With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share the news of the repose of Archpriest Eugene Tarris, who fell asleep in the Lord on Friday, January 13, 2023 at the age of 88.
Father Eugene was born on July 24, 1934, in Simpson, PA. His grandparents on both sides emigrated from Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Father Eugene was a high school valedictorian, with an interest in science, and a 1956 graduate of Penn State University. After college, he worked in the aerospace industry until entering Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’67). While traveling on a choir trip, he met his future wife, Sonia Katherine Reshetar, whom he married at Saint Vladimir’s on September 5, 1965. He was ordained to the priesthood by Metropolitan Ireney at Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel, Syosset, NY on July 4, 1966.
Father Eugene had a long and fruitful ministry, serving parishes in Dix Hills, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Dallas, TX, Garfield, NJ, Auburn, NY, San Diego, CA, Temecula, CA, and Littleton, CO. He also served as a chaplain for the Marines at Camp Pendleton. Following his retirement, in 2001, he was assigned as an assistant priest at Holy Transfiguration Cathedral (Denver, CO) and awarded the jeweled cross. During these years of service to the Church, Father was also employed as an aerospace engineer, and found time to pursue graduate studies in Biblical languages. His interest in languages is notable, as for years he has been carefully translating the famous Handbook for Church Servers, originally published in 1900 by Sergius Bulgakov. In recent years, Father Eugene was attached to Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Minneapolis, MN.
Father Eugene and Matushka Sonia had four children: Theodore, Faith, Christopher and Michael. Matushka Sonia reposed in the Lord on June 10, 1994. Fr Eugene reposed on January 13, to be laid to rest with Matushka by the Annunciation Chapel at Saint Mary’s Cathedral Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN.
With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share the news of the repose of Archpriest Sergius S. Kuharsky, who fell asleep in the Lord on Thursday, January 5, 2023 at the age of 92. He served Holy Trinity Church in New Britain, CT (1956-1964), Saint Theodosius Cathedral in Cleveland, OH (1964-1976) and Saints Peter & Paul Church in South River, NJ (1976-98).
“Father Serge was a people’s priest, a priest’s priest, a priest of the Most High God,” said His Eminence Michael, Archbishop of New York and New Jersey. “A man of simple elegance and Christian distinction, the consummate husband, a devoted dad and grandfather, a beloved spiritual father and altar brother, a trusted confidant of hierarchs, and a humble servant of the Lord. He was the ultimate preacher of the Word—in homily, in music; in services, in service; in instruction, in confession; in guidance, in love. “It was my honor to bestow upon him the mitre; he never sought or wanted one. He no longer needs it; for he now receives a crown of glory. His wife and family, his spiritual children and his altar brothers, and his bishop will miss his loving smile, his gentle but firm word, his prayerful presence and his awesome example. Our loss is Heaven’s gain.”
Father Serge was born on August 26, 1930 in Central City, PA where his father was pastor of Holy Assumption Church. He grew up in St Clair, PA, singing with his father and five sisters at home and at divine services conducted by the Mitred Archpriest Andrew Kuharsky at Saint Mary’s Church. Father Serge’s love of singing extended to school and community groups. He was a graduate of Columbia College and Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (1953), which was then housed at Union Theological Seminary. His close group of seminary friends called themselves the 8-Balls and included Father Daniel Hubiak, who died in 2021. His influences included Father Georges Florovsky, Father Alexander Schmemann and Archbishop John (Garklavs). After graduation, Father Serge served as choir director at Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre, PA, where he met and married Faith Stchur, his wife of nearly 67 years.
He was ordained into the deaconate on February 15, 1956, by Metropolitan Leonty and the priesthood 18 days later by Bishop John.
