His Eminence Archbishop Peter made an official visit to Ukraine October 16-29, 2016.

Jan 15, 1976 - June 27, 2016

With the blessing of His Grace, Metropolitan Hilaron, the Kursk-Root Wonder-working icon of the Mother of God of the Sign (Znamenie) will be visiting the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.

Ann Arbor, MI – On February 27 & February 28, 2016 His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah, led the Divine Services at St. Vladimir Church here.

From October 14-17, 2015 the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America held its triennial Diocesan Assembly.

Monday February 15th on the feast of the Meeting of Our Lord following the Divine Liturgy, a winner was selected for the raffle benefitting the building fund of the School and Diocesan Center.

The Youth Committee of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America recently held its annual St. Herman Youth conference near Dallas, Texas in cooperation with the local St. Nicholas parish. Begun with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Peter, this annual event fosters friendships among Orthodox youth and provides them much-needed spiritual nourishment.

Over 150 people took time off on a weekday to celebrate the paternal feast and the formal opening to the community of the beautiful new St. Basil the Great Russian Orthodox Church in St. Louis on January 14th.

His Grace Bishop Peter along with eighteen priests, two deacons, thee sub-deacons and several altar boys served at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy which was followed festal banquet that followed at the Lodge of Des Peres, which is located a short distance from the Church.

The weather was ideal for the festivities and contributed to the joyful mood that was so evident among every one present. Priests and clergy traveled from as far away as Connecticut, New York State, Michigan and West Virginia to participate in the festive occasion.

As a memento of their service to the parish, Bishop Peter presented Gramotas to long time Parish Council President Michael Orlando, Building Committee members Andrew Johnstone, Aaron Campbell, and Carol Surgant and to Malcolm Royse, who worked diligently to construct the new iconostas.

Almost every one in attendance commented on the traditional beauty of the new church both on the exterior and on the interior.

On December 19/January 1 & December 20/January 2 the inaugural patronal feast of the Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America was held at the Diocesan Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God in Des Plaines, IL.

The Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America is committed to making high quality Orthodox theological education as accessible to as many interested students as possible. Based on this commitment we have made it possible for students to study either full time or part time in our seminary, have instituted summer courses, and accept applicants in both the fall and spring semesters.

The date of the Diocesan Council Meeting for January 2016 has been changed from January 15 to January 22. Those with issues that they wish to bring to the Diocesan Council's attention are asked to contact Priest Gregory Joyce, Secretary of the Diocesan Council at dcma.rocor@gmail.com.

On December 5-6th, 2015, at the invitation of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, Bishop Peter led the divine services at St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral in Howell, NJ for the cathedral’s patronal feast day.

The annual Pan-Orthodox Thanksgiving Day Divine Liturgy for faithful throughout the Chicago region was celebrated at the Holy Virgin Protection Russian Orthodox Cathedral on Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, November 25, 2015.

With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America and President of the Diocesan Pastoral School, the Pastoral School will henceforth be named in honor of St. John of Kronstadt.

Office of the Chancery

Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America, ROCOR

Statement on Recent Terrorist Acts

7/20 November, 2015

Venerable Lazarus of Mt. Galesion

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (II Timothy 1:7)

In recent weeks there have been a spate of terrorist acts throughout the world: in the Sinai, in Beirut, in Paris, and elsewhere. Such barbarity causes us to pause, to think, and to assess the state of the world in which we live. Such a reaction is natural, and such reflection can be spiritually helpful.

Before we consider ourselves, however, we must first state unequivocally that it is the duty of a Christian to pray for those who have died – especially those who have died in such tragic consequences.

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)

Bishop Peter blesses the following text to be used by the faithful of the diocese in their private prayers:

Give rest O Lord to the souls of the victims of terrorism, grant comfort to the grieving families, touch the hearts of the evildoers and turn them to good. Lord have mercy.

War is a condition of the fallen state of mankind. In such circumstances the Church may have no choice but to support the lesser of two evils in order to protect the innocent. Terrorists call their murderous acts war – but it is nothing of the sort. Their evil actions do nothing but destabilize society and make it that much more difficult for the faithful to work out their salvation.

All this being said, let us not seek personal revenge. Rather, let us pray for our civil authorities and put our trust in the Lord. If revenge is necessary, the Lord will take care for that:

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

Let us turn to God, strive to trust God more, strive to love God more, and to place our lives into His hands. The Lord cares for our salvation even more than we do and loves us more than we love ourselves, and He gives us what is best to lead us to salvation. In times of crisis as in times in peace let us hope in the Lord. If we do so we will never be disappointed, but will always live in peace, even amongst brutality such as we have recently seen throughout the world. We call upon our flock to provide an example of a Christian life as taught to us by our Lord.

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

This year, on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, Fund for Assistance to the Russian Church Outside of Russia is participating in #GivingTuesday, for the second year in a row.

Giving Tuesday follows after Black Friday and Cyber Monday and promotes a day of giving. ​ ​

#GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

Last year, more than 27,000 organizations in 68 countries came together to celebrate #GivingTuesday. Since its founding in 2012, #GivingTuesday has inspired giving around the world, resulting in greater donations, volunteer hours, and activities that bring about real change in communities.

We invite you to join the movement and to help get out and give this December 1. ​​For us, last year, thanks to generous donations from our donors Fund for Assistance to the ROCOR was able to raise over $20,000 on Giving Tuesday​ with our matching appeal.

We hope with your support we can make Giving Tuesday a day when we give back to the Church who already gives so much to us. Let's make Giving Tuesday, 2015 another success!

We need your support to spread the word about #GivingTuesday to talk about our nonprofit.

This is how you can help:

1. Take an "UNselfie", which is essentially a photo of you holding a sign explaining how or why you are "giving" this year.

2. If you use social media, please post your photo with hashtags #UNselfie, #GivingTuesday, #Fund4Assistance and tag us @Fund4Assistance.

3. Upload to your Instagram, Twitter, and/or Facebook and share with friends!

​For your convenience we are attaching a save the date picture, an #UNselfie example, and an #UNselfie page where you can write about your own support for #GivingTuesday to share on social media.

Thank you for your support in advance!

Every action helps and we are most grateful.

A concert sponsored by St. George parish in Cincinnati raised more than $5,000 to support three local families whose children are being treated at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Bishop Peter Visits St. George Parish on its 27th Anniversary

On Saturday evening November 7 and Sunday morning November 8 His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland visited his St. Vladimir parish in Ann Arbor, MI.

On Saturday, November 7, 2015 His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America, visited the St. Seraphim Mission in Lansing, MI.

The Mission has been working tirelessly for several years to remodel the building they purchased and this work is coming to fruition: much of the work is done, but much remains. Bishop Peter was able to lead the Divine Liturgy in the almost completed church and also inspect the fully completed work, as well as discuss with the parishioners the work yet to be done. This was the first hierarchal Divine Liturgy in this building and it was a true triumph for this small but growing community. Clergymen that served with His Grace at the Divine Liturgy were Archpriest Paul Waters, Archpriest Gregory Joyce (Dean of Michigan Parishes), Archpriest Victor Trotsky, and Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov.

A Participant

Archpriest Sergei Garklavs, Dean Emeritus of Holy Trinity Cathedral, fell asleep in the Lord unexpectedly on Monday, October 19, 2015.

With the blessing of Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America, the Diocesan Council will tentatively meet on the dates listed below. If these dates need to be amended, an announcement will be made on the diocesan web site. Those with issues that they wish to bring to the Diocesan Council's attention are asked to contact Priest Gregory Joyce, Secretary of the Diocesan Council at dcma.rocor@gmail.com.

January 15, 2016

May 12, 2016

July 14, 2016

November 17, 2016

January 12, 2017

May 18, 2017

July 13, 2017

November 16, 2017

January 11, 2018

May 10, 2018

July 12, 2018

November 8, 2018

On the weekend of October 17-18, 2015, the Divine services at the cathedral were officiated by His Grace, Bishop Mstislav of Tikhvin and the cathedral clergy, Rev. Valery Vovkovski, Rev. Leontiy Naidzions, Deacon Nicholas Lochmatow, as well as  clergy from St. George Cathedral (OCA) Deacon Alexander Koranda.

