The mission of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary is to serve the
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia by preparing students for service to the Church. It trains students in disciplines that are preparatory for active service to the Church as clergy, monastics, choir directors and cantors, iconographers, and lay leaders to realize this mission. As the only seminary of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, the seminary welcomes applicants not only from the United States but also from abroad. It serves parishes in all corners of the world. With the immigration of Russians to the United States, United Kingdom, and other western nations since the Revolution in the early 20th century, many members of ROCOR are now primarily English-speaking. In addition, the English language has gained prominence as an international language. Therefore, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary offers instruction in English to English-speaking seminarians. The Russian language continues to be taught at HTS. The seminary emphasizes the importance of the spiritual life in theological education. Active participation in the life of the Holy Trinity Monastery, on whose premises the seminary is located, allows students to participate firsthand in the spiritual depth of the Orthodox Church and gives future clergy the opportunity to gain a thorough foundation in and experience of the Orthodox liturgical life. The seminary strives to preserve the high scholarly standards, teaching, and traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church. The seminary is located near New York's historic
Mohawk Valley, which runs through the center of the state west of the Hudson River. It is located one mile north of the village of Jordanville in
Herkimer County, within a triangle formed by
Cooperstown,
Utica and
Albany, capital of the state. ==History==