With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of St. Vladimir’s Seminary Trustee Emeritus Mitchell Zunich. Zunich, 93, died on the Feast of Holy Pascha, Sunday, April 19, at his home at St. Mary of the Woods Assisted Living in Avon, OH.

Zunich was born May 10, 1926 in Lorain, OH. He served with the US Army during World War II in the 357th Regiment of the 90th Infantry Division. During his service, he participated in the battles of Rhineland and Central Europe and received the European-African-Middle-Eastern Theater Ribbon with two Bronze Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, a WWII Victory Medal and an Occupation Medal for Germany. His division was awarded the Bronze Star and participated in the liberation of Flossenburg Concentration Camp. Zunich attended the Ohio State University where he earned a bachelor of science in accounting. He founded Mitchell Zunich & Co. Certified Public Accountants, retiring in 2001. He was active in the community, having served as an officer, president, and board member of many organizations including the Lorain Rotary Club, Lorain Salvation Army, Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority, the City Bank Co., Lorain Family YMCA, Clearview School Board, and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. In the 1990s, Mitchell and his wife, Violet, helped establish a scholarship for Serbian Orthodox seminarians at St. Vladimir’s so that no young Serbian Orthodox men would be turned away from becoming priests. Zunich was a member of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Lorain, the Serbian National Federation, the Ohio Society of CPAs, and the AICPA.

"Mitch was honored to be on the Seminary’s Board of Trustees," said fellow St. Vladimir's Trustee Emeritus Brian Gerich. "He served many years as one of the four Serbian trustees along with [Trustee Emeritus] Alex Machaskee, Leon Lysaght, and myself.

"During our 1990’s Capital Campaign, I asked Mitch to join with me in establishing endowments for scholarships for Serbian Orthodox students studying to become priests. He immediately accepted, and he and his beloved wife Violet added to their endowment regularly. Mitch was pleased to know that as students graduated they were debt free as they prepared for a lifetime of serving our Lord."

"I remember Mitch as a quiet, decisive, compassionate gentleman who was a staunch supporter of our Orthodox Christian faith and a great contributor of time, talent, and treasure to St. Vladimir's Seminary," added Alex Machaskee. "He was a founding contributor to Monastery Marcha in Richfield Ohio, a decorated veteran of World War II, and a highly esteemed civic leader."

Mitchell Zunich is survived by his sons, Mitch Zunich of Cleveland and Rob (Eva) Zunich of Avon Lake; grandchildren, Neven, Dane, Rada, and Mila Zunich; and sister, Sophie Tyrin of Chicago. Zunich was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Violet M. Zunich (née Kobac) on Sept 7, 2014; infant son, Nick Zunich, in 1959; parents, Nikola & Stanka Zunich (née Kunic); brothers, Demeter, George, Nick, and Mike Zunich; and sisters, Mildred Stamatis, Dorothy Kovan, Nellie Raynovich, and Mary Zunich.

Due to restrictions on social gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, private family funeral services will be held. Hieromonk Nektarije Tesanovic of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church will preside with burial to follow in Elmwood Cemetery in Lorain. Memorial contributions may be made to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, 3355 Grove Ave, Lorain, OH, 44055 or St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, 575 Scarsdale Rd, Yonkers, NY, 10707. Arrangements are under the direction of Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Ave, Lorain. Online condolences may be made at www.gluvna.net. 

May the memory of Mitchell Zunich be eternal!

-- 

(The photo and some information in this article have been reprinted from The Morning Journal.)

“How Readest Thou?” (Lk 10.26):
Orthodox Biblical Scholarship 
Between Church and Academy

Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) will hold its Fourth Annual Academic Symposium on October 16–18, 2025. 

Orthodox interpreters are relative latecomers to the field of biblical studies. When the discipline came into its modern form in the mid- to late-eighteenth century, it received its shape largely from Protestant scholars. Among Jewish and Roman Catholic scholars, there were some pioneers and “early adopters” in the beginning stages, but it was not until the twentieth century that these two groups fully entered the discourse. As we enter the middle part of the twenty-first century, Orthodox biblical scholars, when compared with these groups, hardly seem visible at all within the wider academy, and “Orthodox biblical scholarship” is poorly known, if known at all, outside Orthodox countries.