October 1/14 annually marks the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God and the patronal feast of the Diocesan Cathedral of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America. On this day the diocesan clerical brotherhood, in addition to a multitude of laity, gathered in preparation for the triennial Diocesan Assembly which is slated to be held in Des Plaines, IL October 15-17, 2015. The Divine Liturgy was presided over by Metropolitan Phillip of Poltava and Mirgorod. The honored guest was joined at the Holy Altar by His Eminence Archbishop Alypy and His Grace Bishop Peter, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America. In addition to the hierarchs were a host of priests and deacons - both clerics of the diocese and guests. Following the Divine Liturgy at which more than 200 of the faithful partook of the Holy Gifts, the indispensable moleben and procession were held. Following the moleben several of the faithful of the cathedral parish were honored with thanksgiving gramotas, while Archpriest Martin Swanson was awarded a synodal gramota for his tireless work as the founder and first Dean of the Pastoral School of Chicago & Mid-America. Hundreds then gathered in the cathedral hall to mark this second Pascha in the life of the cathedral with a festive meal. Later that evening delegates were assembled and the Diocesan Assembly began in earnest, with the hope of the Lord's guidance in the work to be accomplished for the good of the diocese and to the glory of God. A Participant

With the blessing of Bishop Peter of Cleveland, President of the Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America (PSDCMA), three faculty of PSDCMA participated in the Symposium: “Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow (1865-1925) – His Life and Times” at Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY October 9-10, 2015.

Metropolitan Jonah, Instructor in Dogmatic Theology at PSDCMA, presented a paper entitled “The Legacy of St. Tikhon as Missionary in America”.

Archpriest Gregory Joyce, Dean of PSDCMA and Instructor in Pastoral Theology, presented a paper entitled “The Contemporary Veneration of Hieromartyr Tikhon (Belavin) in Russia and Abroad”.

Deacon Andrei Psarev, Instructor in Byzantine History and History and Principles of the Orthodox Church at PSDCMA, presented a paper entitled "They Have Neither Laymen Nor Money": Overview of the Correspondence Between Archbishop Tikhon (Bellavin) and Archpriest Evgenii Smirnov, 1907-1911.

All papers were well received by those gathered to participate in the symposium.

As Fr. Gregory noted: “We are thankful to have the opportunity to participate in this symposium and we look forward to, and actively seek opportunities for future cooperation with Holy Trinity Seminary and other higher education theological institutions for the benefit of both our students and faculty”.

A Participant

For more info on the symposium:

http://hts.edu/news_150512_1.html

Statement from the Diocesan Chancery of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America

September 25/October 8, 2015

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh

On October 7, 2015 His Eminence Archbishop Alypy experienced a sudden bout of low blood pressure. His Eminence was transported to the hospital and after an examination it was determined that he was suffering from a pulmonary embolism. His Eminence is responding well to the prescribed medication and although his condition is serious, it is not life threatening. Nonetheless, we ask the prayers of the faithful for Archbishop Alypy during his convalescence. Updates will be provided if and when warranted. It is our hope and expectation that Vladyka will recover from this episode and be able to return to his activities in the near future.

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Peter, a memorial to Orthodox Soldiers was dedicated at St. Vladimir Church, Ann Arbor, MI.

On Sunday, September 13, 2015, His Grace Bishop Peter visited the St. Innocent of Moscow Parish in Carol Stream, IL.

Upon his arrival, Bishop Peter was greeted with the traditional bread and salt. 

His Grace was co-served by the Parish Rector,  Rev. Tarasiy Maximtsev, along with  Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov (cleric of Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral )  and Deacon Dimitri Kulp (cleric of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Church in Blue River, WI). The prayers of the faithful were accompanied by the spiritual and melodic singing of the choir, directed by Sergei Furmanov.

Bishop Peter joined the parishioners in a delightful brunch located in the recently refurbished kitchen/dinette area.

Saints Peter and Fevronia Orthodox Church, in the Kansas City area, celebrate their Feast day. Divine services were led by Rev. Zachary Rose. (September 13, 2015)

Take up your Cross and follow Me!

Reflections on the 2015 DCMA Walking Pilgrimage

The great feast of the Dormition is always one of joy for the faithful, and in the Michigan Deanery this is even more so the case since this feast is an annual occasion of a hierarchal visit to the Dormition Cathedral in Ferndale, Michigan. This year His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland, lead the faithful in prayer on the second Pascha of their parish – their patronal feast day.

At the festal Vigil held on the eve of the feast His Grace was joined by Archpriest Andrei Alexiev (St. Stephan Decani Serbian Church), Archpriest Victory Trotskyy (Rector of Dormition Cathedral), Archpriest Gregory Joyce (Rector of St. Vladimir Church and Dean of Michigan Parishes of ROCOR), and Deacon Ioann Feloniuk (Cleric of Dormition Cathedral) as well as a multitude of Subdeacons and Readers from throughout the Deanery. Following the Vigil, at which many of the faithful confessed their sins in preparation to partake of the Holy Mysteries on the feast, the cathedral's sisterhood provided a light lenten meal for the clergy and those in attendance.

On the feast itself His Grace was joined by Archpriest Roman Star (Rector of St. Innocent Church), Archpriest Victory Trotskyy, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, and Deacon Ioann Feloniuk as well as a multitude of Subdeacons and Readers from throughout the Deanery. Following the Divine Liturgy at which many partook of Holy Communion, the requisite procession was held and the cathedral sisterhood again nourished those in attendance with a lenten meal. Many of the faithful lingered at the meal well into the afternoon, reminiscing about this and past patronal feast days at the cathedral. After the prayer following the meal His Grace Bishop Peter departed Detroit for the see of the Diocese.

A Participant

The Wonderworking Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon visited the diocesan center at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Des Plaines, IL on August 22-23. 2015. His Grace, Bishop Peter, along with clerics from around the diocese, greeted the Holy Icon and served laudation ,All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy. Many gathered to venerate the Holy Icon and were anointed with its streaming myrrh.

From the website http://www.orthodoxhawaii.org/icons.html :

"Since June of 2008, She has been to over 1000 churches in North America of all (canonical) jurisdictions, and has been venerated by an estimated one million people throughout the United States and canada. In many cities, the holy Icon is taken from one parish to another, being venerated by all the Orthodox clergy, and helping to establish and heal relationships amongst the Orthodox faithful, and also strengthening and fostering ties between the sister parishes. Requests have now been made for the Wonderworking Icon to be brought to Russia, the Ukraine, Greece, Cyprus, South America, Europe, the Holy Land, Romania, Mount Athos, and Serbia. When the Holy Icon was taken to the Republic of Georgia in 2014 at the request of the Catholicos-Patriarch ILIA II of Georgia, over a million faithful came to venerate the "Panagia of Hawaii." A number of miracles, including the healing of cancer, were reported to the Georgian Patriarchate."

A visit from the diocesan bishop is always a cause for celebration and gratitude, especially in a small, rural parish. On August 3/16, the 11th Sunday after Pentecost and the feast of St. Anthony the Roman, Bishop Peter came to the St. Herman parish outside the village of Lake Odessa, MI to perform the ordination of reader Elias Reeves.

The bishop was met at 10 a.m. by a group of parishioners, family members, and friends. Following his vesting and the ordination of reader Elias to the subdeaconate, the Liturgy was celebrated according to the hierarchical order

. After the consecration of the Gifts, Vladika Peter performed the ordination to the deaconate. A festive lenten meal was served to guests by the parish sisterhood in the parish trapeza afterwards.

The newly-ordained Fr. Elias joined the Church as an adult. He is a son of the St. Herman parish and will be attached there. He and his wife Rachel have two children, Madeline and Milo, and are expecting a third. We ask your prayers for their family and his diaconal ministry.

St. Sava Academy Leaders Meet With His Grace Bishop Peter

Senior representatives of Saint Sava Academy, Principal Marko Bojovic and Board President Nenad Djordjevic, met today with His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

During the meeting, the Academy representatives informed Bishop Peter of plans for the upcoming school year, curriculum enhancements, and enrollment trends, particularly noting the increase in students in the Academy's Russian-language program as part of the overall growth in the student body.

Bojovic and Djordjevic also expressed the Academy's deep gratitude for Bishop Peter's strong support of the Academy's mission and Orthodox education, and presented Vladika with a commemorative certificate of appreciation.

Established in 2001, Saint Sava Academy is an accredited PreK-8 elementary school at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, offering dual-language education in either Serbian or Russian language tracks, in an Orthodox Christian environment.

On August 9th, 2015, 10th Sunday after Pentecost, St. Panteleimon Day, His Grace Peter Bishop of Cleveland, Administrator of Chicago and Mid-America Diocese, lead the Parish Feast in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Saturday Vigil was served by His Grace with attending clergy - Archimandrite John (Magramm, Holy Resurrection Skete, Fridley, MN), priest Mircea Vasiu (St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Church, St. Paul, MN), priest Antony Alekseyenko (Parish Rector) and Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov (Holy Virgin Cathedral, Des Plaines, IL). Parish Protodeacon Vasili Gilliland joined in prayer. Vigil was well attended and Sisterhood prepared a small tea after the service.

Sunday Festivities started with the Lesser Blessing of Water served by priest Joseph Towne. Bishop Peter was greeted by young parishioners with bread and salt as well as flowers. Before the 6th Hour Igor Kulkov was tonsured as reader. His Grace served Liturgy with Archimandrite John (Magramm, Holy Resurrection Skete, Fridley, MN), priest Antony Alekseyenko (Parish Rector), priest Joseph Towne, Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov (Holy Virgin Cathedral, Des Plaines, IL) and Protodeacon Vasili Gilliland. After the Gospel, Bishop Peter addressed the parishioners with a sermon - in Russian, on the Sunday Gospel, and in English about the martyrdom of St. Panteleimon. The prayer for peace in Ukraine was read. This was the first time parishioners partook the Communion from two Holy Chalices.

