March 19, 2014
Moscow: Holy Synod of Russian Orthodox Church approves Election of New Bishop of Manhattan, Vicar of Eastern American Diocese

As reported on the official ROOR website, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow confirmed the election of Priest Nicholas Olhovsky, cleric of the Eastern American Diocese (Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City) as Bishop of Manhattan. In accordance with the Act of Canonical Communion, an official petition requesting the confirmation of Fr. Nicholas Olhovsky’s election was presented to His Holiness, Patriarch Kyrill, and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.

In light of the vacancy of the Manhattan cathedra and Eastern American Diocesan vicariate on July 10, 2013, on Monday, December 9, the eve of the feast of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, the Synod of Bishops made a decision on the successor to this cathedra. In the opinion of the Synod of Bishops, Fr. Nicholas Olhovsky was deemed a suitable candidate for the episcopate.

Fr. Nicholas was born on December 17, 1974, in Trenton, NJ. He graduated from St. Alexander Nevsky Russian Parish School in Lakewood, NJ in May 1991, and in 1993, graduated from Hamilton West High School. In 1998, he graduated from Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY, where he received a Bachelor of Theology Degree. During his studies in seminary, he executed his obediences in the book-binding shop, icon studio, and typography (working in the latter until 2002). On the feast day of the Dormition of the Most-Holy Theotokos in 1994, he was ordained a reader by Bishop Hilarion of Manhattan, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese (today First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad), in Trenton’s Dormition Church. In 2000, he graduated from the State University of New York Technology School, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Information & Communications. From March 1999 to March 2008, he served as cell attendant to Archbishop Laurus (Skurla; from October 2001 to March 2008, Metropolitan).

In May 2004, he accompanied the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad on his first official visit to Russia. In May 2006, he served as a delegate to the 4th All-Diasporan Church Council; on June 12 of that year, he was ordained to the diaconate by Metropolitan Laurus and assigned to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville. In May 2007, he participated in the celebration of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion in Moscow, accompanying Metropolitan Laurus on the subsequent pilgrimage to the Kursk Diocese and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. In September 2008, he was assigned to the staff of the Synod of Bishops. In 2009 and 2010, he served as a member of the delegation accompanying the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God to Russia and Ukraine. In December 2010, after the sudden and unexpected death of his Matushka Elisabeth, he was appointed guardian of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. In January 2011, he was appointed a clergyman of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. In 2011, he accompanied the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God to the Kursk Diocese and the Metropolia of Kazakhstan; in November 2011, to Australia. On August 1, 2012, he was ordained to the priesthood in St. Seraphim Church in Sea Cliff, NY. In 2012, he accompanied the Protectress of the Russian Diaspora to the Samara, Kursk, and Perm Dioceses, to Seattle and the Hawaiian Islands. In 2013, he accompanied the Kursk Root Icon to the Canadian Diocese, to Japan and the Primorsk Metropolia of the Russian Orthodox Church. Fr. Nicholas currently has the right to wear the gold pectoral cross.

Fr. Nicholas Olhovsky’s monastic tonsure will take place on April 4th of this year in Jordanville. Fr. Nicholas’ hierarchal consecration, following his elevation to the rank of archimandrite and after the Rite of Nomination, will take place in Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco, CA, on Sunday, June 29th of this year. Readers are reminded that the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia will be meeting in San Francisco at that time, and will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the saintly glorification by the Russian Church Abroad of St. John of Shanghai & San Francisco.

 

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese