Deacon Michael's Ordination

On Sunday 23 September 2007 Reader Michael was ordained to the holy Diaconate. It was a long wait, but it did come.

The quest started around 1987 after Michael Bishop became Reader Michael on 7 December 1986 at St. Nicholas Cathedral, Washington DC. The following year around Pascha he was talking with Larry, the individual who is also responsible for his becoming an altar server which led to his being tonsured a Reader and vested immediately afterwards as a Subdeacon. He told Larry that he would love to be a Deacon and Larry told him to make an appointment and talk with the Metropolitan, our local bishop.

After the Liturgy on Holy Saturday, he met with Metropolitan Theodosius who told him that in order to become a Deacon he must attend the seminary. He tried to get around that, but it was not to be. So he went and immediately was very happy that he did.

Upon graduation, he had no job so he stayed in New York for a year. The following June he moved to Baltimore and settled in at St. Andrew Church. Fr. Michael Roshak later became the rector and the people loved him. But when he was removed, Reader Michael was among those who left the parish. Unfortunately, some of those who left no longer go to church and we need to pray earnestly for them that they will return.

Reader Michael found a new home at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate. He was advised to petition for ordination to the diaconate and he did. Eventually all the pieces came together.

Many deacons do not have their own vestments when they are ordained. Deacon Michael was different. He had almost everything that he needed except white cuffs and black cuffs. Before he was tonsured a Reader, Larry advised him to buy his own vestments and Larry paid for the labor for one set. The Sisterhood at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington DC and individuals also contributed to the cost. Larry also advised him to get subdeacon's vestments while at it. Eventually the two of them along with Yaroslav became the Metropolitan's Three Roving Subdeacons.

When he finished the seminary, he purchased more vestments, this time complete sets of vestments since deacons were also borrowing his vestments. He also had Mrs. Olga Polivanov make me a pair of gold cuffs and a pair of white cuffs, but they were destroyed in a fire before he had a chance to use them. Fr. Vladimir Misijuk's mother made him beautiful sets of blue and green vestments and extra sets of red stole and cuffs, both bright and dark.

When she stopped making vestments, Dr. Victorslav would bring back vestments for him from Moscow. Thus he has two sets of red, three sets of purple (one set without cuffs), and two sets of gold (one set without cuffs).

When we came down to the actual date, he told a friend in an e-mail message what he was lacking and he came over with a clergy shirt and two outer cassocks.

The amount of support which he has received have been overwhelming. He stopped trying to collect all the warm wishes that he received because they were too numerous.

Who are these people at his ordination? Beth Disharoon is a daughter of Russ and Dr. Pat Disharoon. For years Dn. Michael has been a guest at their home for Pascha, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It was through Dn. Michael that Beth got information for joining the Civil Air Patrol and she was followed by her two younger sisters. In time Dn. Michael also became the chaplain for their squadron. Dn. Michael also remembers a dance class at St. Andrew Church where the children were being taught by a man from Russia and he remembers how graceful Beth was then. She was only ten at the time.

Protodeacon Igor is assigned to the cathedral. At Pascha one year he came up to Reader Michael and said "Brother!" and greeted him with the tradition triple kiss and "Христос воскресе!" When he saw the photographs being taken, he wanted to get in on them also and Dn. Michael truly appreciates the gesture.

Anna and Reader Michael were classmates at St. Vladimir Seminary. She arrived in his senior year and she was in the MA program and he was in the MDiv. program. She was in Italy a few days before the ordination and Dn. Michael knew that she would not be there for the ordination. You can imagine what a very pleasant surprise it was when he saw her.

Fr. Fred Saato is a Melkite Catholic priest. Dn. Michael has known him since the early 1970s. When he graduated from college and had a graduation party, Fr. Fred came. When Michael was in the Air Force, he visited the monastery/boys home that Fr. Fred was associated with for Pascha. Dn. Michael was thrilled when he was able to get back in touch with Fr. Fred and that Fr. Fred was able to attend the ordination.

Fr. John Vass is the rector of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, where Deacon Michael is assigned. He has been very supportive of the ordination. Deacon Michael looks forward to serving with him now as a deacon.

Another person who came to the ordination but was not in the group from Baltimore is Theresa. They have met only through the Internet and when she heard about the ordination, she had actually made plans to go to Washington for it. But when she received an e-mail from Fr. Angelo saying that he will be in New York for the ordination, she verified the location and came to the right place.

Behind the cathedral is a beautiful garden. It is labeled below as "the other cathedral gardens" because the chapel, cemetery, and picnic area of Holy Trinity is located at an area called "Cathedral Gardens."

On this page, if you click on an image, you will get the full image.

ordination to the subdiaconate
		start of ordination to diaconate
	actual ordination
view from motel room
the other cathedral garden
Dn Michael and Beth Disharoon	Dn Michael and Protodeacon Ignor of the cathedral	A former classmate and still a very close friend; Dn Michael; Protodeacon Igor
Dn Michael and Fr. Fred Saato, a friend since the early 1970s	Dn Michael and Fr. John Vass, rector of Holy Trinity Church in Baltimore	Most of those who came for the ordination. Fr. James Silver had to leave early.
		Group from Baltimore: Michael Coady; Jennie McElvoy, Dn. Michael, Fr. John, Serafim Cardell, Monika Handley
	trip back home
Father of one godson, Dn Michael, wife of another godson		trip back home - in Maryland

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