News & Events

November 5, 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the repose of Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy, a notable pastor and church builder of the Russian Diaspora and author of the classic catechetical textbook, The Law of God. This anniversary was marked both within ROCOR and throughout the Russian Church. We offer links below to relevant materials and news articles in both Russian and English.

English

Father Seraphim Slobodskoy (1912 — 1971): A Brief Biography, by Alexei Slobodskoy

Greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kyrill to the participants of the memorial to the 50th anniversary of the repose of Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy

Archpastoral Epistle of Metropolitan Hilarion to the participants of memorial services on the 50th anniversary of the repose of Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine sends greetings on the memorial services on the 50th anniversary of the repose of Fr Seraphim Slobodskoy

Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy: On the Fiftieth Anniversary of His Passing

Russian

Памяти Серафима Слободского: Автора учебника «Закон Божий» вспоминает его сын Алексей Слободской

Патриаршее приветствие участникам памятных мероприятий, приуроченных к 50-летию кончины протоиерея Серафима Слободского

Архипастырское послание Митрополита Илариона участникам богослужений и памятных мероприятий по случаю 50-летия кончины протоиерея Серафима Слободского

Блаженнейший митрополит Киевский и всея Украины Онуфрий направил приветствие участникам богослужений и памятных мероприятий, посвященных 50-летию преставления протоиерея Серафима Слободского

Протоиерей Андрей Папков: Протоиерей Серафим Слободской - к 50-летию со дня кончины

With the blessing of Bishop Luke of Syracuse, abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, staff of Holy Trinity Publications (the monastery’s publishing arm) made a visit to the United Kingdom from October 9 - 21. Since mid-2019, Holy Trinity Publications titles have been widely available in the UK & Europe through Oxbow Books, an Oxford-based book distributor. Among the aims of the trip was to publicize this arrangement and increase the visibility of these books in the UK, in particular the works of some of their recently published British authors.

Upon arriving in England, Reader Nicholas Chapman, Director of HTP, attended Divine Liturgy at the parish of St Elizabeth in Wallasey and then went on to meet Protodeacon Peter Markevich (Sales & Marketing manager) in Esher, Surrey, on the outskirts of London. Here they displayed and promoted a selection of HTP titles at the Christian Resources Exhibition, which was held from Oct. 12 - 14. The exhibition was well attended by believers from a broad range of Christian denominations, many of whom were exposed to Orthodox Christian books and teachings for the first time. The HTP stand also drew several baptized Orthodox Christians who, for one reason or another, had drifted away from the Church. In addition to promoting the monastery’s publishing work, the staff were able to converse frankly with interested attendees about the fulfillment of Christ’s teachings and Divine Economy within the Orthodox Church. In this way, Holy Trinity Publications continued in the path of its heavenly patron, St Job of Pochaev, whose printing and publishing work spread the Orthodox faith throughout Western Rus’ and preserved the Orthodox Church where she found herself under duress.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the first of two events celebrating the publication of a new book was held on Wednesday, October 13. Dr. Nicholas Fennell, author of Russian Monks on Mount Athos: The Thousand Year History of St Panteleimon, joined Rdr. Nicholas for an hour-long discussion, followed by questions, about his research into the Russian presence on Mount Athos, which culminated in the publication of the new book this fall. Dr. Fennell described his upbringing in the Russian diaspora in the United Kingdom, his interest in the subject of Russian monasticism on the Holy Mountain, and its significance for Orthodox Christian studies more generally. Attendees were treated to coffee and light refreshments.

At the weekend, Fr. Peter and Rdr. Nicholas visited with parishioners and clergy of several Orthodox parishes in England. On Saturday evening, they attended Vespers at Twelve Apostles’ Church in Eastleigh, a new mission begun this year under the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland. On the following day, they attended Divine Liturgy at the Orthodox Parish of St. Silouan, a mission of the Diocese of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate) located in Southampton. After liturgy, parishioners had an opportunity to purchase books left over from the previous week’s exhibition. On Monday, the travellers met with Nun Magdalen of the Community of St. John the Baptist in Essex. Sr. Magdalen manages the monastery’s bookshop.

