ARCHBISHOP HERMAN OF PHILADELPHIA ELECTED PRIMATE OF THE
ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA
ORLANDO, FL -- After two rounds of voting, the Holy Synod of
Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America elected His Eminence, Archbishop
Herman of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania as the new Metropolitan of the
Orthodox Church in America on July 22, 2002, the opening day of the Church's
13th All-American Council.
While His Grace, Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada
received the majority of votes on a second ballot -- no candidate received the
required two-thirds vote on the first ballot, necessitating a second vote --
the OCA Holy Synod of Bishops opted to elect Metropolitan Herman, who has a
wealth of experience on every level of the Church's life, according to the Very
Rev. John Matusiak, OCA Communications Director.
The election of the candidate receiving the second largest
number of votes is not uncommon," Father Matusiak explained. "At the
election of Metropolitan Theodosius 25 years ago, another candidate had
received the majority vote from the delegates. The same thing happened in the
early 1960s when the late Metropolitan Ireney was elected to the Primacy."
Metropolitan Herman succeeds His Beatitude, Metropolitan
Theodosius, as Primate of the Church. Earlier on the day of Metropolitan
Herman's election, Metropolitan Theodosius formally retired as the Church's
Primate, in light of health concerns due to a series of strokes he had suffered
over the past two years.
Metropolitan Herman, was born
Joseph Swaiko in Briarford, PA on February 1, 1932.
After completing his elementary and secondary education in
the West Deer Township PA school district, he enrolled in Robert Morris
College, Pittsburgh, where he received a degree in business administration and
secretarial science with honors.
Subsequently, he served in the
Adjutant General Corps of the US Army, being stationed in Labrador.
After his discharge from the military in 1959, he enrolled
in Saint Tikhon Orthodox Theological Seminary, South Canaan, PA, from which he
graduated in 1963. He was appointed personal secretary to His Grace, Bishop
Kiprian, who became Rector of the seminary in 1961.
Following his ordination to the Holy Diaconate In March 1964
and to the Holy Priesthood the following month, he served on the seminary
administration and as Instructor of Church Slavonic. He also served as Rector
of Saint John the Baptist Orthodox Church, Dundaff, PA and Saints Peter and
Paul Orthodox Church, Uniondale, PA. He became a member of the seminary
accreditation committee, and helped form the seminary's Board of Trustees, of
which he was a charter member and secretary-treasurer.
For many years he served as spiritual advisor to the
Anthracite District of the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America.
On December 4, 1970, he was tonsured to monastic rank and
given the name Herman, in honor of the recently glorified Saint Herman of
Alaska. On October 17, 1971, he was elevated to the rank of Igumen and named
Deputy Abbot of Saint Tikhon Monastery.
He was elected to the episcopate on October 19, 1972 and
elevated to the rank of Archimandrite three days later. He was consecrated to
the episcopacy at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre, PA on
February 10, 1973 with the title of Bishop of Wilkes-Barre, serving as an
auxiliary of the Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania.
Bishop Herman continued to reside at Saint Tikhon Monastery
and Seminary, where he continued to teach. In addition to his ministry within
the Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennyslvania, he served as Temporary
Administrator of the Diocese of the West in 1975 and Temporary Administrator of
the Diocese of New England in 1978. Following the death of Archbishop Kiprian,
he was elected Bishop of Philadelphia on March 17, 1981 and Rector of Saint
Tikhon Seminary the following May.
In 1994 he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop by the
Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America.
In addition to his service to the Diocese of Philadelphia
and Eastern Pennsylvania, Archbishop Herman has served the Orthodox Church in
America in a wide variety of capacities. He has served as chairman of the OCA
Department of Finance, vice-chairman of the Department of Missions; member of
the Board of Theological Education; vice-chairman of the Preconciliar
Commission; episcopal moderator for the Department of Stewardship; chairman of
the Pension Board; vice-chairman of the Office of Inter-Church Relations and
Ecumenical Witness; and member of the Lesser Synod of Bishops.
Metropolitan Herman has represented the OCA at numerous
events abroad, often traveling with Metropolitan Theodosius. He also
participated in the historic conference of North America's Orthodox Bishops in
Ligonier, PA in 1994.
On September 29, 1999, he was named acting treasurer of the
Orthodox Church in America, while he served as temporary administrator of the
Orthodox Church in America from May until September 2001, during Metropolitan
Theodosius' medical leave of absence. Most recently, he oversaw the process
leading to the full accreditation of Saint Tikhon Seminary.
Throughout his episcopacy, Metropolitan Herman has received
numerous awards and honors, including an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree
from Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin and an honorary Doctor of Business
Administration degree from his alma mater, Robert Morris College. In 1994 he
was awarded the Order of Saint Innocent Silver Class, the highest honor
bestowed by the Orthodox Church in America.
Following his election, Metropolitan Herman was formally
greeted as he Church's Primate by the other members of the Holy Synod of Bishops
and Council participants. He will be formally installed into office at Saint
Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, Washington, DC on September 7-8, 2002.
Click here for video of the election.
Click here for photos from the election.