New bishops for Russian Archdiocese of W. Europe

(ROC) - On June 28, 2020, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost, Metropolitan John of Dubna, head of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Rue Daru in Paris. Concelebrating with Metropolitan John were Metropolitan Antony of Chersonesus and Western Europe, Archbishop Nestor of Madrid and Lisbon, and Bishop Symeon of Domodedovo, vicar of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition.

During the Liturgy Archimandrite Elisée (Germain), rector of the French-speaking community of the Holy Trinity at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, was consecrated Bishop of Reutov, vicar of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition.

The decision concerning the election of two vicar hierarchs for the Archdiocese was taken at its general assembly on January 24, 2020, and approved by the resolution of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of March 11, 2020 (Minutes No. 12). The rite of nomination of Archimandrite Symeon (Cossec) as Bishop of Domodedovo and Archimandrite Elisée (Germain) as Bishop of Reutov took place in the evening of June 26. The episcopal consecration of Archimandrite Symeon was performed on Saturday, June 27.

Among those concelebrating the Sunday Liturgy were also Protopresbyter Anatole Rakovitch, Protopresbyter Jean Gueit, Archpriest Eugene Chapyuk, Archpriest Nicolas Crnokrak, Priest Maxim Politov, and clergy of the Archdiocese.

After the Liturgy Metropolitan John of Dubna expressed his best wishes to Bishop Elisée of Reutov in his lofty episcopal ministry. Vladyka Elisée gave his first archpastoral blessing to numerous parishioners, website of the diocese of Chersonesus reports.