Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary hosted this past semester’s OISM retreat on the weekend of November 14-16, 2025. The theme or main topic of this gathering was “Ethnicity and Orthodoxy in America” See the previous announcement of this event by clicking here.

Attendees included seminarians from Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (ROCOR), St Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (OCA), Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (GOA), and Christ the Savior Seminary (ACROD-NA). The itinerary included lectures from our seminary alumni Priest Patrick Hinds, M.Div. (HTOS ’23) and Archpriest Serge Kotar, (HTOS ’72) as well as from current faculty members Protodeacon Andrei Psarev, Ph.D. (also an alumnus of HTOS ’96) and Mr. Edward Novis. His Grace, Bishop Luke of Syracuse, seminary rector (HTOS ‘78) gave the visiting seminarians a personal tour of the rarely accessible Optina Elders chapel in the main monastery building. A highlight of the event was the general assembly held in the Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov Hall, where official OISM business was discussed, and which resulted in an amendment to the constitution relative to clarifying the guidelines on individual student membership in OISM. This amendment was passed by a vote of 22-4. Priest Patrick Hinds also moderated a round-table discussion which concluded the retreat.

The seminary and monastery communities, as well as the OISM board cooperated splendidly to make this retreat possible, despite executing this event on short notice. Participants had good reviews, indicating that the retreat was enriching as always.