Sunday, December 22, 2024 - His Grace Bishop Irinej of Washington-New York and Eastern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Three Holy Hierarchs Chapel of St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

 

At the invitation of Interim President and Dean, Dr. Ionuț-Alexandru Tudorie, Professor of Church History, and with the blessings of His Beatitude Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, it was with great joy that Bishop Irinej, recently appointed member of the Seminary Board of Trustees, returned to his Alma Mater to liturgize. His Grace was pleased to celebrate the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist and preach the Word of God before the faculty, staff, and mostly married students with their many children, who reside at the Seminary and, as it is home, remained during the Christmas break. 

 

Concelebrating with His Grace were the Very Reverend Protopresbyter Dr. Bogdan G. Bocur, Associate Professor of Patristics, and the Reverend Presbyter Dr. Vitaly Permiakov, Assistant Professor of Liturgical Theology and Liturgics, assisted by the Reverend Deacons Vladimir Srbljak, Alexander Nelson and Justin Taylor. The Liturgy combined elements of various Orthodox traditions converging into a seamless whole, uplifted with the flawless rending of responses by the extended Seminary Choir. 

 

At the conclusion of the Holy and Divine Liturgy, His Grace took the time out, to everyone’s joy and wonder, especially the children’s, to explain Serbian customs leading up to Christmas - Children’s, Mothers’, and Fathers’ Day. To the children’s delight, the Bishop gifted them each with Christmas candy canes. Truly, a wonderful and blessed day to remember!