The final weeks of the Seminary’s fall semester were filled with blessings and joy, as five seminarians were ordained to holy orders. The new priests and deacons are all seminarians of the Antiochian Archdiocese. In addition, at one of the ordinations an alumnus of St. Vladimir’s Seminary was elevated in rank. Glory be to God!
The first of the recent ordinations took place on Thursday, November 20. Deacon Nathan Jekel (M.Div., ’26) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by the hands of His Grace Bishop Thomas at St. Philip Orthodox Church in Souderton, PA.
The newly ordained Fr. Nathan, his wife Khouria Rebecca, and their children John, Herman, and Raphael.
A few days later, on November 23, His Eminence Metropolitan Saba ordained Subdn. Andrew Neel (M.Div., ’27) to the Holy Diaconate at St. Stephen the Protomartyr Antiochian Orthodox Church in South Plainfield, NJ. Deacon Andrew’s newly ordained classmate, Fr. Nathan, was among the members of the Seminary community who attended the ordination, which also included Fr. Michael Nasser and Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie.
The newly ordained Dn. Andrew Neel.
On December 5, His Eminence Metropolitan Saba ordained Dn. Nicholas Aultman (M.Div. ’26) to the Holy Priesthood at Virgin Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Yonkers, NY. Father Michael, Dr. Tudorie, and several other seminarians and alumni were present. During the Liturgy, His Eminence also elevated Seminary Alumnus Dn. Elias Nicolas (M.A., ’19) to the dignity of archdeacon.
Fr. Nicholas Aultman following his ordination to the priesthood.
Archdeacon Elias (Elio) Nicolas works at the archdiocesan headquarters in Englewood, NJ, where he assists Metropolitan Saba and contributes to various departments in the Archdiocese.
Metropolitan Saba ordained two more seminarians as deacons that very weekend. On December 6, Subdn. Sophrony (Scott) Strickland (M.Div. ’27) was ordained at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY. Seminarian John Whiteside was ordained to the Diaconate the next day, December 7, at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church of Little Falls, NJ.
The newly ordained Dn. Sophrony Strickland.
Dn. John Whiteside’s concluded a blessed run of ordinations from late November to early December.
May God grant the newly ordained and their families many years!
Photo Credits: Dn. Sophrony Strickland (Aultman & Neel ordinations); Seminarian Christopher Whittington (Whiteside ordination); Antiochian.org/Subdn. Andrea Christoforides (Strickland ordination).
