The administration of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY is pleased to announce that, during this 75th anniversary year, and on the eve of the celebration, by vote of the Diocesan Council and with the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, the Eastern American Diocese has pledged an annual donation to support a scholarship established and administered by the seminary in memory of Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko; +1960), of blessed memory.

The Diocese hopes to fund this scholarship annually at the level of $5,000, which will cover one full semester in the M.Div. program at the current tuition rates. A biography of Archbishop Vitaly, which was prepared some years ago by Protodeacon Andrei Psarev, the seminary’s Professor of Canon law and Russian Church History, can be found by clicking here.

It is most fitting that this scholarship be named in memory of Archbishop Vitaly, particularly in view of the fact His Eminence was not only both the founder and first rector of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (est. 1948), but that he was also the first ruling bishop of the Eastern American Diocese (est. 1934).

As with all of the named scholarship (merit-based financial aid) and bursary (need-based financial aid) funds offered at the seminary (which can be found by clicking here), any donor who wishes to support the seminarians financially, and has a particular admiration or veneration for the specific person for whom any of our scholarships are named, that donor can designate their donation for a specific scholarship or bursary fund.

Therefore, in the case of this wonderful new scholarship offering, any donor who would like to honor the memory of Archbishop Vitaly in particular can designate this new scholarship, thereby adding to the funds that the Diocese has committed to annually.