With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share the news of the repose of longtime friend and supporter of St Vladimir’s Seminary, Joseph Domanick, who fell asleep in the Lord on the morning of April 11, 2023 at the age of 98. Joe was a Three Hierarchs chapel member for many years and was known and loved by many alumni and their families. 

Joe was born on November 8, 1924 in Queens, NY to a family of Carpatho-Russian ancestry.  Growing up, he attended St Nicholas Orthodox Church. He served in the US Navy during WWII as an electrician’s mate where his ship was sent to the South Pacific. After the war, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Siena College and then joined the NYPD. He had a long career, became a sergeant, and served for many years as truancy officer in Harlem and other neighborhoods. 

Joe was a longtime member of the St Vladimir’s Seminary community.  He was friends with the seminary’s founders, and many of the students who would go on to become bishops, priests, deacons, and serve the church in other roles. He sponsored Fr John Meyendorff for American citizenship.  After retiring from the police force, he also worked at the seminary bookstore.

Joe is survived by his loving wife Therese to whom he was married for 36 years. To most of us, Joe was just always there—for every baptism, wedding, ordination, funeral, and social function at the seminary. He was loved by many and will be missed by all who knew him.

The funeral followed the Bright Monday Divine Liturgy on April 17, 2023, in Three Hierarchs Chapel. A detachment of NYPD officers attended and served as pallbearers and honor guards.

May the memory of Joseph Domanick be eternal! Christ is risen!

The Fr Georges Florovsky Library at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) is an essential hub for all seminarians. Last semester, the library and the John G. Rangos building received key updates to further enhance student access to research materials and study space. The most impactful addition was a state-of-the-art self-checkout kiosk, where seminarians can use their student ID cards to borrow books at any time of the day or night, whether or not the librarian is on duty. Cameras and key card readers at building entrances ensure the security of the library and the Rangos building while allowing seminarians access around the clock. Much of the funding for the upgrades was generously provided by the Estate of Eva Cadwell.

These updates have streamlined the checkout process for books, giving both the students and Librarian, Matushka Danielle Earl more flexibility and freedom. Matushka Danielle, a Yale Divinity School graduate with extensive experience in academic libraries, has undertaken various large projects during her tenure, including oversight of an inventory project by Backstage Library Works, cataloging and organizing the library’s holdings of rare books and papers, as well as the papers of former St Vladimir’s Seminary deans, Fr Georges Florovsky and Fr Alexander Schmemann. Elaborating on the value of the self-checkout kiosk, Matushka Danielle said, "The kiosk is one more step in actualizing the Florovsky Library's mission of academic excellence in the Orthodox world. It allows for unlimited research and the space to create even more educational programming. The library is constantly evolving in its goals to serve students, scholars, and the Orthodox community worldwide."

Laura Ionescu, a master of arts student specializing in the sacred arts, commented on the ways the new library technology has improved her study routine: “It’s a huge benefit to be able to check out books any time, even when the librarian is not in. If I realize I need a certain book to finish a paper later in the evening or on a weekend, I can always find what I need and check it out right away.”