Seminarians Receive Scholarships From Lakewood Church
On September 12, 2005, the parish feast day of St. Alexander Nevsky Church in Lakewood, NJ, two Jordanville seminarians, Constantine Nogovitsyn and Alexej Lemmer, received scholarships from the St. Alexander Nevsky Parish Fund.
On the evening before the feast the clergy and faithful of St. Alexander Nevsky Church ceremoniously greeted His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary, who brought with him the Kursk-Root Icon. The newly ordained Priest Seraphim Chemodakov (class of 2002), who had recently arrived in Lakewood in order to assume duties as an assistant priest in the parish, celebrated the Vigil service. His Grace, Bishop Gabriel of Manhattan, led the litia with procession around the church with accompanying clergy, while Archpriest Serge Lukianov led the male choir.
His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, celebrated the Divine Liturgy accompanied by His Grace, Bishop Gabriel, and many clergy. A Moleben with procession around the church was held with three sacred objects: the Kursk-Root Icon, the myrrh-streaming icon of St. Anna, and an icon of St. Alexander Nevsky containing relics of the saint. The sermon was offered by His Eminence, after which all the faithful were anointed with myrrh from the icon of St. Anna.
The parish sisterhood offered a reception for all present at the celebrations. During the reception generous scholarships were offered by the St. Alexander Nevsky Parish Fund to two seminarians: third-year student Alexej Lemmer from Germany and fourth-year student Contanstine Nogovitsyn from Siberia. Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov, rector of the parish, expressed his joy that this year His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, was able to award the scholarships personally. Alexej Lemmer expressed his gratitude for the scholarship and assistance, telling the assembled a little about his background and reasons for studying in Seminary, after which Constantine Nogovitsyn expressed his joy at being awarded a scholarship for the second year running.