Byzantine, Texas

From the blog Energetic Procession ... It is commonly claimed that the practice of praying to departed saints and to angels is a late development in Christianity, probably post-dating the Council of Nicea. In this post, I will try to argue that prayers to departed saints were relatively common in the pre-Nicene Church. There are 5 to 8 clear post-Apostolic references from at least 3 locations. Some of the references come from official Christian teachers. The earliest reference may be first or second century, and many of the second and third century writers’ beliefs probably reflect the customs of even earlier times. Below are three lists of quotations (with some interpretive notes) from Christians writing before 325 AD. The first list has quotations which state or imply the belief that angels and deceased humans can be requested by Christians alive on earth to pray for them. The second list has quotations which state or imply the belief that angels and deceased humans are aware of ...

( antiochian.org ) - At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on Saturday, July 30, at the 50th Convention of the Antiochian Archdiocese, His Eminence Metropolitan Philip announced that the Synod had elected three archimandrites of the Archdiocese for elevation to the episcopacy. They are: The Rt. Rev. Archimandrite John Abdalah , who will serve as the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Worcester and New England The Rt. Rev. Archmandrite Anthony Michaels , who will serve as the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest The Rt. Rev. Archmandrite Nicholas Ozone , who will serve as the auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn and assist His Eminence at the Archdiocese headquarters in Englewood, NJ. Please remember these servants of our Lord in your prayers, and may God grant them many years!

( UOC-USA ) - Philadelphia, PA isn’t just the City of Brotherly Love — it also happens to be a place of this year’s Ukrainian Orthodox League Convention. Delegates from all over the United States converged in this “City of Brotherly Love” for the three day conference to hammer out what it means to be a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox League of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA in a world of dense and diverse realities of the 21st century. The working session of this year’s Convention opened on Wednesday night, July 27th with the Vespers for the feast day of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Volodymyr, baptizer of Kyiv Rus – Ukraine. His Eminence Archbishop Antony, the Ruling Hierarch of the Eastern Eparchy and the President of the Consistory of the UOC of the USA and His Grace Bishop Daniel, the Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA presided over the liturgical service, which was served by Protopriest Taras Naumenko, a pastor of St. Vlad...

This is a very odd turn of events. Archimandrite Zacchaeus has been mentioned often in discussions of episcopal candidates in the past and is quite well spoken of. If I find out what is afoot, I'll post an update. ( OCA ) - Archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood), Dean of St. Catherine the Great Martyr-in-the-Fields Church in Moscow and representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia has been placed on a leave of absence and recalled to the United States by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah. He is prohibited from exercising any liturgical or sacramental ministry. Priest John Kechkin, who is attached to St. Catherine Church, will provide pastoral services for the time being. Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, Director of External Affairs of the Orthodox Church in America, will assume duties as the representative of the OCA to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. A Russian translation of this release is available here (PDF).

This is well worth going to for anyone in the area. St. Maximus is a wonderful parish full of devout, involved families. It teems with children, has an extremely full liturgical calendar (you would be hard pressed to find a day that does not have a service scheduled), and there are a number of classes and groups to join for all ages. If you can't make it, there is a building effort underway that you might consider helping support (see here ). Denton, TX ( OCA ) - Two bishops of the Orthodox Church in America will be in Denton at the end of July to join the members of St. Maximus the Confessor Orthodox Church in celebrating their 10 year Anniversary. Metropolitan Jonah, Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, and Bishop Nikon of Boston, the current overseer of the Diocese of Dallas and the South, will be here to participate in a number of activities that are scheduled for July 29 through 31. *Chantus Maximus*, St. Maximus’ male choir, will present a ...

( RISU ) - On behalf of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, Patriarch Filaret addressed Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodn), the clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate with a call to continue constructive dialogue in order to establish one local Orthodox Ukrainian Church. So reported www.tyzhden.ua with reference to the web site of UOC-KP. “On behalf of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, I address you again with a call to continue constructive dialogue in order to overcome the church divide,” stresses the address. “We invariably are ready to renew the dialogue and we wait for constructive actions of UOC-MP in this regard,” stated the head of the Kyivan Patriarchate. “At the same time, we are convinced that the only correct way to renew the unity of the Church is a dialogue which is ultimately aimed at the establishment of one local Orthodox Ukrainian church centered round the Kyivan th...

