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On Thursday, September 7, and Friday, September 8, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon made an archpastoral visit to St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY, to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos with the seminary community.
On Thursday evening, prior to the Festal Vigil, His Beatitude served a Lity for the Departed for the child of God Sophia Cohen, daughter of Father Silouan (class of 2022) and Matushka Katie Cohen, on the first anniversary of her falling asleep. His Beatitude concelebrated the Festal Vigil with Archpriest Chad Hatfield, President of the Seminary, Archpriest Alexander Rentel, OCA Chancellor, and clergy of the seminary community. The antiphonal responses were sung by the seminary mixed and male choirs, under the direction of Deacon Harrison Russin and third-year seminarian, Sam Loposky.
On Friday, His Beatitude presided at the celebration of the hierarchical Divine Liturgy for the Feast. The responses were sung by the mixed seminary choir led by second-year seminarian Naomi DeHaan. His Beatitude delivered the homily where he encouraged the faithful to act as gardeners and “contribute to the upkeep of paradise… by making ourselves receptive to God, and this receptivity is exemplified by the practice of humility.”
Read the full text of His Beatitude’s homily
Following the liturgy, His Beatitude addressed the students for the opening of the academic year. In his address, His Beatitude called on students to follow the example of Christ’s Most Pure Mother, filling themselves “with the sacrifice of prayer, songs, and praise offered unto the God of all.”
