On June 29/July 12 the Holy Church commemorates the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. On this day in 2003, Archimandrite Peter (Loukianoff) was ordained Bishop of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Detroit (now the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America) at the diocesan cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God in Des Plaines (Chicago), Illinois.

This year marks 20 years since the consecration of now Archbishop Peter of Chicago & Mid-America. Clergymen of the diocese and hierarchs from throughout the diaspora gathered in Des Plaines, at the same cathedral in which Vladyka was ordained, to mark this significant anniversary.

The feast was presided over by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. In addition to His Eminence, the following hierarchs participated in the Divine Services on this day:

Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas

Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada, Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

Archbishop Daniel of the Diocese of Chicago and the Midwest of the Orthodox Church in America

Archbishop Peter of Chicago & Mid-America, Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

Bishop Longin of the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Bishop John of Caracas & South America, Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

The priests who participated in the Divine Services on this day were:

Archimandrite Ioann (Magramm)

Archpriest Sergei Prisacaru

Archpriest Vladimir Kovalchuyk

Archpriest Gregory Joyce

Archpriest Ilia Marzev

Archpriest John Whiteford

Archpriest Sergei Alekseev

Archpriest Jeremiah Loch

Archpriest Daniel Marshall

Archpriest Valery Vovkovskii

Priest Radomir Plavsic

Priest Alexander Koranda

Priest Nikolai Lochmatow

Hieromonk Raphael (Tadros)

Priest Mikhail Volzhanskii

Priest Antony Alekseyenko

Hieromonk Alexander (Cordos)

Priest Leonty Naidziones

Priest Matthew Floyd

Priest Michael Lillie

Priest John Komisarchuk

Priest Robert Bower

Priest Artemii Makartetskyi

The deacons who participated in the Divine Services on this day were:

Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov

Protodeacon John Cavin

Protodeacon Vasily Gilliland

Deacon Alexander Petrovsky

Deacon Ioann Feloniuk

Deacon Maxim Sopiga

Deacon Nicolai Chemski

At the small entrance Archbishop Peter elevated Deacon Alexander Petrovsky to the dignity of Protodeacon.

Following the Divine Liturgy greetings were read for Archbishop Peter from Patriarch Kyrill, and the members of the Synod of Bishops. Gifts were given to Archbishop Peter from the bishops who participated in the festivities as well as the clergy of the diocese. The gathered clergy and faithful then moved to the cathedral hall to continue the celebration well into the afternoon, sharing stories of the many years of service of Archbishop Peter in the Mid-American Diocese.