Deacon Tim Paproski was ordained this past Sunday, 21 April 2024, in Phoenixville, PA at the hand of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa to serve in the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of North America.

Deacon Tim is a third-year seminarian slated to graduate next month with the Class of 2024. We are pleased to have shared these wonderful years of life with the Paproski family, and wish they joy and fruitful labor in their coming years of service to the Orthodox Church.

We ask you all to keep Deacon Tim and the Paproski family in your prayers as they endure a life of sacrifice for the Lord. May He grant you many, many blessed years!

AXIOS!

On Saturday, 20 April 2024, St. Tikhon's Monastery served Divine Liturgy commemorating the 90th anniversary of the repose of His Eminence, Metropolitan Platon - the first Metropolitan of the American Church, a key figure present at the restoration of the Patriarchate of the Russian Church, who's body lies at rest at St. Tikhon's Monastery.

This day brings many reasons for gratitude and remembrance, as it also saw seminarian - Fr. Seraphim Chang - ordained to the Holy Priesthood by the hand of His Beautitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. 

We ask your prayers for Fr. Seraphim and Mat. Ruth as they enter a life of sacrifice, service, and ministry to the Lord and his Church. May the Lord bless them and keep them for many blessed years.

Please enjoy a few moments from this beautiful ordination and memorial liturgy.

AXIOS!

All Saints Orthodox Church in Raleigh, NC will be hosting a Spring Retreat on Wednesday, 22 May 2024. The retreat will feature guest speakers representing the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry and their sanctifying work with the incarcerated in our communities. 

Vespers will be conducted at 6:00 PM on Wednesday evening, followed afterwards by a potluck meal with speakers Fr. Stephen Powley and St. Tikhon's very own Fr. John Kowalczyk.

There will be childcare provided for guests, and those attending are asked to bring a dish to share.

Please visit HERE to register for this retreat, and see the attached flier for full details!

Dr. David Ford, St. Tikhon's Professor of Church History, continues his series bringing listeners into contact with the timeless works of our Father among the Saints, John Chrysostom.

Dr. Ford has edited and translated many works of one of the Church's greatest Gospel preachers. All faithful can benefit much from meditating on the words of St. John Chrysostom, who offers erudite wisdom on all aspects of the Christian life.

You can find this week's episode HERE, along with previous episodes and other content from The Spirit of St. Tikhon's on Ancient Faith Radio.

On Sunday, 14 April 2024, we were blessed to host Dr. Timothy Patitsas and Thomaida Hudanish - the creative minds behind Beauty First Films - for a screening of their recently completed documentary on the life, works, and teaching of St. Amphilochios of Patmos. 

This documentary covers the legacy of a beloved 20th-century Saint during their inaugural feast day in 2019. 

Beauty First Films is a non-profit dedicated to bringing audiences to a place of awe, beauty, and holiness. Dr. Timothy serves as Interim Dean and Assistant Professor at Hellenic College Holy Cross. Thomaida has served over 17 years in Orthodox lay ministry and brings a diverse skillset to her work. 

We encourage you to check out their work HERE and catch a screening near you!

On Saturday, 06 April 2024, two of our seminarians were ordained under the hand of His Eminence, Archbishop Michael at St. Tikhons' Monastery Church.

Fr. Benjamin Garcia was ordained to the Holy Priesthood, and Dn. Davede Thompson to the Holy Diaconate.

These men are third- and second-year seminarians, respectively, at St. Tikhon's Seminary. Please keep them in your prayers as they shoulder the responsibilities of ordained life in service to the Orthodox Church. May the Lord bless them and keep them for many years of fruitful sacrifice and ministry.

Enjoy the moments captured below from their beautiful ordination service.

AXIOS!

