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. ’26)

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.

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Barbara Drillock. Barbara fell asleep in the Lord in the early morning of June 9, 2026, at the age of 86.

Barbara was a beloved member of the St. Vladimir’s Seminary community. She faithfully served the Seminary for decades as a staff member, alongside her husband David Drillock, Emeritus Professor of Liturgical Music at the Seminary and longtime Chair of the OCA’s Department of Liturgical Music and Translations. 

Barbara (Gorodovich) Drillock was born October 15, 1939, in Flushing, NY, to Rita (Timoshuk) and Anthony Gorodovich. A proud New Yorker through and through, Barbara loved growing up in Queens and working in the city, and those roots stayed with her all her life. As a young woman, she worked in the payroll department at Equitable Life supporting senior leadership. After Barbara married her husband David in 1962, she was asked by Prof. Sergius Verhovskoy, the Provost at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, to leave her job in Manhattan and come work alongside David at the Seminary. Without hesitation she agreed, never looked back, and devoted the rest of her career to serving the Church. For forty-two years she served as receptionist, in accounts receivable, as kitchen manager, and as organizer of special events. 

Her devotion to the Seminary was exemplified in small ways every day, often unnoticed and unrecognized—whether it was multiple trips every week to Costco to save the Seminary money on groceries, cleaning areas as if they were her own home, or quietly making sure every student, guest, and visiting clergyman left the Seminary’s table well fed. She never hesitated to help, and she watched over the community with fierce devotion, care, and love.

“Barbara was a much loved, modest, energetic, and important member of the Seminary staff for decades,” recalled her longtime colleague on staff Ted Bazil. “She shared with her beloved husband Dave and her wonderful children total commitment to the operation and growth of the school. Barbara's unselfish, often unseen, dedication to all facets of work at St. Vladimir's Seminary serves as a profound example of Christian humility and sacrifice to generations of trustees, faculty, staff, students, and community members. We pray that God will reward this remarkable woman with the gift of peace in His Kingdom.”

In grateful recognition of many years of dedicated service to the ministry of theological education at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and with gratitude for their untiring commitment to the life and mission of the Orthodox Church in America, Barbara and David received archpastoral gratitude and invoking of God’s Blessings from the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America on March 17, 2004. 

In retirement Barbara and David relocated to Virginia and were faithful members of the Dormition of the Theotokos Orthodox Church in Norfolk for more than twenty years. They recently returned to New York to be closer to family.

Guided always by her deep faith, Barbara loved God, the Church, and her family. She cherished every moment with her husband, her children, and her grandchildren. She was so proud of the many “olive shoots around their table,” and she thanked God for the blessing of seeing all her children’s children.

Together, she and David treasured their small extended family in Queens, Pennsylvania, and Virginia Beach, and over the years their hearts embraced a wider one—the countless classmates, students, professors, staff, and their families who studied and worked at the Seminary, and who are a second family to them and their children. 

Barbara is survived by her husband of sixty-three years, David Drillock; her son Gregory (Laurie); her daughter Daria Loposky (Fr. Stephen); her daughter Kyra Kirtyan (Steve); and her son Andrew (Victoria). She also leaves behind sixteen grandchildren: Gregory, Jack, Samuel, Ryan, Joshua, Lauren, Stephen, Nicholas, Megan, Anna, Erin, Preston, Alexander, Carter, Lincoln, and Savannah. She was preceded in death by her parents, her granddaughter Kathryn, and her brother-in-law Serge.

Barbara’s visitation and funeral will be held at St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Three Hierarchs Chapel, followed by her interment at St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, PA. The schedule is as follows:

Friday, June 12

3pm–6:30pm: Visitation in the Seminary Chapel

7pm: Funeral Service

*At 6pm, there will be a choir rehearsal for the funeral.

Saturday, June 13

9am: Memorial Divine Liturgy followed immediately by the Litê of the Panikhida

Following the liturgy, the body will be taken to St. Tikhon's Monastery for interment.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Barbara’s memory to St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.

*Any clergy who wish to concelebrate the funeral on Friday or the Divine Liturgy on Saturday should contact Fr. Alexander Rentel at arentel@svots.edu.

May Barbara’s memory be eternal!

