On June 14, 2026, the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost commemorating All Saints who have shone forth in the Russian Land, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary held commencement exercises at the conclusion of its 78th academic year. The day began with a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Grace, Bishop LUKE of Syracuse, rector of the seminary.
The combined monastery/seminary choir for both Saturday evening’s All Night Vigil, as well as for Sunday’s Hierarchal Divine Liturgy was under the direction of Deacon Nicholas Kotar, Lecturer in the Department of Liturgics, Sacred Arts, and Music, and Director of Choral Programs at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary.
The commencement ceremony began at 2:00pm with a procession from the monastery trapeza to the cathedral. This procession was led by His Grace, Bishop LUKE, Seminary Rector, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, who served as the day’s Commencement Speaker, and Dr. Nicolas Schidlovsky, Academic Dean. This procession also included members of the seminary administration, the board of trustees, the faculty in residence, and the entire student body. Bishop LUKE offered a Moleben of Thanksgiving, assisted by clergy connected to the seminary, for God’s many blessings during this past 2025-26 academic year, and in supplication for Divine blessings on all those who help to perpetuate the institution. The responses for the Molebien were sung by the combined monastery/seminary choir under the direction of Deacon Nicholas Kotar.
Following a group photo inside the cathedral, the academic procession from the Cathedral to the Seminary, again led by Bishop LUKE, began the commencement ceremony. Seminary Dean, Dr. Nicolas Schidlovsky then followed and led the eight graduates (seven from our on-campus degree programs and one from our CTS - Independent study - program) into the Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov (main) Hall located in the Dean Nicolas Alexandrov Seminary Building. The Monastery’s troparion was sung as the processional hymn.
The ceremony began with the singing of ‘O Heavenly King’ followed by the National Anthem of the United States, and God Save the Tsar. Adam Kolokotrones, who has just completed the 2nd year of the M.Div. program, and who serves as the M.Div. student body president, presided as the Master of Ceremonies (MC) for this year’s commencement ceremony.
His Grace, Bishop Luke (B.Th. class ‘78), seminary rector, gave the welcome remarks. View Bishop Luke’s address here.
Following Bishop Luke’s remarks, Protodeacon Michael Pavuk, Director of Development introduced this year’s commencement speaker, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, D.Min.. Fr. Gregory’s address was titled: “The Son of Man Came not to be Ministered Unto, but to Minister”. During his address, wherein he discussed in detail the need for a priest to learn to love and to serve the faithful in the flock entrusted to him, Fr Gregory publicly announced the exciting news that the Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America (also known simply as the ‘Chicago Pastoral School’) will be merged with Holy Trinity Seminary’s Independent Study (CTS) Program effective August 1, 2026.
View Fr Gregory’s address here.
Read Fr Gregory’s address here.
Protodeacon Andrei Psarev, Ph.D., Professor of Canon Law and Russian Church History and Director of Undergraduate Studies then came to the podium to introduce our undergraduate valedictorian, John Kurr, who delivered his collegial address on behalf of the undergraduate class of 2026.
Rev. Fr. John Boddecker, Senior Lecturer of Sacred Scripture, Department of Scriptural Studies and Exegesis, and Director of Graduate Studies, then introduced this year’s graduate valedictorian, Subdeacon Marko Pavlovic, who delivered his collegial address on behalf of the graduate class of 2026.
The program moved on to the main event; the conferral of degrees. Dean Nicolas read the following text:
“By the recommendation of Holy Trinity Seminary’s Faculty Council and the resolution of the Seminary Board of Trustees, I hereby bestow the degree of Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) upon the following six students of the Class of 2026”: Each graduate was handed his degree by Dean Nicolas Schidlovsky, received a blessing Bishop LUKE, and was presented with his alumni medallion by Rev. Fr. Ephraim Willmarth, Director of Admissions, Assistant Dean, and Registrar.
The following five undergraduate students were awarded the degree of the Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.):
John Kurr, summa cum laude
Reader Gregory Naasko
Dario Rancic, magna cum laude
Reverend Father Noah Alexzander Lee Reeves
Reader Nicholas Thomas
This same text was repeated by Dean Schidlovsky for the following two graduate students who were awarded the degree of Master of Divinity (M.Div.):
Reverend Hieromonk Igantius (Matzschke-Brull)
Subdeacon Marko Pavlovic
In addition, there were five candidates who’ve successfully completed the requirements of the seminary’s Certificate in Theological Studies (CTS Independent Study) Program:
Reverend Deacon Georgii Bolsham
Reverend Deacon John Daily
Michael Peterson
John Shelby
Reverend Father Isaac Weaver
Fr. Deacon John Daily was (the only independent study student) present on campus to receive his Certificate in Theological Studies in person.
Following the conferral of degrees, awards for excellence and for diligence were presented to the following students:
B.Th. Freshman year
Excellence: Reader Alexander Covell
Diligence: Reader Silouan Liriano
B.Th. Sophomore Year
Excellence: Monk Patrick (Zubrikov)
Diligence: Reader Jonathan Rose
B.Th. Junior Year
Excellence: Subdeacon Thomas Lyall
Diligence: Morgan Maudiere
These awards included a copy of “The Diary of a Russian Priest” by Alexander Elchaninov. This gift was given to the recipients by Dean Nicolas Schidlovsky.
At the conclusion of these presentations, John Kurr and Subdeacon Marko Pavlovic were both presented with the 5th Annual ‘Holy Seminary Achievement Award’. This award was instituted in 2022 and sponsored for the fifth year in a row by Stefan and Trinity Montana- Andreev in memory of the Andreev family’s late father, Michael Stefanov Andreev. A check for $500 was presented to both John and Subdeacon Marko by Dean Nicolas (Stefan and his wife Trinity were unable to be in attendance).
Finally, Dean Nicolas Schidlovsky gave his annual ‘Dean’s Charge’ to the graduates.
View Dean Nicolas’ charge to the graduates here.
Following the closing prayer of ‘It is truly Meet’ sung by all in attendance, photos, refreshments, and fellowship followed outside in the monastery courtyard.
Congratulations to all our graduates from the Class of 2026, and also to our newest inductees into the HTOS Alumni Association!
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