www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Bishop JOHN's Consecration, etc.

Greetings all,

Can anyone report on the events at the Parma cathedral yesterday? Has anyone found a link to a newspaper article, I have not.

Thanks.

Bob

I went onto the website for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and could not find anything. I don't think there is a daily paper in Parma.

I was there, albeit in the "outer darkness" LOL in the overflow, participating via closed circuit TV. I understand from those who were in the church that it was a tad warm, but nowhere near as inferno-like as the previous day's festivities in Pittsburgh. We in the cheap seats were comfortably refigerated.

Service started at 2ish with a procession of all clergy present. The entire right side of the Catherdral was taken up by clergy. 'most all the hierarchs & dignitaries who had been in Pittsburgh the day before were in Parma yesterday. Bishop William Skurla was the homilist - he kept it brief. Responses were largely sung by the Cathedral choir - shoot me for saying it, but I would much rather have had a great deal less choral stuff, and a great deal more Prostopinije, allowing the people present to more actively participate in the service welcoming their new bishop. The Apostolic Nuncio read a letter from the Holy Father, and a representative (forgive me for not remembering name or rank, it was a Very Long Day & I wasn't taking notes) read a letter from the Oriental Congregation folks, signed by (His Grace? Excellency? Beatitude?) Ignace Moussa Daoud and another member. As with the letter from them which I heard read at +Vladyko Judson's funeral, I was struck by a genuine sense of warmth and love. Neither of these were "form letters."

Following the ordination, Bishop John briefly expressed his thanks to all who had been involved, his family (which had a goodly contingent present) and everybody who came. After the service, he also came up to the overflow area and addressed us briefly.

After the procession left the church, there was the usual 45 minutes or so of milling about - cold drinks & minor munchies available, then we all sat down to the banquet at maybe 5:30ish. Good food, and in front of the center of the head table was an illuminated ice sculpture of the cathedral. It was cool - literally!

Saw lots of folks I haven't seen in a long time. Had fun, am a bit exhausted today - 14 hour days are like that - and as I think Fr. John Kachuba observed, "Now we get to work."

Please keep Bishop John in your prayers as he begins his episcopacy!

In Christ,

Sharon
(who needs a nap today)


Sharon Mech, SFO
Cantor & sinner
sharon@cmhc.com

Sharon,

I agree with you on the choir issue. The temple resounded with joy when EVERYONE sang prostopinije and not just a handful of SATB voices. Maybe the next big liturgical event we can use cantors to lead the congregation? We'll have to talk to the director of the cantor institute first.

Otherwise, it was a beautiful day and was nice to see so many at such an important occasion.

God grant his grace, Bishop John, many happy years!

Rumur was running wild in Windber, Beaverdale, J-twon etc. that Bishop John was suppose to wear a kobluk and veil, since he is a monk and by right monks are to be selected as bishops and not the secularized married clergy (Pittsburgh Metropolia sans married clergy). Did he wear one or not?

Ung-Certez

Dear Ung,

But isn't Bishop John a Franciscan?

And so those rules don't apply to Friars (or broilers)?

Alex

Both Metropolitan Basil and Bishop John have franciscan backgrounds. Both wore crowns rather than klobuk & veil.


Sharon

Ung-Certez,

I don't know about the ordination, he would wear the mitre there, but Bishop (then Archpriest) John wore a purple kamilavka at Great Vespers for the Feast of St. John the Forerunner. I believe he intends to wear a purple klobuk as non Liturgical headgear, like Bishop Basil of Stamford, now that he is bishop. Remember he formally left the TOR and became a diocesan priest just as Bishop William formally left the OFM, so neither were monsatics at the time of appointment. (not that Franciscans are monks anyways, they are mendicant friars) The choice of purple reflects the fact he is a nonmonastic bishop, as purple is the color of kamilavka worn by diocesan clergy, albeit as an honor for protodeacons and archpriests. Also remeber, Metropolitan Judson wore the white metropolitan klobuk once but the reaction to it by both clergy and laity caused him to not wear it again. Hopefully, all the bishops will get on the same page and our some of our people will get over their fear of things Eastern.

In Christ,
Lance

I don't mean to pick. But it should be "Neither wore klobuk and veil." The 'klobuk and veil' (I would say kamilavka and veil, but what do I know) do not replace the crown/mitre. The are worn at different times for different services.

One has to remember that the Ruthenian Catholic bishops in this country do not have the custom of vesting in the middle of the church. As to the question "Is this proper?" I can only say that Vladyka MILAN does in Slovakia when he is the celebrant.

Bob

Lance,

I saw the picture of Met. Judson in the white klobuk, and thought it was way cool. I never heard about any "backlash."I must live in the boonies.

Sharon

The same was being said in Pittsburgh.

JThur and Sharon,

Not instead of a mitre with full liturgical vestments, but when ouside of church when wear the raissa or when vested in episcopal mantle, Eastern bishops wear the monastic habit because "they are celibate" and bishops are to be selected from the monastic
monks. Also have "yunz" noticed that the late Metropolitan Judson and now Metropolitan Basil use
a monastic crosier as used by the hegumen? The only other bishop are remember using such a monastic crosier was a old photo of the Muscovite Patriarch of Moscow Pimen.

Ung-Certez

Ung-Certez

Rather reliable rumor has it that Kyr ANDREW was quite upset over it.

THEODOSIUS uses the same 'crosier.'

Dear Ung,

All these fine details are as amazing as they are confusing to confused people like me!

A monastic crozier? What is the difference between a monastic and an episcopal crozier?

There was once an argument that St Bridget of Ireland was consecrated, by mistake, a bishop by St Mel who was quite blind and had intended to make her an abbess instead.

Legend had it that while she never exercised her episcopal orders (!), she was always depicted holding a bishop's Crozier to underline the fact that she had them.

Believe it or not . . .

Alex