On the Feast of Holy Pentecost, May 31, alumnus and St. Vladimir’s Seminary faculty member the Rev. Dn. Dr. Gregory Abdalah was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by the hand of a fellow alumnus and faculty member, his own father His Grace Bishop John (Abdalah). 

The ordination was held at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Phoenix, AZ, where Fr. Gregory has served for a number of years, first as youth pastor and most recently as pastoral assistant. Members of the Seminary community, including Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, the Very Rev. Dr.  Bogdan Bucur, and the Very Rev. Fr. Michael Nasser traveled to Phoenix for the occasion.

What was a rare and uniquely blessed ordination involving father and son was followed by a beautifully fitting first action as priest: Fr. Gregory churched his wife Khouria Diana and their newborn son Alexander.

The newly ordained Fr. Gregory, a native of the Pittsburgh area, is a two-time graduate of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, holding an M.Div. (’08) and a D.Min. (’18). He also studied Music Education at Duquesne University, ultimately graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance (’04). In 2020, Fr. Gregory was appointed to the Doctor of Ministry faculty at St. Vladimir's Seminary as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology, where he focuses on youth ministry. 

Fr. Gregory, Kh. Diana, and their three children will soon begin a new chapter in their ministry, as he has been assigned by His Eminence Metropolitan Saba as pastor of St. John of Damascus Church in Dedham, MA, starting August 1.

May God grant the newly ordained Fr. Gregory, Kh. Diana, and their children Eleanor, Jonathan, and Alexander many years! AXIOS!

Photos: Antiochian.org

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: June 4–6 

We are pleased to be partnering with St. Nersess Armenian Seminary for “Sitting as a Stranger”: Evagrius in the Desert and Beyond, June 4–6, 2026.

This international conference at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, in collaboration with St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, seeks to explore Evagrius’ enduring significance — his thought in its late antique context, his influence on subsequent spiritual traditions, and his resonance with modern approaches to theology, philosophy, and the life of the mind. A particularly rich manuscript tradition, translations, and commentarial literature have preserved and reinterpreted his legacy in Armenia, among many other places.  The conference will bring together the Armenian, Greek, Syriac, Coptic, Latin, Arabic and Chinese receptions of Evagrius, fostering a comparative and cross-cultural conversation on his theological, philosophical, and ascetical vision.

Attend the Event Online

 View the Program Schedule & Speakers

For in-person attendance, please email ashahinian@stnersess.edu.

Giving thanks to God, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) hosted its 87th Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Divine Liturgy

The celebration began that morning with Divine Liturgy at Three Hierarchs Chapel, presided over by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon. Joining His Beatitude were His Grace Bishop John, Auxiliary Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and SVOTS Assistant Professor for Pastoral Theology; His Grace Bishop Nikodhim of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese; His Grace Bishop Benedict of Hartford and the Diocese of New England; and His Grace Bishop Vasily of San Francisco and the Diocese of the West. Two other noted alumni of the Seminary also served at the Liturgy: the Very Rev. Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America; and the Very Rev. John Parker III, Dean of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. They were joined by Seminary clergy among the faculty and student body, both those graduating and the seminarians concluding their studies for the academic year. Following the Divine Liturgy, Chapel Rector the Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel welcomed the bishops, visiting clergy, and guests to Three Hierarchs Chapel.

Commencement

In the afternoon, the community returned to the Chapel for a Service of Thanksgiving. At its conclusion the clergy, faculty, and graduates processed into the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium in the John G. Rangos Family Foundation Building for the Commencement Exercises. Distinguished guests, in addition to the clergy previously mentioned, included His Grace Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church’s Northeast American Diocese; His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan of the Armenian Church’s Eastern Diocese of America; the Rev. Mardiros Chevian, Dean of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary; this year’s Commencement speaker Charles Ajalat JD and his wife Marilee; their son Richard, a SVOTS alumnus, former Alumni Association President, and Trustee, and Richard’s wife Kayla; and many returning alumni, family members, and friends. Members of SVOTS’ Board of Trustees, who had just concluded their semi-annual on-campus meetings, were also in attendance for the Commencement celebrations.