Supplication Service with Cross Procession around the church ended with the prayer to St. Panteleimon and Magnification.

After singing many years to the parish, Fr. Antony greeted His Grace in the parish and thanked him for his visit and prayers. Many people came to venerate Saint Panteleimon icon with relics.

Trapeza in the church basement was filled with people to capacity. Bishop Peter shared the story of his trip to 25th Anniversary of the Glorification of St. John in Russia this June. Parishioners had an opportunity to ask questions

. Fr. Antony thanked everyone who helped organize the Feast, and congratulated Reader Igor with his tonsure, and asked His Grace for his prayers.

Fr. Antony also invited everyone to celebrate together next year the 60th Anniversary of Minneapolis Parish and 1000th Anniversary of Russian Presence on the Holy Mount Athos (St. Panteleimon Monastery).

On Sunday, August 9th, 2015, the feast of the Greatmartyr and Healer Panteleimon, the church of Sts. Sergius & Herman of Valaam in Houghton had the joyful opportunity to give thanks to God. The mortgage was paid off and the property can now be handed over into the trustful hands of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. The dean of Michigan, Fr. Gregory Joyce lead the Thanksgiving Moleben after the Divine Liturgy. After the services the mortgage paper was burned by the starosta, Lynn Gierke, and the parish rector, Hieromonk Alexander, with the help of others present and the careful supervision of the dean.

This is a big step in the life of the church and gives us now also the opportunity to re-invite everyone to join us for the Great Consecration of our temple on September 23/24. Please visit http://ss-sergius-herman-valaam.org/greatconsecration.html to register.

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir Around the Diocese

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir in Ann Arbor, MI

The millennial celebration of the repose of the Holy Great Prince Vladimir was celebrated in the parish named after this great favorite of God on July 27 & 28 in Ann Arbor, MI. With the blessing of Bishop Peter, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America, His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah led the Divine Services for this significant celebration in the life of the parish family.

His Eminence arrived at the parish church to the peal of the traditional trezvon on the eve of the feast. The litya for the Vigil was served as a procession around the temple, with all of the faithful participating. The choir of the parish sang magnificently under the direction of Dr. Roman Vershynin. Following the evening service at which many of the parishioners and guests confessed their sins in preparation for Divine Liturgy the next day, a reception in honor of Metropolitan Jonah was held at the home of the parish's Assistant Starosta, Konstantin Poplavsky.

The day of the feast dawned with beautiful sunshine and blue skies. His Eminence was again met by the peal of the trezvon as he arrived at the parish church. Several of the parish young people greeted him in English, Spanish, and Russian. The parish's Starosta, Nathaniel Longan, then welcomed His Eminence officially to the St. Vladimir parish and thanked him for his graciousness in agreeing to lead the community in prayer on this jubilee day. Many of the faithful partook of Holy Communion from two chalices at the Liturgy. The parish choir again sang beautifully under the direction of Dr. Vershynin. Following His Eminence's hierarchal address to the faithful at which he called them to emulate the Holy Great Prince in his Christian life, the requisite procession was held using the holy water that had been blessed before the morning's Divine Liturgy in addition to blessing the faithful with the Holy Cross and the icon of St. Vladimir. The bells rang in a triumphant greeting to all within earshot – today is the Second Pascha of this community! Come and join us! And in fact, many did. Visitors from throughout the Michigan Deanery joined their brothers and sisters in Ann Arbor for the feast, and the parish's St. Xenia Sisterhood did not disappoint with a bountiful and delicious lunch served under a huge big-top tent on the parish's festival grounds.

In addition to His Eminence the following clergymen participated in the patronal feast day Divine Services and the parish is greatly indebted to them all for joining us in prayer on this great day:

Archpriest Roman Star, St. Innocent Church, Redford, MI

Archpriest Andrei Alexiev, St. Stefan Decani Church, Warren, MI

Archpriest Gregory Joyce, Rector

Archpriest Victor Trotskyy, Dormition Cathedral, Ferndale, MI

Priest Joshua Frigerio, Holy Ascension Church, Albion, MI

Hieromonk Alexander, Sts. Sergius & Herman Church, Houghton, MI

Priest Joseph Towne, Sts. Sergius & Herman Church, Houghton, MI

Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov, Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral, Des Plaines, IL

Deacon Ioann Feloniuk, Dormition Cathedral, Ferndale, MI

Deacon Nicholas Olsen, Parish Cleric

Shortly after the end of the festivities the excavating contractor that the parish has chosen to begin phase one of its building project began to stage equipment on the property to begin the work. God-willing next year's celebration in Ann Arbor, the parish's 35 anniversary, will see phase one complete and phase two well underway!

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir in Houston TX

Bishop Peter, Administrator of the Chicago and Midwest Diocese, presided over the Divine Services in Houston, TX.

In addition to His Grace the following clergymen participated in the patronal feast day Divine Services:

Igumen Gregory Zaiens

Archpriest John Whiteford, St. Jonah of Manchuria, Houston, TX

Priest Lubomir Kupec, Rector

Priest Anthony Baba, Antiochian Church

Priest Seraphim Holland, St. Nicholas Church, McKinney, TX

Priest Matthew Floyd, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Claremore, OK

Deacon Nicholas Park, St. Nicholas Church, McKinney, TX

Deacon David Companik, St. Jonah of Manchuria, Houston, TX

Deacon Vladimir Trussin

Beningnio Padro

1000th Anniversary of St. Vladimir in ORPR Camp - Lost Lake, Rock City, IL

Divine Services at Lost Lake "Vladimirovo" were attended by over 70 of the camp scouts and led by:

Archpriest John Sykaluk, Rector

Archpriest Martin Swanson, St. Basil the Great Church, Saint Louis, MO

Archpriest Vasily Kuzmic, Holy Trinity Church, Milwaukee, WI

Priest Sergii Alkseev

Priest Antony Alekseyenko, St. Panteleimon Church, Minneapolis, MN

Hieromonk Timothy Tadros, St. George Church, Michigan City, IN

Deacon Nikolai Lochmatow

Deacon Dimitri Kulp

Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America: Applications, Scholarships, Loan Program The Pastoral School of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America is now accepting applications for the coming fall semester. In addition, scholarship applications are also being accepted for two separate scholarship tracks: Need Based Scholarships and Academic Scholarships. The Pastoral School would like to thank the Fund for Assistance of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia for supporting our scholarship program. We are pleased to announce that His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah, has joined the faculty and will be teaching Dogmatic Theology this year in the Pastoral School. This year the Pastoral School is pleased to offer a Catechist Training Program – the first of its kind available in English in the Russian Orthodox Church. This program was created in response to the call by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church which met in Moscow in February 2013. At this council the bishops called for the training of catechists and the educational institutions to be created to carry out this training. The Orthodox Studies major in the Pastoral School offers a one-year catechist training program. Those who successfully complete the one-year program are eligible to participate in a second year advanced catechist training program. Catechists will be certified to prepare catechumens and sponsors for baptism, as well those seeking to be wed in the Church. The second year of the program examines these and broader Orthodox Theological issues in greater depth, and prepares the catechist to be an even greater aid to the parish Rector in his work with the flock. This year the Pastoral School is also pleased to offer a loan program to its students to assist them in completing their studies in as timely a manner as possible. It is hoped that this program will make financial issues less of a hindrance to Pastoral School students in their studies preparing them to serve the Holy Church. More information can be found on the Pastoral School web site: http://orthodoxtheologicalschool.org/ PLEASE NOTE! There are deadlines associated with applications for admission and scholarships. Deadline for admission is September 1. Deadline for scholarships is August 15.

Orthodox music conference concludes with record attendance and celebratory concert Musicians, scholars, singers, and composers from all over the world gather to learn about Orthodox Christian music in 6th annual conference. One of the people attending was Kurt Sander, composer, choir director and a representative of the Chicago and Mid-America Diocese.  