I plan to make the pilgrimage with my family; look for the man thronged by a large number of towheaded children. I pray the break in the oppressive heat will continue into next week. Although I have never visited before the phrases I keep hearing over and over about the monastery are: "wonderful with children," "kind and inviting," and "beautiful grounds." Hopefully I can take a few blog-worthy pictures. ( OCA ) - The nuns of the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration here extend an invitation to all pilgrims to join them for their annual pilgrimage marking their patronal feastday August 5-6, 2011. His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate, will preside at pilgrimage Divine Liturgy, concelebrating with His Grace, Bishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania and His Grace, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, who will also serve as guest homilist. The festal Vigil will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Frida...

HIERAPOLIS, TURKEY ( Fox News ) – A tomb believed to be that of St. Philip the Apostle was unearthed during excavations in the ancient Turkish city of Hierapolis. Italian professor Francesco D'Andria said archeologists found the tomb of the biblical figure -- one of the 12 original disciples of Jesus -- while working on the ruins of a newly-unearthed church, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported Wednesday. "We have been looking for Saint Philip's tomb for years," d'Andria told the agency. "We finally found it in the ruins of a church which we excavated a month ago." The structure of the tomb and the writings on the wall proved it belonged to St. Philip, he added. The professor said the archaeologists worked for years to find the tomb and he expected it to become an important Christian pilgrimage destination. St. Philip, recognized as one of Christianity's martyrs, is thought to have died in Hierapolis, in the southwest province of Deniz...

( UOC-MP ) - On July 27, the eve of commemoration of the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir, the Primates of the Russian, Georgian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches a prayer service at St Vladimir's Hill at the foot of the monument to the Baptizer of Rus. Praying at S Vladimir's Hill also were the bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, members of delegations of the Russian and Georgian churches, numerous clergy of the Diocese of Kyiv, residents and guests of Kyiv. Attending on behalf of the authorities were: Deputy Head of the Administration of President of Ukraine Anna Herman, Council to the President of Ukraine Yuriy Bohutsky, people's deputies and other his officials. The prayer service was accompanied by the chant of the choir of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary under the guidance of hegumen Roman (Pidlubnyaka). Thereafter the Primates of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Russian orthodox Church exchanged congratulatory words. ...

KIEV ( Reuters ) - Russia's Orthodox Christian Church will not claim clerical authority over Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian and Georgian church leaders said on Tuesday. Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Ilia met in Ukraine, another predominantly Christian former Soviet republic, for the first time since the five-day war in 2008 over the Moscow-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia. Tensions between Georgia and Russia have remained high since the war, which strengthened Russia's influence over the two rebel regions. The Georgian church's pro-Russia stance has created tensions between it and President Mikheil Saakashvili's pro-Western government. Adding to Georgia's frustrations, Russia has recognized both regions as independent countries. Moscow and Tbilisi have since traded multiple accusations of "provocations" and sabotage. This month, a Georgian court found several pho...

Photo H/T: Vladimir Grygorenko Please continue to pray for His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri.

( AFR ) - The 50th Biennial Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocesan Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, from July 24th though the 31st, 2011. The Convention was hosted by Fr. Nicholas Dahdal and the good people of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero, Illinois. Ancient Faith Radio attended the conference and posted recordings of the following speeches, events, and gatherings. Podcasts will be available here .

Commissioning of Maria Roeber, RN as an OCMC missionary serving Tanzania. May 22, 2011. You can follow her missionary efforts on her blog here or from these sites ( ocmc.org and the OCMC blog ) for more information on this and other OCMC missionary efforts.

( mospat.ru ) - On July 25, 2011, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia received some hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Antioch at his working residence in Chisty Pereulok, Moscow. Present at the meeting were Metropolitan Anthony of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Venezuela, Metropolitan Damaskinos of Sao Paulo and All Brazil, Metropolitan George of Homs, and Archbishop Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow. Participating in the meeting were also Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, and Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretariat for inter-Orthodox relations. Welcoming the guests, Patriarch Kirill noted that in Latin American countries a special pastoral role and responsibility is placed on the Patriarchate of Antioch. ‘The greatest number of Orthodox Christians there belongs to your Church. You have the largest parishes and the most active parish life, and ...

( STOTS ) - The changes to the administrative building have begun. Over the next several weeks many changes to the administration building, both the exterior and interior, will be taking place. It is a very exciting time here with all the new changes.The parking lot side entrance will become our main entrance for the time being. We ask for everyone's patience while the construction is taking place. We will be updating the site once every couple of days so that people can witness the transformation as it takes place. Photos taken just prior to the beginning of renovations. Day 1.

