Graduating senior seminarian Aaron Oliver is stepping down after completing his term as President of Student Council and making way for President-Elect James Parnell, a 1st-year seminarian who acted as his class representative on the council this past year. Continuing in their respective roles as Secretary and Treasurer are Andrew Boyd and Anoop Thomas.

“On behalf of the Student Council, I would like to congratulate James on his election as President-Elect of the council. His term will begin following Commencement,” announced seminarian Oliver.

“This is the first year that a Student Council has existed in decades, and we’ve really flourished at the school," he added. "We are establishing ourselves on campus in our role as a student voice, in being a liaison between the students and the administration, and in working to improve the quality of campus life and supporting the seminary’s mission.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to serve in this capacity and to work with the students and the administration,” seminarian Oliver summed up. “We’ve worked in an atmosphere of open communication, and among the tangible things we’ve accomplished are: acting as student observers on Faculty Council committee meetings and as representatives on the Alumni Board and Events Committee; and we have worked to increase student interaction with the Board of Trustees. Additionally, we’ve started various student organizations on campus as special interest groups.”

The Student Council was newly formed in May 2010, to strengthen student participation in campus life and to facilitate communication between students and faculty, staff, and administration. Seminarian Parnell not only will be President of the council next year but also will be one of two 2nd-year class representatives. Additionally, he will continue to act as Special Interest Group Coordinator, that is, as liaison between the various student groups—such as those representing environmental concerns, St. George Orthodox Military Association, outreach and missions, pro-Life advocacy, and so forth—and the Student Council.

Commenting on his new office, seminarian Parnell said, “I feel honored to have been chosen to succeed Aaron Oliver, who has given me big shoes to fill. He's served faithfully and diligently as our first President, and I hope to do even half as well as he has done. He's been a great source of knowledge and advice and has been a great help to me in my first year while transitioning into seminary life, as he is, like myself, a Chaplain Candidate in the Army National Guard. I joined the military while in high school and went on active duty status as soon as I graduated. I completed my Associate and Bachelor degrees while on active duty in the U.S. Army. I was rarely if ever a full-time student, given frequent stateside traveling for training and two overseas deployments. This has made the transition to a full-time, brick-and-mortar graduate school particularly tough after almost a decade in the military.

“My vision for next year is one of continuing some of the great programs we've started and ensuring further cooperation between the Student Council and the administration,” he continued. “I look forward to working with the Dean and Chancellor and the rest of the administration and have been very impressed with their support and have appreciated their guidance as we have progressed through the year. The concept of a Student Council at St. Vladimir's is still very new, and we have a lot of work to do to further integrate into the life and mission of the seminary. One of the main issues that I hope to address is, for lack of a better word, 'publicity.' I want to ensure that students know that we are here and available to help them with whatever issues arise. I'd like to see us take a more active role, not only as a Student Council but also as students in general.

"I've never participated as an officer in student government, but I am thankful for my frequent leadership opportunities while serving in the Army and the National Guard," he said in conclusion. "I hope to use the discipline, motivation, and leadership skills that I've learned in the military in this context as well in order to serve my fellow seminarians. That's really what our job is about as Student Council representatives: serving our fellow seminarians."

This past weekend in Chicago two SVOTS alumni—Reader Gregory Ealy ('07) and Subdeacon Nicholas Hubbard ('09)—were ordained to the Holy Diaconate by the newly consecrated Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), His Grace Matthias (Moriak). The ordination of Subdeacon Nicholas took place at the Consecration Liturgy on Saturday at Christ the Savior Church, and Reader Gregory was ordained on Sunday at the Installation Liturgy at Holy Trinity Cathedral. During the festive weekend, Archpriest John Behr, our seminary Dean, and Archpriest Chad Hatfield, our seminary Chancellor, represented St. Vladimir's.

Dn. Gregory has served as Choir Director and Director of Music Ministry at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago since his graduation from St. Vladimir's. Following his ordination he and his wife, Miho, will be moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota where he will take up the position of Choir Director at St. Mary's Cathedral (OCA).

Dn. Nicholas has been at St. Mary's Cathedral in Minneapolis since his graduation from the seminary. He has since been certified in Clinical Pastoral Education and has served in various lay ministry positions at the cathedral parish. Subdeacon Nicholas will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood in May at St. Mary's Cathedral, where he will be attached as an assistant priest.

"Axios" to Deacon Gregory and his wife, Miho, and to Deacon Nicholas and his wife, Georgiana! We send our prayers with them as they serve the wider Church.

Read more Alumni Profiles and Alumni News in the Alumni section of our Website.

