The Catechist Certification Program, offered by St. Vladimir’s Online School of Theology, drew nearly 130 participants for its most recent cohort formed in April. Those participants are working to complete the Certification Program this July.
The Catechist Certification Program—offered with the blessings of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and His Eminence Metropolitan Saba—was launched in response to the recent waves of inquirers, seekers, and catechumens at Orthodox churches across North America and even abroad. It is not a catechesis but a training program for aspiring catechists. These professionals help support their priests or even work full-time in parish life, promoting Church growth in this moment that our merciful Lord is entrusting to us.
One of the Program’s current catechists-in-training is R. Leo Olson, a parishioner at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, MI. He read an article by Metropolitan Saba about activating deacons and lay catechists to assist the local clergy, and heard about the Catechist Certification Program from his priest.
“His Eminence said God is doing something great, and so we all should respond to what that is,” said Olson. “The course has not disappointed. We’ve heard from many different teachers, including two metropolitans, about the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of helping people find the will of the Father, the Truth of Jesus Christ, and the love of the Holy Spirit.”
Metropolitan Tikhon leads a Catechist Certification Program session in May 2026.
Prominent instructors leading the courses, in addition to Metropolitans Tikhon and Saba, include multiple hierarchs, the dean and other faculty members from St. Vladimir’s Seminary, the dean of St. Tikhon’s Seminary, and many others.
“It has been wonderfully helpful,” said Olson’s fellow Program participant Matthew O’Connor, of Holy Theophany Orthodox Church in Colorado Springs, CO. “I got to teach my first class a few weeks ago on ‘Why Go to Church?’ and [parish rector] Fr. Andreas [Blom] and I have been talking about a few more class ideas for the fall so I can fit them in between the priest’s catechism.”
“I didn’t expect I would be as inspired by this course as much as I was,” said Fr. Michael Nasser, Director of Spiritual Formation at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. Fr. Michael serves as the course mentor, and helped organize the program along with the Dean Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie and Online Education Consultant Arpi N. Bullockian. “How beautiful it was to see so many people committing to a tough schedule—two nights a week for almost three months—all of whom were so excited for the work of sharing their Orthodox faith with the people showing up at their parish. Just as inspiring were the presentations from a veritable ‘who’s who’ of North American Orthodoxy, each of whom shared invaluable insight on this blessed work.”
The St. Vladimir’s Online School of Theology forms one to two cohorts each year for its Catechist Certification Program. The next cohort will be formed in September 2026. Program and registration details will be announced in the coming days.
To learn more, visit the Online School of Theology website at www.online.svots.edu.
