St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Press Releases Press Release Archbishop Anastasios highlights well-attended Mission Symposium

On February 27-28, 2003, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and President of St Vladimir's Seminary (SVS) in Crestwood, New York, had the great pleasure of presenting an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree to His Beatitude, Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania at a two-day Symposium on Orthodox Mission at SVS.

A record crowd of more than 300 people, including His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA), turned out at the seminary to hear Archbishop Anastasios deliver the symposium's keynote lecture, Rediscovering Our Apostolic Identity in the 21st Century.

Dean John H. Erickson introduced Archbishop Anastasios, reflecting on the work and missionary efforts of the Hierarch. The text of the introduction and the citation honoring His Beatitude are available on this web site.

"The very flame and spirit of the apostolic church has been imparted as a whole into Christ's Church," Archbishop Anastasios explained in his lecture. "We stand at the very door of the apostolic moment in the 21st century. With every new generation we must be ready to explore the new and creative, but also engage the old, the apostolic."

In addition to Metropolitan Herman and Archbishop Demetrios, many other hierarchs were in attendance to hear Archbishop Anastasios, including: Metropolitan Theodosius, former primate of the Orthodox Church in America; Archbishop Peter of New York and New Jersey (OCA); Bishops Dimitrios of Xanthos and Savas of Troas (GOA); Metropolitan Paisios of Tyana; and Bishop Nikon of Baltimore (OCA).

The second day of the mission symposium features lectures and discussions on current issues facing Orthodox mission today, including:

• Mission and Philanthropy, Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St Vladimir's Seminary
• Challenges Facing Modern Missions, Rev. Luke Veronis, OCMC Missionary to Albania
• Renewing the Spirit of Missions in the Local Parish, V Rev. Constantine Nasr, Pastor of St Elijah Orthodox Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Youth and Mission, Rev. Michael Nasser, Director of College Ministries for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary is a graduate school of theology, whose primary purpose is the preparation of leaders-both clergy and lay-for service to the Orthodox Church and the world at large. The seminary offers a Master of Divinity; a Master of Arts in Christian Education, Liturgical Music, and General Theology; a Master of Theology; and a Doctor of Ministry degree.

For more photographs of this event, please see the web site of the Orthodox Church in America: http://www.oca.org/pages/events/2003/0227abpanastasios/index.html.

For more information, visit the SVS web site: www.svots.edu.

Fr Thomas Hopko

Fr Constantine Nasr

Fr Michael Nasser

Fr Luke Veronis