CHICAGO, IL [DOM] – As previously announced, the Diocese of the Midwest will be hosting a Liturgical Practicum from November 14-16, 2025 at Holy Trinity and St George Cathedrals in Chicago, focused primarily on the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy. Within a couple of weeks of this announcement, the program reached its participant compacity.
Future retreats are being planned and will be announced on the diocesan website in the coming months.
Topics include: preparing for the service, conduct a walkthrough of the entire service, important aspects and moments of the service, managing the vestments, order of censings, and some key things specific to subdeacons and deacons. There will be back-to-back Hierarchal Divine Liturgies on Saturday and Sunday mornings to assist with retention and gaining experience with the service.
The instructors for the liturgical practicum will be Protodeacon Peter Ilchuk and Subdeacon Dimitri Pletz. Protodeacon Peter was the Metropolitan’s subdeacon for many years and now regularly serves as his Protodeacon. He has extensive experience serving in all settings of Church life, both in large venues with multiple bishops and servers, and small parish situations. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and will be able to answer most any question deacons and subdeacons alike may have. Subdeacon Dimitri has over 20 years experience as a subdeacon and has led trainings like this practicum several times before in the Diocese of the West for existing and prospective deacons, subdeacons and readers.
