On August 14th, the Eve of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the new and stunning mosaic icon gracing the entrance to Three Hierarchs Chapel will be blessed. The mosaic was donated by Ernest and Denice Collazo, friends of St. Vladimir's Seminary; it depicts the patrons of the seminary chapel, Ss. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. The blessing will follow Great Vespers, which begins at 6:30 p.m.[img_assist|nid=7173|title=|desc=The beautiful mosaic of the Three Hierarchs, being installed on the outside of the seminary chapel.|link=none|align=left|width=300|height=200] on Sunday. All are welcome to worship with us and to celebrate the dedication and blessing of this icon.
From Thursday, September 8, through Saturday, September 10, our seminary will host the North American Conference of the Fellowship of Ss. Alban and Sergius. On the evening of September 8th, Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware)— Co-chair of Orthodox-Anglican Dialogue from 2008 to the present—will commence the proceedings by delivering a free and public keynote. Prior to the keynote, at 7:30 p.m., the seminary will bestow an honorary doctoral degree upon His Eminence. His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen), primate of the Orthodox Church in America, and Fr. Stephen Platt, general-secretary of the Fellowship from the United Kingdom, will also be in attendance. Metropolitan Jonah will serve on a discussion panel on Saturday.
Our Alumni Office is organizing a cookout to follow Great Vespers for the Feast of the Holy and Great Prince Vladimir this Thursday evening. Great Vespers begins at 6:30 p.m. and the cookout will follow immediately afterwards on the seminary grounds. All alumni in the area are invited to join our faculty, staff, students, and community members. Come pray, sing, and enjoy the evening with us! For more information, contact Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, Director of Alumni Relations and Recruitment: jmatusiak@svots.edu or (914) 961-8313 EXT 342.
[img_assist|nid=7255|title=|desc=Dean Fr. John Behr with seminarian Harrison Russin at Orientation 2010. Dr. John Barnet stands in the background.|link=none|align=right|width=200|height=300]Our student-less, slower-paced summer routine here at St. Vladimir's will soon yield to an incredibly active schedule, as we welcome new students and returning seminarians to campus for Orientation. The annual August orientation sessions are crucial for seminarians and their families, preparing them for living within Christian community, and especially, for the particularities that mark our rhythm of life here at SVOTS.
The Marketing[img_assist|nid=7257|title=|desc=SVS Press has produced more than 400 titles related to Orthodox Christianity. Here, Nina Matusiak browses our on-campus bookstore (Photo: Robert Lisak).|link=none|align=right|width=182|height=125] Manager of our St. Vladimir's Seminary Bookstore, Dn. Gregory Hatrak, will be taking a traveling bookshop on the road this summer and fall. He will be setting up temporary bookstalls—filled with St. Vladimir's Seminary Press (SVS Press) titles—at some key gatherings and places, nationally and internationally:
[img_assist|nid=7615|title=|desc=Metropolitan Kallistos blesses the loaves at Vigil.|link=none|align=right|width=300|height=406]Tonight, renowned Orthodox Christian author, teacher, and churchman, Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia, will deliver a free and public lecture on our campus. His presentation will be the keynote to commence the North American Conference of the Fellowship of Ss. Alban and Sergius, an Orthodox-Anglican dialogue that traces its beginnings to the early twentieth century. [img_assist|nid=7613|title=|desc=Metropolitan Jonah (left) and Metropolitan Kallistos together, after serving Vigial for the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Three Hierarchs Chapel|link=none|align=left|width=300|height=206]