Inaugural Commencement Exercise Held at Seminary

The Seminary held its first-ever commencement exercise on the evening of Friday, May 17, 2019, in the Seminary auditorium.

From left to right, Father Photii, Father Gregory, Father Chrysostomos, Father Patapios, Bishop Auxentios, Mother Seraphima, Mother Synkletike, and Mother Eupraxia.

The Saint Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary held its first-ever commencement exercise on the evening of Friday, May 17, 2019, in the Seminary auditorium. The ceremony opened with the recitation of prayers and the singing of several hymns by the choir of the Convent of Saint Elizabeth the Grand Duchess of Russia, followed by readings from the Apostolos and the Gospel. Addresses were then delivered by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Bishop Dr. Auxentios, Rector of the Seminary; the Very Reverend Archimandrite Dr. Patapios, Dean of the Seminary; the Very Reverend Archimandrite Gregory, one of the Master’s graduates; and Schemanun Eupraxia, one of the Bachelor’s graduates. His Eminence then conferred the Master of Theological Studies degree on three of the graduates and the Bachelor of Theology degree on another three graduates. The Very Reverend Hegumen Dr. Akakios, a Professor at the Seminary, offered closing remarks, and His Eminence concluded with a prayer and the dismissal. The exercise itself was immediately followed by a banquet, served by the nuns of the Convent and the students of the Seminary, in the Seminary dining hall.

The six graduates of the Class of 2019 included three members of the Brotherhood of the Saint Gregory Palamas Monastery and three members of the Sisterhood of the Convent of Saint Elizabeth the Grand Duchess of Russia. The Very Reverend Archimandrite Gregory, Schemamonk Father Chrysostomos, and Schemanun Mother Seraphima received the Master of Theological Studies degree, while the Reverend Hierodeacon Photii, Schemanun Mother Synkletike, and Schemanun Mother Eupraxia received the Bachelor of Theology degree. Father Gregory and Father Chrysostomos have gone on to enroll in the Doctor of Ministry Program at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, the alma mater of the Very Reverend Hegumen Dr. Akakios and the Reverend Abbess Dr. Elizabeth, the Superiors of the Monastery and of the Convent, respectively. Congratulations to the Class of 2019!

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