Relatives of a victim gather to observe a minute's silence on a campsite jetty on the Norwegian mainland, across the water from Utoya island, seen in the background on Monday, July 25, 2011. People have been placing floral tributes at this site in memory of those killed in the shooting massacre on the island on Friday. AP / Matt Dunham It is the power of one man to do so much good that he will be remembered for generations as a leader, a servant, and saint. That same man can choose destruction and join the ranks of other madmen and villains that are remembered as humanity gone wrong. From the Didache: There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for...

From the pre-race prayer at the Nascar Nationwide series race in Nashville TN July 23, 2011 This video has gone a bit viral. H/T to Byzantine in the Bible Belt as it was the first site I saw it on.

This would seem to be a natural consequence to the legalization of same-sex unions in those states that have approved them... Hat tip to Standing on my Head . ( Christian Post ) - In the wake of gay marriage soon becoming a legal institution in the state of New York, the Episcopal Bishop of Long Island, has ordered that homosexual priests wed their partners. Long Island Episcopal Bishop Lawrence Provenzano has put his foot down against gay clergy who residing in homosexual relationships, and has given a nine month deadline for them to either get married or stop living together, according to the News Observer. “I need to be mindful that the church has always asked people to live in committed monogamous, faithful relationships. I won’t allow heterosexual clergy to live in a rectory or church housing without the benefit of marriage. When one puts it in that context, then you see how it all begins to make sense,” said Provenzano. Reverend Christopher Hofer, pastor of the Episcopal...

( RISU ) - During the first three months of his rule, the new head of the UGCC gave more than a dozen interviews on various issues of church life. For leaders the first 100 days is a time for reflection, a period for making conclusions. On this occasion, RISU journalists and the periodical Patriarchate met with Patriarch Sviatoslav to hear his evaluation of the first one hundred days in power and his views on other important church issues. — The first one hundred days have passed since your enthronement (March 27, 2011), which is a traditional time for secular leaders to summarize their accomplishments. How were the first 100 days as head of church? — These first one hundred days were very busy. There were two important synods: the Metropolitan Synod of Bishops of Kyiv-Halych Metropolitanate of the church and the permanent synod, held in Rome, where I first presided as head of the church. The meeting of the permanent synod, which actually helps the head of the church in the inte...

On reading this news article, I am reminded of a story about the recently reposed (May his memory be eternal!) Patriarch Pavle of Serbia... Patriarch Pavle, as he was known, continued to live a simple life even after he moved to the new residence – the Patriarchal Palace – in Belgrade. People from Belgrade often encountered him on the streets, riding the train or the bus... Once, while walking alone the hilly street of King Peter the I, towards the Patriarchate, a late model Mercedes passed closely by him, the driver – a priest from one of the well known parishes in Belgrade, stopped the car and said: - Your Holiness, permit me to invite you in! Just tell me where you heading The Patriarch entered the car, and as soon as it started moving, asked: - Tell me, Father, whose car is this? - It’s mine, your Holiness! - Stop it! – the Patriarch replied, he then got off, made the sign of the Cross and said to the priest: - May the Lord, watch over you! ( accc.org.uk ) - ...

( ROC-UK/IE ) - On June 30, the third meeting of the Pan-Orthodox Assembly of Bishops took place in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The day of the meeting with the Divine Liturgy at the church of the Holy Twelve Apostles (Archdiocese of Thyateira, Constantinople Patriarchate), at which the representatives of all Orthodox Churches represented in the British Isles concelebrated. From the Diocese of Sourozh the Liturgy was attended by Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh, Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch, Priest Joseph Skinner (Head of the Diocesan Department of Inter-Orthodox Relations) and Protodeacon Dimitri Nedostupenko. The meeting of the Pan-Orthodox Episcopal Assembly began after a festive meal, offered by the parishioners of the Church of the Holy Apostles in honor of their patronal feast. The Assembly discussed the practice of Confession, Communion and "mixed marriages" in various parishes of the canonical Orthodox jurisdictions, as well as the possibility of establishing common rule...

( Basilica ) - The working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church of 21 July 2011, approved the canonisation of the Metropolitans of Transylvania Andrei Şaguna (celebrated on 30 November) and Simeon Ştefan (celebrated on 24 April), as a result of the synodal proposals of the Metropolitan Synods of the Metropolitan Sees of Transylvania and of Cluj, Alba, Crişana and Maramureş. Met. Şaguna Andrei of Transylvania Metropolitan Şaguna Andrei (baptised Anastasie) was Metropolitan of Transylvania (of Aromanian origin). He was born on 20 December 1808 (1 January 1809 st. n.) in Mişcolţ, Hungary, and passed away on 16/28 June 1873 in Sibiu (buried in Răşinari). He attended the courses of the secondary school in Mişcolţ and Pesta (graduated in 1826), then philosophy and law at the University of Pesta (1826 – 1829) and theology at the Orthodox Seminary of Vârşeţ (1829 – 1832). After finishing the theological studies he joined the community of the Serb monastery of Hopovo...

