SAN FRANCISCO: February 19, 2013
San Francisco’s SS Cyril and Athanasius of Alexandria Institute for Orthodox Studies Holds Its 2 nd Annual Symposium

On Feburary 16-17, 2013, SS Cyril and Athanasius of Alexandria Institute for Orthodox Studies in San Francisco hosted its second annual symposium. The theme of the event was “Prayer in the Works of the Holy Fathers.” Over one hundred fifty participants heard lectures, posed questions and had lively discussions on the topics.

The main speaker was His Eminence Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware), renowned theologian and talented speaker. Vladyka Kallistos read lectures titled “Prayer, Creation and the Human Person,” “The Jesus Prayer in Daily Life,” and “Prayer in the Liturgy and with Holy Icons.” Metropolitan Kallistos defined prayer as standing before God or the comprehension of Divine presence. He also made practical suggestions on practicing the Jesus Prayer and pointed to the bond between man and Divine reality through participation in the Eucharist.

Also speaking was Professor Archimandrite Irinei (Steenberg), founder of SS Cyril and Athanasius Institute, as well as Priest Sergei Sveshnikov. Archimandrite Irinei delivered a speech titled “The Beginnings of a Life of Prayer,” noting that the practice of prayer absolutely must begin with rooting out anger and condemnation from one’s heart. Fr Sergei, in his “Prayer: a Personal Conversation with God?” advised approaching the prayer rule not as a conversation with God but as an exercise intended to prepare the human soul for meeting God and communing with Him.

On Saturday, February 16, during a brief recess in the symposium, its participants were able to visit sited connected with the life of St John (Maximovich). At the end of the event, Archimandrite Irinei invited everyone to familiarize themselves with the work of SS Cyril and Athanasius Institute, its curricula and forthcoming symposia. Materials from this event, including text and video recordings will soon be posted on: www.sforthodoxinstitute.org