With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of St. Vladimir’s Seminary Trustee Emeritus Mitchell Zunich. Zunich, 93, died on the Feast of Holy Pascha, Sunday, April 19, at his home at St. Mary of the Woods Assisted Living in Avon, OH.

Zunich was born May 10, 1926 in Lorain, OH. He served with the US Army during World War II in the 357th Regiment of the 90th Infantry Division. During his service, he participated in the battles of Rhineland and Central Europe and received the European-African-Middle-Eastern Theater Ribbon with two Bronze Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, a WWII Victory Medal and an Occupation Medal for Germany. His division was awarded the Bronze Star and participated in the liberation of Flossenburg Concentration Camp. Zunich attended the Ohio State University where he earned a bachelor of science in accounting. He founded Mitchell Zunich & Co. Certified Public Accountants, retiring in 2001. He was active in the community, having served as an officer, president, and board member of many organizations including the Lorain Rotary Club, Lorain Salvation Army, Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority, the City Bank Co., Lorain Family YMCA, Clearview School Board, and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. In the 1990s, Mitchell and his wife, Violet, helped establish a scholarship for Serbian Orthodox seminarians at St. Vladimir’s so that no young Serbian Orthodox men would be turned away from becoming priests. Zunich was a member of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Lorain, the Serbian National Federation, the Ohio Society of CPAs, and the AICPA.

"Mitch was honored to be on the Seminary’s Board of Trustees," said fellow St. Vladimir's Trustee Emeritus Brian Gerich. "He served many years as one of the four Serbian trustees along with [Trustee Emeritus] Alex Machaskee, Leon Lysaght, and myself.

"During our 1990’s Capital Campaign, I asked Mitch to join with me in establishing endowments for scholarships for Serbian Orthodox students studying to become priests. He immediately accepted, and he and his beloved wife Violet added to their endowment regularly. Mitch was pleased to know that as students graduated they were debt free as they prepared for a lifetime of serving our Lord."

"I remember Mitch as a quiet, decisive, compassionate gentleman who was a staunch supporter of our Orthodox Christian faith and a great contributor of time, talent, and treasure to St. Vladimir's Seminary," added Alex Machaskee. "He was a founding contributor to Monastery Marcha in Richfield Ohio, a decorated veteran of World War II, and a highly esteemed civic leader."

Mitchell Zunich is survived by his sons, Mitch Zunich of Cleveland and Rob (Eva) Zunich of Avon Lake; grandchildren, Neven, Dane, Rada, and Mila Zunich; and sister, Sophie Tyrin of Chicago. Zunich was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Violet M. Zunich (née Kobac) on Sept 7, 2014; infant son, Nick Zunich, in 1959; parents, Nikola & Stanka Zunich (née Kunic); brothers, Demeter, George, Nick, and Mike Zunich; and sisters, Mildred Stamatis, Dorothy Kovan, Nellie Raynovich, and Mary Zunich.

Due to restrictions on social gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, private family funeral services will be held. Hieromonk Nektarije Tesanovic of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church will preside with burial to follow in Elmwood Cemetery in Lorain. Memorial contributions may be made to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, 3355 Grove Ave, Lorain, OH, 44055 or St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, 575 Scarsdale Rd, Yonkers, NY, 10707. Arrangements are under the direction of Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Ave, Lorain. Online condolences may be made at www.gluvna.net. 

May the memory of Mitchell Zunich be eternal!

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(The photo and some information in this article have been reprinted from The Morning Journal.)

The Commencement of the Class of 2024 of St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will occur on Saturday, May 18, 2024. The ceremony will begin with a prayer of thanksgiving in Three Hierarchs Chapel at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, after which all guests of the graduating class will be asked to take their seats in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium in the John G. Rangos building. At approximately 1:30 p.m. Eastern, the visiting hierarchs, guests of honor, faculty, and graduating students will proceed to the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium for the ceremony. The ceremony will be live-streamed starting at approximately 1:30 p.m. EST.

Dr Robert P. George will give his remarks as the 2024 Commencement Speaker. Dr George has had an illustrious career and currently serves as the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University.

The Commencement Ceremony of the Class of 2024 will be live-streamed for all who cannot attend in person. Please register below to indicate your plans for attendance and to receive the Zoom link to participate via live stream.

Register here

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Commencement for the Class of 2024 will be held at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) on Saturday, May 18, 2024. In addition to enjoying the presence of multiple esteemed hierarchs of the Orthodox Church on Saturday, the seminary is pleased to host two honored guests this year, Dr Robert P. George and the Very Rev. Dr Patrick Henry Reardon, who will each receive honorary degrees during the ceremony.

