Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America: Applications, Scholarships, Loan Program The Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America is now accepting applications for the coming fall semester. In addition, scholarship applications are also being accepted for two separate scholarship tracks: Need Based Scholarships and Academic Scholarships. The Pastoral School would like to thank the Fund for Assistance of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia for supporting our scholarship program. We are pleased to announce that His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah, has joined the faculty and will be teaching Dogmatic Theology this year in the Pastoral School. This year the Pastoral School is pleased to offer a Catechist Training Program – the first of its kind available in English in the Russian Orthodox Church. This program was created in response to the call by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church which met in Moscow in February 2013. At this council the bishops called for the training of catechists and the educational institutions to be created to carry out this training. The Orthodox Studies major in the Pastoral School offers a one-year catechist training program. Those who successfully complete the one-year program are eligible to participate in a second year advanced catechist training program. Catechists will be certified to prepare catechumens and sponsors for baptism, as well those seeking to be wed in the Church. The second year of the program examines these and broader Orthodox Theological issues in greater depth, and prepares the catechist to be an even greater aid to the parish Rector in his work with the flock. This year the Pastoral School is also pleased to offer a loan program to its students to assist them in completing their studies in as timely a manner as possible. It is hoped that this program will make financial issues less of a hindrance to Pastoral School students in their studies preparing them to serve the Holy Church. More information can be found on the Pastoral School web site: http://orthodoxtheologicalschool.org/ PLEASE NOTE! There are deadlines associated with applications for admission and scholarships. Deadline for admission is September 1. Deadline for scholarships is August 15.

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir Around the Diocese

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir in Ann Arbor, MI

The millennial celebration of the repose of the Holy Great Prince Vladimir was celebrated in the parish named after this great favorite of God on July 27 & 28 in Ann Arbor, MI. With the blessing of Bishop Peter, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America, His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah led the Divine Services for this significant celebration in the life of the parish family.

His Eminence arrived at the parish church to the peal of the traditional trezvon on the eve of the feast. The litya for the Vigil was served as a procession around the temple, with all of the faithful participating. The choir of the parish sang magnificently under the direction of Dr. Roman Vershynin. Following the evening service at which many of the parishioners and guests confessed their sins in preparation for Divine Liturgy the next day, a reception in honor of Metropolitan Jonah was held at the home of the parish's Assistant Starosta, Konstantin Poplavsky.

The day of the feast dawned with beautiful sunshine and blue skies. His Eminence was again met by the peal of the trezvon as he arrived at the parish church. Several of the parish young people greeted him in English, Spanish, and Russian. The parish's Starosta, Nathaniel Longan, then welcomed His Eminence officially to the St. Vladimir parish and thanked him for his graciousness in agreeing to lead the community in prayer on this jubilee day. Many of the faithful partook of Holy Communion from two chalices at the Liturgy. The parish choir again sang beautifully under the direction of Dr. Vershynin. Following His Eminence's hierarchal address to the faithful at which he called them to emulate the Holy Great Prince in his Christian life, the requisite procession was held using the holy water that had been blessed before the morning's Divine Liturgy in addition to blessing the faithful with the Holy Cross and the icon of St. Vladimir. The bells rang in a triumphant greeting to all within earshot – today is the Second Pascha of this community! Come and join us! And in fact, many did. Visitors from throughout the Michigan Deanery joined their brothers and sisters in Ann Arbor for the feast, and the parish's St. Xenia Sisterhood did not disappoint with a bountiful and delicious lunch served under a huge big-top tent on the parish's festival grounds.