On Saturday, May 21, 2011, David Drillock, Professor of Liturgical Music, Emeritus, at St. Vladmir's Seminary, and an alumnus of our school ('63), will return to his alma mater to deliver the commencement address to the graduating class. Professor Drillock will also be granted the degree, “Doctor of Sacred Music” honoris causa. He will be the first recipient of this honorary doctorate now offered by our seminary. 

Professor Drillock is also a graduate of Columbia University and holds a Master of Sacred Music degree from Union Theological Seminary. He is responsible for producing several liturgical music books used in Orthodox Christian parishes throughout North America and also is well known for the production of many CDS of liturgical music, featuring both male and mixed choirs.

View our upcoming 2011 Commencement Invitation and our past Commencement Programs.

Members of our community got a chance to explore the Chancery's grounds and archives, and to meet informally with the metropolitan. About forty people from St. Vladimir's attended, including several children, some of whom served in the altar with His Beatitude and all of whom enjoyed the picnic after the service.

"It was wonderful to be able to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with all our friends at the OCA Chancery on Bright Wednesday," said Archpriest John Behr, seminary dean. "This invitation gave us all a much needed opportunity to rejoice and enjoy each other's company in a relaxed and family manner."

Likewise, seminary Chancellor Archpriest Chseminarians and their families, especially the children, having a day of Paschal celebration with His Beatitude, Jonah.”

View more  photos of the day by Alexis Liberovsky, archivist at the OCA Chancery.

Read more about our seminary community here.

On Lazarus Saturday afternoon, ten children from our seminary community, led by their director, Danielle Miller, offered a superb Spring Concert on our campus. His Grace The Right Rev. Michael, bishop of the New York and New Jersey Diocese of the OCA, enjoyed a front row view of the performance, which included selections ranging from Byzantine chant to classical music by Handel and Vivaldi to contemporary pieces, such as "Siyahamba," a South African freedom song.

First-year seminarian Ashley Lear acted as assistant director for the group, and first-year seminarian Harrison Russin acted as their accompanist. Children comprising the choir include: Colin, Hannah, and Mary Katherine Barberg; Rufus Behr; Alex, Asher, and Judah Bozeman; Sophia Dooley; and Sofia and Stella Miller. Following the concert, each student received a certificate from Mrs. Miller, in recognition of their hard work.

The St. Vladimir's Seminary Children’s Choir is in its second year and rehearses once per week after school during the academic year. This year’s choir has equal numbers of boys and girls ages 8–13, who all sing in the treble range. The children work on voice training, sight-singing, and musicianship using Dalcroze principles and use these skills to sing classical, folk, and liturgical music. The choir participates in the Lazarus Saturday Divine Liturgy, along with campus church school children, and has the yearly Spring Concert. Next year, the choir will work on portions of the vespers service with hopes of singing on several Saturday evenings.

Their conductor, area music teacher Danielle Miller, talked about the importance of the group and its diligence in training, saying, "One of the most fundamental ways to prepare children to fully participate in the life of the Church is by teaching them the singing skills they will use in worship."

Mrs. Miller is a lifelong musician. She taught vocal and general music for more than 13 years in public schools in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Her choirs were regularly awarded top honors in music competitions and invited to perform at professional music education conventions. She has served as a clinician, workshop presenter, and guest conductor, and now teaches K-8 music at Blue Rock School in West Nyack, New York. She is also pursuing certification in Dalcroze, a method of teaching music that brings natural movement to conscious awareness in order to increase musicianship.

 A church musician nearly continuously since her teens, Mrs. Miller assisted the Trinity (Episcopal) Church in the City of Boston youth chorister program and taught sight-singing to all the Trinity Church choirs. At Pascha 2008, she was chrismated at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She conducted the choir at St. George’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Danbury, Connecticut and helped them participate in a pan-orthodox concert in November 2009. She lives with her husband Scott and her daughters Stella and Sofia in nearby Harrison, New York.

All area children ages eight and up with a connection to the Orthodox Church are welcome to participate in the St. Vladimir's Seminary Children's Choir, regardless of their stage of musical development. Please contact Danielle Miller for further information at danielletmiller@aol.com.

View a PDF of the Spring Concert Program, including some sing-along-music, here.

Sing along with the choir's musical selection "Like as a Father," by Luigi Cherubini, in a beautifully crafted slideshow by seminarian Kevin Basil Fritts, here.

Watch the video of the entire concert, by seminarian Kevin Basil Fritts, here.

View a photo gallery of the concert, by Tanya Hoff.