What would it mean to do scholarly work from an Orthodox perspective today? Is there or could there be a distinctively Orthodox mode of biblical scholarship? In many places, Orthodox Scriptural interpretation has and will no doubt continue to proceed without regard for the concerns and methods of the academy (e.g. sermons, talks, podcasts, videos, etc.). On the reverse side, it is certainly possible for Orthodox biblical scholars to do their work entirely within critical frameworks, bracketing or ignoring Tradition. But what would it mean for Orthodox scholars to pursue a kind of via media, to do scholarly work that is, one the one hand, shaped by and responsive to disciplinary questions and methods and, on the other hand, guided and informed by Tradition?

The aim of this symposium is to gather biblical scholars to explore this question. We will consider whether or under what conditions an “Orthodox biblical scholarship” might be possible and what, if anything, makes Orthodox biblical scholarship distinct from other kinds of biblical scholarship.

The first part of the symposium will consist of a keynote address on Thursday, October 16, at 7 p.m. (EDT), in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium. A reception will follow.

• Professor R.W.L. Moberly (Emeritus Professor, Durham University):

“Orthodox Biblical Scholarship: Possibilities and Prospects”

The keynote address is open to the public and will be published on the SVOTS YouTube channel after the conclusion of the event.

Please register to attend the keynote address (in person or online) by clicking below.

Register Now

The second part of the symposium (Friday and Saturday, October 17–18) will consist of scholarly presentations by:

• The Rev. Dr. Michael Azar (University of Scranton)
• The Very Rev. Dr. Silviu N. Bunta (University of Dayton)
• Dr. Lydia Gore-Jones (St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College)
• Dr. Michael Legaspi (St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary)
• Dr. Rebecca Luft (St Herman Theological Seminary)
• The Rev. Dr. George Parsenios (Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
• The Rev. Dr. Eugen Pentiuc (Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology)
• The Rev. Dr. Cosmin Pricop (University of Bucharest)
• Dr. James Wallace (Christian Brothers University)
• The Rev. Dr. Daniel York (Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of the West)

This portion of the Symposium is open by invitation only. Scholars and students interested in attending the presentations and discussion on October 17 & 18 are asked to email the organizers at symposium@svots.edu.

For more information on the presentations and the schedule, click the links below.

Read Academic Symposium Abstracts

View Symposium Schedule

Throughout its history, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary has served, and continues to serve, as a training ground for Orthodox men and women, preparing them to serve the Church in its many ministries. The Church needs bishops, priests, and deacons, as well as scholars, teachers, catechists, choir directors, and educated leaders of many kinds. If you feel called to ministry in the Church, are interested in broadening your understanding and experience of the Orthodox Christian Faith, and are curious about what seminary life is like, then please join us on campus at the St. Vladimir’s Seminary Fall Open House on October 12–13, 2025.

At this Open House, prospective seminarians are invited to experience “life at St. Vladimir’s” in its many facets. Worship with the seminary community in the chapel, attend classes, and speak with seminarians and professors about the spiritual, academic, and residential life at the Seminary. Come and see if St. Vladimir’s Seminary is the place for you!

Transportation: Open House attendees will be responsible for their transportation to and from the seminary. 

Arrival & Meals: Attendees are welcome to arrive as early as Saturday, October 11 and to stay through Tuesday, October 14. Meals during the official Open House, October 12-13, will be provided free of charge. If your stay extends beyond these dates in either direction, meals will be available for purchase.

Housing: Pending available space, attendees may request to be housed on-campus on a first-come, first-served basis for free, at the invitation of St. Vladimir’s Seminary. Alternatively, rooms may be booked at the Hampton Inn & Suites Yonkers-Westchester; a block rate is available until September 18, 2025.

Registration Deadline: The registration deadline is Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

Register Here

2025 Fall Open House Schedule

Sunday, October 12

9:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy at Three Hierarchs Chapel

10:30 a.m. — Coffee hour & fellowship in the Chapel Basement

11:30 a.m. — Lunch provided in Germack Refectory

1:30 p.m. — Group Discussion with the Director of Admissions in Gerich Board Room (Rangos Building) 

• Why Seminary?
• Degree Programs
• Tuition & Financial Aid
• Housing
• Admissions Process
• Discussion

3:00 p.m. — Tour of Campus

3:30 p.m. — Q&A with Current Seminarians in Germack Common Room

5:00 p.m. — Dinner in Germack Refectory

Evening — Informal Activities (TBD): socialize, explore the area, rest!