“On this God-given day, we gather to celebrate the work and achievements of our students, who have been formed through scholarship and community life in preparation for service to the Church,” said Seminary Dean Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie as he opened the ceremony. “We rejoice in this and we thank you all, the Church and the extended St. Vladimir’s community of bishops, donors, supporters, administrators, and families for all you do to enable this essential work of ours in service to the Church, as an institution of the Church.”

The Class of 2026

Eighteen graduates comprised the class of 2026: fourteen graduated with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, one with a Master of Arts (M.A.), and three with a Master of Theology (Th.M.). The graduates hailed from various dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, and dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church both in North America as well as India.

View the List of Graduates in the 2026 Commencement Program

“If [we have learned] anything,” said class salutatorian the Rev. John Reavis during his thoughtful address, “it's that to have the mind of Christ, which is hopefully what we're trying to do here, is to undergo kenosis, self-emptying, descent, if there is ever to be any ascent. … So although at this precipice we may feel tired and empty, it is in our emptiness that Christ has met us and emptied Himself. And here at St. Vladimir's, we have not only been taught about Christ's kenosis, it has been modeled for us.”

Class valedictorian the Rev. Nathan Jekel offered a beautiful reflection drawing from the psalms and the gospels.

“Ready is my heart, O God. Ready is my heart, for magnified even unto the heavens is Thy mercy,” read Fr. Nathan. “We know that to meet a ready and merciful heart is to see the truth, that no search light we shine into the cave can outshine the light that radiates from it. And so we proclaim, ‘Christ is risen!’”

Hear both addresses in their fullness and watch the entirety of the 2026 Commencement Exercises below, or on the Seminary’s YouTube channel.

Commencement Address

Charles Ajalat, J.D., Hon. J.C.D., one of the most prominent Orthodox Christian lay leaders and philanthropists in North America, delivered this year’s commencement address. A former trustee of St. Vladimir's Seminary, Ajalat also served as the Chancellor of the Antiochian Archdiocese and has founded multiple Orthodox organizations and initiatives.

“We are at a period where tens of thousands of people are finding the Orthodox Church, and the flow will not stop but increase,” Ajalat remarked, as he encouraged the graduates to make use of the talents and faithfulness of others around them as they go forth in their ministries. “The church has underutilized its faithful lay talent. And you all, you graduates as future leaders, can change that, laying the foundation, finding the royal priesthood that you can trust and can help in your ministry.”

At the conclusion of the commencement address, Dr. Tudorie presented Ajalat with an icon of St. Vladimir on behalf of the Seminary community, in recognition of the tremendous support and generosity Ajalat has shown the Seminary going back many years.

Watch the commencement address below, or on the Seminary’s YouTube Page.

Honors

During commencement exercises, St. Vladimir’s seminarians also honored Zachariah Mandell, an instructor in Liturgical Music, with the 2026 St. Macrina Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is selected each year by student vote. 

Subdn. Emil Peter, a graduate and outgoing President of the Student Council, announced the award and presented an icon of St. Macrina to Mandell. The beautiful icon was painted by a member of the graduating class, the Rev. Daniel Werner.

The graduates then presented two gifts to the Seminary: a new cutting board for the Prothesis table at Three Hierarchs Chapel and a cross for the St. Thomas Malankara Chapel.

“This is a token of appreciation for the Seminary, a token of our love for all the things that Seminary has done for us … and for the role that you have played in [our] formation,” said Subdn. Emil.

At the conclusion of the ceremony His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, the President of the Seminary, offered closing remarks, reminding the graduates of the unique moment facing their ministries.

Orthodoxy in America is growing genuinely visibly in ways that were not predictable even a decade ago. … Priests who are serving are stretched, doing the work of two and sometimes three men available at all hours to all manner of need. …

The founders of this Seminary could not have imagined the church you are graduating into. They planted in soil they could not see. Every priest who has gone before you would say the same. The weight is real. The weight is worth carrying and you will not carry it alone. …

Go down with humility so that you may be lifted up by Christ and receive the gifts that he bestows on all of us.

May the Lord God grant many blessed and fruitful years of service in His vineyard to the St. Vladimir’s Seminary Class of 2026!

This May St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) and St. Nersess Armenian Seminary  hosted master practitioners from the Syriac and Armenian traditions as part of the two-day event, Exploring the Orient: Syriac & Armenian Liturgical Chant.