Our annual celebration of Lazarus Sat with us. During liturgy His Grace, who is the Bishop of the New York and New Jersey Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), presented the homily and ordained seminarian Wiliam Seraphim Joa, a member of his diocese, to the diaconate. He also commended the church school children for singing the festal hymns and presented a word to those church school children who for the first time participated in the Sacrament of Confession.

In his homily on Gospel of John (11:1–45), His Grace reminded worshippers of two important points from that scriptural passage: "God has a plan" and "It is very helpful if we are cooperative with that plan." Relating the gospel message to Dn. Seraphim's ordination, he said, "Being a deacon is so much more than 'swinging a censor'; the deacon is the 'eyes and ears' of the bishop. God has a plan, and Dn. Seraphim's role is to come closer to Christ, and to do His will. May he celebrate the great miracle of the raising of Lazarus, and his ordination to the diaconate, discerning the Lord's will and plan and fulfilling it to the glory of God. Our prayers are with him, and with his wife, Julie."

daughter in-law, a granddaughter entering Auburn University this fall, and a grandson entering his junior year in high school in Madison, Alabama." During his time at St. Vladimir's, Dn. Seraphim has offered community service in the school's library, and has also participated in several "soup runs" to New York City, to minister to the poor.

To the church school children who gave their first confessions—Maria Rentel, John Walker Yates, Andrew Pavlovic, Jeremy Kuri, and Lauren Drillock—His Grace offered these simple and heartfelt words: "Remember, you can always say to God that you are sorry; the reason you can do that is God loves you." He also acknowledged the children's chapel choir, directed by 1st-year seminarian Ashley Lear.

After liturgy, Bishop Michael attended both a festal brunch and a special Spring Concert sung by a select children's choir, directed by Danielle Miller, with assistant director Ashley Lear and 1st-year seminarian Harrison Russin as piano accompanist. Summing up the day, Bettye Malone, long-time organizer of the Lazarus Saturday church school brunch, said, "The traditions of Lazarus Saturday here at St. Vladimir's have continued now for more than 40 years. This day—and the customary events that accompany it—are so important because traditions are important. These are the things our children will remember."

View a photo gallery of the Divine Liturgy, by Tanya Hoff.

Read about the special Spring Concert here. View a PDF of the Spring Concert Program including some sing-along-music here.

Sing along with the choir's musical selection "Like as a Father," by Luigi Cherubini, in a beautifully crafted slideshow by seminarian Kevin Basil Fritts, here. Watch the video of the full concert, by seminarian Kevin Basil Fritts, here.

Many graduates of St. Vladimir's fondly remember Dr. Veselin Kesich, not only as a fellow alumnus but also as professor emeritus of New Testament at the seminary, who taught at our school from 1953–1991. Professor Kesich celebrated his 90th birthday recently, having been born March 12, 1921. His son Gregory, a newspaper reporter, wrote a touching tribute to him in The Portland Press Herald, titled "The View from 90 Includes More Than a Few Surprises." The newspaper piece attests to Professor's unflagging and deep concern for people—all people (even Lindsay Lohan!)—and his equal concern that they minister to each other and to their communities.

Fellow alumni who had the privilege of studying under Professor Kesich may remember his underlying intimation that the Holy Scriptures have the ability to vivify lives, contemporary lives, which may seem on the surface far removed from biblical writings. He steeped his students in the New Testament, so that they might discern its truth and power amidst cultural influences that either coincided with it, or diverted from it. Professor Kesich was apt to have students compare the Gospel of John with The Bhagavad Gita, or to write a critique of the film "Jesus of Nazareth,"or to draw to their attention the Christian virtues he found in the characters in the popular film "Rocky." To sharpen the discernment of his students, he demanded memorization of New Testament passages and in-depth elucidation of texts.

Professor Kesich is a 1953 graduate of St. Vladimir's Seminary and holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has authored several SVS Press books, including The Passion of Christ (1965); The Treasures of the Holy Land (with his wife Lydia, 1985); The First Day of the New Creation (1982); The Gospel Image of Christ (1991); and Formation and Struggles: The Birth of the Church AD 33–200 (2007), as part of the press's The Church in History series. His works have been translated into several languages.

During the momentous occasion of Dr. Kesich's 90th year, we're calling upon former students of his to send him a congratulatory note or belated birthday message. You may write to Professor Kesich at: 15 Piper Road, Apt. C 301, Scarborough, Maine 04074.

View other Alumni News here, most recently the story of Dn. Nicholas Denysenko's appointment as Director of the Huffington Ecumenical Institute.