Monday, October 13 - A Day at Seminary

7:30 a.m. — Daily Matins at Three Hierarchs Chapel

8:15 a.m. — Breakfast in Germack Refectory

9:00 a.m. — Welcome from Dean & Faculty Roundtable in the Gerich Boardroom (Rangos Building)

10:45 a.m. — Meet with Fr Michael Nasser, Director of Spiritual Formation in the Gerich Boardroom (Rangos Building)

12:15 p.m. — Lunch in Germack Refectory

1:00 p.m. — Attend Choir Rehearsal (optional)

2:00 p.m. — Attend classes or schedule individual meetings

5:00 p.m. — Daily Vespers at Three Hierarchs Chapel

5:45 p.m. — Dinner with Admissions Director & fellow prospective students (Germack)

*This is the official end of the Open House; if you would like to stay through Tuesday, October 14, you are more than welcome—please let us know, especially if you would like to attend one of the classes, schedule a meeting with the Director of Admissions, and/or have lunch in the refectory on Tuesday.

Tuesday, October 14 (Optional)

7:30 a.m. - Daily Matins

8:15 a.m - Breakfast in the refectory

9:15 a.m. - Attend class OR individual meetings

12:15 p.m. - Lunch in the refectory

Orthodox Education Day

Join us at this year’s Orthodox Education Day (OED) Online, Saturday, October 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT (7 a.m. to 1 p.m. PDT).

Attendance is free—we invite you to join us for one session, several sessions, or for all six!

Register to Attend

It's your chance to be a seminarian for a day—to listen to discussions by St. Vladimir's Seminary professors and other Orthodox scholars on a variety of  interesting topics in the fields of doctrine and spirituality, the Church Fathers, the reception of converts, canon law, liturgy, the sacred arts, and Christian leadership. You'll also have a chance to submit your own questions to our panel of scholars. *(You will be able to ask questions live, and you may also submit them in advance when you register.)

Don’t miss this once a year opportunity as Orthodox Education Day returns to its traditional fall season!

Schedule of Topics & Scholars

10am EDT/7am PDT

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Dr Peter Bouteneff 

10:05am EDT/7:05am PDT

Servant, Sacrifice, Shepherd, Leader: The Theology of Leadership

Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie & Rev. Pdn Dr Peter Danilchick

Leaders today face enormous challenges, whether they are pastors in the church, supervisors in the workplace, or spouses and parents at home. True leadership begins not with the latest secular leadership techniques, but with spiritual transformation. What, then, does true leadership look like, and how do we go about living it out?

11am EDT/8am PDT

The Reception of Converts into The Orthodox Church

Very Rev. Dr Alexander Rentel & Very Rev. Grand Ecclesiarch Dr Aetios (Nikiforos)

In recent years, the different Orthodox Churches have seen a wonderful influx of new converts. These conversions have also raised questions regarding the method of receiving converts according to the tradition of the Church. During this session, two priests of the Church who are also scholars of canon law will address these important questions from the liturgical and the canonical tradition.

12pm EDT/9am PDT

Orthodox Doctrine & Spirituality: Thinking with the Fathers

Very Rev. Dr Bogdan Bucur  & Dr Georgiana Huian [Universität Bern]

The language in which the Church delineates its Orthodoxy seems full of abstract concepts and distinctions, related to substance, persons, essence, energies, natures… This language is, of course, the bread and butter of studious seminarians and of the more zealous catechumens or members of the Church. But what does all this have to do with the "life in Christ", the mystery of our transformation towards the glory of God's Kingdom? Hear how the Fathers of the Church help us see doctrine and spirituality as inextricably linked and mutually illuminating. 

1pm EDT/10am PDT

Welcoming Catechumens: Where Do We Go from Here?

