St. Vladimir’s representatives traveled to Moscow this month to receive an international award for the school’s contribution toward the unification of Orthodox Christians worldwide. From left are the administrators from the seminary, Archpriest John Behr, Dean, Theodore Bazil, Associate Chancellor for Advancement, and Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Chancellor; and Professor Valery A. Alekseev, President of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations; His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow; and the other award recipients, Russian President Dimitry A. Medvedev, His Holiness Karekin II of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church, and Serbian cinematographer and director Emir Kusturica.
[SVS Communications MOSCOW, RUSSIA] — His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, presented the “Unity of Orthodox Peoples Award” to St. Vladimir’s Seminary at a special ceremony in Moscow on January 21, 2010. Similar awards were concurrently presented to His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Catholicos of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church; Russian President Dimitry A. Medvedev; and Serbian cinematographer and director Emir Kusturica.
The seminary was selected to receive the award by the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations (IFUOCN) for its activity “aimed at strengthening the unity of Orthodox nations through theological education.” Patriarch Kirill chairs the foundation's Board of Trustees.
Accepting the award on behalf of the seminary was Archpriest John Behr, Dean, and Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Chancellor. Fr John Behr expressed the gratitude of the Seminary for the honor, noting the work of St. Vladimir's Seminary over the past seventy years in bringing the rich theological tradition of the Russian Church to North America. "By its work in liturgy, in theology, and in addressing the contemporary world—critiquing secularism and engaging all that seeks the truth," he said, "the seminary has educated students, from all ethnic backgrounds, for active, engaged, and vibrant ministry in the new land and throughout the world, graduating nearly two thousand students and producing numerous patriarchs, bishops, priests, and other leaders of the Church. We are thankful that our work has been recognized by the foundation and blessed by His Holiness, and with these we will work to pursue our common mission."
Fr. Chad Hatfield noted, "This award is a clear recognition of the stature of our seminary in the global Orthodox world, and presents us with the challenge to expand our mission of service as the seminary best prepared to meet the new educational frontier of the twenty-first century." Mr. Theodore Bazil, Associate Chancellor for Advancement, also accompanied Fr. Behr and Fr Hatfiled and also represented the seminary at the ceremony.
Prior to the ceremony, the seminary representatives met with Patriarch Kirill at his working residence, at which time he spoke of his respect and love for the former deans of the seminary that he knew personally: Archpriest Georges Florovsky and Protopresbyters Alexander Schmemann, John Meyendorff, and Thomas Hopko. He also commended the seminary for bringing the richness of Orthodox theology to the New World while maintaining a proper place within the Church’s Tradition.
Also present at the award ceremony was Archimandrite Zacchaeus Wood, representative of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) to the Moscow Patriarchate.
Follow photographs on our web site. Some photographs courtesy of st-catherine.ru.
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