When Pascha comes at a later date, the graduation celebration is made even more festive with the singing of “Christ is Risen…”  So it was this year; the 73rd commencement was solemnly celebrated together with Paschal hymns of joy.

His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada was invited and willingly came to participate in his alma mater’s celebration.  Vladyka has always been a great support of the monastery and seminary.

 The Vigil was celebrated accompanied by the chanting of the seminary-monastery choir, under the direction of its regent, Deacon Nicholas Kotar.  The divine liturgy on Sunday concelebrated by Archbishop Gabriel and the rector of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, His Grace, Bishop Luke.  During the Sixth Hour, seminarian Peter James was tonsured a reader.  He is in the Graduate of Divinity Program of the seminary.  We wish him, his wife, Lucina and their baby daughter, Sophia, good health and salvation.

 After the consecration of the Holy Gifts, Bishop Luke ordained Monk Subdeacon Theodore (Stanway) the be a hierodeacon.  Fr. Theodore graduated today with a Sumna com Laude from the Master of Divinity, recently established in the seminary.  Fr. Theodore, besides working in the bookstore, also bakes bread and prosphora among other various obediences.

At the end of Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Gabriel bestowed a patriarchal award on the longtime monastery protodeacon, Fr. Victor Lochmatow. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kyrill, Fr. Victor received the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov (2nd class) in recognition of his forty five years of tireless service in the diaconal order.

 At 2PM there was a procession of seminary faculty to the cathedral of the monastery to commence a Thanksgiving Moleben for the end of the school year. 
 For further details about the graduation service, please visit our seminary website:  www.hts.edu