Dr George will be delivering the commencement address and receiving a Doctor of Canon Law, honoris causa, from St Vladimir’s Seminary. Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, expressed his appreciation for Dr George’s work, saying, “Prof. Robert George is one of the most distinguished figures in law and culture and where these two arenas intersect with religion in America. He will, no doubt, bring a clear picture of the world where our graduates will be serving Orthodoxy in their various ministries.”

Fr Patrick Henry Reardon will be receiving a Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa, at the commencement ceremony. A longtime scholar and teacher at multiple universities, as well as a recently retired Orthodox priest with the Antiochian Archdiocese, Fr Patrick’s extensive published work and spoken presentations are widely known across the Orthodox world. “Of the many professors that I have had over the years,” said Fr Chad, “Fr Patrick is the standout, who continues to make significant contributions to theology and the study of scripture. He is truly one of the ‘elders’ of Orthodox scholarship in America."

This year’s distinguished guest list at commencement follows the precedent set last year, with notable policymaker the Hon. Alex M. Azar II giving the 2023 commencement address and awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, in recognition of his faithful and dedicated philanthropic service over many years within the Church.

About Robert P. George

Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He has frequently been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, teaching philosophy of law and related subjects.

A graduate of Swarthmore College, Professor George holds MTS and JD degrees from Harvard University and the degrees of DPhil, BCL, DCL, and DLitt from Oxford University. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at Swarthmore and received a Frank Knox Fellowship from Harvard for graduate study in law and philosophy at Oxford. He holds twenty-two honorary degrees, including doctorates of law, letters, ethics, science, divinity, humane letters, civil law, law and moral values, humanities, and juridical science.

In addition to his academic service, Professor George has served as Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. He has also served on the President's Council on Bioethics, as a presidential appointee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, as the U.S. member of UNESCO's World Commission on the Ethics of Science and Technology, and is a former Judicial Fellow at the Supreme Court of the United States, where he received the Justice Tom C. Clark Award.

He serves on the boards of the Templeton Foundation Religion Trust, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, and the Center for Individual Rights, among others.

Dr George is the author of multiple books and articles, is a Senior Editor of Touchstone Magazine, has been invited to speak at many prestigious events, and is the recipient of numerous distinguished awards and medals.

About the Very Rev. Patrick Henry Reardon

Fr Patrick Henry Reardon is a renowned speaker and teacher, a prolific scholarly writer, and a retired pastor in the Antiochian Orthodox Church; he resides in Chicago with his wife, Denise.

Fr Patrick received master's degrees from The Pontifical Atheneum of St Anselm (Rome) and the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rome), and continued clerical studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY). After joining the Orthodox Church in 1988, he also studied at St Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, PA).

Past teaching assignments include Bellarmine College (Louisville, KY), Nashotah House Theological Seminary (Nashotah, WI), Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry (Ambridge, PA), Chatham College (Pittsburgh, PA), and Community College of Allegheny County, PA.

After multiple pastoral assignments as an Episcopal priest, Fr Patrick joined the Orthodox Church and was ordained to the diaconate in 1990 and the priesthood in 1992. He pastored St Anthony Orthodox Church in Butler, PA, from 1992 to 1998, and All Saints Orthodox Church in Chicago, IL, from 1998 to 2020. In 2008, he was elevated as an Archpriest of the Antiochian Orthodox Church.

Fr Patrick has given numerous conference presentations and retreats in the U.S. and Europe and has published a multitude of books, articles, editorials, and reviews, including contributions to the St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly. Fr Patrick is also a Senior Editor of Touchstone Magazine.

All are invited to an in-person rendition of "Patriarch Abraham," a theatrical performance staged by seminarians and faculty at St Vladimir's Seminary. The performance will take place on Friday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m., in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium.

The text is based on a play originally written in Serbian by Dr Nenad Božović, Professor of Old Testament at the University of Belgrade, and translated by Mihail Golic (M.A.'24). Associate Professor of Old Testament, Dr Michael Legaspi, serves as faculty advisor and narrator for this production.

In "Patriarch Abraham," the major events of the life of Abraham are retold faithfully. The story opens up with the account of Abraham's father, Terah, and the migration of his family to Haran. After several scenes highlighting how Abraham established his home with Sarah following the return from Egypt, a special emphasis is placed on Abraham's encounter with the Lord at the Oak of Mamre. This scene provides an introduction to two significant events in Abraham's life: the birth of Isaac and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The play's underlying message is the importance of trust in God's providence, which Abraham followed at the pivotal points in his life, such as the establishment of the Covenant with God and the Aqedah.