In addition to His Eminence the following clergymen participated in the patronal feast day Divine Services and the parish is greatly indebted to them all for joining us in prayer on this great day:

Archpriest Roman Star, St. Innocent Church, Redford, MI

Archpriest Andrei Alexiev, St. Stefan Decani Church, Warren, MI

Archpriest Gregory Joyce, Rector

Archpriest Victor Trotskyy, Dormition Cathedral, Ferndale, MI

Priest Joshua Frigerio, Holy Ascension Church, Albion, MI

Hieromonk Alexander, Sts. Sergius & Herman Church, Houghton, MI

Priest Joseph Towne, Sts. Sergius & Herman Church, Houghton, MI

Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov, Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral, Des Plaines, IL

Deacon Ioann Feloniuk, Dormition Cathedral, Ferndale, MI

Deacon Nicholas Olsen, Parish Cleric

Shortly after the end of the festivities the excavating contractor that the parish has chosen to begin phase one of its building project began to stage equipment on the property to begin the work. God-willing next year's celebration in Ann Arbor, the parish's 35 anniversary, will see phase one complete and phase two well underway!

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir in Houston TX Bishop Peter, Administrator of the Chicago and Midwest Diocese, presided over the Divine Services in Houston, TX.

In addition to His Grace the following clergymen participated in the patronal feast day Divine Services:

Archpriest John Whiteford, St. Jonah of Manchuria, Houston, TX

Priest Lubomir Kupec, Rector

Priest Seraphim Holland, St. Nicholas Church, McKinney, TX

Priest Matthew Floyd, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Claremore, OK

Deacon Nicholas Park, St. Nicholas Church, McKinney, TX

Deacon David Companik, St. Jonah of Manchuria, Houston, TX

Along with visiting clergy.

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir in ORPR Camp - Lost Lake, Rock City, IL

Divine Services at Lost Lake "Vladimirovo" were attended by over 70 of the camp scouts and led by:

Archpriest John Sykaluk, Rector

Archpriest Martin Swanson, St. Basil the Great Church, Saint Louis, MO

Archpriest Vasily Kuzmic, Holy Trinity Church, Milwaukee, WI

Priest Antony Alekseyenko, St. Panteleimon Church, Minneapolis, MN

Hieromonk Timothy Tadros, St. George Church, Michigan City, IN

On Sunday, August 9th, 2015, the feast of the Greatmartyr and Healer Panteleimon, the church of Sts. Sergius & Herman of Valaam in Houghton had the joyful opportunity to give thanks to God. The mortgage was paid off and the property can now be handed over into the trustful hands of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. The dean of Michigan, Fr. Gregory Joyce lead the Thanksgiving Moleben after the Divine Liturgy. After the services the mortgage paper was burned by the starosta, Lynn Gierke, and the parish rector, Hieromonk Alexander, with the help of others present and the careful supervision of the dean.

This is a big step in the life of the church and gives us now also the opportunity to re-invite everyone to join us for the Great Consecration of our temple on September 23/24. Please visit http://ss-sergius-herman-valaam.org/greatconsecration.html to register.

On August 9th, 2015, 10th Sunday after Pentecost, St. Panteleimon Day, His Grace Peter Bishop of Cleveland, Administrator of Chicago and Mid-America Diocese, lead the Parish Feast in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Saturday Vigil was served by His Grace with attending clergy - Archimandrite John (Magramm, Holy Resurrection Skete, Fridley, MN), priest Mircea Vasiu (St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Church, St. Paul, MN), priest Antony Alekseyenko (Parish Rector) and Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov (Holy Virgin Cathedral, Des Plaines, IL). Parish Protodeacon Vasili Gilliland joined in prayer. Vigil was well attended and Sisterhood prepared a small tea after the service.

Sunday Festivities started with the Lesser Blessing of Water served by priest Joseph Towne. Bishop Peter was greeted by young parishioners with bread and salt as well as flowers. Before the 6th Hour Igor Kulkov was tonsured as reader. His Grace served Liturgy with Archimandrite John (Magramm, Holy Resurrection Skete, Fridley, MN), priest Antony Alekseyenko (Parish Rector), priest Joseph Towne, Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov (Holy Virgin Cathedral, Des Plaines, IL) and Protodeacon Vasili Gilliland. After the Gospel, Bishop Peter addressed the parishioners with a sermon - in Russian, on the Sunday Gospel, and in English about the martyrdom of St. Panteleimon. The prayer for peace in Ukraine was read. This was the first time parishioners partook the Communion from two Holy Chalices.

Supplication Service with Cross Procession around the church ended with the prayer to St. Panteleimon and Magnification.

