During St. Vladimir's Seminary's 2020 Fall Semester and the summer preceding it, five new priests were added to the ranks of our student body and alumni fellowship, as well as three new deacons. Another received ecclesiastical awards for his service in Christ.
We keep them all in prayer as they continue in their ministries. Axios!
HOLY PRIESTHOOD
Priest Elias Dorham (3rd-Year student, D.Min. Program)
Jurisdiction: Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton
Holy Diaconate: Ordained NOV 2019 by the hand of His Grace, Bishop Nicholas Samra
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 15AUG20 by the hand of His Grace, Bishop Nicholas Samra at Holy Transfiguration Church, McLean, VA
Current Ministry: Serves as associate priest and co-coordinator of the Adult Education program at Holy Transfiguration Church, McLean, VA
Educational and Professional Background: Professional experience includes active duty military service, federal service, and private sector cybersecurity; B.S. in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy; M.S. in Information Technology Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA; M.A. in Theological Studies from Christendom Graduate School
Priest John (Rassem) El Massih (Lecturer in Liturgical Music)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 5MARCH17 by the hand of His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 30AUG20 by the hand of His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph at Ss. Peter & Paul Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, Potomac, MD
Current Ministry: Attached to Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Potomac, MD; Works in music composition for the Department of Sacred Music of the Antiochian Archdiocese; Teaches Byzantine liturgical music at St. Vladimir's Seminary, the Sacred Music Institute, and the House of Studies of the Antiochian Archdiocese; Produces bilingual liturgical services for the Online Liturgical Guide (AOCANA)
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Religious Studies from Hellenic College & M.Div. from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology; Appointed "First-Chanter" of AOCANA and served as an assistant for the late Metropolitan Philip
Priest Philip Maikkula (M.Div. '18)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 13OCT18 by the hand of The Most Reverend Alexander, archbishop of Dallas, the South and the Bulgarian Diocese (OCA), at St. John of the Ladder Orthodox Church in Greenville, SC
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 8SEPT20 by His Eminence, Archbishop Paul at St. Nicholas Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Current ministry: Assigned as priest-in-charge of St. Makarios Mission, Hyde Park, IL
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Central Florida; worked in pool service business prior to seminary
Priest Peter Runyon (3rd-Year Seminarian, M.Div. Program)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 20JULY14 by His Eminence, Archbishop Nikon at St. Sava parish in Allen, TX
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 1NOV20 by His Grace, Bishop Alexis at Three Hierarchs Chapel, St. Vladimir's Seminary, Yonkers, NY
Educational and Professional Background: Worked as a director in Information Technology prior to enrolling at seminary; B.A. in Management Information Systems from American Sentinel University
Priest John (Keith) Morris (3rd-Year Seminarian, M.Div. Program)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 8AUG20 by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, East Meadow, NY
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 5DEC20 by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, East Meadow, NY
Educational and Professional Background: B.A. in Sociology; Worked as a detective in the NYPD before retiring to come to seminary.
HOLY DIACONATE
Deacon John Thetford (M.A., '20)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Romanian Episcopate
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 9AUG20 by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon at the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration, Ellwood City, PA
Current ministry: Appointed as personal secretary to His Beatitude
Educational and Professional Background: Graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University; worked as an elementary teacher and social worker prior to seminary.
Deacon Anthony Niqula (M.Div., '19)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 15AUG20 by His Grace, Bishop John at St. George Orthodox Church of Boston, West Roxbury, MA
Current ministry: Serves as pastoral assistant at St. George Orthodox Church of Boston
Educational and Professional Background: Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (B.S. in Physics, '16); currently studying Byzantine music at Hellenic College Holy Cross, Brookline, MA
Deacon Thomas Miller (2nd-Year Seminarian, M.Div. Program)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA)
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 16AUG20 by His Grace, Bishop Basil at St. George Cathedral, Wichita, KS
Educational and Professional Background: Graduate of Liberty University (B.S., '02) and the University of Florida (M.H.A., '07); Served as an officer in the US Air Force Medical Service Corps specializing in global supply chain management, separating from active duty status as a major in the summer of 2019 in order to attend seminary
ELEVATIONS & AWARDS
Priest Nicholas Roth (Seminary Staff; M.Div., '14)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
Ecclesiastical Awards: Granted the dignity of wearing the nabedrennik and kamilavka 1NOV20 by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon through the hands of His Grace, Bishop Alexis at Three Hierarchs Chapel, St. Vladimir's Seminary, Yonkers, NY
Current ministry: Spiritual formation director and ecclesiarch at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
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Photo Credits: Antiochian.org (Priest John El Massih); Michael Uhr (Priest Philip Maikkula); OCA.org (Archpriest Michael Myers); Sarah Werner (Priest Nicholas Roth, Priest Peter Runyon); Matthew Ortiz, Nicholas Reeves (Priest John Morris)
