The Feast Day of the SS Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom
Seminary Holiday in Jordanville

The feast day of the three hierarchs, SS Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, is always celebrated with special fervor by Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville. The three saints, revered by the entire Orthodox Church as the leaders of Her dogmatic theology and the expounders of the teachings on the Holy Trinity, are the heavenly protectors of the seminary at Holy Trinity Monastery, which has educated pastors and servants of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia for over 50 years.
Through their lofty theological learning, and more importantly, through their great spirituality, these three hierarchs and pillars of the Church serve as examples for all young seminarians.

The troparion for the three hierarchs is sung before the beginning of every school day during the general morning prayers by the seminarians, thereby beseeching these saints of God, to grant them spiritual wisdom and reasoning for the knowledge imparted to them at the seminary.

The feast day (12 February, new style), this year was marked at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary with the appropriate solemnitude. All-night vigil was served on the eve of the holiday, and His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus himself led the celebration of the liturgy on the day itself. His Grace Bishop Michael of Boston served as well. A service of supplication was served at the end of liturgy, during which all the participants of the seminary were commemorated. In his sermon, Metropolitan Laurus reminded the worshipers of the difficult life of each of the three saints and of the persecutions and miksfortunes each endured from the Arian heretics, calling upon all of us, in these no-less-troubled times to preserve unshaken our faith and to remember the saints in our prayers. (Photo: The service of supplication to the Three Hierarchs in Holy Trinity Monastery.)

At approximately three p.m., the traditional holiday feast was prepared in the Seminary hall, where Vladyka Laurus congratulated the teachers and students. In his address to the students, His Eminence again noted that the seminary does not give all the knowledge there is, but provides direction and indicates the correct path of life for those who desire to serve God and His Holy Church. Vladyka’s wishes for the seminarians: “May your time here serve you well in your future work for the Church, and, if God grant, in your pastoral service.” During tea, greetings were read from various dioceses, as well as from Their Eminences Archbishop Alypy and Archbishop Hilarion along with the clergy of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese. (Photo: The First Hierarch addresses the seminarians.)

After the official portion of the celebration, Bishop Michael made a photo presentation of his recent trip to Russia.

Reader Vitaly Efimenkov