS that for many years went on summer–long cross-country trips, visiting around a hundred parishes over three months, singing services and concerts, and engaging in recruitment activities. While St. Vladimir's also has a special mixed choir (the SVS Chorale, which presented the Orient concert last year), there is a special place in Orthodox seminaries for male choirs. Most of the students at SVOTS are men who come to prepare themselves for the priesthood. There is a special form of brotherly bonding that occurs in a male choir, and this is a very valuable quality for future priests to have experienced.
The members of the Octet are chosen by myself in consultation with Dr. Nicholas Reeves, based on the voice evaluations that occur at the beginning of each school year for incoming students. Most students who are invited to join in their first year remain in the Octet for their subsequent years of study.
HR:
I think it's interesting to note how the Octet has changed, especially in the past few years as the majority of students coming to seminary are married, but I think our musical caliber is as high as ever.
Is there a bond between your musicians, and what other musical talents do they have?
HDH:
I believe there is an important role for all male singing in our society. I am sure this is true for all-female choirs, but naturally I have no experience of that. It is important for men to be with each other as a team, and to make something beautiful together. I believe this is very psychologically healthy, though unfortunately somewhat devalued in our age of sexual egalitarianism. Making music together does indeed create a bond, and it is also especially gratifying to watch as the more experienced musicians assist those to whom the technical side of music-making may come less readily.
Our Octet in fact has several instrumentalists, including a pianist, a cellist, a couple guitarists, an accordianist, a drummer, a pianist, and no fewer than three organists!
IA:
There is definitely a bond between the musicians in the Octet. Being in the Octet itself is a bonding experience, not only as singers but also as brother seminarians. Some of us are fresh out of college, others are on our second careers; some some married, some single; and we're all from different places in the country, or even the world. What brings us together is the music of the Church. I'm an organist, as is Gregory Tucker and Fr. Herman, so there was a natural bond between us from the beginning. But the quickly formed bond between all of us that has continued to grow stronger over our first semester together. The level of musicianship of the singers led to us "clicking" almost immediately and has allowed us to make some really beautiful music together as an ensemble.
HR:
We're all different in many ways—geography, religious upbringing, education, musical exposure and tastes, senses of humor. But I look forward to Octet trips because it's a time to "be us," be something we are not alone—the sum is greater than the parts!
How do you decide which music to perform?
HDH:
Our repertoire has changed over the past few years, in large part based on the voices and musical capabilities of those singing in the Octet. In my first two years as its director, we focused more on two–part and some three–part arrangements of Byzantine, Znamenny, Georgian, and Kievan Chant. In the past year, while retaining some of this repertoire, we have also become more at home with full four–part male choir arrangements of Russian chant, requiring a larger voice range. This repertoire is in fact the traditional fare of the Octet going back decades.
While all the music the Octet sings is liturgical music, and while our primary role is as a liturgical choir during divine services, I have not found it difficult or problematic to perform this music in concert venues. We encourage people to withhold applause until the end of the entire concert, so as to emphasize the prayerfulness of the music. Also sometimes I will give brief introductions to the music being sung, or the subject matter of the text, especially in situations where the audience may be largely non-Orthodox. In this regard, I view it as something of a missionary activity.
The response of the listeners is all over the map. I am often surprised by which pieces can get the most favorable attention and which pieces no one comments about. Thankfully, I've never received negative comments.
IA:
In my short time in the Octet, I've found that those listening to us really respond to the "classics" of Russian Orthodox Church music, that is, Rachmaninov, Bortniansky, Chesnokov, et cetera. But they also have responded to new pieces, such as the recently composed setting of "Blessed is the Man," by our own Dr. Nicholas Reeves. For myself, singing Rachmaninov's famous setting of "Bogoroditse Dyevo" was one of the highlights of this semester.
Somehow, I find that even when we're singing outside of a liturgical context, the music is still prayerful. I believe that this is simply a case of bringing Christ "to the world," as well as stopping the tendency to "compartmentalize" our faith from our daily life. Simply put, singing liturgical music outside of a liturgical context can be a powerful witness to those around us and help them start asking questions about Orthodoxy, whether they are "cradle" or "convert."
To speak to this, during our trip to Villanova University the clergy and choirs processed relics and a miraculous icon through the campus to and from the icon exhibit, singing as we went. While I'm sure some of the college students who stopped to look were perhaps wondering, "who are these strange men in black robes wandering around and singing," there were also those that started following us, too. Maybe, in some small way, our singing can help lead people to learn more about Christ as found in Orthodoxy.
How many concerts do you perform, and where do you travel?
HDH:
We mostly sing services, not concerts. Because of the heavy demands placed upon our students' time, we limit ourselves to three Octet trips each semester --- generally Sunday morning services and perhaps a concert in the afternoon. Occasionally we will plan an overnight trip and sing Vespers on Saturday evening as well. In addition, the Octet sings occasionally in Three Hierarchs' Chapel here on campus, on special occasions such as Orthodox Education Day, and the visit of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan to the seminary.
IA:
These experiences have been encouraging, even leading our Chancellor, Fr. Chad Hatfield, to suggest we record a CD! Who knows if we actually will, but I look forward to working with my brother seminarians and with Fr. Herman to provide the best liturgical music possible wherever and whenever we are called to serve.
It is with hope in the resurrection that we mark the repose of Khouria Joanne Bitar, who fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday morning, December 30th, after a long battle with cancer. Khouria Joanne is survived by her husband, Archpriest Elias Bitar (SVOTS '75 & '01), who retired as Lecturer in Liturgical Music at St. Vladimir's Seminary in 2011, after decades of service; and children, Katrina (SVOTS '09), Sister Ignatia, Martha, and Antony.
Services with be held at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Little Falls, NJ, as follows: Wednesday, January 2nd, Viewing and Trisagion Service from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday January 3rd, Funeral Service at 9:00 a.m. Interment will be at St. Nina's Monastery, Union Bridge, Maryland.
