Enthronement of Metropolitan Jonah

On Sunday 14 December 2008 after our parish annual meeting, Maryann asked Fr. John, "Have you told him yet?" I had no idea what was happening. Then Fr. John said to me, "We are sending you to your cathedral to represent Holy Trinity at the enthronement." What a very pleasant surprise! I had just recently told somebody that I will not be going down for it. Now I am.

In the middle of the week before the event, I received an e-mail from somebody who said that it was urgent to get in touch with me. Her priest had purchased a ticket and could not attend and they were offering it to me, but since I already had a ticket, they asked me to find somebody who could use it I e-mailed several people and Bishop Jerome accepted it. Five years ago it would not had been possible for this exchange to take place.

I arrived at the cathedral early. The first person whom I saw when I arrived was Bishop Thomas. This was a very pleasant surprise, the first of many that day.

After I went inside, I saw Bishop Mercurius, my bishop and then Archbishop Abel from Poland. A few minutes later I saw Archbishop Nathaniel and Bishop Benjamin and Metropolitan Christopher. Metropolitan Christopher remember me from when I was in the seminary and he commented that the last time he saw me I did not have gray hair.

I also saw Archbishop Dmitri who asked me if I have seen the new cathedral in Dallas and he invited me to visit. Archbishop Abel also welcomed me to Poland. Bishop Nikon and I joked about my camera: Nikon D50. I own two Nikon cameras and a Canon Rebel, but I rarely use the Canon. I should had taken it with me this day since it has an 18-55mm lens and the Nikon has an 28-80mm lens and I needed a wide angle lens at the end.

Besides helping to vest bishops, I also helped with Communion. Other than that, I did not perform any liturgical function since they had plenty of priests and deacons. I was just happy to be there.

I rode to the hotel for the banquet with Subdeacon Robert whom I met that day. Later people came up to me and told me how much they enjoy my posts on the Internet. This is welcomed encouragement.

I also saw Fr. Angelo Pepps. The last time that I saw him was at his sister's wedding in Florida. The time before that was at his ordination to the diaconate when I served.

Here's the list of Bishops that attended.

I also list a picture(s) that the Bishop is in (Father Michael's website). Numbers are on the bottom left corner of the picture when you click on it to enlarge. Basically its 1,2,3 then on the next line 4,5,6 and so.

If I got the Bishops wrong, please correct! Most I recognize, others like Abp Abel I had to get help on! :)

Metropolitan Jonah (OCA) - 024 with Bishop Jerome (ROCOR)

Bishop Benjamin (OCA - San Francisco and the West) - 021 (Bishop Jerome is the one on the left)
Archbishop Seraphim (OCA - Ottawa and Canada) 073
Archbishop Dimitri (OCA - Dallas and the South) - 081
Archbishop Job (OCA - Chicago and the Midwest) - 032
Bishop Nikon (Albanian OC - OCA - Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese) -118 (Bishop in the middle)
Bishop Tikon (OCA - Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania) - 013
Bishop Alejo (OCA - Mexico City and the Exarchate of Mexico) - 008 Bishop on the right, also in 035 Archbishop Nathaniel (Romainian OC - Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate OCA) - 008 Bishop in middle Bishop Jerome (ROCOR - Manhattan ) - 011, 024, 034, 174 and the ones already mentioned in prior emails
Metropolitan Christopher (Serbian OC in North and South America - Metropolitan of the Midwestern Diocese ) - 247
Bishop Ilia - (Albanian OC - Diocese of America ) - 260
Bishop Thomas (Antioch OC - Diocese of Charleston, Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic) - 082
Archbishop Nicholae (Romanian OC - Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada ) - 250
Archbishop Abel (Polish OC - Ljublin and Kholm) - 265
Bishop Mercurius (MP) - 045 (Bishop on the left) 046 (Bishop on Left, Father Michael (Bishop) is in the middle)
Mike Orechoff CA

Thank you, Mike for providing the above information on the bishops.

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