Difference between revisions of "Spirit of Orthodoxy Choir"

From OrthodoxWiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 1: Line 1:
This is the '''OrthodoxWiki Sandbox'''! Feel free to edit here to your heart's content!
+
The Archpriest ‘‘‘Dmitry Grigorieff’‘ was Dean Emeritus of [[St. Nicholas Cathedral (Washington, D.C.)|St. Nicholas Cathedral]] in Washington, D.C., and professor of Russian language and literature at Georgetown University in Washington.
  
 +
==Life==
 +
Fr. Dmitry’s father was Dmitry Dmitrievich Grigorieff, the pre-revolutionary vice-governor of Arkhangelsk, Vyatka, and Sakhalin, who in 1918 fled with his family to Riga, Latvia and later to England to escape the Russian Civil War. Fr. Dmitry was born in 1919 while his family was in England. The family subsequently moved to Tokyo, Japan where the young Dmitry was baptized. After the Civil War ended in the early 1920’s, the young Dmitry with his family returned to Riga.  In Latvia, Dmitry completed the Russian high school and entered the Orthodox Theological Institute.
  
[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]
+
As World War II enveloped the Baltic states, Dmitry, a British citizen, was evacuated to Australia, where during the years of 1943 and 1944 he served in the Pacific fleet of the British Merchant Marine. It was during this time that he married his wife, Galina. During the final year of the war he served in the United States with the Office of War Information in New York City.
  
A '''cathedra''' (Latin, "chair", from Greek, ''kathedra'', "seat") is the chair or throne of a [[bishop]]. It is a symbol of teaching authority in the Orthodox Church. ''Cathedra'' is the Latin word for a chair with armrests. Its Roman connotations of authority reserved for the Emperor were adopted by bishops after the fourth century. In this sense, cathedra is sometimes referred to as a "bishop's throne”. A [[church]] in which a cathedra is installed is called a [[cathedral]] — the seat of a particular church called a [[diocese]] or [[eparchy]]. The term cathedra is applied also to the [[see]] of a bishop.
+
After the war, Dmitry entered Yale University from which he received, in 1848, a Master’s degree in Linguistics and Comparative Literature. He continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania from which he received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Slavic Studies in 1958. In 1958, he also graduated from the [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York|St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary]] in New York. Before joining the faculty of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Dmitry taught Russian at the Army Language School in Monterey, California and at Columbia University in New York City.  
  
The traditional position of the cathedra was in the [[apse]] behind the [[altar]] table, which was the position of the magistrate in the apse of the Roman [[basilica]] that provided the model type—and sometimes the actual structures—for early Christian basilicas. Originally the bishop’s cathedra stood in the center of the apse, flanked on either side, though on a lower plane, by benches for assisting priests. During the early centuries of Christianity it was customary for the bishop to deliver his [[sermon]] or [[homily]] while seated in his chair facing the congregation.
+
In 1959, Dmitry joined the faculty of Georgetown University, teaching Russian language and literature, and becoming a professor in 1964. His literary speciality was [[Fyodor Dostoevsky]] and his works. During the early 1960’s, he also taught Church History and Church Slavonic as a lecturer at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and was on the faulty when the seminary moved to Crestwood, New York in 1962. In 1989, he retired from Georgetown University.
  
Today, cathedrals have a throne for the bishop in the apse behind the altar table, with seats for the priests to sit to either side of him (only bishops and priests are permitted to sit in the altar; [[deacon]]s and the lower [[clergy]] must stand). This location is referred to as the '''High Place''' and represents the presence of [[Christ]] presiding over the services, even when the bishop is not present. For this reason, the High Place often has an [[icon]] of Christ placed above the seat and on the [[iconostasis]] seated in an armed chair. The bishop will only ascend the High Place during the [[Divine Liturgy]], at the [[Trisagion]] (at other times, if he sits in the sanctuary, a seat will be prepared for him off to the side). For this reason, the [[consecration of a bishop]] takes place at the Trisagion, so that he may ascend the High Place for the first time as a bishop during the Liturgy at which he is consecrated.
+
While teaching at Georgetown, Dmitry was active in the congregation of the St. Nicholas [[parish]] in Washington and was ordained a [[priest]] in 1969, becoming the second priest. In this capacity Fr. Dmitry introduced English-language divine services to the congregation of the [[cathedral]]. In 1986, he was made Dean of the Cathedral. In 1998, Fr. Dmitry entered semi-retirement as Dean Emeritus, as Fr. Constantine White became Dean of the Cathedral.  
  
Another throne for the bishop is located in the nave of the church:
+
Also, during 1998 his wife, Galina, died. Fr. Dmitry remained active in the spiritual life of his community and continued to maintained ties with [[church]] of his former homeland. His health weakened during the last few years of his life. He reposed on [[December 8]], 2007 at the age 89.
*In the Greek practice, this is normally located along the southern wall of the church, on the [[kliros]]. In this style, it is one of the monastic choir stalls (''kathismata''), only more elaborately carved, usually at the top of three steps, and with a canopy above it. During the Divine Liturgy, the deacon will ascend this throne to read the [[Gospel]], facing west.
 
