On Tuesday, December 27/January 9, 2018, the third day of the Feast of the Nativity of our Savior Jesus Christ and the Feast of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen, Bishop Nicholas (Olhovsky) of Manhattan paid an Archpastoral visit to Holy Trinity Monastery & Seminary.

His Grace arrived on Monday and served Vespers and Matins in the monastery cathedral. On Tuesday he celebrated a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy, co-served by many monastery and local clerics, as well as Archpriests Serge Kotar and Boris Henderson (clerics of the Western American Diocese).

Two alumni of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary were ordained on this joyous feast. During the sixth hour, His Grace set aside Reader Nicholas Kotar (HTOS class of 2014, Seminary Choir Director, and Lecturer in Church Music) as a subdeacon;  prior to the Lord’s Prayer, Subdeacon Nicholas was ordained to the Holy Diaconate. After the Great Entrance, His Grace ordained Deacon Serge Kosov (HTOS class of 2017) to the Holy Priesthood. Both clerics are attached to Holy Trinity Monastery.

Priest Ephraim Willmarth directed the choir on this occasion. The choir included monks and several seminarians, who, despite their inter-semester break, had remained at Holy Trinity Seminary to assist to the Divine Service. Hieromonk Anatoly (Zilin) read aloud the Nativity Epistle of His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The clergy also served a brief molieben to the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen.

Bishop Nicholas congratulated and encouraged the newly ordained clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Deacon Nicholas Kotar and Priest Serge Kosov, to emulate the zeal and example of Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen in their service to and defense of Christ’s Holy Church. His Grace concluded his remarks by expressing his joy to serve at the monastery, and then presented to our Abbot and Rector, Archmandrite Luke (Murianka), and this holy habitation a shroud of the Holy Mother of God for use on the Great Feast of her Holy Dormition.