DIOCESAN, MONASTERY, and SEMINARY NEWS
Dear Diocesan Clergy, Faithful, and Friends;
Esteemed Monastery Friends and Patrons; and
Treasured Friends and Supporters of the St. Photios
Orthodox Theological Seminary,[ in Etna, located in extreme northern California)-
Εὐλογία Κυρίου!
In
anticipation of the Nativity Feast, I greet you with the traditional
exclamation «Χριστὸς Γεννᾶται», "Christ is Born.” Δοξάσατε Αὐτόν!
Glorify Him! I also
wish you "Καλὰ Χριστούγεννα,” a "Happy Christmas.”
Those
of you associated with the GOC St. Photios Seminary are well aware of
the immensely
successful seminar taught this last semester here at the seminary by His
Eminence, Metropolitan Photiy (First Hierarch of the Old Calendar
Orthodox Church of Bulgaria, former assistant Professor at the
University of Sofia, and former Lecturer at the St. John
of Rila Theological Seminary in Sofia, and Sometime Professor at the St.
Photios Seminary), assisted by the then Hierodeacon Father Seraphim, an
Instructor at the seminary. (Immediately below, Metropolitan Photii and, at his right, at front, Father Seraphim,
together with their students in the seminary auditorium.*)
(Bulgarian Metropolitan Photios is in the front middle of this group
photo, but he is not wearing his episcopal panagia at this time)
Those
of you close to the St. Gregory Palamas Monastery, also in Etna,
California, are also aware that our monastery is both formally a
dependency of the Holy
Monastery of Sts. Cyprian and Justina in Phyle, Greece, and
that our brotherhood is informally, though with equal spiritual
affinity, a brother institution of the Brotherhood of St. Mark of
Ephesus at Metropolitan Photiy’s episcopal residence,
near his Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria.
In
view of these close and inseparable bonds with our Bulgarian clergy and
faithful, it is with immense joy that I would like to share some
wonderful news from
our Sister Church concerning several Ordinations by Metropolitan Photiy.
Shortly
after returning to Bulgaria, after participating in this last
semester’s educational program at the seminary, Hierodeacon Seraphim,
much beloved by his
students and our monastery brotherhood, was elevated to the rank of
Hieromonk (that is, ordained a Presbyter). Distinguished by his humility
and selfless service to the Church and his brotherhood, Father Seraphim
(Ormanoff) is also an exceptionally well-educated
monastic, with degrees in engineering and theology. See a short video of
the Ordination itself, during the Holy Liturgy on December 4/17, 2017,
at the beautiful Dormition Cathedral in Sofia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfz6Ezl2xlg&feature=youtu.be
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Ръкоположение на йеродякон Серафим (Орманов) за презвитер, извършено от Негово ...
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Earlier,
on November 27/December 10, 2017, another brother of the Brotherhood of
St. Mark of Ephesus, Father Viktor, was also ordained a Hieromonk.
Father Viktor
(Todorov) is also well known to our faithful in the U.S., most of whom
knew him initially as a married layman, a former member of the Bulgarian
Parliament, after the fall of communism, and as
Political
Advisor to the then President of Bulgaria, Petar Stoyanov. In 2002 he
ended his political career and, his children having come to maturity, he
entered the monastic life several years ago. The author of a number of
theological works, one of his books,
St. Seraphim of Sofia and the Moscow Patriarchate, was
published in English, in 2016, here at our monastery, under the imprint
of the Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies. His Ordination also
took place at the Dormition Cathedral in Sofia
and can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OeGxG-33cQ&feature=youtu.be
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Ръкоположение на йеродякон Виктор (Тодоров) за презвитер, извършено от Негово ...
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Ръкоположение на йеродякон Пантелеймон (Садовски), извършено от Негово ...
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Once
again, it is with immeasurable joy that I share these wonderful events
and inspiring news with our diocesan clergy, faithful, and friends and
with the friends
and supporters of our monastery and the St. Photios Seminary, located in
Etna, northern California.
Your humble servant,
† Bp. Auxentios of Etna and Portland
December 16/29, 2018
Holy Prophet Haggai,
Holy Empress Theophano
* By way of explanation, not just the monks and nuns studying at
the seminary are dressed, of course, in clerical attire, but the male
lay students studying for the married Priesthood are also required to
wear a cassock at the seminary.
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