Right Rev. Dr John (Abdalah) & Rev. Dn Dr Gregory Abdalah

An unprecedented number of inquirers and catechumens are coming through the doors of our parishes these days, many of them, in fact, young men. How can we as Orthodox faithful welcome and encourage them and what are some of the opportunities and challenges presented to the Church by this new wave of spiritual seekers?

2pm EDT/11am PDT

Rethinking Sacred Arts

Dr Peter Bouteneff & Dr Christina Maranci [Harvard University]

A discussion of foundational, often overlooked questions: What do we mean by “sacred arts”? Are there boundaries that delineate sacred from secular arts? Can an object be inherently holy, or does sacredness lie in its use? This session brings into dialogue the two co-editors of a new SVS Press volume that addresses these very questions.

3pm EDT/12pm PDT

Realities and Responses for Orthodox Church Music in North America Today

Rev. Dn Dr Harrison Basil Russin & Anastasia Kappanadze [St Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary] 

What is the current state of Orthodox Church music in North America? With a focus on the OCA, this discussion will address anecdotal and data-informed evaluations of the state of music; consider interventions which have been implemented in the past 10–15 years, such as the St Tikhon’s Music Residency and new publications; and express hopes and desires for the future.

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Archpriest Michael Zaparyniuk, Jr., a former student of St. Vladimir’s Seminary. Fr. Michael fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 92 on Monday, September 22, 2025, in West Palm Beach, FL, following a decline in health in recent years.

The Very Rev. Michael Zaparyniuk, Jr. was attached to Christ the Saviour Cathedral, Miami Lakes, FL, in his retirement. Early in his priestly ministry, he assumed pastoral duties at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity in Trenton, NJ, from his father the Very Rev. Fr. Michael, Sr., following the elder Fr. Michael’s repose in 1958. Fr. Michael, Jr. served at Holy Trinity from February 1959 until March 1968. He also served for many years at St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church in Lake Worth, FL, before his retirement from pastoral ministry.

Father Michael enrolled at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in 1956 and continued studies at the Seminary through the early 1960s. He remained an ardent supporter of the Seminary, and he and his family were incredibly generous donors. He also left an enduring impression on many who knew him, such as the Seminary’s former Dean of Students and Chaplain Archpriest Steven Belonick (+2019). Fr. Steven credited Fr. Michael as his inspiration in becoming a priest and the reason he attended St. Vladimir’s Seminary himself.

Information regarding Fr. Michael’s funeral is available on the OCA website, here.

May the memory of Archpriest Michael be eternal!

St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Fr. Georges Florovsky Library has greatly expanded its electronic research resources by acquiring full access to the JSTOR Archival Journal & Primary Source Collection.

The Florovsky Library previously had access to JSTOR Essential (nearly 700 titles). The upgrade to the Archival Journal & Primary Source Collection means seminarians, faculty, and visiting scholars and students now have access to a total of 2,892 titles.

“This is an important expansion to our electronic collections, and we are happy to be able to offer this to our seminarians and faculty,” said Seminary Dean Dr. Ionut-Alexandru Tudorie. “We have been working to make St. Vladimir’s Seminary a hub for Orthodox scholars, and having the best research library possible is an important piece in attracting the best scholars here.”

In addition to JSTOR, patrons of the Fr. Georges Florovsky Library also have access to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, Sources Chrétiennes Online, Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, ATLA, plus a selection of theological journals published by De Gruyter, Brepols, Peeters, Cambridge University Press, and Oxford University Press.

About the Fr Georges Florovsky Library

The Library at SVOTS has always been considered one of the Seminary’s greatest assets, with over 160,000 volumes in holdings ranging from the sixteenth to the twenty-first centuries and hundreds of periodicals. It has been called the “richest library of Eastern Christian holdings in the Western Hemisphere” by Dr. James Billington, the former Librarian of Congress (1987-2015). In addition to serving the students, faculty, and alumni, the Library is now used by scholars from all over the world, and many outside patrons regularly request use of library materials.

Scripture has never been just a text. In the Orthodox Church, it is a way of life. 