The 55th season of the diocesan summer camp, ORPR, began on Saturday, July 4th, 2015. Participants include over 75 youngsters as well as volunteers and instructors from within the diocese, beyond its borders and as far away as Belarus and Russia.  Seeking God's blessing for a spiritually beneficial and safe camp session, His Grace Bishop Peter presided over the opening ceremonies, which began with a moleben served by the camp Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Tarasiy Maximtsev. The campers then marched to the peninsula on the lake for the ceremonial reading of the opening orders of camp. This year's camp is named in honor of St. Vladimir, marking the 1000th anniversary of his repose. Bishop Peter elevated Alena Ignatiev to the highest rank within the camp hierarchy, Senior Instructor.   The campers spent the rest of the day meeting their cabin members and being introduced to time-honored camp traditions, such as marching and how to stand at attention and form ranks. A choir of campers sung the evening service under the guidance of camp choir director, Fr. Deacon Dimitri Kulp. After dinner, the campers joined in songs and skits around the campfire. The evening concluded with fireworks over the lake, in honor of Independence Day.   Campers sang the liturgy on Sunday morning, served by Archpriest John Sykaluk, rector of the St. Vladimir parish located at ORPR and priest Daniel Marshall, rector of St. George parish in Cincinnati, Ohio. Two seminarians from Seretensky Monastery Theological Seminary participated in the services. Evgeniy Kolodnyy, read the epistle and Arseniy Pisarev rang the church bells. These seminarians will spend two weeks at ORPR helping camp clergy with the teaching of Orthodoxy and the Law of God to the campers.   Later on Sunday, campers hiked 4 miles through the corn and soybean fields near camp, returning for an evening snack before turning in.   Monday morning campers returned to Church for the annual blessing of camp. Carrying the Cross, banners and icons while singing, "O Lord, save Thy people..." all the cabins and camp buildings were blessed with holy water. The Lord Himself added to the blessing, by sending a rain storm.  ORPR camp is located in a rural section of northern Illinois and provides Orthodox youth with a month of instruction in the Orthodox religion, Russian history and culture, and scouting skills.  The summer session runs the entire month of July and also includes activities such as swimming, hiking, scavenger hunts, campfires, sports and arts & crafts. Every year campers make new friendships, improve their leadership abilities and deepen their Orthodox Christian faith.

June 26, 2015 "A Door Opens in Colombia:" Reflections on Archpriest Peter & Matushka Styliana Jackson’s Mission Trip to Kogi Tribe We have just returned from a successful mission trip to the Kogi Indian people of Colombia. With the death of Archimandrite Andrés, the planned seminary in Guatemala will not be happening, but we give glory to God for this new opportunity in Latin America. Before we became Orthodox, Matushka and I were evangelical missionaries in Colombia for ten years, where Matushka’s family had been working since 1964 with the primitive Kogi people, the most traditional of Colombia’s 70+ Indian tribes. My work was to translate the New Testament into the Kogi language. The ten-thousand-strong Kogi have preserved their own language and culture and still wear their traditional white clothing. Ever since we became Orthodox and returned to the U.S., we have felt a burden to bring Orthodoxy to the Kogis. About 100 Kogis have become evangelical Christians over the years, and they suffer great persecution from the rest of the tribe, which is stridently pagan. The Kogi Christians have also suffered violence from Marxist rebels. We have always believed that Orthodoxy would make sense to them, if only they had the opportunity to learn about it. The antiquity and tradition of Orthodox Christianity is likely to appeal to them. After being away from the Kogi for two decades, a door of opportunity opened for us on the sad occasion of Matushka’s father’s funeral this past March. The Christian Kogis arranged for his burial up in their mountain territory. We traveled in a caravan of 4-wheel drive vehicles for two hours up a windy, unpaved road into the Indian reserve. The Kogis had dug a grave in their traditional fashion, with an alcove at the bottom to slide the casket into so that the dirt would not fall directly on it. They had even cut steps into the steep trail up to the gravesite so that Matushka’s mother could make her way up. There are no flat spaces in Kogi country! Kogi burial practices have some striking parallels with Orthodoxy. The grave is oriented toward the east. They have a special memorial on the ninth day. They also prepare special food in memory of the deceased. Clearly, the Kogis’ traditions have more in common with Orthodoxy than with their current non-traditional Protestantism. At the end of the funeral, Matushka and I sang "Aji aluna shuigazhalika nzha" – "Memory Eternal" in Kogi. Juan Carlos Gil, whom we had not seen since he was a boy, is now a grown man with children. He is the pastor of the Christian Kogis. Juan Carlos asked us about the hymn we sang. Matushka told him that it was the first Orthodox hymn ever translated into the Kogi language. Juan Carlos volunteered, "I want all of the Orthodox hymns translated into our language." We learned that Juan Carlos has begun to translate the Old Testament into Kogi. He happily accepted my offer to help him with this project. With the blessing of His Grace John, Bishop of Caracas, we returned to Colombia in April to meet with Juan Carlos and share Orthodoxy with him, as well as discuss Bible translation matters. He had just returned from a gathering of Christian leaders from a number of Colombian Indian tribes who are forming an organization to cooperate and support one another. The timing of our meeting with Juan Carlos could not have been better, since he returned from this meeting with some pressing questions: What kind of "denomination" should the Kogi Christians belong to? What kind of statement of faith should they have? He could see that the Christian Indian leaders of other tribes each had their own theological slant, and there was already trouble coming up with a common creed among them. How could the Pentecostal Christianity that Juan Carlos was groomed in speak to the spiritual needs of tradition-minded Kogis? He did not realize that Orthodoxy would have the answers to all of these questions. We spent two days discussing Church history and theology. Juan Carlos soaked it all up like a sponge. He liked the idea of conciliarity: that the Church is governed by councils of bishops. This is very much how the Kogis govern themselves, with councils of mamas, Kogi shamans. This made more sense to Juan Carlos than the evangelical anything-goes attitude, where each individual decides for himself how to interpret the Scriptures and how to run the Church. He said that this smacked of "Westernization," of which he and other Christian tribal leaders are leery. The idea of oral tradition also resonated with him. He had never understood why the evangelicals who educated him were so opposed to this. Oral tradition is a fundamental aspect of Kogi culture. I showed him a timeline of Church history, explaining how Orthodoxy has remained unchanged since the Apostles, and how all of the Protestant groups that he was acquainted with are recent schisms from schisms from schisms. He asked where Lutherans fit into the timeline. He was shocked to see that even they were a relatively recent development. He told me that he had been to a Lutheran service, and he was attracted by their use of ritual, which makes sense to a Kogi. Evangelicalism is hostile to ritual, which leaves Kogis at a loss. Kogis are serious people, and the happy-clappy style of worship does not fit with their culture, but this is all that the Kogi Christians have ever been taught. Juan Carlos was happy to see that Orthodoxy has preserved ancient Christian rituals intact. When we discussed the Nicene Creed and the filioque issue, he volunteered that the Orthodox view of the Trinity made more sense to him. He was basically making an Orthodox confession of faith! We showed him videos of indigenous Aleut and Maya Orthodox Christians in Alaska and Guatemala, which helped him see that indigenous peoples are at home in Orthodoxy with their languages and cultures. We also talked over some Bible translation issues that he has been struggling with, and since then we have been e-mailing about these matters. Matushka’s family is happy for me to be helping with the translation work once again, and this gives us an opening to keep working with the Kogi. Next month, we will make another trip down to speak some more with Juan Carlos. There is still a lot of ground to cover. While there, we hope to help him get his passport and then try to get him a visa for the U.S., because the next step will be to bring him to the U.S., so he can see Orthodoxy firsthand. Any decision he makes will affect his flock of 100 Kogi Christians, and ultimately the thousands of Kogis who are not yet Christian. Our mission in Colombia is under the omophorion of Bishop John, but ROCOR does not yet have a presence in Colombia. The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC)’s policy is that missionaries have to work under a bishop of an already-existing Orthodox community in a given country. OCMC understands our call to work with the Kogi people and is supportive. However, they cannot let us use our OCMC funds at this time. Once we have established an Orthodox community among the Kogis, we will be able to access those funds, which have been set aside for our mission work. In the meantime, at OCMC’s suggestion, we are raising funds apart from OCMC. The mission fund at Sts. Theodore Church in Buffalo, NY (of which Fr. Peter was rector until 2014 – ed.) has been a lifesaver in this regard. Your support is bringing Orthodoxy to an indigenous people who are hungry for a Christian Faith that is ancient, traditional, unchanging, sober-minded, and conciliar. It is only through your prayers that this important work is able to continue. Checks should be made out to Sts. Theodore Orthodox Church. Be sure to designate "Jacksons Mission Fund." Sts. Theodore Orthodox Church Attn.: Treasurer 96 Los Robles Street Williamsville, NY 14221 Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org

