The alumni of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) recently elected four of their fellow alumni to SVOTS’ Alumni Association Board: Fr. Basil Zebrun (’83), Fr. Photius Avant (’11), Mariam (Ceena) Varghese (‘09, ’10), and Richard Ajalat (’13).

“On behalf of the Alumni Association and the Seminary, we congratulate the newly elected board members and ask God to grant them many years!” said Archpriest David Barr (SVOTS class of ’83), the president of the Alumni Association. “We sincerely appreciate their willingness to serve and represent their fellow alumni in the life and mission of the Seminary.”

Seminary President, Archpriest Chad Hatfield congratulates the new members of the alumni board and expresses his eagerness to work together in service to our graduates and in finding new ways to better serve alumni. 

Nominations for Alumni Board members were submitted to the Nominating Committee between January 25 and February 15, 2021.  Once the list of nominees was vetted and a list of candidates approved, alumni cast votes electronically between March 3 and March 7, 2021, as the SVOTS’ Alumni Association Board sought to fill four seats on the board. 

The Board elections continue a busy and eventful period for the Alumni Association. On February 5, the Seminary’s Board of Trustees approved updated Association Bylaws. And in October of 2020, the Seminary held an online alumni gathering and launched the Alumni Portal to give SVOTS graduates access to resources, news, events, and an alumni directory.

About the Newly-Elected Alumni Association Board Members

Father Basil Zebrun is an archpriest of the Orthodox Church in America who has served the Church in multiple capacities since graduating from SVOTS in 1983. Father Basil began his priestly ministry at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Church in Hartshorne, OK and is currently priest of St. Barbara Orthodox Church in Ft. Worth, TX, where he has served since 1987. He has also served as secretary to His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri (Royster) for nearly a decade; managing editor of the diocesan newspaper The Dawn; dean of the Southcentral (Dallas) Deanery of the Diocese of the South, and recording secretary for three All American Councils and for Diocesan Assemblies. Father Basil and his wife, Matushka Christine (SVOTS Class of ’80 and former co-chair of the OCA’s Department of Christian Education), have two grown sons and a granddaughter.

Father Photius Avant is a native of East Texas. After receiving his BA in Literature from the University of North Texas, he taught middle school and high school English. He graduated St. Vladimir’s with a Master of Divinity degree in 2011 and was assigned to St. Sava Orthodox Church (OCA) in Allen, TX as assistant priest. In 2014, he was made rector. He led the parish through the building of a new temple in 2018. His wife Carissa is an accountant and directs the choir. They have four children.

Mariam Ceena Varghese holds two degrees from St. Vladimir's Seminary, a Master of Theology ('10) and Master of Arts in Theology ('09).She also holds a degree in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology from the University of Maryland. After seminary, Ceena worked as the resource coordinator of the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Department of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for three years, and taught a few classes at St. Vladimir’s for four years. She also served as a curriculum writer for an Orthodox project of Gospel Light Worldwide & World Vision and was part of the team that represented the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church at the last World Council of Churches, in South Korea. Ceena is involved in various ministries of the Malankara Orthodox Church, working with children, youth, and adults. She now lives in KY where she works as an IT Analyst, and lives with her husband and one-year-old son.

Richard Ajalat graduated from St. Vladimir's Seminary in 2013 with a Master of Divinity degree. He was a youth director in Livonia, MI for one year after seminary. He has been a pastoral assistant at St. Michael Church in Van Nuys, CA for the past seven years, doing everything from keeping fundraising records on the building of the new Church, to youth and young adult ministry, to other typical pastoral assistant duties including liturgical duties and serving as liaison between church leadership and church ministries. Richard serves on the FOCUS NORTH AMERICA national board and the St. Michael parish council, and he is Vice President of the Young Adult Ministry of the Antiochian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West

4 March 2021 • Yonkers, NY

Alumni of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) are invited to vote now to elect new members of the Seminary’s Alumni Association Board. The voting period ends March 7, 2021. 

The Alumni Association is hosting elections to fill four seats on its board. After assessing nominations, the Association’s Nominating Committee recommended placing the following names on the ballot:

• Fr. Basil Zebrun (M.Div. '83)
• Fr. Nicholas Hubbard (M.Div. '09)
• Fr. Photius Avant (M.Div. '11)
• Fr. Andrew Honore (M.Div. '18)
• Mrs. Mariam Ceena Varghese (M.A. '09 Th.M. '10)
• Mr. Richard Ajalat (M.Div. '13)

Brief biographies of each candidate are available here.