In SVS Press’s new book, The Life of Our Fathers, Fr. Silviu Bunta shows how Scripture functions in the Orthodox Church. Rather than giving a method to interpret Scripture, he points to the way Apostolic Christianity has always engaged biblical revelation—by living the ascetical and liturgical life of the Church. There is no distance between reader and text, and the Bible is not an object of study and analysis but a reality that we participate in through the life of the Church in her services and ascetical practices. As we put off the old man, and with it the crushing weight of our fallen egos, the words of Scripture become our own speech and we ourselves are transformed and made new.

Born from talks given to lay audiences, this book remains deeply accessible. It challenges common assumptions about how to approach Scripture, showing us a far deeper and richer path of participation. This is not a call to interpret better, but to live differently. For anyone seeking to understand how Scripture functions in the Orthodox tradition, The Life of Our Fathers offers a rare and timely guide.

The Life of our Fathers is available in paperback (5×7) and as an eBook at SVSPress.com.

Purchase a Copy

About the Author

The Very Rev. Silviu Nicolae Bunta, Ph.D., is Senior Scholar in Scripture at the University of Dayton, where he taught from 2007 to 2022. He now serves as a priest at St. George Orthodox Church in Pharr, Texas, while continuing his research and writing. His scholarly work spans the Hebrew Bible, the ascetical and mystical traditions of early Judaism, and the ancient Christian and Orthodox interpretation of Scripture. With both academic depth and pastoral experience, Fr. Silviu brings a unique and compelling voice to contemporary conversations about the life of Scripture in the Orthodox Church.

Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff could certainly be described as a “Renaissance man.” He is a theologian, widely traveled speaker, successful author, conservatory-trained musician, Luminous Podcast host, and devoted husband and father, with a myriad of passions, interests, and achievements. 

After taking a degree in music in 1983, he lived and worked in Japan and traveled widely in Asia and Greece. He then obtained an M.Div. from St. Vladimir’s Seminary and a doctorate from Oxford University, where he studied under Metropolitan Kallistos Ware. Dr. Bouteneff is now a long-serving and beloved faculty member at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, where he is Professor of Systematic Theology and Kulik Professor of Sacred Arts. 

Professor Bouteneff’s productivity and achievements are testament to his diverse talents. He worked for many years in theological dialogue, notably as executive secretary for Faith and Order at the World Council of Churches. He conceived of and edits both the Foundations Series and the recently launched Sacred Arts Series for SVS Press. Among his numerous books,  his pastoral/theological reflection, How to Be a Sinner, has long been an SVS Press bestseller, and his book, Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence, has been hailed as “a triumph,” “a game-changer,” and “a must-read for any listener or performer of Pärt's music.” He co-founded and directs the Arvo Pärt Project and is founding director of St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Institute of Sacred Arts. He frequently finds himself traveling across North America and internationally, as an oft-requested and invited speaker at parish retreats, conferences, and symposia.

With each passing year, it seems Dr. Bouteneff’s importance to the Seminary only continues to grow. Following his appointment as Associate Dean for Institutional Mission & Engagement, he kindly set aside time for us to explore his fruitful history with the Seminary and his new role.

St. Vladimir's Seminary has been a part of your life since you were a child, right? Could you describe your history with the Seminary?

My connection with the seminary is … prehistoric. The old seminary chapel was one of the places I attended church in my childhood in the 1960s—we would alternate between there, the ROCOR Nyack parish, and another parish in upper Manhattan. The sermons of Frs. Schmemann and Meyendorff, and Dave Drillock’s choir, are part of my mental and spiritual soundtrack to this day!

I began as a seminarian in the fall of 1987, coming just after two years in Japan and travels through Asia and Greece, and I graduated with an M.Div. in 1990. Fr. Tom [Fr. Thomas Hopko] invited me to be his teaching assistant in 1993–94, and also asked Patricia—whom I married in 1992—to teach New Testament and Modern Greek. I was eventually invited to teach Dogmatic Theology from fall 2000 onwards, and I have been here ever since.

So the Seminary has been in and out of my life for as long as I can remember. As for my more than twenty-five years on the faculty, riding on the wings of my revered predecessors has been a great blessing–but especially in the early years it felt like a daunting task. For a long time I felt like I had these crazy-large shoes to fill. I still carry these teachers (and Metr. Kallistos) in my heart and soul—I quote them all the time—but I’ve been coming into my own here, especially in recent years. I am grateful for it all.

