On Saturday the 23rd and Sunday the 24th of September, Holy Trinity Church in Mebane, NC hosted two most instructive lectures by Protodeacon Andrei Psarev, professor of Church History & Canon Law at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, NY. Fr. Andrei is also the publisher of ROCOR Studies, a website dedicated to objective study and research of the history of the Russian Church Abroad.

The first lecture was held on Saturday afternoon, prior to the All-Night Vigil, and was titled "The History of Orthodoxy in Ukraine." Beginning with the pre-Christian Slavs’ contacts with Byzantium and reaching to the Ecumenical Patriarch’s grant of a tomos of autocephaly to the so-called "Orthodox Church in Ukraine," Fr. Andrei’s presentation masterfully and dispassionately surveyed over a thousand years of history. Special focus was paid to moments in history that elucidate today’s divisions.

The following day, following completion of Divine Liturgy, Fr. Andrei offered a second lecture, "A Crash Course in ROCOR History," which aimed to impart to the community an understanding of the creation and continuing mission of the Russian Church Abroad.

Both events were punctuated by vibrant and engaged questions and discussions from several dozen parishioners and visitors.

In addition to the two lectures, Fr. Andrei’s concelebration at the divine services added significant solemnity to a parish that is rarely graced with diaconal service.