As established by Alumni Association Bylaws, all St. Vladimir’s Seminary alumni (those with at least 24 credits or those with a certificate/degree granted by SVOTS) are invited to cast their vote through the Alumni Portal. 

Click here to cast your vote!

Access to the Alumni Portal is free. Alumni who do not have credentials for the portal can request them here.

In order to facilitate the election procedure, credentials will be generated and sent in an expedited manner from portal@alumni.s​vots.edu.

Please check your SPAM/Promotions folders. Please email alumni@svots.ed​u if you do not receive your credentials in 24h.

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Archpriest John Tkachuk, the founding pastor of the Sign of the Theotokos parish of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) in Montreal, former chancellor of the Archdiocese of Canada, and retired U.S. Air Force chaplain. Father John fell asleep in the Lord on February 19, 2021 in Bronxville, NY, where he had been living in retirement. He was 76 and had been suffering from cancer.

Born in 1944 in Lodz, Poland to Archpriest Igor and Maria (Steblinksa) Tkachuk, their family fled Poland that year to Germany where Fr. Igor ministered to many persons displaced by World War II. Eventually, they immigrated to the United States with their children, John and Nina. Father Igor came from a part of Ukraine that later became part of Poland, and had served at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Warsaw.

Father John was educated at Iona College and Fordham University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then completed studies at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and was awarded a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1969. While at St Vladimir’s, he was a member of the 1965 Seminary Octet which toured the United States raising awareness of the Seminary’s mission.

In 1969, he married Mary A. Schmemann, daughter of Fr. Alexander and Matushka Juliana Schmemann. Soon after, he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Archbishop Sylvester (Haruns) of Montreal at the Chapel of St. Sergius in Lac Labelle, Quebec, Canada, and then to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish) of New York at the Transfiguration of Our Lord Church in Brooklyn, NY. Father John and Matushka Mary subsequently served Three Saints Church in Ansonia, CT, and at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Buffalo, NY.

In 1973, Father John was assigned to Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. During his tenure, Fr. John encouraged the use of English in the Divine Services. He was soon appointed secretary of the Archdiocese of Canada and was instrumental in organizing the 5th All-American Council in Montreal in 1977, at which Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) was elected as primate of the Orthodox Church in America.

In 1978, Father John and several families received permission from Archbishop Sylvester, then ruling hierarch of the Archdiocese of Canada, to form a new English- and French-language parish dedicated to the Sign of the Theotokos in Montreal. The new parish welcomed Orthodox believers of all national backgrounds. In their early years they met in humble rented quarters, then for many years in the basement of a Roman Catholic church. Finally, in 2000, “The Sign” acquired a spacious church building on the Boulevard Saint-Joseph, which remains its home. 

Throughout his Canadian ministry, Fr. John held senior positions in the Archdiocese, serving as secretary, secretary-treasurer, and as the first chancellor. Among his many contributions to church life in Canada, Fr. John helped organize an annual retreat known as the Orthodox Theological Institute (OTI). Held over three days, OTI became a fixture of the Lenten calendar in Montreal and came to feature some of the most prominent names in the OCA as speakers. Matushka Mary also organized an annual conference of “Orthodox Christian Women of Montreal,” whose speakers included her mother, Matushka Juliana Schmemann. 

Beginning in 1983, he served in the US Air Force Chaplaincy. He was a Reserve Chaplain at the Plattsburgh (NY) and Hanscom (MA) Air Force bases, which included active duty for several weeks every year. He proudly served in the chaplaincy for twenty years and retired in 2003 with the rank of major. 

In 1990 he became the first chancellor of the Archdiocese of Canada and was awarded the Jeweled Cross in 1992. Before his retirement in September of 2013, Fr. John was awarded the Order of Saint Innocent (silver class) by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, in recognition of his forty years of priestly ministry. 

Soon after retirement, Fr. John and Matushka Mary moved to Bronxville, NY, where they could be near their daughter, Vera; care for Matushka’s mother, the late Matushka Juliana Schmemann; and be near St. Vladimir’s Seminary. He was attached to Holy Trinity Church in Yonkers, NY.