The thing I like about Bp. Michael's speeches is that his many years in St. Tikhon's, his frankness, and his love for the Church all combine to deliver consistently forthright and engaging orations. This is his address to the Diocesan Assembly of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey (Orthodox Church in America) delivered on July 19, 2011 in Endicott NY.

Dr. Adam DeVille is a professor at the University of St. Francis, an editor of Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, the author of "Orthodoxy and the Roman Papacy," and most recently a speaker at this year's Orientale Lumen Conference. He was kind enough to answer a few questions on his many efforts for this blog. 1. Would you speak a little on LOGOS? What sort of material is covered in the journal and how did you get involved as an editor? Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies began publishing in 1950. After a low period in the late 1980s, it was revived in 1993 and revised again in 2005. It is the oldest scholarly journal publishing in Eastern Christianity in North America. It is published twice a year in two double volumes. I began as a lowly copy editor in 2002, was made associate editor in 2005, and took over as full editor in 2008. The journal tries to hold three things in tension: first, to be open to scholarship from both Catholic and...

I have seen people told they could not receive communion on innumerable occasions. It's such a painful experience to watch that I always turn my face away and feel quite ill at ease for some minutes. Of course some of the same feeling intumesces as I stand off to the side on those Sundays when I have not properly prepared myself. But, though it is a problem for many people, the wisdom of the rules designating who may receive the Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord has not been something I have questioned. I do run into many people who have problems with it, and my inability to readily articulate a defense is something I need to remedy. It is one thing to hold to a belief - it is another thing entirely to be able to convincingly convey that belief to another person. ( pravmir.com ) - As an Orthodox priest, I cannot tell you how many times I have had to face someone, whether within my parish or a visitor from outside of it, and tell them that for one reason or another, they wil...

( WCC ) - A common charter reflecting the essential elements of quality in theological education for schools of all denominational backgrounds was proposed recently by representatives of the World Conference of Associations of Theological Institutions (WOCATI) at a meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. From 4 to 8 July 38 representatives of Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, Pentecostal and African Independent Churches gathered for the first in Africa to discuss issues of quality in theological education on a global level. The gathering was called “Challenges and Promises of Quality Assurance in Theological Education: Ecumenical and Multi-Contextual Inquiries.” The participants emphasized the strategic importance of African associations of theological schools and the work of the All Africa Conference of Churches ( AACC ) and other ecumenical bodies in enhancing theological education in Africa. Although there is no global agency to accredit institutions of theol...

Moscow, July 20 ( Interfax ) - Russia cannot resolve interreligious and interethnic problems without improving the moral climate in society, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has said. "Interethnic and interreligious problems can be overcome through bolstering what you have very correctly called public morals," Patriarch Kirill said addressing Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at a meeting with prominent members of religious and other non-governmental organizations on Tuesday. "The main thing that worries me now is the destruction of our public morals," the patriarch said. Moral pillars are being ruined, which could make it "impossible to stop crime growth," he said. The Patriarch also suggested finding out "why bloody clashes are happening virtually everywhere these days, including in the prospering Europe, across the ocean, and in the Middle East." Talking about the model of multiculturalism, which Patriarch Kirill said appeared in...

( Hurriyet ) - The powerful Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives is planning to hold a vote Wednesday on an amendment calling for Turkey to “return stolen Armenian and other Christian churches to their rightful owners.” The committee will meet for a markup session to discuss and vote on the State Department’s “Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2012;” the “return of churches” measure will likely be offered as an amendment to that authorization bill, the Armenian National Committee of America, or ANCA, said in a statement Tuesday. See above video of Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Turkey and other nations who engage in religious persecution (transcript available here ). ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian urged all U.S. citizens of Armenian origin to “call your U.S. representative by July 20 and urge him/her to support this powerful religious freedom measure.” “The Turkish Embassy is working overt...

