The Commencement of the Class of 2023 of St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will occur on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The ceremony will begin with a prayer of thanksgiving in Three Hierarchs Chapel at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, after which all guests of the graduating class will be asked to take their seats in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium in the John G. Rangos building. At 1:30 p.m. Eastern, the visiting hierarchs, guests of honor, faculty, and graduating students will proceed to the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium for the ceremony.
The Hon. Alex M. Azar II will give his remarks as the 2023 Commencement Speaker. Azar has had an illustrious career, most recently serving as the 24th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as the president of Lilly USA, LLC. A devoted Orthodox Christian, he was awarded the St Innocent Medal, gold class, by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon in Spring 2022.
The Commencement Ceremony of the Class of 2023 will be live-streamed for all who cannot attend in person. Please register below to indicate your plans for attendance and to receive the Zoom link to participate via live stream.
The Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) hosted Dr Alexander Lingas as Artist in Residence for the Spring 2023 semester. Dr Lingas is a distinguished church musician, choral director, scholar, and teacher. Music director and founder of the celebrated vocal ensemble Cappella Romana, he is also a Professor Emeritus of Music at City, University of London, and a Research Fellow of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Cambridge (UK).
This is far from the first time Dr Lingas has been welcomed at St Vladimir’s Seminary; he first came to campus as a doctoral student in 1990, taking classes in Patristics and Liturgical Theology with Fr John Meyendorff and Paul Meyendorff as part of his Ph.D. coursework. Over the last few decades, Dr Lingas has been a regular guest lecturer and conference participant at the Seminary, but was “very pleased to be invited to stay for a longer period for the first time since 1990, to have the entire term on campus as an artist in residence.”
Highlights of Dr Lingas’ semester at SVOTS included The Byzantine Inheritance, a special performance given on February 17, 2023 by Cappella Romana, sponsored in part by the ISA; a Byzantine chant master-class with student chorale members, taught by Cappella Romana members and prominent church musicians John Michael Boyer and Photini Robinson; an advanced course titled Sacred Arts 441: Text, Sound, and Meaning in Byzantine Liturgy; an interview on the Luminous podcast with ISA founding director and SVOTS Professor of Systematic Theology, Dr Peter Bouteneff; and a lecture on the development of Orthodox liturgical music throughout history presented at the final faculty seminar of the academic year.
Seminarians who took Sacred Arts 441 came away with a deep appreciation for the historical development of liturgical music. Dn Tesfay Rezene (Th.M. ’23) commented,
“Dr Alexander Lingas taught a truly fascinating course, designed to have students experience the lives of the ancient Church community, a community that was full of thanksgiving, praise, and worship. Dr Lingas guided us through the various stages of the Church's liturgical music, sound, and meaning of the texts.”
Another student, Fr Stephen Guirguis (M.Div. ‘25) noted Dr Lingas’ masterful cultivation of the teacher-student relationship, including, “the way he presents the material in class, the way he listens to the students, the way he understands rightly what was inside the students and helps them to express it fittingly, and the way he runs the discussion and answers questions.”
Dr Lingas participated actively in community life at St Vladimir’s Seminary, singing in the choir for chapel services, lending his voice to the student chorale for the Lenten concert, and meeting with students from the M.A. concentration in Sacred Arts program to discuss liturgical music and answer questions. He also made several high-profile appearances in New York and abroad during the semester, most notably at the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023, where he led the Byzantine Chant Ensemble in chanting verses from Psalm 72 during the ceremony.
Following the 2023 Commencement ceremony on May 20, 2023, Dr Lingas will conclude his residency at St Vladimir’s Seminary. To receive further updates on Dr Lingas’ work and learn about his upcoming performances with Cappella Romana, visit cappellaromana.org.
The Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) hosted a panel discussion entitled Sacred Arts East and West: A Conversation with Aidan Hart, Jonathan Pageau, and Andrew Gould, on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium on campus. The event was attended in person by many seminarians and community members; more than 600 people registered to attend the event via Zoom live-stream.
ISA founding director and SVOTS Professor of Systematic Theology Dr Peter Bouteneff and Associate Professor of Art History Dr Rossitza Schroeder moderated the discussion. The moderators challenged each panelist to present his own work and approach to liturgical art from the lens of cultural adaptation and bridge-building, asking:
How do liturgical artists in the West honor their cultural heritage while adapting it to Orthodox worship in their own contexts?
And how does this experience of building bridges between artistic and religious traditions offer perspective on the state of art and culture in the modern world?
Andrew Gould, a designer of liturgical buildings and objects, described his efforts to design churches that appeal to the churchgoers in the American communities where he does his work, by drawing on local history, culture, ethos, and building materials. Architectural elements such as columns fashioned from Southern pine, or walls featuring both wood paneling and frescoes are chosen to help create a liturgical environment that fits into an American cultural aesthetic, increasing the likelihood that local inquirers will feel at home worshiping in the Orthodox Church.