*In the Russian practice, the ''kafedra'' is a large square platform set in the very center of the nave, with a moveable chair or faldstool placed on it. This arrangement is a remnant of the ancient [[bema]] (Greek: amvon), borrowed from the Jewish [[synagogue]], which stood in the center of the synagogue in ancient times. During the Russian liturgy, the deacon will stand on this platform, facing east, to read the Gospel.
 
  
Although an [[hegumen]] (abbot) does not have a cathedral, he may have a similar chair, reserved for him on the kliros of his [[monastery]], likewise symbolic of his authority, The hegumen's kathisma would be simpler than the one for the bishop, sometimes raised atop two steps, located to the side of the bishop's throne.
+
==Legacy==
 +
Besides his care for his spiritual children, Fr. Dmitry was a scholar with a number of publications to his credit on religion and literature in both Russian and English. His most recent work, “Dostoevsky and the Church”, was published in Moscow in 2002.
 +
 
 +
He was the recipient of a number of awards. For his dedicated service to the Holy Orthodox Church, Fr. Dmitry Grigorieff was awarded the Order of St. Innocent from His Holiness Patriarch [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow|Alexei II]] of Moscow. This was the first time that this Order was bestowed upon an American priest. Fr. Dmitry was also awarded the Order of St. Innocent by the [[Orthodox Church in America]], and the Order of the Holy Equals-of-the-Apostles [[Cyril and Methodius|Cyril and Methodius]] by the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia|Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia]].  
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedra  Wikipedia: Cathedra]
+
*[http://www.oca.org/Mem.asp?ID=84&SID=18  Fr. Dmitry Grigorieff]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03437a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Cathedra]
+
*[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/   Washington Post: Father Dmitry Grigorieff]
 +
*[http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/335659.html Archpriest Dmitry Grigorieff] (in Russian)
 +
*[http://www.ocanews.org/news/NewsFromAroundtheOCA12.10.07.html Father Dmitry Grigorieff]
  
  
[[Category:Church architecture]]
+
[[Category: Priests]]

Revision as of 21:53, December 23, 2007

The Archpriest ‘‘‘Dmitry Grigorieff’‘ was Dean Emeritus of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and professor of Russian language and literature at Georgetown University in Washington.

Life

Fr. Dmitry’s father was Dmitry Dmitrievich Grigorieff, the pre-revolutionary vice-governor of Arkhangelsk, Vyatka, and Sakhalin, who in 1918 fled with his family to Riga, Latvia and later to England to escape the Russian Civil War. Fr. Dmitry was born in 1919 while his family was in England. The family subsequently moved to Tokyo, Japan where the young Dmitry was baptized. After the Civil War ended in the early 1920’s, the young Dmitry with his family returned to Riga. In Latvia, Dmitry completed the Russian high school and entered the Orthodox Theological Institute.

As World War II enveloped the Baltic states, Dmitry, a British citizen, was evacuated to Australia, where during the years of 1943 and 1944 he served in the Pacific fleet of the British Merchant Marine. It was during this time that he married his wife, Galina. During the final year of the war he served in the United States with the Office of War Information in New York City.

After the war, Dmitry entered Yale University from which he received, in 1848, a Master’s degree in Linguistics and Comparative Literature. He continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania from which he received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Slavic Studies in 1958. In 1958, he also graduated from the St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York. Before joining the faculty of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Dmitry taught Russian at the Army Language School in Monterey, California and at Columbia University in New York City.

In 1959, Dmitry joined the faculty of Georgetown University, teaching Russian language and literature, and becoming a professor in 1964. His literary speciality was Fyodor Dostoevsky and his works. During the early 1960’s, he also taught Church History and Church Slavonic as a lecturer at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and was on the faulty when the seminary moved to Crestwood, New York in 1962. In 1989, he retired from Georgetown University.

While teaching at Georgetown, Dmitry was active in the congregation of the St. Nicholas parish in Washington and was ordained a priest in 1969, becoming the second priest. In this capacity Fr. Dmitry introduced English-language divine services to the congregation of the cathedral. In 1986, he was made Dean of the Cathedral. In 1998, Fr. Dmitry entered semi-retirement as Dean Emeritus, as Fr. Constantine White became Dean of the Cathedral.

Also, during 1998 his wife, Galina, died. Fr. Dmitry remained active in the spiritual life of his community and continued to maintained ties with church of his former homeland. His health weakened during the last few years of his life. He reposed on December 8, 2007 at the age 89.

Legacy

Besides his care for his spiritual children, Fr. Dmitry was a scholar with a number of publications to his credit on religion and literature in both Russian and English. His most recent work, “Dostoevsky and the Church”, was published in Moscow in 2002.

He was the recipient of a number of awards. For his dedicated service to the Holy Orthodox Church, Fr. Dmitry Grigorieff was awarded the Order of St. Innocent from His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow. This was the first time that this Order was bestowed upon an American priest. Fr. Dmitry was also awarded the Order of St. Innocent by the Orthodox Church in America, and the Order of the Holy Equals-of-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius by the Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia.

External links