St. Vladimir’s Seminary community is praying for the souls of two departed alumni, Fr. Theodore Ziton and Annette Milkovich.

Fr. Theodore, who studied in the Master of Divinity program at St. Vladimir's from 1951-1954, is formerly of St. George Cathedral in Wichita, Kansa s (1963–66) and was retired from St. George Church in Canton, Ohio. He fell asleep in Christ this past Friday, April 8th.

He is the father of Fr. Stephen Ziton, formerly of St. Mary Church in Wichita, and was preceded in death by Khouriya Vivian.

Annette, who earned her Master of Arts degree from the seminary in 1980, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, April 10th. Annette attended al l ou r campus functions and activities for more than 40 years, and she also established The Very Rev. Michael and Matushka Anna Dziama Scholarship Fund, in memory of her parents and for the benefit of seminarians.

Annette was the  beloved wife of 60 years of Zoran Milkovich, an alumnus of St. Vladimir's Seminary, the first president of the St. Vladimir's Theological Foundation, and a member of the seminary Board of Trustees for many years. She also is the mother of Lisa Madara and grandmother to Nicholas, Daniel, Anthony and Erika.

She was a member of the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs / Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America [FROC/FOCA] and other Church-related organizations. For over 20 years she taught in the Teaneck, New Jersey school district.

May the memory of Fr. Theodore and Annette be eternal!

Details about services scheduled for Fr. Theodore may be found here, on the Website of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese; details about services for Annette may be found here, on the Website of the Orthodox Church in America.

View the Alumni News section of our Website and keep former classmates and friends in prayer.

Catherine Mandell, author of When You Fast: Recipes for Lenten Seasons, a cookbook published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press (2005), made national news this past weekend. She appeared on the popular PBS program "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly" in a segment titled "Orthodox Lenten Meals," hosted by Bob Abernathy. In the show, Ms. Mandell shared with her audience not only the fasting rules and regulations within the Orthodox Christian tradition but also the ethos underlying them.

Expressing the joy associated with the season of Great Lent, Ms. Mandell presented the spiritual benefits of fasting, and commented upon practical works that normally accompany fasting, such as almsgiving and refraining from gossip. She also described her initial attempts at keeping a strict fast, and her continuing expertise in cooking proper foods for lenten periods.

Ms. Mandell's decade-long quest to attain a rule of fasting in accordance with the traditional Orthodox Christian discipline resulted in her cookbook, When You Fast. The cookbook contains 200 recipes for easy, nourishing, and appealing fasting meals; sprinkled among the delicious recipes are sayings from the Mothers and Fathers of the early Church regarding how the body and soul are affected by eating habits. The PBS interview featured the Mandell family at their Clearfield, Pennsylvania dinner table, partaking of the lenten foods featured in Ms. Mandell's cookbook.

To view the PBS interview, and to try a sample recipe from When You Fast, "Wild Rice Salad," click here.

To order a copy of When You Fast, click here.

Dr. Paul Meyendorff, The Father Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology at our seminary, was among the participants in an international consultation of Orthodox Christian theological schools held at the Orthodox Academy of Crete April 5–7, 2011. The consultation focused on the development of a sample strategic plan for Orthodox theological schools in Europe.

The meeting was a continuation of an initial gathering in September 2010. At that time, Dr. Meyendorff traveled to the Orthodox seminary in Joensuu, Finland, to discuss the future of Orthodox theological education in Europe in light of the Bologna Process. The Bologna Process is a recent initiative within the European Union to reform and standardize higher education. The meeting in Joensuu was called to discuss the implications of this process for Orthodox seminaries in Europe. The meeting concluded with a proposal to develop a pan-Orthodox agency to monitor the quality of Orthodox theological education.

At this second gathering, Dr. Meyendorff related the experience of St. Vladimir's Seminary in developing its strategic plan, noting that the situation of the Church in North America differs in many respects from the Church elsewhere. Consultation participants then prepared a conceptual model for strategic planning for theological schools to adapt and further to develop in light of their respective situations. Other issues discussed at the consultation included various concerns with regard to preparation and qualifications of candidates for ordination, theological research, and related matters.

In a report on the status of theological education in the Orthodox Church of Russia, Archimandrite Kirill (Hovorun) stressed the importance that must be placed on interaction between theological schools worldwide and shared recent reforms undertaken at the Moscow Theological Academy.  A report was also given on the Orthodox Church of Greece's new theological school. Also represented at the consultation were the Orthodox Academy of Crete, the Theological Academy in Thessaloniki, the Orthodox Seminary in Joensuu, Finland, and the St. Tikhon Orthodox Humanitarian University.