Over these years you have been deeply involved with the multiple facets of the Seminary, in addition to teaching. Talk about your new role as Associate Dean for Institutional Mission and Engagement. How did the appointment come about?

Our dean, Alex Tudorie, is an astute and listening leader who likes to maximize people’s gifts. He observed that I was naturally filling certain roles here, such as liaising between faculty and staff, listening to where people are within the institution, and reaching out to our constituents in parishes and advancement settings. So he drafted a job description that capitalized on all of those. As a result, on top of my teaching and other responsibilities, I continue to deepen my involvement in the school’s inner life, at the same time speaking more to people whom we serve and people who currently support us or might in the future. All the while I’ll also be working to ensure that we’re doing what we promise in our mission. 

The Seminary is in the very beginning stages of a strategic plan process, and I am working on that alongside trustees and colleagues. I was just providentially elected to the OCA’s Metropolitan Council. It’s another way for me to deepen relationships, serving the Church and our school.

So much happening! What are Patricia and the rest of your family up to these days?

My wife, Patricia, stays very busy with Axia Women, which she founded and runs with an outstanding team of women across the Eastern and Oriental jurisdictions. Axia is a fabulous organization that lifts up and celebrates the many things women are doing in the Church—making them visible and showing that they matter. She also continues to make time to further her research into the folktales of the Pontic Greeks; her latest article comes out in December. (Our evening conversations are endlessly entertaining!)

Our son Michael turns 30 this year (cue whiplash sound effect). He is a professional stagehand and sound equipment tech, as well as a touring drummer. Our daughter Elizabeth is well into her fourth year in Daejeon, South Korea, where she has moved from teaching English to schoolchildren to teaching it to corporate professionals; she is about to finish top of her class in the highest level course in Korean language offered at the university level, which will open an array of opportunities for her.

You're so firmly part of the fabric of St. Vladimir's Seminary. Though you have been around the seminary in some way or another since your childhood, what's something most people here may not know about you?

Some may not know about my passion regarding the relationship between Eastern and Oriental churches. I have a new book coming out in early 2026 about that schism and some of the ways it might be healed—it’s called Union Without Confusion: Councils and Christology Beyond the Chalcedonian Divide (T&T Clark). For decades now, the St. Vladimir’s Seminary community has been blessed with students and colleagues from both families. Our lack of communion is a thorn in the flesh, and we absolutely must be working on it. We pray, in St. Basil’s Liturgy, “Reunite the separated.” I believe God desires our unity.

I think by now everyone knows I’m a jazz bassist. My first degree was a conservatory degree. Founding the Institute of Sacred Arts, and watching it flourish through my amazing colleagues and students, is more fulfilling than I can possibly say. All these elements of my life: music, theology, liturgy, writing, all come together here. I am blessed.

Headline photo: Dr. Peter Bouteneff delivers a presentation on St. Sophrony and the spiritual life, at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa, Estonia, April 2024.

Meal times at St. Vladimir's Seminary (SVOTS) have been completely transformed with a distinctly new look and flavor this academic year. 

This is due in large part to a new partnership with FLIK Hospitality Group, a subsidiary of Compass Group USA—one of the largest hospitality providers in the world. FLIK began managing food and catering services on campus at the start of this academic year. 

FLIK’s partnership with the Seminary not only brings new menus and services, but also a revamped and updated kitchen and eating space in SVOTS’ Germack building refectory. These improvements are thanks to considerable capital investments from both FLIK and St Vladimir’s Seminary.

The enhancements to the student dining experience are the result of a long and deliberate, collaborative process led by the Dean and the Associate Dean of Residential Life. Together, they continuously collected feedback and input from students on their needs and experiences during the last academic year. They also relied on the advisory support and guidance of other members of the administration, as well as outside culinary experts, in a rigorous process of discovery and design.

“The process of bringing FLIK to St. Vladimir’s Seminary was one that took more than half a year of diligent research and planning—countless hours listening to students, exploring multiple possibilities, and ensuring the appropriate financial and logistics preparation—in order to give seminarians and their families the best experience possible,” said SVOTS Dean Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie. “It was a tremendous amount of work, and I believe was essential for the community here in Crestwood. I am grateful to my colleagues and partners for their focus on this important part of our student, faculty, and visitor experience”

“We have been impressed with FLIK in every regard,” said The Rev. Dn. Dr. Harrison Basil Russin, SVOTS’ Associate Dean for Residential Life. “The quality of their food is very high, and their professionalism and business communication is admirable. They have been investing in our seminary kitchen and refectory, and it looks like a different and improved space.”