Exploring the Orient was made possible through a generous grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), Grand Rapids, MI, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. The workshops and discussions were hosted at both St. Vladimir's Seminary (Yonkers, NY) and St. Nersess Armenian Seminary (Armonk, NY), on May 1 and 2. The event served as a sequel to a 2024 SVOTS initiative, also funded by CICW, which highlighted Eastern Orthodox liturgical singing. Exploring the Orient provided participants the opportunity to delve into commonalities and differences in Eastern and Oriental Orthodox approaches to sung worship.

“Scholars are used to examining common issues and themes … across Eastern and Oriental Orthodox [liturgical] traditions, but this is something that has barely been touched in the field of music,” said Dr. Alexander Lingas, Professor of Music and Associate Director of SVOTS’ Institute of Sacred Arts. Dr. Lingas helped organize the events and oversaw the workshops and discussions. 

On the first day of Exploring the Orient at St. Vladimir's Seminary, Dr. Gabriel Aydin  presented a two-part workshop, entitled: “The Structure, Theology, and Liturgical Function of Syriac Chant.” The day culminated with a wonderful lecture-recital by both Dr. Aydin and Dr. Haig Utidjian singing select hymns from the Syriac and Armenian liturgical music traditions, respectively. 

During the evening portion, the visiting scholars also graciously gifted St. Vladimir’s Seminary with tokens of gratitude and well wishes: Dr. Utidjian presented two volumes containing some of his works and research, and Dr. Aydin gifted the school with a copy of his work, the Syriac Hymnal.

Watch a recording of the first day’s program below or on SVOTS’ YouTube channel.

The second day of Exploring the Orient was hosted at St. Nersess Seminary. Dr. Utidjian delivered his presentation “Armenian Liturgical Chant: History and Theology.” Vespers were held following the talks according to the Armenian rite.

Watch a recording of the second day of Exploring the Orient below or on the St. Nersess Seminary YouTube channel.

“The workshop provided a rare and enriching opportunity to experience Armenian and Syriac liturgical music at a high scholarly and artistic level, under the guidance of two internationally recognized experts whose work spans conducting, composing, musicology, and the study of early Christian traditions,” noted Dr. Ani Shahinian, Assistant Professor in Armenian Christian Art and Theology at St. Nersess Seminary, who helped organize Exploring the Orient along with Dr. Lingas. “As participants in this program, we gained a clearer comparative understanding of the two traditions and their approaches to sung worship, while a deepened appreciation for their historical complexity, theological meaning, and enduring vitality.” 

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF SACRED ARTS

The Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary explores the intersection of human creativity and holiness. With a theology that is holistic, and a liturgy that unites multiple artistic disciplines and all the human senses, the Orthodox Christian tradition is ripe for the exploration and celebration of the sacred arts. Since its founding in 1938, St. Vladimir’s Seminary has fostered the study of icons, music, and liturgy. The ISA serves to extend the seminary’s mission in exploring the mutual relationship between theology and the arts by: contributing to the work of people and institutions that practice and reflect on the sacred arts; engaging people and institutions of all backgrounds with Orthodox artistic tradition; inspiring wider public interest in spirituality and the arts. Learn more at www.instituteofsacredarts.com.

 

ABOUT THE CALVIN INSTITUTE OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), located at Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is an interdisciplinary study and ministry center that promotes the scholarly study of the theology, history, and practice of Christian worship and the renewal of worship in worshipping communities across North America and beyond.

 

ABOUT THE LILLY ENDOWMENT

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts. The Endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate, and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.

Scenes from Exploring the Orient

By the grace of God, St. Vladimir’s Seminary faculty member and alumnus Fr. Nicholas Belcher was elevated to the rank of archimandrite on Saturday, May 9. The elevation took place at St. George Orthodox Church in Little Falls, NJ, by the hand of His Eminence Saba, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

Several members of the Seminary community attended the elevation, including His Grace Bishop John (Abdalah), Fr. Bogdan Bucur, Fr. Michael Nasser, Dean Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, and other alumni and seminarians. Among the seminarians were several of Fr. Nicholas’ students from the Antiochian Archdiocese.