He then spent eight years as pastor of Holy Trinity in New Britain, CT, where he was instrumental in organizing the New England Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America, serving as its first executive secretary. When he arrived in Connecticut, he remembered visiting the parish as a child and enjoying sweet black cherries from a tree on the parish grounds. He lamented having to cut that very tree down shortly after he took over as rector. While dean of Saint Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Cleveland from 1964-76, he served eight years as secretary and two years as president of the Eastern Orthodox Clergy Association of Cleveland and spent four years as the national spiritual advisor of the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs, now FOCA. He also oversaw the Cathedral’s plan to build and run Ridge Manor, a banquet Hall adjacent to the parish cemetery. As at the two parishes before, at Saints Peter & Paul, he guided the church to more consistent use of English, more frequent communion and a transition to the new calendar.
All three parishes Father Serge served celebrated their 100th anniversaries during his lifetime and he and Matushka Faith attended services and festivities to mark the occasions.After his retirement in 1998, he was a popular colleague to priests in multiple Orthodox jurisdictions, serving liturgies around New Jersey as a substitute and sharing his personable style with numerous congregants.
In 1971 he attended the canonization of Saint Herman of Alaska. He also visited the USSR with the FROC in 1977 and again with Bishop Dmitri for the OCA in 1978, went to the Holy Land in 1983 and Jerusalem in 1987 and traveled to Austria, Yugoslavia and Greece in 1984. When Father Hubiak served as OCA Representative to the Moscow Patriarchate, Father Serge attended the 1999 consecration of Saint Catherine’s OCA Representation Church in Moscow. He also led family trips to national parks and beaches on both coasts where he instilled his fearlessness as a swimmer—and confidence fighting rough waves and enduring cold water—into his children, often leaving Faith fearful he was too far from shore. The couple visited several Caribbean Islands, often with the Hubiaks. While growing vegetables in a backyard garden, he fought rabbits and rocks.
He loved to go on long walks, though he sometimes offset them with an Egg McMuffin at the halfway point. He was an avid reader, always intent on learning more about the lives of the Holy Fathers and Saints, increasing his knowledge of the gospel, reviewing classics he read in college and occasionally taking a family suggestion on a work of nonfiction.
He is predeceased by his sisters Xenia Kostun, Catherine Oluich, Lydia Lewis, Vera Kuharsky; brother, Andrew Kuharsky who died as a boy; and a granddaughter Sara, who died of SIDS. He is survived by Matushka Faith; his sister Manya Kuharsky of Conklin, NY; and four children: Andrew Kuharsky (Merry), director of The Greenville Ballet and a CPA in Greenville SC; Gallia Vickery (Bill), a math and dance teacher at The Thacher School in Ojai, CA; Sergei Kuharsky (Celia), a marketing executive and professor from Princeton Junction, NJ; and Paul Kuharsky (Teresa), a sportswriter in Nashville, TN; as well as seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Donations may be made in his 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.
The schedule of services for Father Serge is as follows:
Tuesday, January 10
Saints Peter & Paul Church, South River, NJ
4:00 PM - 7:00PM Viewing
7:00 PM Funeral for a Priest
Wednesday, January 11
Divine Liturgy at 9:00 AM
Wednesday afternoon, interment at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery, South Canaan, PA
May God grant many blessed years to the St Vladimir's Seminary alumni and students who were recently ordained! Axios!
HOLY PRIESTHOOD
Priest John William Vazquez (M.Div. ‘23) Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA) Holy Diaconate: Ordained April 2, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Anthony (Michaels), Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest, at St George Orthodox Christian Church, Fishers, IN. Holy Priesthood: Ordained October 23, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Anthony (Michaels), Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest, at St George Orthodox Christian Church, Fishers, IN. Educational and Professional Background: B.A. History, Kent State University.
Priest Alexander Earl (M.Div. ‘23) Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA) Holy Diaconate: Ordained March 25, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Ft Worth at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY. Holy Priesthood: Ordained November 6, 2022 by by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Alexander, Archbishop of Dallas, the South and the Bulgarian Diocese, at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY. Current Ministry: Serving under the omophorion of Metropolitan Tikhon, in the roster of Stavropegial clergy, attached at Three Hierarchs Chapel, Yonkers, NY. Educational and Professional Background: Served as instructor and director of the Center for Philosophy & Theology at Pacifica Christian High School in Santa Monica, CA, prior to seminary. M.A. Religion, concentration in philosophical theology, Yale Divinity School; B.A. Religious Studies and Philosophy, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL.