Gould also touched on the work he and his fellow panelists have done to promote excellence in contemporary liturgical art in the Orthodox Arts Journal, speaking about the need for quality Orthodox art that appeals both to cosmopolitan, areligious people and to those from religious backgrounds favoring more emotionally charged, “sweet” religious images, while remaining true to Church tradition.
Following Andrew Gould’s presentation, icon carver, public speaker, and prominent YouTuber Jonathan Pageau related his own endeavors to create religious objects that feel authentic within Western cultural contexts, but that are faithful to established Orthodox Tradition in their symbolism. Pageau encouraged Orthodox artists to think carefully and ask for feedback when incorporating distinct cultural elements into their work, to avoid evoking a sense of “pastiche” or disjointedness. He compared and contrasted several of his own works to demonstrate a nuanced integration of Scandinavian, Romanesque, Celtic, and Byzantine artistic influences.
The final panelist presentation came from Aidan Hart, iconographer and prolific liturgical artisan in a wide range of artistic media. Showing examples of his iconography and artwork in churches in the United Kingdom, Hart explored the localized themes he strives to incorporate into his work, highlighting Western Orthodox saints, ornamental depictions of the local flora and fauna, and architectural elements reflecting the traditional buildings in the surrounding area.
A lively Q&A session followed the panelists’ presentations, with questions and comments taken from online and in-person participants, including iconographer Fr Silouan Justiniano, Orthodox Arts Journal editor and featured author and member of the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross (ROCOR) in Long Island, NY. The entire discussion was recorded live and is now available to watch on the SVOTS YouTube channel.
St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) announces the creation of St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology, an accessible extension of the Seminary offering quality online Orthodox education to the general public, taught by SVOTS faculty. This new initiative is supported by a grant awarded in 2022 by Lilly Endowment Inc., propelling the Seminary’s entrance into online education.
The initial offerings from St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology are two non-degree courses, with plans to expand into certifications, potentially adding M.A. degree programs in the future.
The first course, Preparing to Read the Fathers, will be taught by the Rev. Dr Bogdan G. Bucur, Associate Professor of Patristics, starting June 6, 2023. In this lecture series, Fr Bogdan will discuss four historical lenses for properly approaching the Church Fathers, giving participants valuable tools for learning to understand "the mind of the Fathers."
Associate Professor of Old Testament Dr Michael Legaspi will teach the second course, Orthodoxy & the Old Testament, starting July 11, 2023. Dr Legaspi will explore the essential role and purpose of the Old Testament in Church Tradition and worship, and challenge participants to adopt an Orthodox orientation to the Scriptures.
Both courses are four weeks long and will take place via Zoom live-stream on Tuesday evenings from 8:00 to 9:15 p.m. (EDT). Each lecture will accompany recommended readings, a Q&A session, and weekly email communications from faculty.
Arpi Nakashian, Director of Online Education, described the intended audience for the new online courses, saying, “We hope these courses can benefit a wide array of participants, including inquirers who are just beginning to learn about Orthodox Christianity; Orthodox laypeople who seek to enrich their understanding and practice of the Orthodox Faith; and ordained and lay ministers who wish to continue their study of theology.”
SVOTS President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield related his enthusiasm regarding the launch of St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology, commenting, “In the increasingly digital world we live in today, it is essential that St Vladimir’s Seminary continues to find new ways to share the Gospel and proclaim the Orthodox Faith to all who seek to know truth.”
Enrollment is now open for the two inaugural online courses at St Vladimir’s Online School of Theology; early registration is encouraged to secure a seat. To learn more and register for the courses, visit online.svots.edu or contact us at online@svots.edu.
The Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will host a panel discussion with artists and scholars Aidan Hart, Jonathan Pageau, and Andrew Gould, on Monday, April 24, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. The event will be moderated by ISA founding director and SVOTS Professor of Systematic Theology Dr Peter Bouteneff and Associate Professor of Art History Dr Rossitza Schroeder.
Understanding that Orthodox liturgical art mostly reflects the cultures of Eastern Europe, Greece, and the Middle East, the panelists will address the following questions:
How do liturgical artists in the West honor their cultural heritage while adapting it to Orthodox worship in their own contexts?
And how does this experience of building bridges between artistic and religious traditions offer perspective on the state of art and culture in the modern world?
