Fr. David (Mahaffey) episcopal consecration set for February

(OCA) - Archimandrite David [Mahaffey] will be consecrated to the episcopacy at Saint Innocent Cathedral here on Friday, February 21, 2014.

Archimandrite David was elected by the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America to fill the vacant Episcopal See of Sitka and Alaska on Wednesday, October 16, 2013. The election took place during the fall session of the Holy Synod at the OCA Chancery.

On Thursday, February 20, Great Vespers will be celebrated in conjunction with Archimandrite David’s “Confession of Faith” at 6:00 p.m. A reception will follow in the cathedral hall.

The Consecration Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Friday, February 21, at 9:00 a.m. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, will be present for the consecration, together with His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin; His Grace, Bishop Irénée; His Grace, Bishiop Ireneu; His Grace, Bishop Michael; and others.

The consecration banquet will be held at the Lucy Cuddy Center, University of Alaska, at 7:00 p.m. Deadline for banquet reservations is Wednesday, January 15. Reservations may be made on the Diocese of Alaska web site, where additional information on the consecration and the enthronement in Sitka, AK may also be obtained.

Delegates to the Assembly of the Diocese of Alaska on September 15, 2012 had nominated Father David, who has been serving as the diocese’s Administrator and Chancellor, to fill the vacant See. Archbishop Benjamin, Locum Tenens of Episcopal See of Sitka and Alaska, presented his name to the Holy Synod for canonical election.

Born in Altoona, PA in 1952, Father David was received into the Orthodox Christian faith in 1975, two years after his marriage to the former Karen Meterko. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA in 1997. In 2003, he graduated from the University of Scranton with Bachelors degrees in Theology and Philosophy. Two years later, he received his Master of Arts degree in theology from the same school.

He was ordained to the diaconate in 1981 and served throughout the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. After his ordination to the priesthood in 1993, he served as rector of Saint Michael Church, Old Forge, PA until 2006, when he assumed the pastorate of Holy Trinity Church, Pottstown, PA. In 2009, he was assigned rector of Saint Nicholas Church, Bethlehem. He and his wife, who fell asleep in the Lord in 2007, raised four children.

Father David served as a graduate assistant in the Theology Department of the University of Scranton, adjunct lecturer at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, and adjunct lecturer in theology and philosophy at Alvernia University, Melrose Park Campus, Philadelphia, PA. He has served in a wide variety of capacities in the Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, including dean of the Philadelphia Deanery.