Priest Tiberiu Opris (M.A. ‘20; Th.M. ‘21) Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA), The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, under the omophorion of His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel Holy Diaconate: Ordained November 27, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Andrei, St Thomas Romanian Orthodox Church in St Louis, MO. Holy Priesthood: Ordained December 3, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Andrei, at Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church, Chicago, IL. Current Ministry: Parish Priest of St Thomas Romanian Orthodox Church in St Louis, MO. Educational and Professional Background:B.A. in Orthodox Pastoral Theology, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Bucharest, Romania; M.A. in Christian History and Tradition, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Bucharest, Romania; currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies at the Interdisciplinary School of Doctoral Studies within the University of Bucharest.
Priest David Galloway (M.Div. ‘23) Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Diocese of the South Holy Diaconate: Ordained April 3, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Ft Worth at St John of the Ladder Orthodox Church, Greenville, SC. Holy Priesthood: Ordained December 18, 2022 by His Grace, Bishop Alexei of Sitka and Alaska at St John of the Ladder Orthodox Church, Greenville, SC. Current Ministry:Sts. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ Educational and Professional Background: Undergraduate studies in English Literature and Philosophy, Goldsmiths College, University of London. Worked as an IT Project Manager and Senior Technical Writer prior to seminary.
Presbyter John Capones (M.Div. ‘23) Jurisdiction:Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) Holy Diaconate: Ordained November 2, 2022 by Archbishop Elpidophoros at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York, NY. Holy Priesthood: Ordained December 25, 2022 by Archbishop Elpidophoros at the St. Nicholas National Shrine at Ground Zero. Current Ministry: Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church of Port Washington, NY. Educational and Professional Background: B.A. Religious Studies from Hellenic College ('17), M.A. Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook University ('19). Former Registrar Director for a large private institution in the Greater New York City Area.
Photo credit: Archon Dimitrios Panagos, GOA.
HOLY DIACONATE
Deacon Immanuel (Amal) Punnoose (M.Div. '19) Jurisdiction: Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) Holy Diaconate: Ordained October 29, 2022 by His Grace, Gabriel Mar Gregorios at St Gregorios Orthodox Church, Elmhurst, IL. Current Ministry: Pastoral assistant at St Gregorios Orthodox Church, Elmhurst, IL. Educational and Professional Background: B.S. Biology from Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in 2016; Masters in Public Health - Epidemiology, University of Alabama - Birmingham (UAB), December 2022.
Deacon Phillip Ritchey (M.Div. '20) Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA) Holy Diaconate: Ordained November 5, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Ft Worth at St Symeon Orthodox Church in Birmingham, AL. Current Ministry: Project lead for OCA's Department of Liturgical Music and Translations; attached to St Symeon Orthodox Church in Birmingham, AL. Educational and Professional Background: B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Forensic Scientist in the Drug Chemistry discipline of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Deacon Joshua Ford (M.Div. ‘11) Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA) Holy Diaconate: Ordained November 13, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Daniel, Archbishop of Chicago and the Midwest, at St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Minneapolis, MN. Current Ministry: Attached at St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Minneapolis, MN. Educational and Professional Background: B.S. Music Merchandising, South Dakota State University, 2003. Currently working for Chromebookparts.com, a supplier of Chromebook laptop parts to schools and resellers throughout North America.
ELEVATIONS & AWARDS
Archimandrite Nikodhim (Preston) (M.Div. ’07) Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA), The Albanian Archdiocese Elevation: Elevated from hieromonk to the rank of archimandrite on November 13, 2022 by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, at the Regular Fall 2022 Session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America. Holy Priesthood: Ordained in 2010 by Archbishop Nikon (Liolin) of blessed memory at St Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Estates, NY. Current Ministry: Administrator of the Albanian Archdiocese and rector of the St Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Estates, NY.