Aidan Hart, Jonathan Pageau, and Andrew Gould are all artists of the highest caliber, creating icons and carvings and designing churches in Western Europe and North America. Each of them has also reflected deeply on issues related to the nature of the Eastern legacy and its ongoing life in new contexts. Join us for a penetrating conversation with the Institute of Sacred Arts at St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
This roundtable discussion will be open to the public for in-person and online attendance. Registration is highly encouraged using the link below. There is no entrance fee, but donations are much appreciated and will directly benefit the Institute of Sacred Arts at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
About the Panelists
Jonathan Pageau
Jonathan graduated with distinction from the Painting and Drawing program at Concordia University in Montreal during the late 1990s. Quickly disillusioned with contemporary art, he discovered icons and traditional Christian images along his own spiritual journey. Rekindling his love of art through the study of traditional forms, Jonathan developed a passion for wood carving. Having studied Orthodox Theology and Iconology at the University of Sherbrooke, since 2003 Jonathan has been carving different types of liturgical objects. His carvings have been commissioned by churches, bishops, priests, and laypeople in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. He has participated in several exhibitions of icons and teaches icon carving with Hexaemeron. Jonathan is also a respected voice in the English-speaking Orthodox world, contributing to the Orthodox Arts Journal as a writer and editor, and producing popular online videos discussing Christian symbolism in all its forms. His YouTube channel has 177,000 subscribers.
Andrew Gould
Andrew is an artisan and designer specializing in traditional buildings and liturgical art. He studied art history at Tufts University and University College London and earned a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He started practicing in Charleston in 2004, apprenticing with designer/builder George Holt, with whom he still collaborates from time to time.
Andrew has designed dozens of new buildings, renovations, and custom liturgical furnishings. When designing churches and liturgical art, Andrew works in the Eastern Orthodox traditions (Byzantine and Russian), and his work can be found throughout North America and beyond.
His company, New World Byzantine, is recognized as a leader in traditional design and urbanism. In 2011, Andrew founded New World Byzantine Studios, a liturgical supply company and artists cooperative for the manufacture and sale of traditional Orthodox arts. He is also the founder of the Orthodox Arts Journal, a publication that covers visual arts, music, liturgical ceremony and texts, and relevant art history and theory, with contributions from a host of contemporary Orthodox artists and scholars.
Aidan Hart
Aidan Hart, a member of the Greek Orthodox Church living in Britain, has been a full-time liturgical artist for over thirty-five years. His passion is to create works and church interiors that reflect something of the beauty of life in Christ and help people experience that union of heaven and earth that is the ultimate purpose of liturgical art. Aidan and his team work in a wide variety of media, including egg tempera for panel icons, stone and wood carving, mosaic, wall painting, and church furnishings. He has worked in over twenty-five countries of the world, commissioned by Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Anglican cathedrals, monasteries, and individuals.
With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share the news of the repose of the Rev. Protopresbyter Angelo Artemas (M.Div. ‘88), of Woodland Park, NJ. Fr Angelo fell asleep in the Lord on April 20, 2023, after a short but powerful fight with cancer (glioblastoma). Fr Angelo is survived by his loving and dedicated wife Patricia and their adored daughters Katie (New York), Maria (New York), and Eleni and son-in-law Brandon Putre (Denver).
Fr Angelo was born in Great Falls, Montana, on a Sunday morning to Fr John and Presbytera Nikie Artemas. As a son of a priest, he grew up serving the church and learning about the Orthodox faith. In 1985, he met his wife, Patricia Guethlein, after attending two Young Adult League conferences in Detroit and Seattle. They were married in August 1986 in Cincinnati, OH. They went on to grow their family with three beautiful girls - Katie, Maria, and Eleni.
Fr Angelo attended Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He went on to attend St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, New York,
where he earned both his Master of Divinity and completed coursework toward his Doctor of Ministry. While he was working toward his doctorate, he became a certified trainer through the National Institute of Youth Ministry in Irvine, California.
On April 12, 1987, Fr Angelo was ordained a deacon at Annunciation Church in Buffalo, NY, and then ordained a priest on August 17, 1988, at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toledo, OH. Both ordinations were celebrated by Bishop Timothy of Detroit. On November 1, 2020, he was elevated to the rank of Protopresbyter by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St John the Theologian in Tenafly, NJ.
Fr Angelo will always be revered for his strong moral ethics and convictions. In every decision he made, he stayed firm in his Orthodox Christian belief to always serve his faith and his family with truth and love. Behind every decision was both a humble and humorous spirit, always being the first to find light and levity during difficult times.
His extensive knowledge of music, movies, sports, and pop culture aided his impactful ministry with the youth and everyone with whom he engaged. Fr Angelo served as the National Youth Director for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (GOA) from October 1991 – July 1997. His involvement spanned groups from St Michael’s Home in Yonkers, NY, the Greek American Motorcycle Association (GAMA) in Chicago, IL, the Character Counts Committee in Glenview, IL, and guest lecturing at multiple universities.