After singing many years to the parish, Fr. Antony greeted His Grace in the parish and thanked him for his visit and prayers. Many people came to venerate Saint Panteleimon icon with relics.

Trapeza in the church basement was filled with people to capacity. Bishop Peter shared the story of his trip to 25th Anniversary of the Glorification of St. John in Russia this June. Parishioners had an opportunity to ask questions

. Fr. Antony thanked everyone who helped organize the Feast, and congratulated Reader Igor with his tonsure, and asked His Grace for his prayers.

Fr. Antony also invited everyone to celebrate together next year the 60th Anniversary of Minneapolis Parish and 1000th Anniversary of Russian Presence on the Holy Mount Athos (St. Panteleimon Monastery).

St. Sava Academy Leaders Meet With His Grace Bishop Peter

Senior representatives of Saint Sava Academy, Principal Marko Bojovic and Board President Nenad Djordjevic, met today with His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

During the meeting, the Academy representatives informed Bishop Peter of plans for the upcoming school year, curriculum enhancements, and enrollment trends, particularly noting the increase in students in the Academy's Russian-language program as part of the overall growth in the student body.

Bojovic and Djordjevic also expressed the Academy's deep gratitude for Bishop Peter's strong support of the Academy's mission and Orthodox education, and presented Vladika with a commemorative certificate of appreciation.

Established in 2001, Saint Sava Academy is an accredited PreK-8 elementary school at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, offering dual-language education in either Serbian or Russian language tracks, in an Orthodox Christian environment.

A visit from the diocesan bishop is always a cause for celebration and gratitude, especially in a small, rural parish. On August 3/16, the 11th Sunday after Pentecost and the feast of St. Anthony the Roman, Bishop Peter came to the St. Herman parish outside the village of Lake Odessa, MI to perform the ordination of reader Elias Reeves.

The bishop was met at 10 a.m. by a group of parishioners, family members, and friends. Following his vesting and the ordination of reader Elias to the subdeaconate, the Liturgy was celebrated according to the hierarchical order

. After the consecration of the Gifts, Vladika Peter performed the ordination to the deaconate. A festive lenten meal was served to guests by the parish sisterhood in the parish trapeza afterwards.

The newly-ordained Fr. Elias joined the Church as an adult. He is a son of the St. Herman parish and will be attached there. He and his wife Rachel have two children, Madeline and Milo, and are expecting a third. We ask your prayers for their family and his diaconal ministry.

The Wonderworking Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon visited the diocesan center at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Des Plaines, IL on August 22-23. 2015. His Grace, Bishop Peter, along with clerics from around the diocese, greeted the Holy Icon and served laudation ,All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy. Many gathered to venerate the Holy Icon and were anointed with its streaming myrrh.

From the website http://www.orthodoxhawaii.org/icons.html :

"Since June of 2008, She has been to over 1000 churches in North America of all (canonical) jurisdictions, and has been venerated by an estimated one million people throughout the United States and canada. In many cities, the holy Icon is taken from one parish to another, being venerated by all the Orthodox clergy, and helping to establish and heal relationships amongst the Orthodox faithful, and also strengthening and fostering ties between the sister parishes. Requests have now been made for the Wonderworking Icon to be brought to Russia, the Ukraine, Greece, Cyprus, South America, Europe, the Holy Land, Romania, Mount Athos, and Serbia. When the Holy Icon was taken to the Republic of Georgia in 2014 at the request of the Catholicos-Patriarch ILIA II of Georgia, over a million faithful came to venerate the "Panagia of Hawaii." A number of miracles, including the healing of cancer, were reported to the Georgian Patriarchate."

The great feast of the Dormition is always one of joy for the faithful, and in the Michigan Deanery this is even more so the case since this feast is an annual occasion of a hierarchal visit to the Dormition Cathedral in Ferndale, Michigan. This year His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland, lead the faithful in prayer on the second Pascha of their parish – their patronal feast day.

