Since the beginning of the spring semester through the end of the academic year, nine new priests and five new deacons have been added to St Vladimir’s Seminary’s student body and alumni fellowship. Another four were elevated in rank.
Together with ordinations from the fall and summer, 28 seminarians and alumni have been ordained to holy orders since the end of the previous academic year.
We keep them all in prayer as they continue in their ministries!
HOLY PRIESTHOOD
Priest Richard Okello (M.Div. ’25)
Jurisdiction: Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria (Holy Diocese of Gulu and Northern Uganda)
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 28 December 2025 at the Holy Temple of St. Nicholas, Akonyibedo, Gulu City, Uganda.
Current Ministry: Missionary Priest in Uganda
(Photo courtesy of Fr. Justin Mathews)
Priest Jarrod Huffman, M.Div. ’26
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 6 Jan 2026 at Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral, Chicago, IL
Current Ministry: Assigned to St. Andrew Orthodox Church, Maple Heights, OH
Priest Habib (Caleb) McGee, (M.Div. ’24)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 2 Feb 2026 at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, Houston, TX
Current Ministry: Assists His Eminence Metropolitan Saba at the Archdiocese Headquarters in Englewood, NJ
(Photo: Holy Cross Orthodox Church)
Priest Sergio Hector Lopez (M.Div. ’26)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 5 February 2026 at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Kernersville, NC
Current Ministry: Assistant Priest at Holy Cross Orthodox Church, Kernersville, NC
(Photo: Granger Krajca/Antiochian.org)
Priest Christopher Abdelahad, (M.A. ’24)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 7 March 2026 at St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church, Austin, TX
Current Ministry: Assistant Priest at Saint Anthony the Great Antiochian Church, Spring, TX
(Photo: Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America )
Priest Ferenc Féhérvári (M.Div. Student ’21–’25)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America, Romanian Orthodox Episcopate
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 8 March 2026 at at the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste Orthodox Church in Aurora, Ontario, Canada
Current Ministry: Assigned to Saint Anne Orthodox Church, Pomona, CA
Priest Bogdan Popescu (Completed Non-Degree Track)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America, Bulgarian Diocese
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 8 March 2026 at Three Hierarchs Chapel, St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY
Current Ministry: Priest-in-Charge at St. John the Baptist Church, Los Angeles, CA
Priest Daniel Werner (M.Div. ’26)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 25 March 2026 at Three Hierarchs Chapel, St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY
Current Ministry: Assistant Priest at St. Anne Orthodox Church, Oak Ridge, TN.
Photo: Antiochian.org
Priest Gregory Abdalah, (M.Div. ‘08, D.Min. ‘18)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Holy Priesthood: Ordained 31 May 2026 at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Phoenix, AZ
Current Ministry: Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology, SVOTS D.Min. program; Pastor of St. John of Damascus Church, Dedham, MA
HOLY DIACONATE
(Photo: Sumod Jacob Video & Photography)
Deacon Subin Shaji (M.Div. ’22)
Jurisdiction: Malankara Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in North America
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 3 January 2026 at St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, Philadelphia, PA
Deacon Ibrahim Aldaiob, (M.A. ’27)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 15 Feb 2026 at Virgin Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Yonkers, NY
Current Ministry: Continuing studies at St. Vladimir’s Seminary
Deacon Benjamin Franks (M.Div. ’27)
Jurisdiction: Orthodox Church in America
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 25 March 2026 at Three Hierarchs Chapel, St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY
Current Ministry: Continuing studies at St. Vladimir’s Seminary
Deacon Moses (Darius) Sabau, (M.A. ’27)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 9 April 2026 at St. Anthony Orthodox Church, Bergenfield, NJ
Current Ministry: Continuing studies at St. Vladimir’s Seminary
Deacon Thomas (Ryan) Thomas (M.Div. ’24)
Jurisdiction: Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Northeast American Diocese
Holy Diaconate: Ordained 23 May 2026 at St. Ephrem Chapel, Stafford, TX
Current Ministry: Youth Minister for MOSC parishes in the Atlanta, GA, area
ELEVATIONS
Archimandrite Nicholas Belcher (M.Div. ‘05)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Elevation: Elevated to the dignity of archimandrite 9 May 2026 at St. George Orthodox Church, Little Falls, NJ
Current Ministry: Instructor in Antiochian Liturgics at St. Vladimir’s Seminary; Pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Little Falls, NJ; Chair of Antiochian Archdiocese’s Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries
(Photo: Antiochian.org/Larry Vest)
Archpriest Lucas Rice (M.Div. ’11)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Elevation: Elevated to the dignity of archpriest 4 January 2026 at St. Michael Orthodox Church, Louisville, KY
Current Ministry: Pastor of St. Michael Orthodox Church, Louisville, KY
(Photo: Antiochian.org/Niveen Taamneh)
Archpriest Nabil Fino (Student, ’02–’03)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Elevation: Elevated to the dignity of archpriest 4 January 2026 at St. James Antiochian Orthodox Church, Loveland, OH
Current Ministry: Pastor of St. James Orthodox Church, Loveland, OH
(Photo: Antiochian.org/Stephen Harris and Daisy Vasu)
Archpriest John Ballard (M.Div. ’10)
Jurisdiction: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Elevation: Elevated to the dignity of archpriest 17 January 2026 at St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Christian Church, Spring, TX
Current Ministry: Pastor of Holy Transfiguration Mission, Houston, TX
If you know of an alumnus who received Holy Orders, an elevation, or monastic tonsure since January 1, 2026, and isn’t listed here, please let us know by sending details and a photo to media@svots.edu.