Many also remember Fr Angelo as an author for his column in the GOA’s national newspaper the Orthodox Observer, where he eloquently analyzed various modern-day topics with a spiritual lens. He also compiled and edited the newspaper’s youth supplement.
Fr Angelo was blessed to serve a number of communities. Most recently he was Dean of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St John the Theologian in Tenafly, NJ since January 2019. Fr Angelo had previously served at St George Church in Clifton, NJ (December 2016 – January 2019), Holy Trinity Cathedral in Charlotte, NC (June 2015 – June 2016), Annunciation Church in Milwaukee, WI (June 2012 – June 2015), Saints Peter and Paul Church in Glenview, IL (June 2001- May 2012), St George in Downey, CA (August 1997- June 2001), the Archdiocese Youth Office (September 1991- July 1997), and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toledo, OH (July 1988 – September 1991).
Fr Angelo was predeceased by his mother Presbytera Nikie Artemas, brother Peter and his in-laws Stan and Sophia Guethlein. In addition to his Presbytera Patricia and children, Father leaves behind his siblings Elaine (Chris Tikka), Lucy (Mike Banks), sister-in-law Stephanie McElroy, and his nieces and nephews Nikie and John Tikka, Alexandra Artemas, and Kira and Sophia McElroy.
A viewing will take place from 4-8 p.m. on Sunday, April 23, 2023, at The Metropolitan Cathedral of St John the Theologian in Tenafly, NJ. The Trisagion Service at 6 p.m. will be presided by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros. A second viewing will be held at 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, Glenview, IL. The Divine Liturgy will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Funeral Service at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview, IL, presided over by Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, or the charity of your choice. Donations may also be made in Fr Angelo’s memory to Distinguished Diocesan Benefactors of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey of the OCA or to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
May Father Angelo’s memory be eternal! Christ is Risen!
With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share the news of the repose of longtime friend and supporter of St Vladimir’s Seminary, Joseph Domanick, who fell asleep in the Lord on the morning of April 11, 2023 at the age of 98. Joe was a Three Hierarchs chapel member for many years and was known and loved by many alumni and their families.
Joe was born on November 8, 1924 in Queens, NY to a family of Carpatho-Russian ancestry. Growing up, he attended St Nicholas Orthodox Church. He served in the US Navy during WWII as an electrician’s mate where his ship was sent to the South Pacific. After the war, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Siena College and then joined the NYPD. He had a long career, became a sergeant, and served for many years as truancy officer in Harlem and other neighborhoods.
Joe was a longtime member of the St Vladimir’s Seminary community. He was friends with the seminary’s founders, and many of the students who would go on to become bishops, priests, deacons, and serve the church in other roles. He sponsored Fr John Meyendorff for American citizenship. After retiring from the police force, he also worked at the seminary bookstore.
Joe is survived by his loving wife Therese to whom he was married for 36 years. To most of us, Joe was just always there—for every baptism, wedding, ordination, funeral, and social function at the seminary. He was loved by many and will be missed by all who knew him.
The funeral followed the Bright Monday Divine Liturgy on April 17, 2023, in Three Hierarchs Chapel. A detachment of NYPD officers attended and served as pallbearers and honor guards.
May the memory of Joseph Domanick be eternal! Christ is risen!
The Fr Georges Florovsky Library at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) is an essential hub for all seminarians. Last semester, the library and the John G. Rangos building received key updates to further enhance student access to research materials and study space. The most impactful addition was a state-of-the-art self-checkout kiosk, where seminarians can use their student ID cards to borrow books at any time of the day or night, whether or not the librarian is on duty. Cameras and key card readers at building entrances ensure the security of the library and the Rangos building while allowing seminarians access around the clock. Much of the funding for the upgrades was generously provided by the Estate of Eva Cadwell.
These updates have streamlined the checkout process for books, giving both the students and Librarian, Matushka Danielle Earl more flexibility and freedom. Matushka Danielle, a Yale Divinity School graduate with extensive experience in academic libraries, has undertaken various large projects during her tenure, including oversight of an inventory project by Backstage Library Works, cataloging and organizing the library’s holdings of rare books and papers, as well as the papers of former St Vladimir’s Seminary deans, Fr Georges Florovsky and Fr Alexander Schmemann. Elaborating on the value of the self-checkout kiosk, Matushka Danielle said, "The kiosk is one more step in actualizing the Florovsky Library's mission of academic excellence in the Orthodox world. It allows for unlimited research and the space to create even more educational programming. The library is constantly evolving in its goals to serve students, scholars, and the Orthodox community worldwide."
Laura Ionescu, a master of arts student specializing in the sacred arts, commented on the ways the new library technology has improved her study routine: “It’s a huge benefit to be able to check out books any time, even when the librarian is not in. If I realize I need a certain book to finish a paper later in the evening or on a weekend, I can always find what I need and check it out right away.”