Archimandrite Seraphim (Johns) (M.Div. ’09) Jurisdiction: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA), Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver Elevation: Elevated from hieromonk to the rank of archimandrite on November 19, 2022 by His Grace Bishop Constantine of Sassima, on behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah, at Holy Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, Price, UT Holy Priesthood: Ordained May 17, 2015 by His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Pocatello, ID Current Ministry: Parish Priest of Holy Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, Price, UT.
Dr Albert Rossi, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at St Vladimir’s Seminary Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA) Award: St Innocent Medal (Silver Class), presented by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon on November 13, 2022, at the 10th Anniversary celebration honoring the election of Metropolitan Tikhon as the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share the news of the repose of Jonathan Russin, longtime friend and supporter of St Vladimir’s Seminary, in Washington on December 31, 2022, following complications from a stroke.
Jonathan was born October 30, 1937, in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and grew up in nearby Kingston. Graduating from Kingston High School he was awarded a scholarship to Yale, where he earned a BA in politics and economics in 1959 and a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 1962. In 1962, Jonathan married Antoinette (Toni) Stackpole. Raising four sons, he and Toni lived abroad for much of their lives—in Turkey, Dominican Republic, Spain, and Russia. Jonathan enjoyed working overseas and experiencing new cultures, especially with his family. An epicure, adventurer, and devoted family man, Jonathan was at home anywhere in the world. A habitual reader and lifelong devotee of art, theater, and music, he passed his many passions to his family, who often gathered around as he poured vodka and spread caviar in honor of being together.
During Jonathan's 60-year legal career he advised companies, governments, and NGOs—largely in developing countries—on how to build projects, organizations, and institutions that benefited their people. His work involved designing and maintaining legal structures for housing communities, industries, cooperatives, schools, hospitals, roads, pipelines, telecom systems, and the like. His purpose: to create these sustainable institutions, which energize free-market economies, which in turn strengthen democratic traditions and freely elected governments. His partnership, Kirkwood, Kaplan, Russin & Vecchi, founded in 1969, was the first Washington law firm to establish multiple offices abroad—in Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and former Soviet republics—and to provide client companies with on-the-ground legal advice for their operations. Supervising offices overseas, Jonathan mentored local lawyers, encouraging them to practice law effectively while promoting the ethical rule of law.
Raised in the Russian Orthodox Church, Jonathan was especially interested in Russia. He first traveled there as an undergraduate, singing with the Yale Russian Chorus on its first tour in 1958. He then served as a host at USIA’s landmark exhibition, the venue for Vice President Nixon’s “kitchen debate” with Premier Khrushchev. The following summer, as an American Express guide, he led Russian tourists on tours around the US. Years later, with the fall of the Soviet Union, he opened the Moscow office and then moved to Russia with Toni in 1996, living and working there for 17 years. With the rise of authoritarianism under Putin, in 2013 Jonathan returned to Washington, where he continued to advise clients and counsel good causes for another decade. Jonathan’s public service extended to various non-profit organizations. He became a lay leader at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Washington and later the principal lawyer of its patron body, the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). He was instrumental in persuading the Russian primate, Patriarch Alexy II, to visit the US and then to send Russian iconographers to decorate the Cathedral’s interior. Alexy would later induct Jonathan into the Order of St. Vladimir. Jonathan served on the board of the renowned cellist Mstislav Rostropovich’s Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation, and on the board of International Orthodox Christian Charities.
Jonathan also served as a member of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Legal Committee at St Vladimir’s Seminary.
Jonathan was predeceased by his parents Jacob and Anne (Wartella) Russin, and his brother, Rodion Russin, and sister-in-law, Jane Russin. He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Toni (Stackpole) Russin; his sister, Ellen Russin and her husband, Michael Cohen; his sons, Alexander Russin and his wife Stephanie; Andrew Russin and his wife Emily; Benjamin Russin and his wife Lauren; and Jacob Russin and his wife Laura; and their grand-children, Janet, Anna, Harry, Jack, and Elizabeth. He dedicated his 2021 memoir, Architect at Law, to those grandchildren and their descendants, “with the hope that they will work to make the world a better place.”