( KyivPost ) - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will visit Ukraine on July 26-28 to mark the Day of Christianization of Kyivan Rus. During his visit to Ukraine, Patriarch Kirill will meet with Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra on the evening of July 26, the Moscow Patriarchate's information department reported. On July 27, Patriarch Kirill, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine, and an assembly of archpriests and other clerics will conduct a ceremonial prayer service on Volodymyrska Hill. On July 28, which is St. Volodymyr Day and the Day of Baptizing of Kyivan Rus, Patriarch Kirill will conduct a liturgy service at Kyiv Pechersk Lavra along with Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, Metropolitan Volodymyr, and a lot of other clerics from Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and other countries.

Patriarch Antonius II to be glorified ( patriarchate.ge ) - The Chairman – Ilia II, Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia The Secretary – Grigol (Berbichashvili), Metropolitan of Poti and Khobi Diocese Sub-Secretaries – Nikoloz (Pachuashvili), Metropolitan of Akhalkalaki and Kumurdo Diocese, and Saba (Gigiberia), Metropolitan of Khoni and Samtredia Diocese Agenda: I. On 5th of July 2011 the Parliament of Georgia adopted a bill on changes to the Civil Code of Georgia (Attachment #1). There was expressed general discontent regarding adoption of a new law without any preliminary public discussions and consultations with the Georgian Patriarchate despite the Constitutional Agreement between the Church and the State of Georgia. The situation arose disturbance among the parish and the clergy. Considering the abovementioned, Holy Synod discussed and adopted hereby: 1. Considering the Constitution of Georgia and legal norms generally recognized by the international community, the...

( Ecumenical Patriarchate ) - The 2nd International Conference of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Pastoral Health Care will be held in Rhodes, Greece, between the 12th and 16th of October 2011. The conference is being organized, with the blessings of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, by the Network of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Pastoral Health Care. The theme of the Conference will be “Caring before the Gates of Death”. The presentations and workshops will focus on death from a medical, theological, philosophical, psychological and pastoral perspective. There will be a special emphasis on palliative care and the medical, psychological and spiritual care which is offered to those that suffer incurable diseases and who are in the last stage of their life. It is indeed a fact that the care which is offered to those that are before the “gate of death” is becoming even more complex and difficult. Because of this, there are many theoretical issues that must be ex...

H/T: Redeeming the Time MOSCOW ( NY Times ) — President Dmitri A. Medvedev has signed into law the first steps intended to restrict abortion since the collapse of communism, the latest salvo in what is beginning to resemble the fierce divide over abortion in the United States. The changes require abortion providers to devote 10 percent of any advertising to describing the dangers of abortion to a woman’s health, and they make it illegal to describe abortion as a safe medical procedure. Tighter restrictions on abortion may follow after Parliament considers a separate health bill in the autumn. The changes were passed by the upper house of Parliament this month as an amendment to the law governing advertising and were signed by Mr. Medvedev this week. A summary of the changes, which take effect within 30 days, was posted Thursday on the Kremlin’s Web site, which reproduces reams of documents on all of Mr. Medvedev’s legislative measures but highlights only some. The summary o...

The lie that we are told is that gay marriage will have no further implications than people being married. The world won't fall off its axis and spin into space, no one will start marrying their favorite pet, and no one of religious convictions will be forced to do anything. Recently the governor of California signed into law a requirement that children learn gay history. This is the way issues like this work: permission is given, laws are codified, "education" is provided, and then opposition is silenced through a series of anti-bigotry laws. ( Orthodoxy Today ) - “It is an outrage that Governor Jerry Brown has opened the classroom door for homosexual activists to indoctrinate the minds of California’s youth, since no factual materials would be allowed to be presented,” said Rev. Louis Sheldon, chairman and founder of Traditional Values Coalition (TVC). “By signing SB 48 today, California’s classrooms, textbooks and instructional materials will all become pro-homosexu...

Retired Bishop Nikolai (Soraich) of Alaska, recently of Serbian monasteries in Herzegovina and Australia, was recently rumored to be in consideration for the episcopate of the ACROD. This was met with unanimous outrage on the part of the clergy and laity. Here is a letter clarifying the diocesan position on Bp. Nikolai. Office of the Chancellor 312 Garfield St., Johnstown, Pa 15906 July 11, 2011 Glory to Jesus Christ! Reverend and dear Fathers: By now all of you have received an e-mail which has been circulating the last several days from an unknown source, self-titled “Concerned ACROD”. The Consistory wants you to be advised that the suggestive messaging in the anonymous e-mail that Bishop Nikolai Soraich may be a candidate for Bishop of this Diocese is untrue and unfounded. He has not been, and is not a candidate for the vacant Office of Bishop of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese. Bishop Nikolai has not been interviewed by our Consistory. Nor was he appr...