The Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of the West
Office of the Bishop of San Francisco & the West
650 Micheltorena St.
Los Angeles, California 90026-3629
April 2, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ARCHIMANDRITE BENJAMIN TO BE CONSECRATED BISHOP OF BERKELEY; AUXILIARY FOR
DIOCESE OF THE WEST AT SAN FRANCISCO'S HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL, APRIL 30-MAY 1
SAN FRANCISCO -- His Grace, Bishop TIKHON of San Francisco and the Diocese
of the West, Orthodox Church in America announces that Archimandrite
Benjamin's Episcopal Consecration will be celebrated at Holy Trinity
Cathedral, San Francisco, California, on Friday, April 30, 2004, and
Saturday, May 1, 2004 . The canonical election will be held at 6:00 PM on
Friday, April 30, 2004, followed by Great Vespers.
Divine Liturgy and the Consecration of Archimandrite Benjamin as Bishop of
Berkeley and Auxiliary to His Grace, Bishop TIKHON will be celebrated on
Saturday, May 1, 2004 . His Beatitude HERMAN, Archbishop of Washington,
Metropolitan of All America and Canada, primate of the Orthodox Church in
America, will preside at the service which will be begin at 9:30 AM.
A banquet in honor of the newly consecrated Bishop of Berkeley Benjamin
will be held at 1:30 PM at the renowned McCormick and Kuleto's Seafood
Restaurant, located in historic Ghirardelli Square. Reservations for the
Consecration Banquet and other details related to the festive weekend are
available on the Cathedral's web site:
www.holy-trinity.org.
Archimandrite Benjamin was born Vincent Peterson in Pasadena, CA on June
1, 1954 and was baptized and chrismated at Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral, Los
Angeles, CA on April 27, 1972. In 1978 he was awarded a Master of Divinity
degree and Certificate in Liturgical Music from Saint Vladimir Seminary.
A prolific musician, he served as choirmaster at parishes in Detroit, MI
and Los Angeles and as chairman of the Orthodox Church in America's
Department of Liturgical Music. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on
November 15, 1987 by Bishop Tikhon at his home parish, which he served for
10 years as deacon and youth and education director. The following year he
was tonsured a riasophore monk by Bishop Tikhon and further tonsured to the
lesser schema by His Eminence, Archbishop [now Metropolitan] Herman at
Saint Tikhon Monastery, South Canaan, PA. In 1991 he was elevated to the
rank of archdeacon.
On July 19, 1997, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop
Tikhon. In 1999, Igumen Benjamin was was transferred to the Diocese of
Alaska. In addition to other responsibilities, he served as dean of Saint
Innocent Cathedral and later as administrative dean of Saint Herman
Seminary, Kodiak, AK. He was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in
2002. In January 2004 he was reassigned to Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral, Los
Angeles, and appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of the West.
Upon his consecration to the episcopacy, Bishop-Elect Benjamin will serve
as Auxiliary to His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco, and as such will
continue to be Diocesan Chancellor.
Holy Trinity Cathedral, the site of the consecration, is the oldest
Orthodox community in the contiguous United States. The Cathedral,
established in 1857, is the seat of the Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco and
the Diocese of the West, Orthodox Church in America. For further
information, please visit
www.holy-trinity.org or contact the event
chairman, V. Rev. Victor Sokolov, Cathedral Dean. 415-673-8565.
consecration@holy-trinity.org.