On Tuesday, October 19, Rdr Nicholas and Protodeacon Peter were in Oxford. The morning included a visit to St. Nicholas church (Diocese of Sourozh, Moscow Patriarchate) and a wide ranging conversation with its Rector, Archpriest Stephen Platt, who also serves as the General Secretary of the Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius, and Simon Jennings, who manages the parish’s impressive bookshop. That evening a second event took place marking the publication of Dr. Fennell’s new book. The book launch was held in conjunction with the Friends of Mount Athos (FOMA) at Pusey House, a center of Anglo-Catholic thought and worship at Oxford University. Dr. Fennell shared anecdotes from his early travels to Mount Athos and some of the challenges and difficulties in researching the topic for his new book. The event was well attended by local Orthodox faithful, FOMA members, students of the University of Oxford and other guests from further afield. Copies of Russian Monks on Mount Athos and other HTP titles were made available for purchase.

Pdn Peter returned to the USA on October 20 whilst Rdr Nicholas spent two more days in London filled with further meetings and bookshop visits.

Holy Trinity Publications expresses its gratitude to Archpriest Paul Elliott, Archpriest Joseph Skinner, Archpriest Stephen Platt, Priest Alexander Haig, Nun Magdalen, their respective communities, and many others too numerous to name here for their hospitality and fellowship throughout the trip.

At the end of September, Holy Trinity Publications distributed royalties payments resulting from sales of books over the twelve months ending June 2021. Payments were sent to eleven different authors and contributors.

When entering into contractual agreements to publish a book, one of the ways Holy Trinity Publications is able to offer renumeration to authors, translators, and other contributors is through royalties, whereby the contributor is entitled to a percentage of the revenue generated by sales of his or her book.

Holy Trinity Publications is proud to work with a variety of authors to fulfill its mission of making known the heritage of Orthodox Russia for today. If you have a work that fits within this mission we would be happy to consider it for publication. Please see our Authors page for more details and to make a submission.

Save up to 30% on a selection of five titles on Orthodox Church History published in 2021 under our Holy Trinity Seminary Press imprint. Together, these studies span span the globe and over a millennium of Church History. Offer ends August 31st.

Included titles:

Orthodoxy and Islam in the Middle East:
The Seventh to the Sixteenth Centuries

The Ecclesial Crisis in Ukraine
and its Solution According to the Sacred Canons

*NEW*
William Palmer:
The Oxford Movement and a Quest for Orthodoxy

*NEW*
The History of the Russian Church in Australia:
From Siberia to Sydney

*NEW*
Russian Monks on Mount Athos:
The Thousand Year History of St Panteleimon’s

We’re bringing back our popular tiered discounts for 10 days only, through Friday, June 25th! Here’s how it works:

• Order any item in the June Sale, get 10% off

• Any 2 items, 20% off

• Any 3 items, 30% off

• Any 4 items, 40% off

• Any 5 items, 50% off

• Any 6 or more items, 60% off!

Please note: The June Sale cannot be combined with wholesale, clergy, or monastic discounts. If your customer account is marked as one of these types, please log out and browse the sale as a "guest" in order to access the discounts.

Sale ends 6/25/20.

Holy Trinity Publications is grateful to share the wise words of Orthodox hierarchs from four Local Churches reflecting on the crisis that faces the Ukrainian Orthodox Church today and the path toward reconciliation and peace laid before us by His Eminence NIKIFOROS, Metropolitan of Kykkos and Tylliria (Church of Cyprus), in his new book, The Ecclesial Crisis in Ukraine and its Solution According to the Sacred Canons. We offer the bishops' endorsements in full below.

*****

This book is a thoughtful and objective treatise for understanding the ecclesiastical crisis that has been created by the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s granting autocephaly to schismatic groups in Ukraine, an action which has divided the Orthodox Church, with the evident risk of consolidating a wider schism, and that until today has not brought about the expected results of restoring the unity of the Orthodox faithful there.

