Relics of St. Vladimir Coming to Seminary Chapel

St. Vladimir Seminary, October 30, 2010

From November 13, 2010 - November 14, 2010, the relics of the Seminary's patron saint, Holy Great Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, who converted to Christianity in AD 988 and who proceeded to baptize all of Kievan Rus', will be in our Three Hierarchs Chapel for public veneration from Saturday, November 13 through Sunday, November 14. This will be the only such opportunity in the United States for Orthodox Christian faithful to venerate the relics, since St. Vladimir's Seminary is the only location in the country that will be privileged to receive them.

Chancellor and CEO of the Seminary, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, expressed his joy in anticipation of upcoming weekend. "We are deeply honored to receive these relics of the patron saint of our school. During this extraordinary occasion, we anticipate welcoming thousands of pilgrims to our campus."

According to Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko, episcopal secretary of the Archdiocese of Canada of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), the reliquary containing the saint’s remains holds a portion of the head of Holy Prince Vladimir, found by St. Peter Mohila, metropolitan of Kiev.

“Because of wars and invasions,” noted PDn. Nazari, “by the time of the Communist Revolution in Russia only the head of Holy Prince Volodymyr [Vladimir] remained. When the Dormition Church of the Tithe was closed, the head was moved to the Dormition Sobor of the Kiev Caves Monastery. First, however, a portion of the head was given to the Diocese of Rostov. During World War II, the Dormition Sobor of the Kiev Caves was blown up, and all in it was lost. So, it was only about twelve years ago that Kiev was able, at the request of Metropolitan Volodymyr, to receive a part of this relic, to remain in Kiev. It is this part that we have been entrusted for this period of time.”

The seminary chapel will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 13, so that the public may venerate the relics; and from 7:30 a.m. until an undetermined time (depending on public interest) on Sunday, November 14. We will update our Website regarding the details and schedule of services for this noteworthy event as we draw closer to this special weekend in November.

St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Official site

11/1/2010

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