Archpriest John is survived by his wife, Matushka Mary (Masha); their daughter, Vera; granddaughter Alexandra Solak; and grandson Peter Bullock. Their first grandchild, Justin Solak, passed away in February 2016.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Opioid Center of Support, a website founded after the death of Archpriest John’s grandson, Justin, of an overdose.

The schedule of services for Fr. John’s funeral is as follows:

Tuesday, February 23, 2021
3 p.m., Vesting (clergy only) at the funeral home
5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Visiting Hours at Holy Trinity Church, 46 Seymour St., Yonkers, NY
7 p.m., Funeral Service for a Priest at Holy Trinity Church

Wednesday, February 24, 2021
9:30 a.m., Divine Liturgy followed by Memorial Litiya at Holy Trinity Church;
Burial at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery Cemetery, South Canaan, PA, to follow

May the memory of Archpriest John be eternal!

--

(*This article has been adapted from OCA.org)

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Protodeacon John Eby. Protodeacon John, 73, longtime assistant manager of the Seminary Bookstore and alumnus of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, fell asleep in the Lord unexpectedly at his home in Bronxville, NY.

Protodeacon John was born in Lansing, MI on December 8, 1947. Raised as an Episcopalian, he was received into the Orthodox Church during his time at Michigan State University. He graduated from MSU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in interior and architectural design in 1970. He went on to earn a Master of Divinity degree (M.Div.) at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1977. 

Protodeacon John belonged to Holy Trinity Church, Yonkers, NY for four decades. He served the parish first as a devoted layman and then, for the past 22 years, as their parish deacon, retiring recently from active diaconal service. He was ordained to the diaconate on August 15, 1999 by His Eminence, Archbishop Peter (L'Huillier) and elevated to the rank of protodeacon at Holy Trinity Church on December 22, 2013 by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael. He was awarded the right to wear the kamilavka in 2016. 

During his professional career, Pdn. John worked as an interior designer in Detroit before relocating to New York, where he worked for Royal Copenhagen and then Asprey of London. After retiring from his previous career, he began working at St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press and Bookstore, where he served as assistant manager up until his passing.

John is predeceased by his parents, F. Eugene Eby and Zetta Zoss Eby. He is survived by many generations of dear friends across several countries and many godchildren. He was full of faith, joy, and love, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. 

Viewing hours are scheduled for Friday, February 5, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 46 Seymour St, Yonkers, NY, immediately followed by a Panikhida at 7:30 p.m. Divine Liturgy is scheduled for Saturday, February 6, at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Yonkers, or St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary.

On Saturday, St. Vladimir’s Seminary celebrated the patronal feast of the Seminary’s Three Hierarchs Chapel and hosted the 38th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture.

The Seminary community gathered in the morning for Divine Liturgy for the Synaxis of the Ecumenical Teachers and Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom, patrons of the Seminary chapel. Seminary Academic Dean Dr Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie delivered the homily, his first at Three Hierarchs Chapel.

On Saturday afternoon, New York Times bestselling author Rod Dreher delivered the 38th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture, which was held in an online format. More than 650 people participated in the online event.

Dreher’s lecture was titled “Living in Truth: How the Communist-Era Suffering Church can Prepare Us to be Dissidents.” In it, Dreher defined the challenges and explored the gifts the suffering church has for a complacent West.

"The world today either wants us to abandon Christianity, or substitute a very modern Christianity...which amounts to the same thing," said Dreher. "Parishes that live the true faith, though, will be a beacon in the night to those who long for Jesus Christ.

“These are parishes that don't give themselves over to cultural fads or to the politics of the left or the right, but seek nothing but unity with Christ—no matter what it costs."

Dreher’s talk coincided with the publication of A Voice for Our Time: Radio Liberty Talks, Vol. 1, featuring an English translation of Schmemann’s broadcasts into the Soviet Union that began in 1953. This first volume of the two-part series, being published by St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press, features a foreword by Dreher.

• 
  Click HERE to preorder a copy of A Voice for Our Time

Saturday’s Schmemann Lecture and the forthcoming book are part of “The Year of Schmemann” celebrations at St. Vladimir’s. In 2021, the Seminary is honoring 100 years since the birth of Fr. Alexander Schmemann (1921-1983), its beloved former dean and renowned theologian.