Statement from the Diocesan Chancery on the Contemporary Question of Homosexual Marriage to the Clergy and Flock of the Diocese March 16/29, 2013 Martyrs Sabinus and Papas Updated November 8/21, 2014 Archangel Michael and All the Bodiless Powers Updated June 13/26, 2015 Martyr Aquilina of Byblos in Syria Today the United States Supreme Court ruled that homosexual marriage is a constitutional right in the United States of America. Given the ubiquitous coverage the news media is providing on this issue it is important that our clergymen and parishioners fully understand the position of the Church in this regard. Living in a free society as we do, we should first be thankful that we have the opportunity to practice our Orthodox Faith without inordinate interference from the government. In recent history this was not the case in Russia, and is still not the case in many countries throughout the world. In a free society all views can be shared in the public arena – both views we agree with as Orthodox Christians and those we disagree with. We call upon our flock to be guided first and foremost by the Holy Tradition of the Church in discerning whether any contemporary question is something that is compatible to the Orthodox faith. If an Orthodox Christian chooses to engage in public political discourse this should be done with moderation and with a firm intention and watchfulness not to fall into extremism. Extremism is not conducive to softening hearts or bringing others to the faith. Laymen who choose to engage in political speech should not state that they speak on behalf of the Church. Strictly speaking such an authoritative statement can be made only by a bishop or with a bishop’s specific blessing. It should also be made clear that living a homosexual or any other sinful lifestyle is not compatible with Christianity and this has always been the teaching of the Church. That being stated, it is also crucial to state that the Church is a Spiritual Hospital and all those wishing to receive the healing freely offered by God through their repentance and God’s Grace are fully welcome. This includes those who have participated in immoral or unnatural acts of any kind as well as those who are tempted by such sins. The Church is empathetic to those who suffer in such a way and offers them support, healing, and Christian love. Those actively engaging in any immoral or unnatural pursuits cannot live a full sacramental life within the Church. However, this does not mean that we seek to drive away or ostracize those who have transgressed in such a way. Rather, we must make all efforts to draw those in such an unfortunate situation back to chastity and the opportunity to again partake in the Life-Giving Mysteries of the Church and to engage the struggle for their salvation within the parish community. Today's Supreme Court ruling makes homosexual marriage legal in the United States. It should be made clear that under no circumstances will the Church recognize homosexual marriage, accord it the status of traditional marriage, or bless such unions. However, this is not to state that those who have entered into such a union have stepped beyond a line from which they cannot return. The Church has always strongly condemned heresies (such as Novatianism, Montanism, and Donatism) which deny the possibility of repentance for those having committed certain sins. It is crucial that our clergymen not shy away from the position of the Church as regards the sinfulness of homosexuality and other unnatural expressions of the God-given gift of human sexuality – but it is also crucial that such statements be made with love and with a corresponding invitation to repentance and reconciliation with the Church. We call upon all to pray for our land – that the Lord will forgive us our collective societal sins as well as our personal sins and provide us a safe haven which allows us to work out our salvation in peace.

On June 7/20, 2015 the Pastoral School of Chicago and Mid-America marked its ninth annual graduation. Before Vigil at the Diocesan Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God in Des Plaines, IL three students received their diplomas in Pastoral  Theology (title of thesis in parentheses): Deacon Nicholas Olsen (“Establishing an Authentic Orthodox Culture in America”) Michael Diaz de Leon (“The Hebrew Calendar Reform: Impact and Implications for Orthodox Calendar Reform”) Vesselin Krastsev (“A Brief History of Byzantine Monasticism”) Earlier that day the students had defended their theses and successfully passed oral exams before a board consisting of His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland (President of the School), Archpriest Andre Papkov (Vice President of the School), Archpriest Martin Swanson (Dean Emeritus of the School) and Archpriest Gregory Joyce (Dean of the School). This year the Pastoral School had 60 students participating in its distance learning format courses. The distance learning format allows students and instructors to participate in regular and lively classroom discussions on-line. Many public and private universities use this format which engages the students in almost constant interaction and learning. Distance learning provides the student with a full complement of resources which are available at any time and at any place. For more information on the Pastoral School please visit the school’s web site: http://www.orthodoxtheologicalschool.org/ The application period for the fall semester is now open. Students must apply not later than September 1 to be considered for admission. Please note that Pastoral Theology majors’ wives may register at a discounted rate for the Orthodox Studies major. Students may wish to apply before the September 1 deadline so that they can take advantage of the need-based scholarships available to incoming students (applications for scholarship are due August 15). More information on admissions may be found at this link: http://www.orthodoxtheologicalschool.org/admissions-overview/admissions-information More information on scholarships may be found at this link: http://www.orthodoxtheologicalschool.org/admissions-overview/scholarships Please note the Catechist Certificate program which is also accepting applications. The Catechist Program is modeled on the program outlined by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church held in 2013.

The youth at St. George parish in Cincinnati have just wrapped up an exciting week of Vacation Church School. Twenty-seven parishioners ranging in age from four to 12 assembled each day to pray, study, dance and socialize. This year’s theme was “Lives of Virtue.” St. Innocent of Moscow, St. Nikolai of Zica, Matushka Olga Michael and Fr. Roman Braga each served as examples of Christian virtues. By learning about these people who lived lives of “habitual excellence” here in America, each student was encouraged to follow in their footsteps. Students began each day at 10 a.m. with morning prayers. This was followed by daily classes in Church Singing (taught by Larissa Sander), Russian (Maria Hoyle), and the Law of God (Fr. Daniel Marshall, Matushka Bethany Akmolin, Martha Baier, and Maria Demidova). Other activities included Russian Folk Dancing and a variety of arts and crafts. Students listened to the lives of the saints from St. Nikolai Velimirovich’s Prologue during lunch each day and said evening prayers together prior to going home at 3 p.m. One day, the school and several parents visited a local park and then volunteered at Matthew25 Ministries, a local charity which redirects industrial waste to poverty-stricken areas around the world. Our particular task was to sort and then find pairs from among thousands of shoes discarded by a chain of tuxedo rental stores. These will be distributed to people who have no shoes, thus saving them from ending up in a garbage dump. Students also made greeting cards and art works to share with parishioners who are ill or unable to leave their homes. The school was only possible with the support and talents of a number of parishioners. In addition to the significant labor by the teachers, daily lunches were prepared by Natalya Glazman, Susanna Oakley, Irina Chvalyuk and Collen Petrovsky. Food was supplied by the parish Sisterhood. Martha Baier designed a beautiful t-shirt which each student received on the last day of Vacation Church School. Thanks be to God for a wonderful, spiritually-beneficial week!

The former cleric of our diocese, Priest George Dahdouh, now a priest in the Antiochian Archdioceae, has been diagnosed with an early stage of cancer. The prognosis is good, but we ask your prayers for Priest George and his family.

Having returned from an official trip to Russia to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the glorification of St. John of Kronstadt by the Moscow Patriarchate, I was made aware of the details of the murder of the those innocently praying and studying the scriptures in their parish church on June 17, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina. We request the prayers of our flock for the souls of the reposed and the comfort of the grieving family and friends. May the merciful Lord help all who have been affected by this tragedy. Bishop Peter of Cleveland Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America

On the Feast of All Saints, His Grace Peter, Bishop of Cleveland, Administrator of Chicago and Mid-America Diocese celebrated an Altar Feast at All Saints Orthodox Church in Fargo, ND. Rev. Fr. Antony Alekseyenko (Acting Rector) served the Blessing of Water and blessed the whole church. Also after Pascha iconostasis was fixed. Vigil was served by Rev. Fr. Joseph Towne, and Liturgy on Sunday of the Feast was served by Bishop Peter with Rev. Fr. Antony Alekseyenko and Rev. Fr. Joseph Towne. The local Orthodox community attended the services and communed Holy Gifts. After the Liturgy Moleben and Cross procession were served, during which the church was blessed from all four sides. On June 14, Rev. Joseph Towne served the Liturgy of All Russian Saints.

The photoreport of the celebration of Pentecost in the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.

On Thursday, May 15/28, 2015 the funeral rite of a priest was served at the St. George parish church in Cincinnati, OH over the earthly remains of Archpriest Paul Bassett, longetime Rector of this community.  

Fr. Paul Bassett, Rector Emeritus of St. George parish in Cincinnati, OH fell asleep in the Lord after a long illness on Sunday, May 24, 2015. May the Lord grant him His Heavenly Kingdom! Memory Eternal!

St. George Feast day as celebrated in Michigan City and in Cincinnati.

Youth gathered at St. John’s Skete in Hiram, Ohio from Friday, March 20 through Sunday, March 22 for the annual Great-Lenten Retreat. Held with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Peter, the keynote speaker for the retreat was Hieromonk Nektarios, superior of the Skete. His talk, entitled “A Life of Blessedness: The Joys of Monastic Life,” recounted his personal spiritual journey from a Protestant missionary to far flung places in the Third World, to superior of a small monastic community near Cleveland, Ohio. He shared the joys of his current life, while noting ways in which laity can share similar experiences.

Young adults took time from college study or young careers to seek spiritual nourishment during the great fast. The retreat also included several opportunities for discussions, as well as volunteer work at the Skete and a walk around the monastery grounds. The fathers gave everyone a tour of the monastery, including their Church goods store which has recently started a new website: www.stjohnskete.com. Fr. Daniel Marshall and Fr. Leontiy Naidzions, both members of the Diocesan Youth Committee, joined the retreat as well.

