St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Events
Buildings,
God, and People
The
Dedication of the John G. Rangos Family Foundation Building
May 10 & 11, 2002
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St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Events Buildings,
God, and People |
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We gathered to express gratitude to God for the blessings bestowed on the seminary, and we expressed that gratitude in the celebration of the Eucharist, the ultimate service of thanksgiving. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius, primate of the Orthodox Church in America, concelebrated the Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning with Archbishop Herman of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania and Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese), in the presence of several other hierarchs: Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate, Bishop Job of Chicago and the Midwest, Metropolitan Soterios of Toronto and All Canada (Ecumenical Patriarchate). Also present were a host of clergy, most of whom were Seminary alumni. The faithful were a joyous panoply of the seminary’s friends, from many different regions, countries and churches. We gathered this weekend also to express gratitude to certain people whose immense generosity made this building possible, and made possible other significant gifts which will help the seminary work towards its mission of proclaiming the gospel of Christ. At a lavish and festive banquet on Friday evening, we listened to His Eminence, Metropolitan Phillip, primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, speak of his close association with St Vladimir’s. That association will be remembered partly through the naming of our new auditorium in his honor. Brian Gerich and Albert Foundos, both trustees of the school and generous benefactors, spoke with love for the school, also with fond and sometimes humorous memories of the Campaign for St Vladimir’s, of which they were the co-chairs. Fr Anthony Scott, whose tenure as Advancement Officer of the seminary left an indelible positive mark on the school’s life and its financial situation, was clearly moved to be present. Another trustee, Eric Namee, spoke on behalf of the Virgina H. Farah Foundation, a generous supporter of St Vladimir’s. Trustee Mrs. Elsie Skvir Nierle, present with many members of her family, spoke to us after it was announced that she and her family have endowed the John and Paraskeva Skvir Chair in Practical Theology. The leading donor to the $8 million building, John G. Rangos Sr, also flanked by family members, reminded us of the importance of charitable work in the Orthodox Church, speaking from his personal experience as founder of the International Orthodox Christian Charities. We heard the testimony of another remarkable and generous person, deeply faithful friend of the seminary, Mrs. Hooda Germack, after it was announced that what was always called the “Main Building” of the seminary, the old stone edifice that remains at its center, will be called the Hooda Germack Building. All the while, Dean Fr Thomas Hopko served as master of ceremonies, and happily “couldn’t resist” contributing many significant, warm, and inspiring remarks. Finally, His Beatitude Metropolitan Theodosius grounded all of the words we had heard in the spirit of prayer and thanksgiving. In celebrating all of these individuals, and in expressing our gratitude to them, we were always mindful of the 2,200 people who contributed their own resources towards the realization of this dream. On Saturday afternoon, the formal dedication ceremony took place. Since the heart of the new building is after all the seminary’s library, the keynote address of the great scholar Jaroslav Pelikan was a theological and historical meditation on the significance of books for Christians: he reminded us that we are “people of the Book – and of books!” The building was formally opened with the cutting of the ribbon by Metropolitan Theodosius, who proceeded inside and blessed every room with holy oil, as the choir sang the paschal canon. Attending and assisting throughout the ceremonies were colleagues and esteemed friends from sister seminaries: Fr Nicholas Triantafilou of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Fr Michael Dahulich of St Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Fr Daniel Findykian and Prof. Abraham Terian, Dean and Academic Dean, respectively, of St Nersess Armenian Seminary, and Fr Bijesh Philip, Vice Principal, St Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary, Nagpur, India. We had occasion also to rejoice, not only in seeing this new and much-anticipated building be formally opened and blessed, but also in seeing each other. The ceremonies of this weekend brought together many friends and alumni of the seminary who see each other all too rarely. Many traveled specially from far-flung places in the North American continent. Others traveled specially from Europe and Asia – Fr M.C. Cherian came from India; Fr Vladimir and Tania Misijuk traveled from Poland. Liturgical services gave way to meals served outside and in tents where we could enjoy each others’ fellowship. Yet in all of the thanksgiving and joy, we were also humbled. We were humbled to experience, once again, how many people believe in St Vladimir’s Seminary, trust in and love the seminary – how many people have so much at stake in the seminary and in its mission that they give of themselves so generously to it. Those of us who work for the seminary, or teach here, or study here, were struck by this reminder that what we do here from day to day, week to week, year to year, really matters. This means we had better be doing it to the very best of our capabilities, to live up to the expectations and hopes that people have of the seminary and the prayers they offer for the seminary. To be reminded of these expectations helps remind us what we are about, and on whose strength and grace we rely so utterly. In this spirit, our dean recalled for us the words of an anonymous woman he once encountered, a cook at an Orthodox summer camp. His message was that while the seminary certainly needs buildings, an endowment, and the resources to pay for its annual budget, we can never forget that it needs also “God, and people.” We cannot let the buildings and the budget be our guide, our source and our end. They are a necessary means. But Our Lord Jesus Christ must be our guide and our goal, and his gospel what we preach and teach here. The people of the Church (and through the Church, the world) are the ones at whose service we really are. A weekend of gratitude, joy, and humility – and we are thankful for it! Peter Bouteneff Photographs courtesy Orthodox Church in America. |
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On
May 10-11, 2002, several hundred friends, benefactors, faculty, staff,
students and alumni of St Vladimir’s Seminary gathered together
to dedicate its newest and largest building. The John G. Rangos
Family Foundation building is the new home to the seminary’s 120,000-volume
library, as well as the main administrative offices and a 300-seat auditorium.
The two-day event, which took place in stunningly good weather, was characterized
by gratitude, joy, and also humility.