Dr. Tudorie and Seminary staff undertook a careful interview process of several providers, guided in part by the expertise of former student Matthew Nelson (M. Div. ’25), in addition to the recommendations of other local institutions.

SVOTS was especially pleased to pursue references and its own assessment of FLIK’S food service experience by visiting institutions that FLIK already serves. SVOTS was referred to FLIK by several groups, including St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Seminary in Yonkers (Dunwoodie). FLIK provides the catering and meal service for many institutions in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

The new kitchen staff, led by chef Hector Morales, sous-chef Joe Gatzmer, and Hugolina Vidals Ponce, take over from longtime seminary Chef, Nat Fasciani.

“We are so grateful to Chef Nat for his service to St. Vladimir’s Seminary over the past 20 years.” said Dr. Tudorie. “He has been a beloved member of our community, is an SVS Press author, and was the driving force behind nearly all of our community events. Thank you, Chef Nat!”

The new meal service will include a number of changes, such as expanded meals—notably including the offering of breakfast six days per week (except Sundays or feast days when Divine Liturgy is celebrated). 

A final component of the enhanced food services experience is a custom digital application, which provides the community (including faculty, staff, and visiting married students who are not on the meal plan) with a practical and easy-to-use tool for meal reservations. This concept and execution were made possible through the personal generosity and investment of longtime donors and Trustees Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey D. Hoff.

The reservation system allows the food services staff to manage resources, streamlines kitchen operations and the student experience, and enables flexibility for take-out for community members who are unable to be seated with the community for any given meal. 

“The positive feedback from seminarians and faculty has been overwhelming, and this is so important for us to know—that we are serving them well and getting it right,” added Dr. Tudorie. 

“Here at the seminary, we look to create connection and build relationships in our community. Partnering with FLIK is an essential investment in the student experience, in fellowship, and in food quality and standards. We look forward to our continued partnership in this service.”

The Seminary’s celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos was made even more joyous with the presence of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and the ordination of Seminarian Daniel Werner to the Holy Diaconate.

His Beatitude arrived to campus Sunday evening, September 7, and celebrated Vigil with the community at Three Hierarchs Chapel. The following morning, His Beatitude presided over the festal Divine Liturgy, during which he ordained Subdeacon Daniel.

The Rev. Dn. Daniel is a third-year seminarian (M.Div. Program) from the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)’s Diocese of the South. Dn. Daniel, his wife Matushka Aly, and their children attended St. Athanasius Orthodox Church in Nicholasville, KY, before Dn. Daniel began his studies at St. Vladimir’s Seminary.

“Glory to God! I am humbled to receive ordination to the Holy Diaconate and am grateful to His Beatitude for entrusting me with this ministry,” Dn. Daniel reflected. “I am also grateful for St. Vladimir's Seminary. I love all my teachers and mentors here, and I am indebted to them for the formation I am undergoing. I also thank my family and friends for their support and encouragement.”

May God grant the newly ordained Dn. Daniel, his wife Matushka Aly, and their family many years!

Following the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude blessed two newly-painted icons of St. Herman of Alaska and St. Olga of Kwethluk for the Seminary chapel.

Monday afternoon, His Beatitude met with the newly ordained Dn. Daniel and his fellow seminarians and their families to discuss life as seminarians and the importance of prayer. 

 

“My prayer is that each of you will receive the blessing of renewal at this time of year, which is the time of harvest and preparation for the next planting season,” His Beatitude said to the community. “In terms of life at the Seminary, you might say the incoming class and the return class have been gathered together, and now is the time to plant yourselves in the earth of humility, so that you might be watered by your professors, be nurtured by your experience of the ascetical and liturgical life, suffer the growth pangs of formation and blossom as genuine servants of Jesus Christ.”

The visit marked His Beatitude’s first archpastoral visit to the Seminary of the new academic year.