The distinguished and learned Cypriot Hierarch, lifted to the height of his hierarchical conscience and responsibility, with profound theological knowledge and canonical seriousness, analyzes in detail the historical origin of the schism in Ukraine. He unimpeachably cites significant evidence about ecclesiastical jurisdiction from the Church’s longstanding canonical order and flawlessly asks crucial questions about the canonicity a) of the situation that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has brought about in Ukraine and b) the “novel theories” that it has promoted regarding its special privileges, alien to Orthodox ecclesiology.

In this book, it becomes manifestly clear that Metropolitan Nikiforos, in a spirit of the love of Christ, is deeply concerned for the necessary cooperation and concord among the Orthodox. In order to address the various challenges of the contemporary era, he worthily suggests commencing a crucial and honest dialogue through the convening of a Pan-Orthodox Synaxis of the primates of the Churches by the Ecumenical Patriarch. Its purpose would be to prevent further tension in relations between the Orthodox and to restore Eucharistic communion among them.

+TIMOTHEOS,

Metropolitan of Bostra (Patriarchate of Jerusalem)

*****

The Serbian Orthodox Church has always taken the position in support of proper Church order and the Holy Canons.  We do not take the position of Greeks or Russians, rather we stand for what is just and right.  Regarding the situation in the Ukraine, we cannot condone the rejection of the universally recognized status of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the omophorion of Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev.  This situation in which we Orthodox have found ourselves is completely unnatural and does not serve the good of the Orthodox Church, rather it is contrary to it.  We pray to the Almighty God and the Most-Holy Theotokos that this division ends quickly and Church order will reign again.  We are pleased that writings such as this work by Metropolitan Nikiforos are working towards this correction.

 + LONGIN,

Bishop of New Gracanica and Midwestern America (Church of Serbia)

*****

The Orthodox Church of Poland is not against granting autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine on the basis of the dogmatic and canonical norms which would apply to the entire Orthodox Church in Ukraine, and not for a schismatic group - roskolniki. A group separated from the teaching of the Holy Church cannot represent a healthy church organism, as this state violates the eucharistic unity of the Orthodoxy as a whole.

In this case, the penitential process of the "hierarchy" in the schism would be an indispensable act that should have taken place. Regretfully, these canonical and dogmatic norms were omitted, which caused, I hope only a temporary, crisis in the coexistence and conciliarity of local Orthodox churches.

This book addresses the many arguments and ways towards unity and the common Orthodox Church in Ukraine focused on serving God and His faithful. This lively analysis presents the situation of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine in an accessible way to both theologians, the faithful, and all people interested in the topic of the unity of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

+ABEL,
Archbishop of Lublin and Chelm (Church of Poland)

This is a serious study of a crisis in the life of our Orthodox Church worldwide that deserves to be widely read as we seek to understand the underlying issues more clearly and find a conciliar solution that brings both unity and peace. The author, His Eminence Nicephoros, the Metropolitan of Kykkos and the Abbot of the most prominent Cypriot monastery of the same name, is a hierarch widely known for his zealous care about pan-Orthodox unity which often takes form of a practical help wherever needed. Being a Cypriot Greek, that is, a son of a proud, hard-working nation imbued with genuine Orthodox tradition reflected in its everyday life, a nation  that has had its share of opression and persecution, and being the Abbot of the Monastery that gave spiritual birth to Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus, he is very sensitive to any signs of injustice, whether they happen in the world or even within the Holy Church of Christ. Therefore, may this work of his help to bring some light into the challenging processes and ecclesial misconceptions that make many of our brothers and sisters in Christ, faithful sons and daughters of their Ukrainian church and homeland, united around their Metropolitan Onuphry in faith, hope and love, suffer on an everyday basis, while the "powerful of this world" keep their silence.

+JURAJ,
Archbishop of Michalovce and Košice (Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia)