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For the seventeenth year, the Orthodox Church in America has organized a Diaconal Liturgical Practicum to help in the formation of deacons and their ministry in the life of the Church. Held this year from July 15-19 at Saint Seraphim Cathedral/Holy Protection Parish in Santa Rosa, CA, the practicum gathered candidates, altar servers, subdeacons, and deacons from nearly every diocese of the Orthodox Church in America. Initiated at the urging of the Holy Synod of Bishops in 2006, the Practicum is a cornerstone of the training of deacons in the Diaconal Vocations Program (DVP) and other diocesan programs leading to diaconal ordination in the Church.
This year’s Practicum began on Monday evening, July 15, with an opening presentation by Archpriest Kirill Sokolov, Director of the DVP. He spoke on the creation of the diaconate in the Book of Acts, while expanding this topic to the diakonia of every Christian in Christ’s Holy Church. The themes broached in this introductory address and developed further in the ensuing discussion came up time and again in subsequent conversations throughout the week.
Each full day began with 2 Divine Liturgies, one each in St Seraphim Cathedral and the original Protection Church, and concluded with Vespers. Archpriest Kirill Sokolov was joined by the Rev. Dn. Vitaly Permiakov, Professor of Liturgical Theology at St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS), in leading liturgical practice sessions and reflections on the diaconate.
Nicolas Custer, choir director at St. Seraphim Cathedral, offered sessions on liturgical chanting, singing, and the manner in which deacons use their voices in celebrating the divine services. He also directed the singers during the divine services. The Mitred Archpriest Stephan Meholick, past recipient of the Order of St. Romanos Award, gave additional lectures on liturgical chanting on Thursday July 18th.
On Wednesday evening, registrants took part in a panel discussion on the role of the deacon in parish life, with a focus on charitable works, led by Fr. Kirill, Archpriest Marcus Burch (Chancellor, Diocese of the South, in residence for the entire practicum this year), Archpriest Lawrence Margitich (Pacific Central Deanery Dean, Rector of St. Seraphim Cathedral), Fr. Dn. Vitaly, and Priest Andrew Smith (DVP Administrative Assistant). The practicum participants themselves contributed much to the conversation, sharing ways in which they have seen diakonia at work in their home parishes.
The practicum was blessed to be joined by His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin (Diocese of the West) and His Grace, Bishop Gerasim (Diocese of the South) on Thursday afternoon. After dinner, both hierarchs served the Festal Vigil for the cathedral patronal feast day with deanery clergy.
On Friday July 19, Archbishop Benjamin was joined by Bishop Gerasim in celebrating the hierarchical Divine Liturgy. The hierarchs were joined by thirteen priests and five deacons. After the vesting of the hierarchs, St. Seraphim parishioner Aaron Wilkerson, a DVP student, was tonsured a reader. Bishop Gerasim gave the sermon, in which he focused on St. Seraphim’s diaconal ministry. After the Great Entrance, Deacon Josef Candelario was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.
The DVP would like to formally thank the Archpriest Lawrence Margitich and the god-fearing flock of St. Seraphim Cathedral for their impeccable hospitality during these five very full, and very blessed, days.
The Diaconal Vocations Program is a program of theological study providing academic preparation for men who may be called to ordination to the Holy Diaconate but unable to attend a seminary. The DVP is operated under the auspices of the Board of Theological Education of the Holy Synod of Bishops, and is chaired by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael. Archpriest Kirill Sokolov currently serves as Director of Diaconal and Late Vocations. He can be reached at dvp@oca.org and more information on the DVP can be found on the web site of the Orthodox Church in America at oca.org/dvp.
