ROCOR Consolidates Pastoral School Programs at Jordanville

JORDANVILLE, NY — Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary announced that the Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America will be incorporated into the seminary's academic offerings beginning Aug. 1, 2026, marking a significant consolidation of educational programs within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR).

The transition was approved with the blessing of Metr. Nicholas, Bp. Spyridon, and Bp. Luke. Under the new arrangement, the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America will discontinue operating the Pastoral School independently, while Holy Trinity Seminary will assume responsibility for all of its academic programs and courses.

According to the announcement, students currently enrolled in the Pastoral School should experience no disruption during the transition. Existing course offerings, instructors, and the online delivery format will remain unchanged after the integration takes effect.

Seminary officials said the initiative began more than a year ago and resulted from ongoing cooperation between administrators and personnel from both institutions. The effort was undertaken with the goal of consolidating ROCOR's academic programs under the auspices of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville.

Additional details about the transition and future academic offerings are expected to be released in the coming weeks and months.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Jordanville monks opposed a massive wind development.