Axios! Subdeacon Alexis

July 20, 2024, was a very special day and what felt like the official start of a highly anticipated change for our family.

In 2022, Alexis, Otis, and unbeknownst to us, Jack Timothy, and I made a few leaps from Poland, back to Alaska, then finally landed in what felt like, the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania to attend St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS).

Alexis and I both grew up in the Orthodox faith and although both of us have been drawn toward service in the church, I would have never predicted that serving as a clergy family would be something we would entertain. Alexis is a strong man of faith and has an unbelievable relationship with Christ, one I have often found myself a little jealous of if I am being honest. As for me, I love being involved in parish life. I have taken on many roles, from OCF founder to volunteer youth ministry director and church decorator. What was once something I had zero interest in doing, has now become something I couldn't imagine us NOT perusing. We hear you Lord, we are trying to obediently answer the call in whatever way You see fit.

When we arrived in Pennsylvania 2 years ago, we were immediately thrust into a world of challenging mental and spiritual hurdles. As anyone who has been to seminary knows, it is a serious Christian battlefield…particularly if you attend STOTS (in my naïve opinion) as it is also a monastery, and the wonderful monks here are fighting the demonic powers every day on our behalf... that spiritual warfare is bound to rub off on those of us who attend seminary here, and it can make challenges seem even more difficult to overcome. That being said, it is such a blessing as well. As formation begins to thrust itself upon you right out of the shoot, it is easy to become quickly discouraged and wonder, “Should we be here?”

Well, recent events made it all so evidently clear.  We should be here. Blame it on my pregnancy hormones, but I couldn’t help but watch my husband be tonsured to the subdiaconate without blubbering tears of joy, admiration, and thankfulness in my eyes.

I realize that in most cases, becoming a subdeacon is a minor role in the church as far as clergy is concerned (although, nothing to scoff at!), however, it was what this next step symbolized that had me a blubbering mess. There is no going back now! And God willing, those in authority over us, agree.

We were surrounded by Ukrainian clergy from far and wide in the northeastern area, and the beautiful singing from the professional Ukrainian choir out of DC would have made anyone weep. Thanks to the ordination of Fr. Roman to the Holy Priesthood, we got to piggyback on an incredible service with the best church music I have ever heard. Having lived in Poland and gone through all that we did with the War on Ukraine, being able to have this service at the memorial church in New Jersey, the headquarters for the Ukrainian Archdiocese, just made this service feel all the more meaningful.

Additionally, Otis was able to serve alongside as the littlest altar boy and hold the tray for the tonsuring of Alexis. Otis was an absolute Rockstar! The kid made it 5 hours, didn’t even have breakfast, and only needed to go to the bathroom once! Haha! It was a very special day for all of us to say the least.

We now await the blessing to the Diaconate, God willing by the end of this year, and then the Holy Priesthood sometime before graduation in Spring of 2025. It all seems to be flashing by as we are one month away from entering our third and final year of seminary. As a military wife, I have learned to not get my sights set too firmly on any concrete plans, but it seems like we are headed in a beautiful direction, and I look forward to what is next.

Thank you to all of you for your prayers, well wishes, and support. May God bless and keep you always.

With love in Christ,

Delaney, Otis, Jack, Cecilia (in transit 😉), & the newly appointed, Subdeacon, Alexis!

Pictured with Father Richard (Left), our parish assignment priest in Allentown, PA & Fr. Milorad (Right) one of Alexis' professors at St. Tikhon's (and a professor at St. Sophia's Ukrainian Seminary as well)