“It was a wonderful retreat, very spiritually reinforcing,” noted one participant. “I really liked all its parts: services, discussions, walk exploring the grounds, work activity. Services in a monastery are especially powerful. I learned a lot from our discussions… The story of Fr. Nektarius was very interesting and impressive. It was so great that the retreat was in monastery, it was very quiet and peaceful.”

The Diocesan Youth Committee is particularly grateful to Fr. Nektarios and the other members of the Skete for hosting the retreat. Andrea Lasichak deserves special thanks for driving down from Ann Arbor to prepare wonderful meals through the course of the entire retreat.

We, the clergy of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, gathered in the cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God in Des Plaines, IL. Monday evening we celebrated the mystery of Holy Unction led by His Grace Bishop Peter.

On Tuesday, after serving the Moleben before every good work, we met in the parish hall of the cathedral for discussion about current events in the diocese. We welcomed Adrial Lanterman, a Orthodox social worker, and Dr. Ari Christifides, an Orthodox psychologist in the Chicago area, for a panel discussion on the ethics of confidentiality. Adrial explained the ethics under which she works including mandatory reporting with regard to abuse or imminent threat to self or others. Dr. Christifides operates on the same ethics of confidentiality. We discussed the importance of encouraging people to seek professional help from counselors or psychologists and ways to identify those professionals that would respect the Orthodox faith.

Fr. Gregory spoke on HIPAA regulations in regard to medical professionals and how that relates to clergy.

Subdeacon Nicholas Hantel, diocesan legal counsel, spoke on the differences in the legal concepts of “confidentiality” and “privilege”, also discussing the legal protection relating to the seal of confession.

There was further discussion around the formation of a diocesan media office and Internet-based media presence in order to inform the faithful from the Church perspective.

Reports were delivered by the diocesan youth committee, music committee, pastoral school, audit committee, ORPR camp, spiritual court, and St. John Kochurov Society. The St. John Kochurov Society is seeking regular income to support youth, monasteries, and missions. All clergy and laity are encouraged to join.

An invitation to participate in the Great Consecration of Ss. Sergius and Herman of Valaam on the 23rd and 24th of September was extended by Hieromonk Alexander. At this time, Bishop Peter and Bishop John both plan to serve.

In preparation for Holy Communion, opportunity for confession of the clergy was given during vespers and matins. We concluded our gathering with the Hierarchal Presanctified Liturgy, presided by Bishop Peter on Wednesday morning.

As the Psalmist wrote, “Behold now, what is so good or so joyous as for brethren to dwell together in unity.”

Dec 10, 2014.

The parish of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God in Edgar, WI (Wausau area) celebrated its patronal feast day which was a first time with a permanent resident rector, Fr. Edward Batchko.  Con-celebrating was V. Rev. Vasyl Kuzmich from Holy Trinity Church in Milwaukee.  Despite the early snow and cold weather, the assembled faithful served a short molieben and procession with the Cross around the church.  We wish the rector, parish and faitful many years and congratulate them with the recent feast day!

With the blessing of Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Archbishop Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal visited St. Jonah Orthodox Church in Spring, Texas on the eve of their patronal feast (October 19th). Vladika Gabriel was the bishop who blessed the founding of the parish, in 1998; and after 16 years, he was able to see how the parish he started has grown. The Liturgy was followed by a Cross Procession, and then a festive meal, which included a performance of the Houston Balalaika Society Orchestra.

On September 24 the parish of Sts. Sergius and Herman of Valaam in Atlantic Mine celebrated their patronal feast day. Parishioners, visitors from the local community and far away, and visiting clergy joined in this festive event. The divine services were celebrated in the newly beautified temple, with a new floor in altar, nave and narthex, which by Gods grace was finished the day before the feast. The vigil was celebrated the evening of the feast and was one of the last opportunities in the year to serve the Litia outside in the warm fall weather. The next morning Divine Liturgy was presided by the dean of Michigan V. Rev. Archpriest Gregory Joyce, and concelebrate by the rector of the parish Hieromonk Alexander (Reichert), Rev. Antony Alekseyenko, rector of St. Panteleimon in Minneapolis, MN, Rev. Radomir Plavsic, rector of St. Vasilije in Chisholm, MN.

Work is in progress on a new floor for the SS Herman and Sergius church in Houghton, MI.  The complete renovation is being performed by a parishioner of the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Chicago.

The scorching mid-afternoon August heat wasn’t enough to deter the faithful from attending the official groundbreaking on Sunday, August 3, for the new church home of St. Basil the Great Orthodox Church in St. Louis.

Inspired by traditional Russian architecture, the 4,200 sq.ft. building will be the first Slavic-style Orthodox Church to be built in the St. Louis area in more than 100 years. 

Bishop Peter made a special trip from Chicago, arriving at 2 pm to serve a moleben for the Beginning of a Good Work with six priests from local Orthodox parishes along with more than sixty people that included parishioners, friends and well wishers. Church parishioners provided refreshments to ensure everyone kept cool in the 90-degree heat.

In his opening remarks, Bishop Peter encouraged everyone to be prepared for obstacles along the way but to rely on prayer to overcome these because, ultimately, the Church is God’s work and we are but his instruments. 

At the conclusion of the service, Bishop Peter turned over the first shovel full of dirt, followed by priests and those attending in a symbolic gesture of laying the foundation of the new church.

ORTHODOX CHURCH GETS PERMANENT PRIEST

It's been seven years since the first Orthodox mission was established in the greater Wausau area near Marathon City. It was ministered on an interim basis during those years by Father Vladimir Lecko of Minocqua, whose dream it was to someday see it become a church. That dream is now being realized but with a different leader.

The Kursk-Root Icon Orthodox Church has received a new and fulltime priest in the Reverend Father Edward Batchko. Following his ordination Father Edward chose the greater Wausau area for his first pastorate. Since arriving here in late June with his wife and four children and settling into to a Wausau residence, he has immersed himself in setting up weekly schedules of services including Vespers on Wednesday and Saturday evenings and Divine Liturgy every Sunday morning at 9:30, as well as feastdays. Father Edward seeks to reach out to all Orthodox Christians regardless of ethnic or national association for worship at the Kursk-Root Icon Church. All non-Orthodox who may be desirous of a more fulfilling worship and spiritual life are welcomed as well. (The Kursk-Root Icon is a miracle working icon dating back to the 13^th century)

The Orthodox Christian faith is the second largest among Christians numbering some 250 to 300 million adherents worldwide, yet remains somewhat of a mystery in the U.S. and Canada which have some 6 million members. The Orthodox Church traces its birth back to Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples.

The church is located three miles west of Marathon City on highway 29, then north on county road S for 3.5 miles, turn right on east 21^st St and the log cabin style church will be on the left. Directions can also be obtained on the church's website: www.orthodoxwisconsin.org. As Father Lecko and his wife Virginia fade into richly deserved full retirement they take with them deep affection and boundless appreciation from the congregation for their diligence of service in keeping the mission on its path to becoming what it now will become, a new church and parish. 

On Sunday, July 27th, the ORPR Diocesan Camp invited parents to visit their children who have been attending the last 3 weeks of camp.  The day began with Divine Liturgy celebrated by V. Rev. John Sykalyk with Rev. Tarasiy Maksimtsev, the spiritual advisor for the camp and Rev. Leonty Naidzions concelebrating.  Unfortunately, due to events in the Holy Land, Bishop Peter who was leading a pilgrimmage was delayed for several days and was not able to attend.  At the time of writing though, the entire group has safely returned.  The rest of the day was spent watching raising of the flag, awards, a colorful presentation of songs and dance as well as  enjoying the remainder of the afternoon with the children on the beautiful camp grounds.

Over the past three decades, many conferences have focused on the varied body of literature of Orthodox liturgical music.  Of these, only a small handful have brought attention to the work of living composers who are actively writing for the Church.  This was the initial vision behind the 2014 Pan-Orthodox Liturgical Music Symposium, a choral music conference which took place in the Greater Cincinnati region June 12-15, 2014.  The Symposium, which was sponsored by Northern Kentucky University and the Farrah Foundation, began by asking the question:  “How can we cultivate a living Orthodox music tradition in the English-speaking world?”   It was clear from the proceedings that a possible answer might be found in the work of contemporary composers who write organically from the English language. There were many composers in the sizable group of 70 participants who traveled from 22 states and two provinces to weigh in on this important question.  Many Orthodox jurisdictions were represented with some of their most active church musicians in attendance.

