Watch Now: Archpriest Nicholas Solak Delivers 2026 Founder’s Day Lecture

Archpriest Nicholas Solak Delivers 2026 Founder’s Day Lecture at St. Tikhon’s Seminary

On October 13, 2026, St. Tikhon’s Seminary welcomed Very Reverend Dr. Nicholas Solak, Director of the Orthodox Church in America’s Office of Pastoral Life, to deliver the annual fall Founder’s Day Lecture on the topic of “The Good Pastor in the 21st Century.”

Addressing seminarians, faculty, staff, and members of the public, Fr. Nicholas explored the responsibilities and challenges of Orthodox pastoral ministry in an increasingly complex world. He emphasized that while the priesthood remains unchanged, priests must exercise pastoral discernment to understand and serve the communities entrusted to their care.

Quoting Bishop Anthony of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, Fr. Nicholas encouraged priests to have “antennas and not agendas,” emphasizing the importance of understanding the people and communities they are called to serve.

Drawing on his pastoral experience and the work of the Office of Pastoral Life, Fr. Nicholas also addressed the dangers of clergy isolation and burnout, the importance of ongoing pastoral formation, and the need to support priests and their families so that parish communities may thrive.

The lecture concluded with a question-and-answer session. St. Tikhon’s Seminary extends its gratitude to the Elsie Ganister Foundation, whose generosity makes the annual Founder’s Day Lecture possible.

Watch the full lecture, “The Good Pastor in the 21st Century" below, and learn more about the work of the OCA Office of Pastoral Life.