On the morning of Holy Thursday, April 17, 2025, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Washington-New York and Eastern America, an alumnus and member of the Seminary Board of Trustees, celebrated the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great in the Three Holy Hierarchs Chapel at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

 

During his homily, which was reflective of the nature of the celebration,  His Grace compared it to standing at the very Gates of Beauty, which have revealed the mysterious entrance into the New Pascha. In his description, he referred to the experience as one of a silent burst of light and life in the fulfillment of Zacchaeus’ desire to see Christ, through the great desire of Christ to share this Pascha with his disciples.

 

Accordingly, he tied together as a seamless whole, the preparatory weeks preceding Great Lent, in which we are summoned through the Gospel lections to know ourselves; to coming to known Christ, Who reveals Himself through the Sunday Gospels of Great Lent; to this very day in which we come to receive Him in the Eucharist, which He now institutes. Thus, we remember the future promise, that He will be with us always, even until the close of the Age.