Optional, cash-only donations will be collected by cast members at the door to benefit the construction of a new well in Gulu, Uganda, the hometown of seminarian Dn Richard Okello (M.Div. '25). Contact Daria Mayrose at dmayrose@svots.edu to learn more about contributing to this worthy cause.

Download the flyer

The seventh webinar in the Light of the World Webinar Series is titled “‘A Sweet Light Descended and Enlightened Me’—St Mary of Egypt and the Cleansing Strength of the Psalms.” This webinar will be hosted by the Rev. Dr Silviu Bunta, prolific Orthodox author and speaker, on Thursday, April 25, 2024, from 7:00—8:30 p.m. Eastern, via Zoom livestream.

Fr Silviu holds a B.A. degree in theology from the University of Sibiu (Romania), a M.A. degree in biblical studies from the University of Oradea (Romania) and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Marquette University. He specializes in the study of Second Temple Judaism and Christian origins, focusing particularly on mystical trends in pseudepigraphic and apocalyptic literature. Fr Silviu served as Visiting Associate Professor of Old Testament at St Vladimir’s Seminary from 2020-2022. He is also an active member of the Catholic Biblical Association of America and the Society of Biblical Literature.

This online webinar is open to the public and free of cost. It will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel afterward for easy access. Click the button below to register and to receive the Zoom webinar link.

Registration is now closed.

About the Light of the World Webinar Series: 

This monthly webinar series features speakers from among St Vladimir’s Seminary faculty, alumni, and friends, presenting on a variety of topics while answering a core question:

How are we Christians to be the light of the world?

Drawing inspiration from feedback received through a recent survey we conducted, these webinars aim to address a diverse range of themes related to real and pressing issues facing Orthodox faithful in modern society.

Primate of the OCA His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon visited St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) on April 22, the fifth Sunday of Great Lent.

His Beatitude presided at the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and the ordination of Seminarian Monk Cyril Hanna (M.Div. ‘25) to the Holy Diaconate. Fr Dn Cyril is a member of the Orthodox Monastery of St John the Baptist in Phoenix, AZ. A number of monks from his monastic community and nuns from the sister Monastery of St Macarius made the trip to the seminary to be present at the joyous occasion.

In his homily, His Beatitude drew on the Sunday Gospel reading, in which our Lord recounts His upcoming sufferings in detail, and called on his hearers to “truly lay aside all earthly cares and crucify our minds with Christ” during this last week of Great Lent, and especially during Holy Week. His Beatitude went on to point out that “each year Holy Week invites us back into the mystery of Christ, back into the authentic pattern of our life and salvation. We are not learning a new story, we are being called to experience and live more truly the story that has existed since before the beginning of time… If we allow ourselves to be transformed during this coming Holy Week, by the renewing of our minds, then we hope this renewal will remain with us throughout all the days of the coming year, and even into eternity.”

Hear the recording of His Beatitude’s homily

The Rev. Dr Gregory Christakos (D.Min. ‘24) presented his doctoral research in a webinar entitled “The Anatolian Genocide: Understanding Narratives Of Tragedy From An Orthodox Perspective,” at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Director of the Doctor of Ministry program, the Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen gave introductory remarks, inviting all those interested in pursuing a D.Min. to apply for the 2027 cohort, which begins classes this coming fall semester.

In this presentation and discussion, Fr Greg talked about the trauma of genocide, in this case specifically of Orthodox Christians in Asia Minor in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire (late 19th century to 20th century). He first provided a brief history of the Anatolian Genocide, which is also referred to in ethnic terms (e.g. the Armenian Genocide), and argued that the killing which occurred was not primarily ethnically motivated–anyone who practiced the Orthodox Christian faith in the region of Anatolia was brutally targeted.

Fr Greg went on to address a very contemporary question: why should we, over a century later, dwell on this terrible, yet seemingly distant part of our past? Quoting St Paul in Gal. 6:2, Fr Greg encouraged his listeners to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” As Orthodox Christians, we should have an understanding of past genocidal events and those who were martyred as part of them. Remembering and commemorating these traumatic events as part of our history and identity, regardless of our own ethnic background, helps us to cultivate Christ-like empathy so that we can “identify with others’ pain and stand up and oppose genocidal activity now.”

In his conclusion, Fr Greg discussed how we process narratives of trauma through the lens of Orthodox Christianity and how we use the various tools in our Orthodox toolkit to understand and move forward through such events.