The Right Rev. Archimandrite Nicholas is an instructor in Antiochian Liturgics at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and directs field education for the seminarians of the Antiochian Archdiocese. Fr. Nicholas serves as pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Little Falls, NJ. He also chairs the Antiochian Archdiocese’s Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries. Fr. Nicholas served as the first president of Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministries (OYM) and remains with OYM as a board member and spiritual advisor. He has also served as hierarchical assistant to the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese and worked for twelve years at Hellenic College Holy Cross—nine years as the Dean of Students and three years as the Assistant Director of the Office of Vocation & Ministry and Director of CrossRoad Institute.

Archimandrite Nicholas completed his M.Div. degree at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in 2005 and holds a B.A. and B.S. from The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina.

Fr. Nicholas and his beloved wife Sonia, who reposed in the Lord in 2008, have one son, Andrew. May her memory be eternal!

May God grant Archimandrite Nicholas many years! AXIOS!

Giving thanks to God, the trustees, faculty, and students of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) invite the public to the Commencement of the Class of 2026, to be held on Saturday, May 16. Ceremonies will begin at 2:00 p.m. EDT, with a “Prayer of Thanksgiving” in Three Hierarchs Chapel, followed by Commencement Exercises at 2:30 p.m. EDT in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium in the John G. Rangos Family Building.

The Commencement Ceremony of the Class of 2026 will be livestreamed for all who cannot attend in person. Please register below to receive the link to watch the ceremony.

Register to Watch Online

ABOUT THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

CHARLES AJALAT, J.D., Hon. J.C.D., is among the most prominent Orthodox Christian lay leaders and philanthropists in North America. A former trustee of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Dr. Ajalat also served as the Chancellor of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. He is the founder of multiple Orthodox organizations and initiatives, including International Orthodox Christian Charities; the Ligonier First Conference of all North American Orthodox Bishops; the transition to the multi-jurisdictional Orthodox Christian Mission Center; and the Orthodox Vision Foundation, one of the nation’s largest church foundations, which he co-founded with his wife Marilee. He served as Consultant to the Russian Parliament on Laws of Church and State and as a speaker in their Conference on Freedom of Religion in the Modern World, Vice-Moderator of the Secretariat for the World Council of Churches Central Committee, and as a member of the Orthodox Study Bible Oversight Committee.

An attorney by background, Dr. Ajalat graduated with a B.A. from Harvard magna cum laude, and received his J.D. from the law school at the University of California at Berkeley. He also holds an honorary doctorate in Canon Law granted from St. Vladimir's Seminary. Dr. Ajalat was given the honor of being a law clerk to Chief Justice Donald Wright of the California Supreme Court and has represented a sitting President of the United States and many of the world's largest corporations. He has been involved in a number of historic cases in the Courts including the U.S. Supreme Court. Dr. Ajalat was a professor at USC Business and Law Schools for many years in addition to practicing in a law firm he formed. He was also a visiting lecturer at the law schools of Harvard, Berkely, Stanford, and UCLA.

He has received numerous secular and church honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the highest honor of both the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese and the Orthodox Church in America.

Over the years Charles, his wife Marilee, and their children and grandchildren have raised and donated significant sums and helpful ideas to Orthodox causes. Their generosity has extended to St. Vladimir's Seminary, where they supported initiatives including the initial Seminary capital campaign up to current efforts to aid the Seminary in the challenges it faces with respect to Church growth. Charles and Marilee's son Richard is an alumnus of the school (’13) and also served on the Board of Trustees as the President of the Alumni Association. Among other endeavors, he financially initiated the successful audio-book program for St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press.

Feeling a call to renew and enhance your ministry? Are you looking to better equip yourself to address today’s challenges in parish life and beyond? 

Join us at our free virtual open house and explore whether the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program at St. Vladimir’s Seminary is right for you. On Wednesday, May 6, take part in a discussion with Program Director Fr. Sergius Halvorsen, Director of Admissions Zachariah Mandell, and D.Min. graduates Dn. Gregory Abdalah and Dr. Sarah Byrne-Martelli.

Register to Attend

If you have any questions about what you’ll learn, tuition and financial aid, what intensive weeks look like, and more, don’t miss this opportunity to chat with us.

The D.Min. program provides clergy, chaplains, and other pastoral professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in order to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those God has called you to serve.

