On the weekend of July 15, 2014, Reader Nicholas DeGraaff of Three Saints Church, Garfield NJ graduated from the Orthodox Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America (ROCOR). 2014 marks the eighth graduation for the Pastoral School. Rdr. Nicholas was one of four graduates for 2014 along with Deacon George Temidis (Eastern American Diocese, ROCOR), Rdr. Andrei Mouravieff (Eastern American Diocese, ROCOR) and Atanas Megorov.
With the Blessing of His Eminence Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Rdr. Nicholas began his studies in 2012.
During the day on Saturday, the graduates defended their theses before a panel consisting of: His Grace Peter, Bishop of Cleveland (School President) Archpriest Andre Papkov (Vice President of the School), Archpriest Martin Swanson (Dean of the School) and Archpriest Gregory Joyce (Associate Dean of the School). Rdr. Nicholas' thesis is entitled "Orthodoxy and Ecumenism".
The Editors of the website sincerely congratulate Rdr. Nicholas and the other graduates with their graduation and wish them God's Grace during their service to His Church.