Crestwood Historical Society President Elizabeth McFadden (left) and society Vice-president Marcella McGovern (right) flank SVS Chancellor Fr. Chad Hatfield as they honor the seminary with congratulatory proclamations and citations from city, state, and county representatives. The seminary also earned the society’s “Exemplified Civil Spirit Award.”

St. Vladimir’s Seminary gained high praise as one of four honorees feted by the Crestwood Historical Society at a celebratory meeting held on the seminary campus Friday, October 17, 2008. Since 1962, SVS has been part of the City of Yonkers deemed by local residents as the “Crestwood neighborhood,” and the seminary’s contributions to the surrounding community were recognized not only by the historical society, but also by city, county, and state representatives during the evening’s celebration.

“The Crestwood community is proud to be able to claim itself home to this important, internationally acclaimed center of Orthodox training and prayerful worship,” said Marcella McGovern, Vice-president of society and Chair of the evening event.

“St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary is one of only three Orthodox seminaries in the United States providing graduate education,” Ms. McGovern continued. “It is best known as the rescuer of Orthodox literature from destruction by Eastern Bloc Communist governments, and its library contains the largest collection of such literature in the English-speaking world. ‘St. Vlad's,’ as it is fondly called by most of its students and the community, has taken on the task of translating into many languages the Russian texts it saved. It also has become the leading publisher of new Orthodox works, and has helped other infant seminaries to maintain and broaden the education of the over 200 million members of the Orthodox faith, now that the persecution by the Communist regimes has ended.”

Ms. McGovern further reminded the crowd attending the event of the seminary’s important and influential role during the Cold War, including a Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) program broadcast weekly by Fr. Alexander Schmemann, who served as SVS Dean from 1962 until his death in 1983, and who sent, via the air waves, liturgical services, lectures, and sermons to beyond the Iron Curtain. “St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary once again made the news when it was the first place Alexander Solzhenitsyn visited after his 1974 expulsion from the Soviet Union,” she noted.

Additionally, Ms. McGovern mentioned the many ways in which “St. Vladimir’s takes particular pride in reaching out to the Yonkers community of which it is a vital member,” including the fact that seminary employees currently are working with the City of Yonkers developing Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) whose responsibilities include disaster preparedness, fire safety, and emergency health operations and the recognition and handling of terrorist incidents. Moreover, she said, seminarians are presently analyzing the quality of the Bronx River Watershed starting with "Troublesome Brook" which flows through the campus and ultimately to the Bronx River and Long Island Sound, with the goal of improving the quality of the rivers and streams in Westchester County.

“Our thanks goes out to St. Vladimir’s, for being a center of training and of prayerful worship,” Ms. McGovern concluded.

Joining in the congratulations were Gordon A. Burrows (Legislator, District 15), representing the Westchester County Board of Legislators, who presented a resolution proclaiming October 17, 2008 “St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary Day” in Westchester County and recognizing its “outstanding support” to the countywide community.

Presenting a proclamation from the City of Yonkers, Office of the Mayor, as well as a salutation from the Office of the City Council, was City Council President Chuck Lesnick. Yonkers Mayor Philip A. Amicone had signed the proclamation designating the day in honor of SVS and calling upon all residents of Yonkers to recognize “this true community leader” and to thank SVS “for the manifold contributions it has made to our city.” Mr. Lesnick, along with all City Council members, also signed their own congratulatory document, which called upon the 199,000 residents in Yonkers to formally recognize “one of the most prominent religious institutions in our city.”

Finally, Elizabeth McFadden, President of the Crestwood Historical Society for the past eight years, presented a citation on behalf of the New York State Assembly, signed by Assembly member Mike Spano (93rd Assembly District). The citation recognized the achievements of the seminary, which culminated in its reception that evening of the “Crestwood Historical Society’s Exemplified Civil Spirit Award.”

Reminiscing on the eleven-year association between the historical society and SVS, Ms. McFadden said, “The Crestwood section of Yonkers, in whose boundaries St. Vladimir’s Seminary resides, is grateful for the seminary’s invitation to participate in its local activities by offering the use of its beautiful library and facilities for meetings and celebrations. The school has opened its doors to us on numerous occasions, going above and beyond the call of duty.”

Ms. McFadden particularly noted the participation in the society by the seminary’s professor of history, The Very Rev. Dr. John Erickson, who had given lectures at the society’s meetings over the years and had arranged for historically illuminating “walk-abouts” on the campus.

Other honorees recognized on the same evening were James P. Shea, Esq., who served as counselor and advisor in legal matters to the society, particularly in guiding the composing and editing of the society’s official By-laws and Constitution; Camille Smith (posthumously) for her immersion and expertise in the history of Indian settlements in Crestwood and for her work at and preservation of the Crestwood Branch of the Yonkers Public Library; and John Frederick (“Jack”) Prill, Esq., for his twelve-year dedication to restoring Yonkers’ oldest extant private home, the 1785 Hart House on Bronxville Road, and for his design of the Crestwood Historical Society’s logo, inspired by Crestwood’s proximity to the Bronx River Parkway.

To read the full proclamations, citations, and salutations given to SVS, please visit http://www.svots.edu/About_our_seminary/About/Proclamations/. A full gallery of photographs is included below. Finally, SVS Alumni and friends may review historical photos and articles regarding the seminary—including previous property owners, St. Eleanora’s Convalescent Home for Poor Mothers—on the Web site of the Crestwood Historical Society at www.mycrestwood.org.