On Thursday, St. Vladimir’s Seminary took part in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)’s Virtual March for Life, to rally against abortion and pray for the unborn.

The OCA’s Virtual March mirrored the March for Life in Washington, D.C. this year, which also moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Metropolitan Tikhon led a moleben at Three Hierarchs Chapel to begin the Virtual March for Life.

The event began with a prayer service at St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Three Hierarchs Chapel, led by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. His Beatitude then offered a message to those gathered at Three Hierarchs and the Virtual March attendees watching online.

"The children destroyed by abortion have no action that they can take or voice to speak with,” said His Beatitude. “They have done nothing right or wrong. They have committed no crime. They have no power. They are truly the most vulnerable among us, and so it is up to us to act and speak for their protection.

“This is a sacred task…because God Himself is a protector—the Father of the fatherless and protector of widows; He is a rescuer, a savior, especially of the vulnerable."

Metropolitan Tikhon’s message was followed by a talk from Dr. Ana Iltis, professor and director of the Center for Bioethics, Health and Society at Wake Forest University and professor of philosophy at St. Vladimir’s.

"What actions will I take...," Dr Iltis challenged viewers, "to cultivate a life-giving and life-affirming culture, one in which abortion is not the answer to difficult questions pregnant women may face?"

Virtual March for Life host Fr. Thomas Soroka brought the event speakers together for a brief discussion before the conclusion of the March.

The Virtual March also featured words from His Eminence, Archbishop Michael and representatives from three pro-life organizations: Orthodox Christians for Life, Zoe for Life, and Vision for Life. The representatives described the work their organizations do to support pregnant women in crisis. They also challenged Orthodox Christians to get involved in pro-life work throughout the year, and offered examples of how to do so.

Watch the recording of Thursday’s Virtual March for Life below.

Seminarians once again showcased some of their outstanding work at St. Vladimir’s third Graduate Conference (formerly known as the Academic Symposium). The latest edition of the biannual conference was held Friday, January 15, 2021, in an online format.

The conference provides a platform for seminarians to present and discuss the best academic work done by students the previous semester.

“I'm able to see improvement from our first [conference] in January 2020…,” said Academic Dean Dr. Ionut Alexandru Tudorie. “And I'm very happy and thankful to our students and our professors.”

Seminary faculty, led by Dr. Tudorie, nominated nine papers to be featured during the conference. Authors of select papers will be encouraged to submit them for publication in St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly. The papers addressed a wide range of topics, including the need for an authoritative catechism for the Orthodox Church in America and biblical exegesis of Christ’s commandment to buy a sword in Luke’s Gospel.

"Obviously, a sword is unusual considering the character of Jesus and his mission—how do we make sense of this?” asked Subdeacon Daniel Hanna, a second-year seminarian, as he introduced his paper, “You Are in a War, Sell All You Have and Buy a Sword: Exegesis of Lk. 22.35–38.” He then argued if one is to interpret the sword allegorically, the same approach must be applied to the other provisions—purse, bag, and garment—mentioned in the narrative.

Subdn. Daniel Hanna is a second-year seminarian in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program.

The other seminarians whose papers were featured with Subdn. Daniel were Alexander Earl (“No One Can See My Face and Live: Theophanic Hermeneutics in Scripture and the Eastern Christian Tradition,” and “Hiddenness and Manifestation: Theophanic Realism and Divine Energeia in St. Gregory Palamas”); Hieromonk Michel Mikhail (“God’s Inscrutable Providence: Understanding The Inclusion Of Women In Mathew’s Genealogy”); Blake (Silouan) Cohen (“The Need for An Authoritative Catechism for the Orthodox Church in America”); Tiberiu-Georgian Opriș (“Mark 15.39 – A Confession of Faith or a Sarcastic Comment?” and “Theophanies as Weapon against Ideology and Criterion of Authentic Christianity: The Vision of Hieroschemamonk Nil Dorobanțu”); Subdn. Basil Paul (“The Nuptial Mystery of the Cross in the Gospel of John”); Fr. Abey George (“An Analysis of the Theological and Rhetorical Components of the Homilies of Metropolitan Mathews Mar Barnabas”); Dn. Tesfay Rezene (“A Comparative Study of Indian and Abyssinian Church History: From the Apostolic Age to the Arrival of the European Missionaries”); and Subin Shaji (“An Analysis of the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Church Relationship as a Model for Reconciliation in the Malankara Church”).

