Dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary ordained to the Holy Priesthood

SVS Dean, the Rev. John Erickson is vested by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman following his ordination to the Holy Priesthood at the Three Hierarchs Chapel on Sunday, May 7, 2006.

CRESTWOOD, NY [OCA Communications] — The Rev. Deacon John Erickson, dean of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here, was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America and seminary President, at Three Hierarchs Chapel on Sunday, May 7, 2006.

“For Father John, this was the completion of a path that began many years ago, starting in 1964 when he was received into the Orthodox Church in the Saint Vladimir’s Seminary chapel,” said Ms. Sofia Lopoukhine, SVS communications officer. “This was followed by 33 years of teaching canon law and Church history at the seminary, where he also served as academic dean and now as dean and CEO.”

Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, dean emeritus, led Deacon John around the altar table immediately before Metropolitan Herman offered the prayers of ordination.

Later that day, Father Thomas, as the master of ceremonies at a banquet for the hierarchs, alumni, professors, staff, benefactors, and students, set the tone for the evening by observing that “our dean’s ordination gives us a chance to gather and think about the work of the seminary: its past, its present, and its future.”

“It was a special blessing that along with Metropolitan Herman, His Eminence, Metropolitan Philip of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America shared words of appreciation for the achievements of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary,” Ms. Lopoukhine added. “He concluded his speech by presenting Father John with a beautiful pectoral cross, and as he handed it to him proclaimed, ‘Axios, my friend.’”

Father John expressed gratitude to all who offered him spiritual encouragement and direction during his many years of association with the seminary. With great optimism, he reflected on the future of the Church, the many individuals who seek that which Orthodox Christianity offers, and the next generation of seminarians who are “carrying the spirit of Sasint Vladimir’s, which is a devotion to truth that is never limited to parochialism or nationalism, into the world.”

Also read during the banquet were congratulatory messages from His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; the Very Rev. Alexander Abramov of Saint Nicholas Cathedral, New York, NY, on behalf of the Patriarchate of Moscow; and Prof. Alexander Dvorkin of Saint Tikhon Orthodox University, Moscow, Russia. A letter of congratulations also was read from His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and the brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY.

Click here for a photo gallery of Father John’s ordination.