February
14, 2010
Jordanville:
Holy Trinity Seminary celebrates Patronal Feast of the Three Hierarchs
On
February 10- 11, 2010 the faculty and students of Holy Trinity
Seminary celebrated the Feast of their heavenly protectors, the Holy
Three Hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John
Chrysostom. This year, the seminarians were honored by the presence of
Archbishop Anthony of Borispol, Rector of the Kiev Theological Academy
and Seminary, and Bishop George of Mayfield, a graduate of Holy
Trinity Seminary and a long-time member of the monastery brotherhood.
According to the seminary’s longstanding tradition, the students
read and sang portions of Vespers and Matins in Greek, with Byzantine
chant, under the direction of Fr. Cyprian (Alexandrou), inspector of
the Seminary and professor of Greek.
Thursday morning, the Greeting of His
Eminience, Archbishop Anthony, took place at 8 am, followed by the
Divine Liturgy. Serving with Vladyka were Bishop George; Archimandrite
Luke (Murianka), Rector of the Seminary; the monastery clergy
(including Fr. Alexei Pjawka, who celebrated the first anniversary of
his ordination to the Priesthood); and guests Archpriest Andre Papkov,
Archpriest Michael Taratuchin, and Protodeacon Joseph Yarostchuk. At
the Small Entrance, Fr. Cyprian was awarded the nabedrennik by Bishop
George for his service to Holy Trinity Monastery. Following the
consecration of the gifts, Vladyka George ordained Fr. Gabriel (Astrakhankin),
a monk at Holy Trinity Monastery, to the diaconate.
Following the Divine Liturgy and a light
breakfast, the brotherhood and guests gathered in the Seminary hall
for a ceremony to mark the feast. Archbishop Anthony congratulated Fr.
Luke and the seminary on behalf of His Beatitude Vladimir,
Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, and the Kiev Theological Academy
and Seminary. His Eminence also gifted to the monastery a portion of
the relics of the Righteous Father Nestor the Chronicler, who was a
monk of the Kiev Caves Lavra. Protodeacon Vladimir Tsurikov, the
seminary’s Dean, presented Fr. Luke with a portion of the relics of
St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, a gift from His Holiness Kyrill,
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
The ceremony’s keynote address was given
by Archpriest Andre Papkov, a graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary and
senior cleric at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Des Plaines,
IL. He spoke on the pastoral and theological legacy of the Russian
Orthodox Church Abroad, specifically that of Metropolitans Anthony (Khrapovitsky)
and Anastasy (Gribanovsky), Archbishop Vitalii (Maximenko), and St.
John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco. Following the
ceremony, all the attendance shared a festal meal in the refectory.
Official greetings had been received from
His Beatitude Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine,
Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of Russian Church Abroad,
Archbishop Evgeny of Vereia, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy
and Seminary; Archbishop Antonii of Borispol, Rector of Kiev
Theological Academy and School, Bishop Ambrose of Gatchina, Rector of
St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary.
The Holy Trinity Seminary Scholarship was
awarded to fifth year seminarians Alexander Ivanov, Vladimir Kulik,
Vladislav Naumkin, Petr Petryshyn and Sergio Silva, and to fourth year
seminarians Maksim Abroskin, Dmitrii Bolbot, Nikolai Lochmatow, Jovan
Marjanac, Alexander Sandoval and Ephraim Willmarth. Scholarships from
the Koulaeff Fund were awarded to third year seminarian Ivan Denisenko,
and second year seminarians Anthony Williams, Peter Markevich, and
Mathew Romanchak. The Metropolitan Philaret scholarship was awarded to
second year seminarian Igor Grytsyna. The Scholarship in memory of
Archimandrite Joasaph was awarded to Nikolosky Dionisii. The Helen
Smerznak scholarship was awarded to second year seminarian Nikoloski
Dionisii and fifth year seminarian Evgeniy Poznyak.
The faculty and students of Holy Trinity Seminary would like to
thank Archbishop Anthony, Bishop George, and all our guests for
sharing in this feast with us, and especially Father Andre for his
words of guidance and encouragement. In addition, congratulations go
to Fr. Cyprian, Fr. Alexei, and newly ordained Fr. Gabriel.
Official
website of Holy Trinity Seminary
www.hts.edu