The Symposium was organized by Dr. Kurt Sander, chair of the department of music at NKU; Larissa Kaminsky Sander; and Dcn. Alexander Petrovsky, all members of the Liturgical Music Committee of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. Participants came from a variety of Orthodox jurisdictions, and included some of the most active musicians working in the Church today.  The keynote presenter was the renowned archpriest and composer Fr. Sergei Glagolev who spoke passionately about the role of music as a form of prayer.  He relayed stories and experiences from his work a priest, composer, and professor—an inspiring career that has spanned six decades!  Fr. Sergei stressed that if we are ever going to cultivate a living creative tradition in our churches, we must begin by regaining a culture of singing. He urged the listeners not to rely on electronic gadgetry to define our musical world, but to seek out the beauty of sacred music and understand its ability to speak to those who are searching for truth.  Adapting the biblical account of Phillip calling to Nathaniel, Fr. Sergei reminded the attendees that some will “come and see,” but others will “come and hear” as well.  For this reason, we must always remember the missionary role that music plays in the church. 

Other speakers included Dr. Vladimir Morosan, founder and president of Musica Russica, who presented a fascinating presentation on how znamenny chant formulas can be applied to the syllabic characteristics of the English language to create a whole new body of chant melodies.  The presenter list also included Dr. Nicolas Schidlovsky, a faculty member at Westminster Choir College at Rider University, whose insightful inquiry explored the many cultural, theoretical, and historical signposts that formulate an Orthodox compositional identity; Richard Barrett, founder of the St. John Damascus Society who presented a talk on the marriage of English language with Byzantine chant models; and David Lucs who focused his talk on ways to develop a choral tradition among our youth.

Among the many registrants and singers were Protopsaltis John Michael Boyer, a Boston-based chanter from the Byzantine tradition; Christopher Holwey, chair of the Department of Sacred Music of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese; and Vicki Pappas, former National President of the Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians.   

One of the high points of the Symposium was unquestionably the Friday evening concert by the East/West Festival Choir, conducted by Dr. Peter Jermihov, current faculty member at Triton College and music director at St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago (GOA).  Jermihov’s artistry was evident to all as he skillfully led the 30-voice choir through a stunning array of newly-composed works for the Orthodox church.  The choir, comprised of professionals and invited choral musicians from all across North America, sang a program that included the music of Fr. Sergei Glagolev, Tikey Zes, Fr. Ivan Moody, Arvo Part, Richard Toensing, Kurt Sander, Mark Hrebinka, Nazo Zakkak, Roman Hurko, Eugenia Temidis, John Revezoulis, William Kraftician, and Karen Summers.  Many of these composers were in attendance and had the opportunity to speak to the audience prior to the performance of their works.  

The university-sponsored portion of the Symposium culminated Saturday afternoon in a round-table discussion moderated by Larissa Kaminsky Sander.  Long-time church music advocates Alice Hughes and Anne Schoepp joined Fr. Sergei and the other speakers in a robust discussion ranging from music education to intellectual property issues.  While many topics were discussed, one point found a resonant consensus among the audience: if we are going to enrich the musical tradition of our church, we must look beyond volunteerism as a permanentsolution.  Each parish must support its musicians, both spiritually and financially so that our talented faithful can look to the church as a place to invest their careers and creative talents.  

The Symposium culminated in true Orthodox fashion with an All-Night Vigil and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. George Russian Orthodox Church in Cincinnati, celebrated by His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland.  Peter Jermihov, Irene Riazanova, and Fr Alexander Petrovsky conducted the services of recently-composed music in English.   The singing was heavenly and showed what gifted conductors can do, even with just two days of rehearsal.  One local Russian-speaking parishioner remarked after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy that he could understand every word, even though everything was sung in English.

Visiting clergy included Archpriest Sergei Glagolev of Our Lady of Kazan in Sea Cliff, NY (OCA) , Hieromonk Alexander (Frizzell) of Holy Cross Monastery (ROCOR), Fr. Stephen Frase of St Gregory in Columbus, OH (OCA), Protodeacon Vadim Gan of Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Chicago (ROCOR), and Dcn. Patrick Mitchell of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington DC (ROCOR), and Dcn. Gregory Ealy of St Mary Orthodox Cathedral (OCA).

After the liturgy, the Symposium concluded with a festive banquet in the hall of St. George.  A special thanks was given to Fr. Daniel Marshall, the parish rector, and to the St. George Sisterhood who hosted the Saturday and Sunday dinners.  The participants left with great memories and a revitalized commitment to seek out new opportunities to enrich the musical life of the Church.  In the words of one participant, “I can't express what a blessing it was to be with everyone, and sing amazing music with amazing people.”  


Photos by Darina Petrovsky and Jacqueline Astahoff

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Peter, abbot of the St. John Climacus brotherhood, Hieromonk Innokenty (Reichert) was tonsured into the small
schema at Holy Cross Monastery, West Virginia. The tonsure took place after Vespers and Matins for the commemoration of Abba Dorotheos of Gaza on June
17, 2014. His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield, abbot of Holy Cross Monastery, spent the tonsure and gave the newly tonsured the name of Alexander.
May the New Martyr St. Alexander Schmorell protect the newly tonsured and lead him to salvation. Hieromonk Alexander was entrusted into the spiritual care of Igumen Gregory (Zaiens).

The St. George Church Russian Dancers Perform at the Pan Orthodox Fellowship Weekend in Akron, Ohio

            Fourteen Russian Dancers of St. George parish traveled from Cincinnati to Akron on May 31 to participate in the Pan Orthodox Fellowship Weekend. They performed a set of Russian dances which had been taught to them by St. George parishioner Sergei Pakharev. Another parishioner, Mariya Sushanskaya, sewed their costumes.

The young dancers (ages 7 to 12) performed admirably alongside the other groups from Greek, Macedonian and Antiochian parishes, many of whom were far older. Once their performances were over, the kids particularly enjoyed learning some Greek and Macedonian dances.

The group was formed just six months ago in order to perform at the St. George Parish twenty-fifth anniversary. The show at the Pan Orthodox Fellowship Weekend was their first performance outside of their hometown. Presentation of Our Lord Orthodox Church hosted the dancing performances.

            The parish enjoyed a delicious festal meal, prepared by the sisterhood under the direction of Helen Kaminsky. Then Fr. Andrey delivered a lecture entitled, “Orthodox, Superstition and Piety.” Many parishioner remained for the entire three hours of this fascinating talk, peppering Fr. Andrey with questions at the end. We are grateful to God and St. George for the day's blessings!

On Sunday, May 4th, the "junior choir" of the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral which consisted of ten children from the parish Russian School took part in a joint concert at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Cathedral.  The concert was given on the slava (name day) of the Serbian cathedral choir - the Serbian Singing Society Branko Radichevich Choir -  whose patron saint is the Great-Martyr St. George.  At the celebratory luncheon, performances by the Russian junior choir under the direction of Natalia Gill who has been working with the children at our school and by the "Jr. Brankies" under the direction of Jovan Anicic delighted the audience with their enthusiasm and clear voices.  All present agreed that it was beautiful to see a new generation of singers demonstrate their talent in the spirit of pan-Orthodox cooperation between two neighboring cathedrals and agreed that this should continue to be fostered and possibly expanded among other churches in the area.

The Holy Virgin Protection Russian Orthodox Church parish had a Russian food booth at the downtown street festival in Goshen, IN selling a variety of Russian ethnic foods and witnessing to the Orthodox faith through their participation in the community event.

While in Minneapolis Area Icon has visited.

Having gathering in the God-preserved city of Chicago in the presence of the miracle-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God for our annual Great Lenten Diocesan retreat, we, the clergy of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America rejoice in the mercies our Loving Savior has so generously bestowed upon us.

Foremost in our hearts is the spiritual consolation bestowed upon us by the presence within our diocese of this much-loved icon of His Most Pure Mother, the Hodigitria of the Church Abroad. Through Her, the human means of the Lord's Incarnation, we see an example of the Christian life of faithfulness to our Lord to which we are all called and to which we all need to regularly recommit ourselves.

With her example before us, we cannot help but be moved to prayer for those who suffer around world and especially those who are suffering for their faith in Christ. We see the answer of many prayers in the recent release of the nuns from Maaloula Monastery in Syria. Therefore we urge all the faithful to continue their prayers for peace in Ukraine. We implore His Most Pure Mother to intercede before her Son to that end.

We rejoice that the Lord has sent more laborers to the vineyard that is our diocese and welcome Igumen Gregory (Zaiens), recently ordained priest Beninio Pardo and priest Joseph Towne. May God help these clergy to persevere and carry out a fruitful ministry among us.

We note that this year marks the 700th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian saint, St. Sergius of Radonezh. With the blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion and the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, our diocese will host the official ROCOR celebrations of this event. The celebrations will begin with Vigil on October 7, 2014 at His Grace, Bishop Peter's seat, St. Sergius of Radonezh Cathedral in Parma, Ohio. The next day will include a hierarchical liturgy, festal trapeza and vigil for the feast of St. John the Theologian. On October 9th, the celebrations will move to the nearby Skete of St. John the Theologian in Hiram, Ohio for hierarchical liturgy on their patronal feast. We encourage all our parishioners to attend these spiritually important events.