To listen to Fr Greg’s presentation of his graduate research project for the D.Min. program at St Vladimir’s Seminary, and to read his final project paper, click the buttons below.

Watch Webinar Recording

Read Fr Greg’s D.Min. Project

About the Doctor of Ministry Program

The Doctor of Ministry degree at St Vladimir's Seminary enhances the practice of ministry for ordained and lay ministers in the Orthodox Church. The program integrates enhanced competencies in pastoral analysis with skills necessary to lead students to an advanced understanding of the nature and purposes of ministry. Working in communities of teachers and learners, the students gain deeper knowledge about the practice of serving others in Christian love as they grow in spiritual maturity as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The D.Min. program at St Vladimir's Seminary provides priests, chaplains, and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in order to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering. Integrating doctoral-level academic work with pastoral spirituality, this program will help you to acquire and refine the skills to minister to those whom God has called you to serve. Please consider joining us in a doctoral program that will give you an opportunity to foster deep and lasting friendships as we engage in work that contributes to authentic spiritual and pastoral renewal. The next D.Min. cohort will commence in Fall 2024. Through the generous support of Protodeacon Peter and Tanya Danilchick, qualified DMin students can receive financial support from the Danilchick Family Endowment for Pastoral Studies.

About the Speakers

Fr Gregory Christakos

Fr Greg Christakos grew up in the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts.  He studied at the University of Virginia and Trinity College, Oxford, and graduated from UVA with a B.A. in history.  After six years of working in the legal field in Charlottesville, VA, Fr Greg discerned a calling to the priesthood and attended Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. During this time, he did an exchange semester at St Vladimir’s Seminary and graduated from Holy Cross with a Master of Divinity degree in 2005.  Shortly thereafter, he married the former Eleni Pitsillides and was ordained.  

After serving as the assistant pastor at St Spyridon Cathedral for six years, Fr Greg was named pastor of Sts Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church in Marlborough, MA., where he continues to serve.  Fr Greg concluded his formal education at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary with a D.Min. in 2024.  His many interests include genocide studies, linguistics, and religious minorities in the Near and Middle East.

The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen

The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen (M.Div. ‘96; Ph.D., Drew University, 2002) is Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St Vladimir's Seminary and serves as director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. In addition to teaching homiletics and rhetoric, he also teaches courses in Christian education and the sacred art of narrative. Fr Sergius is a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, he is attached to Holy Transfiguration Church in New Haven, CT, and has contributed to a number of "Archangel Voices" recordings. He currently lives in New Haven, CT, and serves part-time as a chaplain at Yale New Haven Hospital. He loves gardening, hiking, biking, and reading biographies and fiction.
 

Online Webinar via Zoom Live-stream (register below to receive link)

Fr Greg Christakos (D.Min. ‘24) will present his doctoral research in a webinar entitled “The Anatolian Genocide: Understanding Narratives Of Tragedy From An Orthodox Perspective,” at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Director of the Doctor of Ministry program, the Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen will give introductory remarks.

In this presentation and discussion, Fr Greg talks about the trauma of genocide, in this case specifically of Orthodox Christians in Asia Minor in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire and the foundational time of the modern Republic of Turkey. After a brief, digestible history of that event, we will discuss why as Orthodox Christians we should have an understanding of it as part of our history, regardless of our own ethnic background. Fr Greg will then discuss how we process narratives of trauma through the lens of Orthodox Christianity and how we use the various tools in our Orthodox toolkit to understand and move forward through such events.

Join us for this needed and timely presentation on the appropriate Orthodox Christian approach to processing stories of trauma.

This webinar will be open to the public for online attendance. To attend the webinar, register at the link below. There is no entrance fee, but donations are much appreciated and will directly benefit St Vladimir’s Seminary.

Registration is closed

About the Speakers

Fr Gregory Christakos

Fr Greg Christakos grew up in the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts.  He studied at the University of Virginia and Trinity College, Oxford, and graduated from UVA with a B.A. in history.  After six years of working in the legal field in Charlottesville, VA, Fr Greg discerned a calling to the priesthood and attended Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. During this time, he did an exchange semester at St Vladimir’s Seminary and graduated from Holy Cross with a Master of Divinity degree in 2005.  Shortly thereafter, he married the former Eleni Pitsillides and was ordained.  

After serving as the assistant pastor at St Spyridon Cathedral for six years, Fr Greg was named pastor of Sts Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church in Marlborough, MA., where he continues to serve.  Fr Greg concluded his formal education at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary with a D.Min. in 2024.  His many interests include genocide studies, linguistics, and religious minorities in the Near and Middle East.