The D.Min. program is hybrid—so you won't have to leave your current ministry as you complete your degree. The program uses online learning and five-day onsite intensives at St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York, which allows students to integrate their current ministry with doctoral level theological research.

To learn more about applying to the D.Min. program, click here.

Join master practitioners from the ancient Syriac and Armenian traditions this May at St. Vladimir’s and St. Nersess seminaries, as we explore commonalities and differences in Eastern and Oriental Orthodox approaches to sung worship.

Workshops and discussions will take place Friday, May 1, at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY, and Saturday, May 2, at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in Armonk, NY. Dr. Gabriel Aydin and Dr. Haig Utidjian will present, respectively, on “Syriac Liturgical Chant: History, Theology, and Tonal Tradition” and “Armenian Liturgical Chant: History and Theology.” A full schedule is included below.

The sessions are free and open to the public. Join in person or online.

Register to Attend

This event is made possible through a generous grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW), Grand Rapids, MI, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. Dr. Alexander Lingas, Professor of Music and Associate Director of the Institute, is overseeing the workshops and discussions.
 

Event Schedule

Friday, May 1 | St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

1:30 PM — Welcome and Opening Remarks

1:40 PM — Dr. Gabriel Aydin, Session 1: “The Structure, Theology, and Liturgical Function of Syriac Chant”

3:00 PM — Break

3:20–4:50 PM — Dr. Gabriel Aydin, Session 2

5:00 PM — Dinner Break

7:00–8:00 PM — Lecture-Recital: Drs. Gabriel Aydin & Haig Utidjian

Dr. Aydin will present selected hymns from the Syriac liturgical tradition drawn from the chant repertory of the Nativity, Holy Week, and Resurrection. The performance of hymns from various liturgical occasions will demonstrate the richness of Syriac modal structures (Qinotho/Qole), the interplay between text and melody, and the predominantly syllabic character of Syriac chant, one of its essential musical features.

Dr. Haig Utidjian will sing excerpts of some of the most poignant hymns drawn from the Offices for Good Friday, demonstrating the considerable modal variety and degree of melismatic elaboration that characterizes some particularly well-loved hymns.

Saturday, May 2 | St. Nersess Armenian Seminary

1:30 PM—Welcome and Opening Remarks

1:35 PM—Dr. Haig Utidjian, Session 3: “Armenian Liturgical Chant: History and Theology”

3:00 PM—Break

3:20–4:50—Dr. Haig Utidjian, Session 4

5:30 PM—Vespers

ABOUT THE LECTURERS

Haig Utidjian, Ph.D., is an orchestral conductor, chorus master, musicologist, and patristics scholar. He has published extensively on the musicology and theology of the Armenian Hymnal and on the works of St. Gregory of Narek. He is a Senior Deacon of the Armenian Orthodox Church, and has been decorated with the Komitas medal by the Armenian state, the Yakob Mełapart medal of the National Library of Armenia, and the Medal of Merit of the Pan-Armenian Cultural Union. His publications include the volumes They Who Imbibed the Effusions of the Spirit: The Art of the Armenian Book through the Ages (2016), Treasures of the Earliest Christian Nation: Spirituality, Art, and Music in Mediaeval Armenian Manuscripts (2018), Tntesean and the Music of the Armenian Hymnal (2018), and a critical edition of Dvořák’s Mass in D (2020). He has been invited to deliver the 2026 Zernov Lecture at Oxford.

Gabriel Aydin, Ph.D., is a musicologist, author, and composer specializing in ancient Syriac liturgical chant and the musical traditions of the Christian Middle East. Born and raised in Tur Abdin (southeastern Turkey), he received early formation in the chant and liturgical tradition of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He holds a doctorate in Musicology from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon, and an M.A. in Art and Religion from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Yale Divinity School. Dr. Aydin is the founder and director of the Syriac Music Institute in the United States, and he is the author of Syriac Hymnal According to the Rite of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch (2018), Syriac Sacred Music: The Catalog of Chants According to the Edessan School of Music and Demonstration of Arabic Music Scales Recorded by Ivar Schmutz-Schwaller (2008), and Syriac Music for Syriac Elementary and Middle Schools (2003).