Such a glorious day in the life of the OCA's Diocese of the Midwest, the ordination of such a fine bishop. "Axios, He is Worthy, Axios." He follows a tradition of exemplary hierarchs in this diocese.
In the picture of the "serving bishops and clergy," directly below the newly ordained Bishop Matthias, vested with his rasso and stole, is the Very Reverend Fr. Stephen N. Jula, who was the founding priest of Christ the Saviour American Orthodox Church, which is today in North Royalton, Ohio, the parish indicated in the original post as the "ACROD mission" His Grace attended in his youth. His Grace was inspired to enter the priesthood by Fr. Stephen, who is Pastor Emeritus of the parish he founded, and who currently attends the GOAA parish in Rocky River, Oh. Fr. Stephen is approximately 87 years old. He's a friend of mine and I'm so pleased he was able to participate in this great moment in his life. (In addition to the obvious reason for his joy at the elevation of his former altar boy, there is another reason why this is a great moment for him, as upon his release from the Metropolia in the early 1960's, Archbishop John of Chicago, of blessed memory, had prohibited Metropolia clergy from concelebrating with him, and today, he served in the ordination of the Midwest Diocese hierarch.)
I have to question "TheodoraElizabeth's" Reply No. 10, when she mentions the "panagia" or engolpion His Grace wore at his ordination, as having been "Metropolitan" John's of ACROD. ACROD was not served by a hierarch by this name. Is she referring to Metropolitan Orestes of blessed memory, or Bishop John of Nyssa, of blessed memory?
