December
15, 2009
Boston, MA: Holy Trinity Seminary Choir visits the Church of the Holy
Epiphany
With
the blessing of Archimandrite Luke, the Holy Trinity Seminary Choir
made its first visit of the 2009-2010 school year. By the invitation
of Priest Victor Boldewskul, the choir returned to the Holy Epiphany
Parish in Roslindale, Massachusetts on December 5-6 to sing the Vigil
and Liturgy. Returning to the choir from last year’s quartet are
conductor and 2nd tenor Ephraim Willmarth (4th year), and bass Nikolai
Lochmatov (4th year). Joining the veterans are 1st tenors Vladislav
Naumkin (5th year) and Matthew Romanchuk (2nd year), 2nd tenor Igor
Evgenievich Kamenii (instructor of Dogmatic Theology), Baritone
Anthony Williams (2nd year), and bass Peter Markevich (2nd year).
Fourth year student Maksim Abroskin also traveled with the choir and
read portions of the Divine services.
It was the second time the choir came this year to Holy Epiphany
parish. The parish has been visited frequently by seminarians on
various occasions what established the strong ties between Holy
Trinity Seminary and the Holy Epiphany community. These visits always
contribute to the fruitful experience, which will help seminarians in
their future service to the Church. Here they see a healthy parish
life and parish spirit. They can perceive the parish grow before their
own eyes, regularly interact with clergy and discuss various practical
and theoretical questions and problems.
After arriving in Boston on Saturday Dec. 5th, the fourth year
students, along with Dr. Karina Ross, made an excursion to the Boston
Museum of Fine Art to view an exhibit of Romantic era paintings as a
compliment to their current study of Russian Literature of the same
period. That afternoon, the choir traveled to Roslindale to sing
All-Night Vigil and the next morning, the choir also sang the Divine
Liturgy. The choir sang selections from Holy Trinity Monastery
repoirtoire, including compositions by Allemanov, Archimandrite Matfei
(Mormil), Rimskiy-Korsakov, and Trubachev.
Following Divine Liturgy, the entire parish joined the seminarians in
singing a Moleben service to the Mother of God for the health of
Archimandrite Ioasaf (Mclellan), head of the Russian Eccliastical
Mission in Jerusalem, who is being treated in Boston for a serious
illness. Fr. Ioasaf, a graduate and former professor of Holy Trinity
Seminary, and a former parishioner at the Holy Epiphany parish,
himself conducted the seminary choir for several years. After a
delicious meal prepared by the parish sisterhood in the church hall,
the choir visited Fr. Ioasaf and sang several pieces for him from the
weekend’s services - the Irmosi of Nativity and the Exapostilarion
from the Entrance of the Theotokos. Fr. Ioasaf was in good spirits,
thanked the choir for coming, and asked for everyone’s prayers.
The choir would like to thank the parish clergy, Fr. Victor and Fr.
Thomas Reske; Protodeacon Alexander Yarostchuk and Andrei Alekseevich
Klinov, who graciously accepted the seminarians into their homes
Saturday night; the parish Sisterhood and the entire Holy Epiphany
parish for their hospitality and generous support of the seminary.
Finally, we would like to ask for our readers’ fervent prayers for
Fr. Ioasaf’s recovery.
www.hts.edu