The presentation of each student paper was followed by questions and discussion with other seminarians and faculty. 

Dr. Rossitza B. Schroeder, the Seminary’s associate professor of art history, delivered the keynote address, “Contemplating Paradox and Asymmetry: Looking at Monosandaloi in Late Byzantium.”

The Graduate Conference is currently an intramural event, but the Seminary plans to invite other Orthodox seminaries to participate in the future.

Are science and Christianity in conflict? Father Christopher Knight—a theologian who also holds a doctorate in astrophysics—tackles that question in his new book, Science and the Christian Faith: A Guide for the Perplexed.

The book, published by St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVS) Press, released to the public Friday, January 15, 2021.

• Buy a copy of Science and the Christian Faith

In it, Fr. Christopher argues that not only is there no conflict between faith and science, but our contemporary scientific worldview can be deepened and refined by engagement with the riches of the ancient Orthodox tradition. 

"Christopher Knight is the world's leading scholar on the relationship between contemporary science and Orthodox theology,” writes Sarah Lane Ritchie, Ph.D., of The University of Edinburgh. “A must-have for the Orthodox, this book also provides key new perspectives for all Christians wrestling with scientific challenges to faith.”

Christopher C. Knight holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics and serves as a priest of the Orthodox Church. He is a Senior Research Associate of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, England.

Science and the Christian Faith is the eighth volume in SVS Press’s Foundations Series. 

The book may be purchased online at SVSPress.com or by calling 1-800-204-BOOK (2665).

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Archpriest James Doyle, who fell asleep in the Lord January 12, 2021, at the age of 80.

He was born on August 2, 1940, to James and Marion Doyle, in Providence, RI, and is survived by his sister, Rose, of North Providence.

He took classes at St. Vladimir's Seminary between 1958 and 1962. He then enlisted in the United States Army, in which he served until 1967. Among his other duties, he studied Russian and other Slavic languages in the Army's language schools.

After his Honorable Discharge from the Army he went to Paris, France, to study at Saint Sergius Theological Institute, from which he graduated in 1969, with additional studies at Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium. While at Saint Sergius, he worked closely with Father Nicholas Afanasiev, the noted Orthodox theologian.

Father James was ordained to the Diaconate on June 25, 1969 at Saint Sergius, and then to the Priesthood, on June 28, 1969 at Saint Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Paris, by Archbishop George, of Syracuse. Over the years of his ministry, he received a number of special recognitions, including his elevation to archpriest, and his award of the Jeweled Cross.

After his ordination he served parishes in Brussels, Belgium, until his return to the United States in 1975 to teach patristics and Old Testament at Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary, South Canaan, PA. He served at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Leavitt Street, Chicago, from 1979, concluding his ministry there as its dean, in 1983. From 1983 until his death he was on staff at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, fondly remembered there by a generation of fellow staff, faculty, and students.

He assisted at a number of parishes in the Greater Chicago area over the years, for the last twenty years serving in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Of very special note was his service at Assumption Church, Hegewisch, from 2004 to very shortly before his death. Of all his pastoral ministries, none was closer to his heart. He was deeply loved by the congregation, there, and it was, for him, a cherished spiritual home.

With the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Paul, Fr. James will be buried from the parish he served, Holy Assumption, by His Eminence, Metropolitan Nathanael of the Greek Metropolis of Chicago.

Services will be at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Hegewisch, IL. A wake will be held Monday, January 18 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Tuesday, January 19, Orthros begins at 8 a.m., followed by Divine Liturgy.

May the memory of Fr. James be eternal!

(This article was adapted from OCA.org)

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has issued an encyclical entitled, “We Rejoice Even in Tribulation”: An Encyclical of Hope. The Holy Synod offered the work out of love and gratitude to its faithful at the end of this year. The Synod also intends for the encyclical to be seen as an encouragement for the year to come.

In the encyclical, the Synod seeks to find meaning in the year that has past, which has been marked by a pandemic, political polarization, economic anxiety, and civil unrest, and calls the faithful to a renewed faith and hope in Jesus Christ and service to one another.

Click here to download the encyclical in PDF format.

In January 2021, printed copies will be mailed to all parishes, monasteries, and institutions of the Orthodox Church in America.