At the festal Vigil held on the eve of the feast His Grace was joined by Archpriest Andrei Alexiev (St. Stephan Decani Serbian Church), Archpriest Victory Trotskyy (Rector of Dormition Cathedral), Archpriest Gregory Joyce (Rector of St. Vladimir Church and Dean of Michigan Parishes of ROCOR), and Deacon Ioann Feloniuk (Cleric of Dormition Cathedral) as well as a multitude of Subdeacons and Readers from throughout the Deanery. Following the Vigil, at which many of the faithful confessed their sins in preparation to partake of the Holy Mysteries on the feast, the cathedral's sisterhood provided a light lenten meal for the clergy and those in attendance.

On the feast itself His Grace was joined by Archpriest Roman Star (Rector of St. Innocent Church), Archpriest Victory Trotskyy, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, and Deacon Ioann Feloniuk as well as a multitude of Subdeacons and Readers from throughout the Deanery. Following the Divine Liturgy at which many partook of Holy Communion, the requisite procession was held and the cathedral sisterhood again nourished those in attendance with a lenten meal. Many of the faithful lingered at the meal well into the afternoon, reminiscing about this and past patronal feast days at the cathedral. After the prayer following the meal His Grace Bishop Peter departed Detroit for the see of the Diocese.

A Participant

Take up your Cross and follow Me!

Reflections on the 2015 DCMA Walking Pilgrimage

On Sunday, September 13, 2015, His Grace Bishop Peter visited the St. Innocent of Moscow Parish in Carol Stream, IL.

Upon his arrival, Bishop Peter was greeted with the traditional bread and salt. 

His Grace was co-served by the Parish Rector,  Rev. Tarasiy Maximtsev, along with  Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov (cleric of Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral )  and Deacon Dimitri Kulp (cleric of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Church in Blue River, WI). The prayers of the faithful were accompanied by the spiritual and melodic singing of the choir, directed by Sergei Furmanov.

Bishop Peter joined the parishioners in a delightful brunch located in the recently refurbished kitchen/dinette area.

Saints Peter and Fevronia Orthodox Church, in the Kansas City area, celebrate their Feast day. Divine services were led by Rev. Zachary Rose. (September 13, 2015)

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Peter, a memorial to Orthodox Soldiers was dedicated at St. Vladimir Church, Ann Arbor, MI.

Statement from the Diocesan Chancery of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America

September 25/October 8, 2015

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh

On October 7, 2015His Eminence Archbishop Alypy experienced a sudden bout of low blood pressure. His Eminence was transported to the hospital and after an examination it was determined that he was suffering from a pulmonary embolism. His Eminence is responding well to the prescribed medication and although his condition is serious, it is not life threatening. Nonetheless, we ask the prayers of the faithful for Archbishop Alypy during his convalescence. Updates will be provided if and when warranted. It is our hope and expectation that Vladyka will recover from this episode and be able to return to his activities in the near future.

With the blessing of Bishop Peter of Cleveland, President of the Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America (PSDCMA), three faculty of PSDCMA participated in the Symposium: “Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow (1865-1925) – His Life and Times” at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY October 9-10, 2015.

Metropolitan Jonah, Instructor in Dogmatic Theology at PSDCMA, presented a paper entitled “The Legacy of St. Tikhon as Missionary in America”.

Archpriest Gregory Joyce, Dean of PSDCMA and Instructor in Pastoral Theology, presented a paper entitled “The Contemporary Veneration of Hieromartyr Tikhon (Belavin) in Russia and Abroad”.

Deacon Andrei Psarev, Instructor in Byzantine History and History and Principles of the Orthodox Church at PSDCMA, presented a paper entitled "They Have Neither Laymen Nor Money": Overview of the Correspondence Between Archbishop Tikhon (Bellavin) and Archpriest Evgenii Smirnov, 1907-1911.

All papers were well received by those gathered to participate in the symposium.

As Fr. Gregory noted: “We are thankful to have the opportunity to participate in this symposium and we look forward to, and actively seek opportunities for future cooperation with Holy Trinity Seminary and other higher education theological institutions for the benefit of both our students and faculty”.

A Participant

For more info on the symposium:

http://hts.edu/news_150512_1.html