On Sunday, 14 April 2024, Fr. John Kowalczyk will be the featured guest on the Everyday Orthodox Podcast airing on Ancient Faith Radio. The podcast shares a wide range of interviews with Orthodox Christians from all walks of life and from every corner of the Orthodox Church. Tune it at 7:00 PM to catch one of our beloved faculty share wisdom from his long service in the Holy Priesthood.

Fr. John Kowalczyk serves as chaplain at S.C.I. Waymart’s Forensic Treatment Center. He is an executive member of the board of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM), and advocates for prison inmates in need of Christ and pastoral care. Fr. John is also Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Chairs the Department of Pastoral Theology at St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, PA.

Available HERE on the Ancient Faith Ministries Facebook page.

or

HERE on the Everyday Orthodox YouTube channel.

The Middle Way Institute is an organization offering coaching and training in executive presence, and has worked with many clients both corporate and public to develop winning team dynamics and interpersonal skillsets. The organization's founder, Dean Harbry, is also a devout Orthodox Christian and has done tremendous work with St. Tikhon's Seminary to bring the expertise of the Middle Way Institute to a very important audience.

Our employees have benefited greatly from immersive workshops with Dean Harbry, who has helped shed light on refining the organizational culture of our historic institution. More importantly, Dean has brought these immense insights into the classrooms here by repeatedly imparting crucial professional development skills to our seminarians who will take these insights into their future ministries as active clergy.

Dean was kind enough to provide a brief interview, sharing a bit of his professional background and history with St. Tikhon's Seminary. We are very pleased to introduce Dean to our community and shine the spotlight on the invaluable work he is doing with us. Click the button below to read the full interview.

Amid the chaos of seminary, it can be difficult to stay focused on the ultimate goal of one’s efforts. Hearing from those who have graduated from St. Tikhon’s who do meaningful work in their churches and communities can be an excellent way to refocus on the meaning of it all.

For Father Paul Abernathy (St. Tikhon’s, 2010), that work certainly extends well beyond the walls of his parish, St. Moses the Black Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh, PA. As the founder and CEO of the Neighborhood Resilience Project, he uses Trauma Informed Community Development to bring healing and the light of Christ to the inner city.

On Thursday, March 28, Father Paul Abernathy interviewed with Father John Parker for Ancient Faith Radio. Together with his wife Khouria (Kristina), Fr. Paul has affected a tremendous transformation of some of the most crime- and trauma-riddled neighborhoods in Pittsburgh through the Gospel, coupled with social interventions. He describes an aspect of his approach as, “Ministry to the poor, through the ministry of the rich.”

“Fr. Paul shared some truly miraculous accounts of how the Lord works mightily with those who have a childlike faith,” Fr. John said after their conversation.

The Hill District, where Fr. Paul ministers, has a reputation as the area of Pittsburgh with the highest rate of gun crime in the city. Through the efforts of the Neighborhood Resilience Project, the Hill District has officially come off that list, and the ministry continues to move outward, block-by-block, reclaiming human lives and communities with the love of God.

In the summer of 2023, third-year St. Tikhon’s seminarian Father (then-Deacon) Micah Breland completed his summer internship under Fr. Paul, and was completely astounded by the effect of Fr. Paul’s efforts in an underprivileged area.

You can find out more about the Abernathys’ organization at www.neighborhoodresilience.org.

Listen to the full interview at Ancient Faith: www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/sost 

It’s not often that Orthodox Christians in America have the opportunity to meet a saint, but on Tuesday, 26 March 2024, the students, faculty, staff, and members of the surrounding community gathered in the St. Tikhon’s Seminary convocation hall to hear a talk delivered by Father Yaroslav Sudick, a student and personal typist for Saint Nikolai (Velimirovic).

Fr. Yaroslav’s reminiscences on the occasion of the 4th Annual St. Nikolai Lecture revealed a human aspect of our beloved saint rarely encountered in more formal hagiography. St. Nikolai’s catchphrase, “Yaro, Yaro—this, too, shall pass,” was woven throughout accounts of his kindness, gentleness, selflessness, and down-to-earth sense of humor.

