His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon Visits OCA Seminaries to mark Beginning of Academic Year
In late August and early September, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon made archpastoral visits to St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY, and St. Tikhon’s Seminary in South Canaan, PA, to mark the beginning of the academic year.
On Thursday, August 22, and Friday, August 23, Metropolitan Tikhon visited St. Vladimir’s Seminary to participate in new student orientation. On Thursday afternoon, he presided at a molieben to open the school year in the Three Hierarchs Chapel, assisted by Dn. Vitaly Permiakov, chapel administrator. Following the service, His Beatitude offered words of welcome to new students. He also encouraged the students to focus on worship and prayer during their time of study, telling the students “even as you grow in knowledge, you are called even more to grow spiritually through attendance at chapel, cultivating and maintaining a rule of private prayer, and service to the community.”
Later in the evening, His Beatitude participated in the year’s first meeting of the St. Juliana Society, attended by over 30 women from the seminary community. On Friday, he also participated in various orientation sessions and had the opportunity to meet with students and faculty throughout the day.
On Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8, Metropolitan Tikhon visited St. Tikhon’s Seminary to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos with the seminary and monastery communities. On Saturday evening, His Beatitude presided at the All-Night Vigil in the monastery church. The hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the monastery church on Sunday morning. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were Archimandrite Sergius (Bowyer), Abbot of St. Tikhon’s Monastery, Archpriest John Parker, Dean of St. Tikhon’s Seminary, and monastic and seminary clergy. In his homily, His Beatitude praised the Theotokos as “the temple of the Almighty, the house of God, the Church’s ‘yes’ to our Bridegroom’s proposal. … Let us celebrate her as the cause of the world’s redemption, the gateway of God.” His Beatitude concluded the homily by encouraging the faithful to imitate the Theotokos in devotion, prayer, purity, single-heartedness, and love of God.
Following the liturgy, His Beatitude addressed new and returning students. He encouraged the students to try and always keep a sense of newness in their seminary careers: “Hours in the classroom, seasons of study, years of service: we can be tempted to let the grind of life sap our strength and make us old, especially in the intense environment of the seminary. …We must fix the eyes of our hearts on things above, things to come, so that we are always receptive to the grace and gifts of God, every minute of our lives.”
After Archimandrite Sergius welcomed the Metropolitan to the monastery, Fr. John Parker spoke briefly of his recent trip to Kenya with two seminarians, and presented a Gospel in both Swahili and English to His Beatitude from His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Nairobi.