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, 3500 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007. Arrangements by DeVol funeral home, devolfuneralhome.com. The burial will be held on Friday, January 6, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Fern Knoll Burial Park, in Dallas, Pennsylvania. Arrangements by Edwards & Russin Funeral Home, https://russincares.com/. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests any donations be made to the Rostropovich Vishnevskaya Foundation (RVF): For the Heath of Children https://rostropovich.org/en/who-we-are/our-founders/.
Visitation
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Thursday, January 5, 2023
St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral
3500 Massachusetts Ave. ,N.W.
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Funeral Service
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Thursday, January 5, 2023
St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral
3500 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Graveside Service
11:00 am - 11:30 am
Friday, January 6, 2023
Fern Knoll
100 Midland Drive
Dallas, Pennsylvania, United States
Archpriest Theodore Panchak fell asleep in the Lord on the evening of December 30, 2022.
A native of Gary, Indiana, Fr Ted was the son of the late Frank and Madge Panchak. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1968. Following his graduation, he received a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1984. He served in Charlotte, North Carolina before coming to Dormition Church in Norfolk. He also taught in the Chesapeake Public Schools System for many years.
He is survived by several cousins, extended family, and a host of dear friends.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Dormition Orthodox Church.
The funeral services for Father Ted are as follows:
Tuesday, January 3, at 6:00 PM: Funeral Service at Dormition of the Theotokos Orthodox Church, 736 Sheppard Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23518, with viewing to follow.
Wednesday, January 4, at 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy at Dormition Church, followed by burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 8100 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23505.
Pavlo Kurganov just completed his first semester in the Master of Arts program at St Vladimir's Seminary. Hailing from Kyiv, Ukraine, where he studied at the Kyiv Theological Academy, Pavlo has many observations to share about adapting to life at an American theological institution, his experiences at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and his impressions of the great benefits to be gleaned from theological education.
Please share a little bit about your background—your home country, education, and family.
Originally, I'm from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Kyiv is a very beautiful city, with a lot of monasteries, churches, and parks. I really love this city. I was born there, I lived there, and I graduated there from the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary with a degree in theology, with an additional concentration in history and archaeology from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. I'm very grateful to God to have had this great opportunity.
I was born in a very big and beautiful family, four brothers and one sister. I'm the oldest brother and son in the family. I saw a lot of examples of kindness and happiness in my family, and I try to represent these examples in my own life.
My family is a very big support for me. Every time I have problems, for instance, I call my family to talk with them and hear their advice. I also call them often just to talk with them, also to congratulate them when there is a birthday party or something else like that. When I am at home, we always try to help each other, with chores, homework, and so on.
What is your motivation in pursuing theological studies?
I really want to become a priest. At the end of 9th or 10th grade, I started to discover for myself whom I really wanted to be; at the same time, I was discovering my own faith. I had thoughts and questions—what is our faith really, and what does God really want from us, or maybe, he doesn't really want anything from us. I tried to read different books about the Orthodox faith, about priests, their lives, about saints. I discovered that this was not only very interesting, but that the Orthodox faith and the saints showed me the way that could help me a lot. So, I started learning about this more and more, and I decided to go to the theological seminary.
Why did you choose to come to St Vladimir's Seminary, and what are your impressions now that you have been here for a few months?
Because it’s one of the leading Orthodox theological seminaries, it has a commitment to the educational process and uses a different approach to theological education compared to what I experienced in Ukraine. At home, I was able to receive a lot of information. Professors, teachers, scientists would give lectures, share their own results of research, and present discussions, data, scientific terms, and so on. It was some kind of filtered information. The only thing we needed to do was memorize those blocks of information. It was very helpful, especially when you study in seminary right after high school, but in my case, when I already have this seminary education, I want something more. The master’s program should teach me to think, to analyze, and to maybe research my faith and the Orthodox perspective on the things that surround me more closely.
