wfn.org | American seminary receives prestigious prize from Russian Orthodox Church

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

For Immediate Release Wednesday, January 27, 2010
St. Vladimir's receives "Unity of Orthodox Peoples Award"
Contact: Deborah Belonick, Advancement Information Officer
deborah@svots.edu
914-916-8313 Ext 363

American seminary receives prestigious prize from Russian Orthodox Church

[SVS Communications MOSCOW, RUSSIA] - The head of the Russian Orthodox
Church, Patriarch Kirill I, presented the "Unity of Orthodox Peoples
Award" to St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, NY,
at a special ceremony in Moscow on January 21, 2010. Similar awards
were concurrently presented to Russian President Dimitry A. Medvedev;
Serbian cinematographer and director Emir Kusturica; and His Holiness
Karekin II, leader of Armenian Christians worldwide.

The seminary was selected to receive the award by the International
Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations (IFUOCN), for
its activity "aimed at strengthening the unity of Orthodox nations
through theological education." Patriarch Kirill chairs the
foundation's Board of Trustees.

Accepting the award on behalf of the seminary was Archpriest John
Behr, Dean, who expressed his gratitude for the honor, noting the work
of St. Vladimir's Seminary over the past seventy years in bringing the
rich theological tradition of the Russian Church to North America. "We
are thankful that our work has been recognized by the foundation and
blessed by His Holiness, and with these we will work to pursue our
common mission," he said.

The school's chancellor, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, further noted,
"This award is a clear recognition of the stature of our seminary in
the global Orthodox world, and presents us with the challenge to
expand our mission of service as the seminary best prepared to meet
the new educational frontier of the twenty-first century."

Prior to the ceremony, the seminary representatives met with Patriarch
Kirill at his working residence, at which time he spoke of his respect
and love for the former deans of the seminary that he knew personally:
Archpriest Georges Florovsky and Protopresbyters Alexander Schmemann,
John Meyendorff, and Thomas Hopko. He also commended the seminary for
bringing the richness of Orthodox theology to the New World while
maintaining a proper place within the Church's tradition.

More photos and information about the award and the seminary
representatives' visitation to Russia may be found on the seminary's
Website at http://www.svots.edu.

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