The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen

The Very Rev. Sergius Halvorsen (M.Div. ‘96; Ph.D., Drew University, 2002) is Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Rhetoric at St Vladimir's Seminary and serves as director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. In addition to teaching homiletics and rhetoric, he also teaches courses in Christian education and the sacred art of narrative. Fr Sergius is a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, he is attached to Holy Transfiguration Church in New Haven, CT, and has contributed to a number of "Archangel Voices" recordings. He currently lives in New Haven, CT, and serves part-time as a chaplain at Yale New Haven Hospital. He loves gardening, hiking, biking, and reading biographies and fiction.
 

About the Doctor of Ministry Program

The Doctor of Ministry degree at St Vladimir's Seminary enhances the practice of ministry for ordained and lay ministers in the Orthodox Church. The program integrates enhanced competencies in pastoral analysis with skills necessary to lead students to an advanced understanding of the nature and purposes of ministry. Working in communities of teachers and learners, the students gain deeper knowledge about the practice of serving others in Christian love as they grow in spiritual maturity as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The D.Min. program at St Vladimir's Seminary provides priests, chaplains, and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in order to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering. Integrating doctoral-level academic work with pastoral spirituality, this program will help you to acquire and refine the skills to minister to those whom God has called you to serve. Please consider joining us in a doctoral program that will give you an opportunity to foster deep and lasting friendships as we engage in work that contributes to authentic spiritual and pastoral renewal. The next D.Min. cohort will commence in Fall 2024. Through the generous support of Protodeacon Peter and Tanya Danilchick, qualified DMin students can receive financial support from the Danilchick Family Endowment for Pastoral Studies.

The Light of the World Webinar Series was born from survey feedback gathered in late 2022 from St Vladimir’s Seminary constituents. One of the issues respondents asked to hear about most was gender; accordingly, the Light of the World Webinar Series has now addressed gender twice: identifying its definition according to Scripture in November 2023, and again for the March 2024 session with a specific focus on womanhood. The webinar on March 28, titled “Lighting Your Lamps with the Wise Bridesmaids: a Discussion on Biblical Femininity,” was co-hosted by Mother Devorah Salamon (M.A. ‘23), and Sister Anastasia Colchester (M.A. ‘23), both members of St Macarius Monastery in Phoenix, AZ.

Mother Devorah and Sister Anastasia each have fascinating backgrounds as former atheists and students of 21st-century feminist theory, and both came to a new understanding of femininity through their individual encounters with Christ in the Orthodox Church as adults. During the course of the webinar, both Mother Devorah and Sister Anastasia introduced their graduate research related to the topic of biblical femininity, completed in 2023 for their M.A. degrees from St Vladimir’s Seminary, and also spoke about their inspiring journeys from a life very much in the world to their current monastic callings. 

The Q&A session following the speakers’ presentations was moderated by Seminary President, the Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, who read questions from listeners about how to transition from a worldly approach to femininity to a Christ-oriented one. He thanked the speakers for their pointed and in-depth presentations and commentary, and also urged listeners to make a contribution to St Macarius Monastery, which is now striving to complete housing for the monastic community growing there. 

Chief Advancement Officer, webinar orchestrator, and SVS Press Director, Sarah Werner, also thanked the speakers for their valuable insights and encouraged listeners to support current students at St Vladimir’s Seminary by making a donation to the scholarship fund at svots.edu/give. She also introduced Sister Anastasia’s upcoming book with SVS Press, You Are Mine, a raw and unflinching account of her transformation and conversion from New Age and occult spirituality to life in Christ in the Orthodox Church (available for pre-order here).

To watch the recording of the sixth session of the Light of the World Webinar Series, “Lighting Your Lamps with the Wise Bridesmaids: a Discussion on Biblical Femininity”, click the button below.

Watch Webinar Recording

To read the written version of Sister Anastasia’s talk, click the button below:

Read Sister Anastasia’s talk

About the Light of the World Webinar Series

This monthly webinar series features speakers from among St Vladimir’s Seminary faculty, alumni, and friends, speaking on a variety of topics while answering a core question:

How are we Christians to be the light of the world?

Drawing inspiration from feedback received through a recent survey, these webinars aim to address a diverse range of themes that address real and pressing issues facing Orthodox faithful in modern society. 

These online webinars are open to the public and free of cost. They are recorded and uploaded to the St Vladimir’s Seminary YouTube channel after the live Zoom event for easy access.