With great joy, we share the announcement of the election of His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan as the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York. The election took place on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, with the rite of enthronement of His Eminence Nicholas, taking place this weekend.

Beloved and admired by his flock as a kind, humble and wise shepherd, Vladyka Nicholas has now become the guiding light of the ROCOR Church.

AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!

Vladyka Nicholas is a longtime and active supporter of PaTRAM Institute and our mission to preserve and foster the liturgical music of our Church. It is of note that PaTRAM was greatly honored and blessed to have Vladyka Nicholas accompany our choir on two of our recent projects.

 

In 2019, with the special permission and blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, of blessed memory, the Kursk Root Mother of God of the Sign Icon, with Vladyka Nicholas as her guardian and primary caretaker, traveled with the PaTRAM Institute Male Choir to Saratov, Russia to record the “More Honourable than the Cherubim” album, perform a concert and sing services. During our time in Saratov, more than 18,000 believers and those new to the faith venerated the holy and magnificent Wonderworking Kursk Root icon.

 

This past June Vladyka Nicholas accompanied the PaTRAM Male Choir to the cradle of Christianity, the Holy Land! The PaTRAM Choir was blessed to sing hierarchical liturgies celebrated by His Eminence Nicholas at the Ascension monastery church atop Mount of Olives, St. Mary Magdalene monastery church in Gethsemane and even at Golgotha in the complex of the Holy Sepulchre. Vladyka blessed our group in the Jordan River, served a moleben and panikhida on Mount Tabor and, along with His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle, was our spiritual father throughout our journey in the holiest of holy. Below are some photos of this epic trip.

May God grant many blessed years to our dear Vladyka Nicholas!

It is with deep sadness that we received the mournful news of the repose in the Lord of our dear Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR).

Vladyka Hilarion was not only our leader and shepherd; he was also our kind father and mentor, a humble servant of the Church and his flock. His Eminence was also a devoted supporter of PaTRAM and a generous donor.

On behalf of the PaTRAM Institute, we convey our deepest condolences to the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR, and all orthodox Christians, as we join in prayer for the soul of the newly departed servant of God Metropolitan Hilarion.

Memory eternal; and may the Lord rest his bright soul.

Вечная память!

We invite you to watch a wonderful, short video of Father Valery Lukianov’s (of blessed memory) remarks on the 10^th Anniversary of Metropolitan Hilarion’s enthronement in 2018 when Father Valery, himself a spiritual pillar within ROCOR, was already in the advanced stages of ALS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT7ZasTv4vY

Alexis Lukianov (left) and Elias Dubelsten, two of PaTRAM Institute’s leading oktavists, will perform Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir on Friday April 15, 2022 at 7:30pm at the Yorkminster Park Baptist Church – 1585 Yonge Street – Toronto, Canada.

For more information and tickets go to the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

Cocktail hour, with infused vodka tastings. Performance by PaTRAM™-sponsored Osanna Chamber Ensemble. Full Russian-style blini dinner complete with black and red caviar and all the other accoutrements. Presentations by PaTRAM’s Chairman and CEO.

These were the makings of the PaTRAM Institute’s Producers Circle Dinner on Feb 17^th in the Grand Hall of the historic mansion that is the Synod of Bishops headquarters on Park Avenue in New York City. The catered affair attracted many clergy, including His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, and supporters in a SOLD OUT house.

PaTRAM CEO, Tatiana Geringer, personally greeted the arriving patrons on that rainy night. She welcomed them to the event and guided them to the circular grand staircase, in the entry hall, and up to the second floor where the open bar was serving drinks and hors d’ oeuvres for the first hour of the evening. Of note were the multi-flavored infused vodkas created by Ms. Geringer and Katya Lukianov, PaTRAM Artistic Director. Also being served was the evenings signature drink, the “A Capella Elixir-It’ll Make You Sing!”

After the cocktail hour, the guests were all welcomed to the beautiful cathedral, in the adjacent hall. There, everyone had seats facing the altar for a performance by the Osanna Chamber Ensemble. Led by conductor John Arlievsky, partially subsidized by the PaTRAM Institute scholarships and made up mostly of young vocalists the Ensemble sang a short, 30 minute program of sacred music from various composers. Their performance was exceptional and emotionally moving with outstanding solos by both male and female soloists.

After the performance everyone moved over to the adjacent Grand Hall and took their seats at the beautifully set tables the incredibly efficient catering servers delivered the evening’s traditional Russian blinis. Delicious!

As everyone was enjoying their meals, PaTRAM Chairman, Alexis Lukianov, gave a short presentation reviewing PaTRAM’s mission, the success of PaTRAM’s recordings and the scholarship programs which partly fund the development of the aforementioned Osanna Chamber Ensemble (pictured below). Mr. Lukianov also reviewed one of the main purposes of this event, to raise funds for PaTRAM’s recording and concert tour of Rachmaninoff’s masterpiece, “All-Night Vigil”, in Jerusalem this coming June.

Following Mr. Lukianov, PaTRAM CEO (and architect of this gala), Tatiana Geringer, gave her short presentation. Ms. Geringer reviewed some of PaTRAM’s recent highlights and then focused on the coming recording and tour reviewing the itinerary and all the available financial support packages both for the recording/tour and for scholarships to advance the development of young singers.

Mr. Lukianov and Ms. Geringer certainly were inspirational speakers because after their presentations Mr. Greg Soufleris, a long-time generous supporter of PaTRAM, spoke about his feelings for the mission and prompted all the guests to support PaTRAM as he pledged his $12,000 purchase of the Associate Executive Producer package.

He, too, inspired others to follow his lead because several other AEP packages were purchased, that night, by generous patrons. All this capped off by a $25,000 additional donation from the Lukianov Family Foundation.

Following Mr. Soufleris, Katya Lukianov (the wife of Alexis and PaTRAM Artistic Director) asked to speak and, like Mr. Soufleris, gave her comments on the values of the mission and its importance, particularly in the development of young vocalists, and concluded by announcing that she, and her brother Andrei, were pledging $5000 EACH for a “Gift of Musical Excellence” Scholarship.

Ms. Lukianov, herself, inspired other patrons as people were writing checks to PaTRAM and pledging more support to the PaTRAM administrators in attendance and since via mail.

A great night was had by all with His Grace Bishop Nicholas saying it’s his wish that this become an annual event.

If you’re so inclined and would like to give a donation toward the Jerusalem project or towards scholarships to aspiring singers, conductors and choirs we would be grateful for all donations at the PaTRAM “Donate” page.

It’s become old hat with us but we will never stop saying it….THANK YOU! It is YOU, our supporters, who are most responsible for the continuation of PaTRAM’s mission. We can’t do it without you!

PaTRAM Institute would like to wish you and your families a most joyous Day of the Nativity, and may God bless you all!

PaTRAM™ has a very special gift for all of our subscribers for Russian Orthodox Christmas!

We are extremely grateful for the support from our subscribers and friends and we’d like to thank you all by sharing this NEW, never-before-released hymn. It is a very special piece of music we were saving to share with everyone on this joyous occasion. Just click on the image below…

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Thank you for all your generous support, and we wish you a happy and peaceful New Year, too!

To all our friends celebrating Christmas by the Gregorian calendar, PaTRAM Institute would like to wish you and your families the most wonderful and Happy Christmas Day and may God bless you all!

Thank you for your continued support!