A Week to Remember!

This past week,

the Orthodox Church in America elected a new Metropolitan,

our mission church in Baton Rouge celebrated her third patronal feastday,

and a child was Baptized!

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!

On Wednesday, November 12, 2008, His Grace, Bishop Jonah of Fort Worth was elected Archbishop of Washington and New York and Metropolitan of All America and Canada at the 15th All American Council meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For the past decade, our new Metropolitan served as igumen (abbot) of the monastery in Manton, California under the patronage of Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco. He was consecrated as Bishop of Fort Worth and auxiliary in the Diocese of the South on November 1, the Commemoration of Saint Raphael, and then elected as Metropolitan eleven days later. The Council received significant media coverage both by the Pittsburgh Gazette and by Ancient Faith Radio.

For a glimpse at the selection process of the new Metropolitan, the Pittsburgh Gazette has a well-produced video available by clicking here.

The news page on the OCA website includes links to several of Metropolitan Jonah's talks at the Council. To access those talks, go to the news story by clicking here, then scroll down to the end of the story. The links will take you to the audio files on the Ancient Faith Radio site.

Here in Baton Rouge, we were delighted to welcome Father Nikolay Miletkov as we marked our third patronal feastday, commemorating Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist. Throughout the weekend, over forty people participated in the various services including a Baptism, Great Vespers, and Divine Liturgy.

On Saturday, we were honored with a visit by Father Philip Rogers, pastor of Archangel Gabriel Antiochian Orthodox Church in Lafayette, Louisiana. Father Philip was a seminary classmate of Father Nikolay and graciously concelebrated at the Saturday services. The Mystery of Holy Baptism was celebrated for the child Valentina, daughter of Evgeniya and James. This was our first Baptism! Glory to God!

Many Years to our new Metropolitan! Eis polla eti, Despota!

Many Years to the Orthodox Mission in Baton Rouge!

Many Years to the newly illumined handmaiden, Valentina!

God Grant you Many, Many Years!