The gathered clergy heard a talk by Professor Andrei Desnitsky on “The Bible and Orthodox Christians”. A biblical scholar who has worked for years at translating the Bible into minority languages of the Russian Federation, Dr. Desnitsky gave the clergy much to ponder and reminded us that we need to not only venerate the Scriptures, but to diligently study them and put them into practice.

Sealing our brotherly gathering with Communion in Christ's Mysteries, we adjourned and commend ourselves, each other and our diocesan flock to the ongoing Lenten journey towards the Lord's Resurrection.

Visit of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God and Holy Unction Service at St. George parish in Cincinnati

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  James 5:14-15

            The wonder-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God arrived at St. George Russian Orthodox Church in the Cincinnati suburb of Loveland on Monday, March 10. The icon’s first visit was to the home of the parish’s rector emeritus, Archpriest Paul Bassett. Overjoyed at the Holy Virgin’s presence in his home, Fr. Paul reminisced about how he had first seen the icon at Holy Trinity Monastery in the 1970s while he was starting to learn about Orthodoxy.

            The icon then travelled to the parish’s newly-built Church for an early afternoon moleben and akathist. Over 60 of the faithful gathered for the service, which was lead by the parish clergy, priest Daniel Marshall and priest Pavel Akmolin.

            Then the icon went to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to visit five-year-old Sofia Kharchyk. Sofia came to Cincinnati with her parents from Ukraine 18 months ago for treatment of cancer, which has since been eliminated. This January, Sofia suffered several strokes as a result of side affects from the treatment. She underwent surgery last week to improve the blood circulation in her brain, which should help restore her sight and increase her mobility. The grace brought by the Lord’s Most-Pure Mother was palpable; it was a great comfort to everyone in the hospital room. With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Peter, donations to support Sofia's treatment can be made directly to her account at PNC Bank, listed on this website: http://savesofiakharchyk.org.ua/en/for-donations/.

            The Most-Holy Virgin then returned to the parish for the Sacrament of Holy Unction, at which His Grace, Bishop Peter presided. Also serving were Archpriest Steven Kostoff, rector of Christ the Savior ~ Holy Spirit Orthodox Church (OCA, Cincinnati); Archpriest Miroljub Ruzic, Rector of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Orthodox Church (OCA, Columbus); Hieromonk Alexander from Holy Cross Monastery (ROCOR, Wayne, WV); and Priest Nicholas Olhovsky, who accompanied the icon from New York. The choir was prayerfully directed by St. George’s parish deacon, Fr. Alexander Petrovsky. More than 150 of the faithful participated in this sacrament of spiritual healing, which had not been served for several decades at St. George parish and had never been served with a full complement of seven clergy.

            Late Monday night, the parishioners of St. George dispersed to their homes, carrying with them the Grace of Holy Unction, the blessing of the Mother of God’s presence, and gratitude to the Lord for his mercy to us, sinners all.

Served only in cathedrals by a bishop, the Rite of Orthodoxy is performed at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on the First Sunday of Great Lent. As Bishop Peter has stressed many times, the Church does not condemn anyone in its list of anathemas. Rather, it serves as a warning and guide for us to recognize various heresies lest one found oneself outside the Church and in a position wherein the Church cannot answer for us. For those that might be interested in reading the text of this very interesting service, you can download a copy of the Rite of Orthodoxy service here.

With the blessing of His Grace, Metropolitan Hilaron, the Kursk-Root Wonder-working icon of the Mother of God of the Sign (Znamenie) will be visiting the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America during Great Lent.  Please see below for exact schedule:

SCHEDULE OF KURSK-ROOT ICON

Guidance for Clergy & Laity for the Kursk Icon Visit

The annual Mid-America diocesan St Herman's Youth Conference took place on 26-29, 2013 in Rockford, IL. Many of the young people from our diocese took part in the 3-day pilgrimage which offeried lectures, large and small group discussions, service to the community (spending an afternoon at the Rockford Rescue Mission), church singing and reading seminars, and most importantly – Divine Services. The young people sang and did all the reading at the Vigil and Divine Liturgy which was led by His Grace Bishop Peter at the small parish church on the grounds of the diocesan ORPR summer camp  in Lost Lake/Vladimirovo, IL. Following a very tasty and filling Lenten meal, His Grace led a question and answer period with the young people. The pilgrims then departed through freezing rain and snow all returning home safely.

We appreciate the prayers of all who remembered the pilgrims in their prayers during their journey! Huge thanks are also due to the chaperones that accompanied our pilgrims and without whom this pilgrimage would have been impossible: Subdeacon Rafael Scrochi, Subdeacon Michael Boyar (from All Saints Mission Downriver), and Leta (Ksenia) Nikulshina. May the Lord reward them in both this life and the next for their spiritual care for our youth! Parents and teenagers – plan NOW to participate in the St. Herman’s Pilgrimage next year. More information on location and dates will soon be forthcoming. Older youth – watch for information about the annual Great Lenten College Age Retreat coming soon!

On October 4/17, His Grace Bishop Peter visited San Antonio, Texas for the first time as he travelled to visit several south Texas parishes. While in San Antonio, Vladyka Peter shared lunch with local Orthodox clergy--ROCOR, OCA and Antiochian--and that evening presided at Vespers at Sts. Joachim and Anna mission led by Fr. Christopher Allen. After Vespers, Vladyka joined the congregation for a light meal and spoke at length with many of them. On the morning of Friday, October 5/18, His Grace toured the Alamo (pictured here), San Antonio's most famous landmark and historical site. He continued his journey that afternoon, going on to Holy Protection Church in Pflugerville (near Austin) for Vigil and Divine Liturgy the next day where he tonsured Joseph Brousseau of Sts. Joachim and Anna a reader and elevated him to the subdiaconate.

From Hieromonk Innokenty (Reichert), rector of SS Herman & Sergius Church in Atlantic Mine, Michigan:

Glory to God the final piece of the roof has been completed.  With this, the church and rectory are  completely re-roofed and partially reframed.  Thanks to our gracious donors who made this possible and the diligent workers AJ Granroth and Calvin Gardner.  It is a stunning view and perfectly done. We are also thankful that God protected them and no accidents occurred through this long and dangerous job.

On September 24 the parish of SS Sergius and Herman of Valaam in Atlantic Mine, MI celebrated their patronal feast. Joining in this second Pascha were Rev. Antony Alekseyenko (rector of St. Panteleimon in Minneapolis, MN) and Rev. Deacon Nicholas Olsen (clergy of All Saints of America Orthodox Mission, De Queen, AR). After the festal Divine Liturgy a cross procession took place which also included the newly written patron saints icon. A festal trapeza was served after the services. 

On September 22nd our Holy Trinity parish celebrated its Sisterhood Day.  The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and Administrator of the Chicago and Mid-America Diocese, was the main celebrant at the Liturgy, and  clergy from local parishes concelebrated. A big thank you to the Sisterhood, especially their new members, who took upon themselves the bulk of the preparation for the feast and luncheon. A big thank you to the assistant head sister Alla Shimansky.

22 сентября, наш Свято - Троицкий приход праздновал день сестричества. Возглавлял Богослужение Преосвященейший Пётр, епископ Кливлендский,управляющий Чикагской и Средне-Американской Епархией в сослужении священников из соседних приходов. Cпасибо сестричеству, особенно новым членам сестричества, которые взяли на себя большую часть работ по подготовки к празднику и приготовлению обеда. Большое спасибо помочнику старшей сестры, Алле Шимански.

Sept 17, 2013 - On the day of St. Iosaph of Belgorod, the Chicago Pokrov Cathedral hosted 50 bishops who had gathered in Chicago for the annual meeting of the Council of Canonical Bishops of North America for Divine Liturgy which was celebrated by Bishop Peter who officiated in the priest rite.  Responses were chanted in Slavonic, Greek and English by a select group of the Pontifical choir from the Cathedral.  Following a breakfast, the opening session was held at the cathedral and later in the day moved to the conference center where the hierarchs were staying.  Participating in the conference were several hierarchs from the Russian Church Abroad including His Grace, Metropolitan Hilarion, His Grace, Archbishop Kyrill of San Francision and Western America, His Grace, Bishop Theodosy of Seattle and His Grace, Bishop George of Mayfield.

Houghton, MI – The Dean of the Michigan Deanery, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, served the Divine Liturgy at the Sts. Sergius and Herman of Valaam parish here on August 4, 2013.  Following the Divine Liturgy the Rector of the parish, Hiermonk Innokenty (Reichert) provided Fr. Gregory an update on the progress of the roof work recently undertaken at the parish. The parish (and the St. John Climacus monastic brotherhood of the diocese, also centered at the Sts. Sergius & Herman parish) have raised the almost $50,000 needed to pay for the roof work, except for about $3,000. Those who would like to support this worthy undertaking are asked to contact the Diocesan Treasurer, Andrei Urtiew at dcma.rocor@gmail.com.