As Bishop, St. Nikolai never wore his klobuk in church, and never vested in the center of the church— “I’m only here to serve the Lord,” he would say. Fr. Yaroslav remembered that he always helped everyone, and that he never criticized or corrected anyone in front of others, choosing instead to speak to them later in private. Such humility is striking in a man who knew seven languages fluently and corresponded with sitting United States Presidents!

In attendance were Archbishop Michael (Dahulich) and Bishop Irenej (Dobrijevic) of the Diocese of Eastern America in the Serbian Orthodox Church. Bp. Irenej gifted relics of St. Nikolai to St. Tikhon’s Seminary, which have been installed in the St. Nikolai shrine on the main hall of the seminary building.

St. Nikolai, pray for us all.

Glory to God for All Things!

Our beloved series presenting the teachings of Our Father among the Saints, St. John Chrysostom - Sing to Your Soul - continues on Ancient Faith Radio.

Dr. David Ford, Professor of Church History at St. Tikhon's Seminary, has been periodically partnering with our radio station, The Spirit of St. Tikhon's, to bring his esteemed Chyrsostom series to a listening audience. This series presents a great opportunity to become acquainted with one of our Faith's most cherished and venerated teachers. 

For sixteen centuries, St. John Chrysostom's words have been regarded as exemplary expositions of true religion. It is our joy to share them with you in partnership with Dr. Ford, an academic deeply acquainted with St. Chrysostom's life and thought.

You can find the podcast sessions HERE - along with previous episodes and material shared through The Spirit of St. Tikhon's.

On Saturday, March 23 - March 24, Fr. John Kowalczyk Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Director of Training and Spiritual Care for OCPM was invited by the Twin City's Clergy Association in Minneapolis and OCPM 
Minnesota as retreat speaker and homilist. 

On Saturday afternoon, Fr. John was the main retreat speaker for the OCPM Minnesota. Mark Santana, Church Programs Manager for OCPM, gave a slide presentation on the work of the agency.
On Sunday morning, 24 March, Fr. John concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis and was the guest homilist. 

On Sunday afternoon, Fr. John was invited to be the guest Homilist for the Sunday of Orthodoxy service held at St. Mary's (OCA) Cathedral in Minneapolis. This year the Sunday of Orthodoxy fell on the Eve of the Feast of Annunciation, and Fr. John spoke on the the Feast of Annunciation as the beginning of our Salvation.

Despite the snow, hundreds of Orthodox faithful filled the Cathedral to capacity.

South Canaan, PA — Following a Comprehensive Site Visit by members of the Association of Theological
Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) in October 2023, the most recent biannual meeting of the ATS
Board of Commissioners reaffirmed the accreditation of St. Tikhon’s Seminary for a period of 10 years. In their
letter to the Seminary’s Rector, His Eminence Archbishop Michael, the Commissioners praised the Seminary’s
“laser sharp clarity of identity and mission”, “strong community of formation”, and its “committed faculty,
talented leadership team, and dedicated students”. In addition to the extension of accreditation till Spring 2034,
the Commissioners reaffirmed its approval of the Seminary’s M.Div. degree. To add to the joyful news, Dr.
Barbara Mutch, Senior ATS Director of Accreditation, notified the Seminary that the community’s 2023
Self-Study Report would be added to the Association’s library of exemplary self-studies that would be shared at
workshops designed to help member schools begin the process of self-study under the recently updated 2020
Standards of Accreditation.