At St Vladimir’s Seminary, our faith as students grows and is cultivated under the supervision of teachers and priests. As a student, you have a lot of questions. You have a lot of information, books, and so on. And you need to resolve these questions on your own, to try to think. This is maybe one of my biggest reasons for coming to St Vladimir’s Seminary. Here, I'm learning to think, to analyze, and to make my own decisions and to make my own synthesis of the information that I get. And I hope that through this process, maybe in time (I think I will need a lot of time), I will be trained to have some kind of theological intuition, so that I will have a better understanding when I need to deal with different texts, for example, in the Old Testament, or related to church history. We are being given a foundation to understand what's going on in those particular situations, those particular times, through the perspective of the Church, and why it's important.
In our church history class, our professor told us that we need to understand different approaches to the studies of the church, as compared to those used in the secular world—they are very different. We need to understand these different approaches as we study, so as to grab the most important, and to present the truest, most beautiful analyses that we can. And the results will be fascinating, even for people who are outside the Church.
We are encouraged to really, deeply investigate our own faith and share this perspective with others, taking part in the life of the Church. We are trying to get the Gospel in our hearts, so that the Gospel will really live in us—not simply the words, the history, or some kind of moral that was taught 1000 years ago, not as the rules and laws that are very strict, but as something that is alive and gives real life to me. This life from the Gospel enables me to become more joyful, have more kindness, and from the perspective of becoming a priest, to share the Gospel with others.
The dedication to missionary work is very good here. We learn about how to share this life, how not to harm another person with whom I speak, how to deal with my own problems, how to examine my own faith, and how to be a real Christian. I have experiences in the Orthodox Church of participating in missionary projects, such as sharing supplies with people who have nothing to eat, or don’t have enough clothes, and so on. But we have a lack of explanation for priests, for seminarians, even for people who are in the Church, about why we really need this, why this missionary work really enriches us. Not only in the spiritual sense, but also why it helps your parish to grow. There are a lot of good examples of missionary work here, and I really want to participate in them and try to initiate more efforts.
Mihailo Vlajkovic came to St Vladimir’s Seminary from Serbia in August 2022. He is enrolled in the M.A. program, continuing a theological education that began in his home country many years ago. In this student spotlight interview, Mihailo shared his background, his thoughts on life and study at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and ideas and hopes for the future.
Mihailo, can you tell us about your hometown and your family in Serbia?
My hometown is named Pozega. It's a small town, the whole municipality has around 30,000 people. My family lives there now, not really directly in the city, but in a small village. It's located in the Western region of Serbia, in the Diocese of Žiča, which is most famous because of St Sava, or for American Orthodox people, because of St Nikolaj Velimirović. We have many other famous priests and saints, but those are the most well-known. I have two younger brothers and a sister living there, besides my parents, and they're enjoying their life, their school, and other everyday life activities. I moved away from them seven years ago for my studies. Of course, I always try to come back home and visit them as much as I can.
What did you study before coming to St Vladimir’s Seminary?
I did my bachelor studies in Orthodox theological studies at the University of Belgrade in Serbia, but besides Serbia, I had opportunities to complete short academic programs and internships in a few other countries, such as Croatia, Hungary, and Greece. I participated in several other programs connected to theology, philosophy, and religion that were meant to encourage young scholars to think about modern approaches to problems. I would say that it was a very good opportunity to have all that experience, especially related to issues connected with the Balkan region. I also had the opportunity to study the Greek language in Greece for a summer, which I actually continued doing in Belgrade. That helped me a lot to start to understand and feel more familiar with people in other Orthodox churches.
How did you decide to come to St Vladimir's Seminary?
During my bachelor program, I was always listening to Fr Schmemann and Fr Florovsky and other famous theologians who have a very strong tradition in relation to the Serbian Orthodox Church. I was always thinking about how nice it would be to one day at least visit this school; I was dreaming of coming here. I didn't really believe that it would be possible, but after a very long process, here I am.
