On Sunday, February 7, 2021, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon visited St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, NY for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Read more below…
Photo credit: Mitchell Morfas / St. Vladimir’s Seminary
Concelebrating the Divine Liturgy were Archpriest Alexander Rentel, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America; Archpriest Chad Hatfield, President of St. Vladimir’s Seminary; Priest Bogdan Bucur, Professor of Patristics; Priest Nicholas Roth, Director of Spiritual Formation; and seminarians Priest Peter Runyon and Hieromonk Michel; Deacon John Thetford, and seminarians Deacon John Black and Deacon Thomas Miller. During the course of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude ordained Subdeacon Anthony Machnee, a second-year seminarian from the Diocese of the West, to the Holy Diaconate. “Axios!” to the newly-ordained Deacon Anthony, and congratulations to him and his family.
In his archpastoral homily, being in the period of the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord, His Beatitude spoke on some of the major themes of the feast, urging those present to prepare themselves to encounter the Lord in their own lives through imitation of the Righteous Elder Simeon and Prophetess Anna. Commenting on the Gospel passage of the day, His Beatitude encouraged those present to not give up hope in the midst of troubles and trials, but to imitate the great faith of the Canaanite woman, always remembering that Christ is indeed present with us.
Following the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude said the following to the newly-ordained deacon:
“I offer you my Archpastoral and paternal blessings, prayers, and congratulations on this day on which you receive the laying on of hands and the grace of ordination to the holy diaconate. This day, which was originally intended to take place on the day of the feast itself, nevertheless takes place in the light of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple. As you begin your diaconal ministry, remember always to exercise the patience of Symeon and nurture the watchfulness of Anna.
The dignity of the diaconate is not an earthly honor or distinction but a call to sacred service – to Christ, to the Church, to your fellows, and to the world. Be sure to always preserve an attitude of humility and a disposition towards service.
Like the Lord, who is brought by his parents to the Temple today, you also bring with you your wife, Mary, and your three children. Your service will also be to them, and in turn, they must support you in your ministry.