Regarding this wonderful announcement, Archbishop Michael noted: “To receive the maximum of 10 years of
accreditation is a monumental accomplishment for a seminary of our size. We are humbled that our Self-Study
will be a reference resource for others. Certainly, we are grateful to God for all His blessings, especially for all
those whose labors made this possible for us.” In relaying the news to the community, the Seminary’s Dean, Fr.
John Parker commented: “We give thanks to the Lord for all the good He is doing at St. Tikhon's - and we look
forward to the coming decade of growth and strength.” In his role as Director of Self-Study, the Seminary’s
Academic Dean, Fr. Paul Witek, noted that “the ten-year reaffirmation is an exceptional achievement for the
school and displays the unwavering commitment of so many to the embodied mission of St. Tikhon’s in
providing for the solid formation of future servants and leaders of Christ’s Church.” The Seminary extends its
thanks to all those who contributed to the Self-Study process and asks for the continued prayers and support of
the faithful throughout the Church for our theological school in fulfilling its unique vision for years to come.

Dr. David Ford, professor of Church Hisotry at St. Tikhon's Seminary and a subject expert on Our Father among the Saints, John Chrysostom, continues his podcast series by sharing more readings from his published works on the "golden-mouthed" saint. 

Our channel, The Spirit of St. Tikhon's on Ancient Faith Radio, has been pleased to host Dr. Ford to share this crucial forebearer in the faith with our faithful audiences.

You can listen to the most recent episode HERE - and we hope you'll enjoy past episodes on Ancient Faith Radio in support of St. Tikhon's Seminary!

A big “thank you” to the children of St. Tikhon’s Theological Seminary for their production of The Ark: The Early Life of Mary on Sunday, 03 March!

The play, written by Shawn Cunningham and directed by Sarah Schlafer and Mat. Casey Garcia, detailed key moments in the first fifteen years of the life of Theotokos, including the announcement of her birth to her parents Ss. Joachim and Anna and her entrance into the Temple at age three. Events portrayed were taken from the Protoevangelium of James, an Early Church document relating the extra-biblical biography of Mary, the Mother of God.

All roles were played by the children of St. Tikhon’s seminarians, and there were musical numbers scattered throughout based on Church hymnography.

Following the show there was a potluck meal, where the young thespians were rewarded with ice cream and many congratulations for their hard work in bringing the performance to fruition in just one month. Glory to God!

Dr. David Ford, professor of Church History, is releasing episodes with the Spirit of St. Tikhon's podcast on Ancient Faith radio, introducing listeners to his works focused on St. John Chrysostom.

This is great opportunity to enjoy the words of the "golden-mouthed" saint through one of his foremost specialists and translators.

You can enjoy the newest episode HERE - and be sure to watch for the next episode coming soon!

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

On Saturday, February 10, Deacon Mark Solomon was ordained to the Holy Priesthood and Nicholas Johnson to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey at the St. Tikhon's Monastery Church.

Father Mark is a third-year student at St. Tikhon's Seminary, and Father Deacon Nicholas is a second-year student. The St. Tikhon's community offers its sincere prayers for their ministries, and may God grant them many years!

Please enjoy this collection of moments from a memorable day in the lives of these two faithful men.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

The Spirit of St. Tikhon's, our Seminary's live and recorded podcast channel on Ancient Faith Radio, is excited to welcome Dr. David Ford onboard for a new series. 

The series, centered around Dr. Ford's "Sing to Your Soul" book series, aired its first episode last Friday, 02 February. The podcast series, like the books, will focus on extracted wisdow from our Father among the Saints, St. John Chrysostom. Check out the first episode HERE!

The podcast series is expected to continue in coming weeks, so keep your eyes open for new episodes to be released! 

St. Tikhon's Seminary joyfully announces an ordination for the diocese of our surrounding region.

Fr. Kirill Zawatski of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania was ordained this past Saturday, 27 January 2024 at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. His Eminence, Archbishop Mark of Philadephia and Eastern Pennsylvania celebrated Divine Liturgy with a filled nave in attendance to witness this previous moment. Fr. Kirill served the most holy Eucharist to his community for the first time during a service we will not soon forget.

The St. Tikhon's community offers its steadfast prayers to Fr. Kirill as he enters into a life of loving sacrifice for the life of the world. May the Lord bless you and keep you for many, many years.