JORDANVILLE: 8 October 2008
His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion's Talk And the Beginning of the Academic Year at Holy Trinity Seminary 

The academic year at Holy Trinity Seminary, in Jordanville, New York, began with a service of supplication on October 8, 2008.  After the repose of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Laurus, according to the resolution of the Synod of Bishops, the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Luke, was appointed to the post of rector of the Seminary, and Protodeacon Vladimir Tsurikov to the post of dean.  Both have years of experience in the Seminary's administration. 

The newly-enrolled students come from the United States (two), Russia (six), Canada (one) and Costa Rica (one).  The overall number of seminarians, including auditors, stands at 32 men. 

On September 22 of this year, after presiding over the divine services on the eve of the patronal feast of the parish of the Nativity of the All-holy Theotokos, in Albany, the capital of the State of New York, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, visited Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary, and at the request of the rector set aside some time for dialog with the seminarians.  His Eminence called upon the students to cherish their time, lest the sea of life might cause them to lose sight of the goal for which each of them had come to the Seminary.  Answering questions, His Eminence touched upon various topics, from the Department of Missions established by the Synod of Bishops to his participation in the work of the Council of Bishops in Moscow of this past summer.  After concluding the address, the students had the opportunity to converse personally with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad and dispersed, carrying with them the memory of his archpastoral humble-mindedness and Christian concern for his neighbor. 

A. V. Psarev