June 29, 2014
San Francisco: Metropolitan Hilarion led the Consecration of
Archimandrite Nicholas (Olhovsky) to the Episcopate
On
Saturday the 28th and Sunday the 29th of June, the Cathedral of the
Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in San Francisco,
CA played host to the national celebrations dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of the glorification of the Holy Hierarch John of
Shanghai & San Francisco. On Saturday at the All-Night Vigil,
Archimandrite Nicholas (Olhovsky), guardian of the Protectress of
the Russian Diaspora, the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the
Mother of God, underwent Nomination as Bishop
of Manhattan, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese.
On Sunday, June 29, at the triumphal Divine Liturgy and in the
presence of Hierarchs of the Russian Church Abroad, Moscow
Patriarchate, and Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP), a multitude of
clergy, and faithful from every corner of the U.S. and around the
world, Archimandrite Nicholas was elevated to the episcopate. Later
during the Divine Liturgy, the newly consecrated Bishop Nicholas
ordained cathedral Subdeacon Athanasius Furgeson to the diaconate.
The newly ordained Deacon Athanasius will fulfill his serve in Sts.
Peter & Paul Church in Santa Rosa, CA.
Upon completion of the Liturgy, a moleben was served with a
procession around the cathedral. In the presence of his
brother-hierarchs, the Bishop of Manhattan was entrusted with the
Hierarchal staff.
Handing the newly
consecrated Bishop the staff, Metropolitan Hilarion said, in part:
Your Grace, Bishop
Nicholas, dear in the Lord Brother and Concelebrant!
By Divine
Providence and through your election by the Council of Bishops of
the Russian Church Abroad, you embark upon a new path in life and
service. Through the laying on of hands, your personal Pentecost has
taken place. On the day of the celebration of the saint whose
uncorrupt relics abide here, St John the Wonderworker, you have
joined the host of hierarchs of our dear and great Mother ‒ the
Russian Church.
The Lord has
prepared you for this important event since your childhood. You
learned piety through the examples of your father and your late
mother, who displayed for you a living image of life in Christ,
rearing you in the spirit of the Church, in love for God and His
saints. They infused you with love for the church and for divine
services. From your youth, you came to love to make pilgrimages to
holy sites, and especially to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville,
whose seminary the Lord led you then to study in, and to serve
Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory. Here you became a witness not
only of his personal monastic labors, but his glorious victory over
the many years of division within the Russian Orthodox Church.
During today’s
solemn services, St John, who, just before his departure into
eternity, had held in his hands the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of
God “of the Sign,” was called the "faithful servant of the Most Pure
Protectress [Hodegetria]."
After the repose of your spouse, God was pleased to place you in the
service of the Most-Blessed Virgin, and you accompanied the
Kursk-Root Icon, the Guide of the Russian diaspora, to the parishes,
hospitals and homes of clergymen and believers of many dioceses of
the united Russian Church. I believe that this obedience has brought
you to the priestly service, and then to monasticism. These
God-pleasing obediences ‒ those of the priesthood and of monasticism
‒ should be revealed fully in your archpastoral service through
self-sacrificing love for your neighbor, the mortification of your
"self," the frequent pious celebration of divine services and prayer
with your flock, through your care for your clergymen, parishes and
parishioners, support of monastics, the preservation of the legacy
of the Holy Fathers and of the traditions of the people, "that ye
receive not the grace in vain" (II Cor. 6:1).
During these Lenten
days that lead us to the feast day of the "chief among Apostles,"
you have received the heavenly anointing, the flame-like grace of
episcopacy. In establishing this Lenten period, the Church wished to
encourage all mortals to direct their inner gaze at two remarkable
persons ‒ the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul. It was once revealed to
Saint Hermes, one of the Apostles, that the Lord builds a tower of
living stones ‒ which is the Church ascending to the Heavens, to the
abode of the eternal. It was these holy Apostles who were the
foundation stones of this tower, of the Church of Christ. The goal
of episcopal service is this: to emulate the Apostles and become a
stone worthy of the Construction of our salvation. Not all stones
are suitable for the building of the Church, but only those
possessing the perfection of Apostolic Faith. Upon this zeal, and
upon such faith, the Church of Christ is built. It is necessary to
warm within yourself zeal and thirst for "the words of eternal life"
(John 6:68), through prayer, self-restraint and active archpastoral
service.
And now receive
this staff as a symbol of your archpastoral responsibility for the
People of God, ascend the cathedra of this grand cathedral church,
and make your first blessing upon the people who fervently prayed
for you during Divine Liturgy, and also upon the flock that eagerly
awaits you, having shared spiritually in our celebration of your
episcopal consecration.
On
behalf of the Eastern American Diocese, Bishop Nicholas was
presented with a custom embroidered cover for a hierarchal service
book.
Also praying at the triumphal divine services were the participants
of the XIII All-Diasporan Youth Conference, currently taking place
in San Francisco.
So now, just as more than 60 years ago, St. John has united again
and again thousands of the Orthodox faithful on the West Coast ‒
those of various nationalities and from different countries, both
those who lifted up their zealous prayers to God ‒ for the
preservation of the world and for their loved ones ‒ as well as
those who were unable to be present for the great spiritual triumph.
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