How did you become interested in theology?
Basically, I’ve spent my whole life in church. My family has a long tradition connected with the Church. Both my grandfather and my grandmother went to a monastery around the time when I was born. My aunt, my father's sister, went to a monastery when she was 17 years old, and has been a nun for more than 30 years now. My uncle is a priest here in the States, at St Sava Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA, and somehow all my life I was going to different churches and many monasteries to visit, in many different dioceses. I was not really sure during my high school years that I would go into theology, because I was very interested in literature and in theater. I like acting, I was active in theater and acting during my high school and undergraduate programs. But somehow, I figured out that I really like theology. And I wanted to connect all those things, what I'm interested in, with theology.
What class or professor has impacted you so far at St Vladimir’s Seminary?
This is a little bit of a difficult question. One class that has impacted me greatly was the class on the Philokalia with Father Maximos. I remember, when we were picking our classes for the semester, I wasn’t sure if I would choose this class, as I had taken classes on the Philokalia before. But I actually heard from my uncle, who studied at Holy Cross, that Fr Maximos is a very good professor, so I took the class. Now, after four months, I would say it feels like a miracle. I came here expecting to develop myself academically, pursuing my master’s degree and so on. But with that class, although it was at a very high academic level (it was my first time having to write so many pages about Patristics!), it also had this deeper side of spirituality, which I might say I had lost, in a sense, in constantly studying all this theology. I will remember all of the Philokalia classes; I could make half a book from the notes I took, things that hit me so strongly, and that changed my way of looking at my life or future.
I would say that I'm not the same person as I was in August when I came here. No matter how hard it was sometimes over the past few months, I'm very thankful for it all now, and I think I will be even more thankful as time goes on. For example, I'm very thankful that these three months have shown me the differences between the way schools are run here and in Europe, because it's a totally different system. I think I have started to get used to all of these differences, and I think the professors here are so open, which I really find very helpful; they are so open to help and give advice, to see when you have struggles, and to be there for you. I think that's something to be respected.
What is it like for you to live and study here at St Vladimir's Seminary?
I feel like maybe it's too early to say it, but it feels like home, maybe because I'm here every day. When you start the morning with prayer and end the day with prayer, and you talk with and listen to all these people around you, you cannot be unaffected by all this. I'm a very open person, I like to meet people. And then when you connect all of this to theological study, it sometimes can be hard, as we all come here for different reasons, and from different perspectives, but ultimately, for one main reason: to serve God.
So, I really found a life here. People sometimes say to me, theology seems like the hardest thing to study in the world – how is it going for you? I always answer, theology is only hard if you want to live that which you study; if you're just trying to get grades, it shouldn't be that hard. If you want to really change your life, to follow what you are reading, that can be difficult – but that is actually what makes it more interesting, more lovely.
Life here is full of things to do, like classes or church. We have our service to the community, and we try to give our best because all of us are part of one big family. Then we have free time. Of course, we spend this together -- meeting for movies and discussions, poetry nights, and sports are also included. We have a gym here, we often play basketball when the weather is nice.
What do you hope to do, God willing, after seminary?
This is the hardest question. The thing which I have definitely learned since coming here, is that plans are something which are so easy to change, and I changed a lot of them since I came here. So, I would say that my plan is to give my best with school, and to see what the opportunities are like for me, and where the Church needs me.
Also, I want to say, as a part of the Serbian Orthodox Church, I'm very thankful to professors and priests here for the opportunity to go and meet our bishop and visit a few parish churches. That's something which is very important for us, as foreigners in this country, to see the Orthodox world in such a different sense, with so many different conditions. It can be hard sometimes, but in essence, it's something which we all need. If we are always just stuck inside our own walls, in our own rooms, nothing good can happen. So I'm very thankful for these opportunities.
I don't know what God and the Church will give me in the future, with my future serving, but I'll do my best to take all these experiences and the advice of smarter and more spiritual people to make myself better and one day, God willing, to serve where they send me in the best way I can. So that would be my plan.
2022: By God’s grace, St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) grew and expanded in multiple areas. A few highlights were: accepting the largest student body (43) in recent history for the Fall 2022 semester (the entire student body, across degree programs totaling 101 seminarians, including 14 women), rebuilding seminarian scholarship funds on Giving Tuesday, and starting the development of online Orthodox theological courses and continuing education for clergy nationwide. As always, the primary mission and focus of St Vladimir’s Seminary continues unchanged: to train priests, lay leaders, and scholars to be active apologists of the Orthodox Christian Faith—focusing on academic rigor and spiritual formation within a residential Orthodox community.
JANUARY: On the feast of Theophany, SVOTS President, The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield blessed the Seminary “Troublesome” Creek as part of a festal procession through the campus.
JANUARY: A large group of seminary faculty, staff, and students traveled to Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life.
JANUARY: His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada led the SVOTS community in celebrating the Synaxis of the Ecumenical Teachers and Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom, the patronal feast of the campus chapel.
FEBRUARY: The seminary community joined Fr Chad in a “house blessing” for the entire SVOTS campus.
MARCH: Seminarians saying the Prayer of St Ephraim during Presanctified Liturgy in the first week of Great Lent.
MARCH: World-renowned iconographer, Dr George Kordis gave a talk entitled “Tradition and Innovation: The Theology of Rhythm as a Guide in a Sea of Creative Possibilities” at an academic roundtable hosted by the Institute of Sacred Arts.
APRIL: Seminary students and community members participated in a unique, four-day icon-painting workshop given by Dr George Kordis as part of his tenure as an artist in residence with the Institute for Sacred Arts for the Spring 2022 semester.
APRIL: Seminary children sang the Troparion for Palm Sunday in preparation for the festal procession.
APRIL: Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Fr Chad censes the congregation at Pascha.
MAY: Commencement - the graduating class of 2022 with His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, visiting hierarchs, and faculty and trustees of St Vladimir’s Seminary.
JUNE: Practice makes perfect - a participant of the Summer Music Institute hones her choir directing craft.
JUNE: Seminary faculty help train diaconal candidates on campus for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)’s Diaconal Liturgical Practicum.
JULY: Renowned scholar Dr Michael Legaspi joins SVOTS as associate professor of Biblical Studies (Old Testament).
AUGUST: Education Day was held online via Zoom; the event featured six hours of presentations conducted by SVOTS faculty members, was attended by hundreds online, and raised over $47,000 for seminarian scholarships.
SEPTEMBER: Several distinguished SVOTS faculty members were honored by the announcement of faculty chairs, sponsored by long-standing endowments.
OCTOBER: Over one hundred teens and parents gathered at St Vladimir's Seminary for aTeen SOYO retreat, during which ten SVOTS seminarians from the Antiochian Archdiocese and three from the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) shared their experiences at the seminary.
OCTOBER: St Vladimir’s Seminary hosted its inaugural Annual Academic Symposium, inviting noted scholars to give presentations related to liturgical theology.
OCTOBER: Seminary families gathered for the annual Fall Festival, which included a chili cook-off, games and crafts, and a children’s costume contest.
NOVEMBER: In one of several ordinations held at Three Hierarchs Chapel this year, 3rd year M.Div. student, Dn Alexander Earl, was ordained to the priesthood by the hand of His Eminence, the Most Reverend Alexander, Archbishop of Dallas, the South and the Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) on Sunday, November 6 - the commemoration of the seminary’s reception of the relics of the Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles and patron saint of the Seminary.
NOVEMBER: Faculty dish up Thanksgiving dinner for seminary students and their families, in a longstanding SVOTS tradition.
DECEMBER: Seminary children gathered at the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium for a special visit from St Nicholas (played by a seminarian)!
DECEMBER: The first post-pandemic Christmas Concert was performed by the St Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale, under the direction of Dr Harrison Russin, singing “Hymns of the Nativity,” a selection of Christmas hymns and carols from various traditions to celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
