Archimandrite
Irineu consecrated Bishop of Dearborn Heights
auxiliary
to OCA Romanian Episcopate
SOUTHFIELD, MI [OCA Communications]
-- His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman presided at the consecration of
Archimandrite Irineu [Duvlea] to the episcopacy at Saint George Cathedral here
November 1-2, 2002.
Archimandrite Irineu was nominated to
the episcopacy by delegates to the Church Congress of the Orthodox Church in
America’s Romanian Episcopate at Vatra
Romaneasca, the Episcopate's headquarters, on June 28, 2002. His nomination was
subsequently forwarded to the Holy Synod of Bishops, which canonically elected
him to the episcopacy at a special session held during the 13th All-American
Council at the end of July. Bishop Irineu will serve as Auxiliary to His
Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate with the
title of Bishop of Dearborn Heights.
The consecration weekend began at Saint
George Cathedral, Southfield, MI, on Friday evening, November 1, with the
celebration of a Memorial Service for the late Bishop Policarp and Archbishop
Valerian, both of whom guided the Episcopate during its early years. During the
Vesper service which followed, the Proclamation of Archimandrite Irineu’s
election was announced. Standing before Metropolitan Herman and the other
consecrating hierarchs, Archimandrite Irineu offered his Declaration of
Acceptance. A reception followed the service in the cathedral cultural center.
On Saturday, November 2, Matins was
celebrated at the cathedral at 8:00 a.m., after which Metropolitan Herman,
Archbishop Nathaniel, and the other co-consecrators entered the cathedral for
the consecration Liturgy, prior to which Bishop-elect Irineu made his
Profession of Faith in the presence of the hierarchs and faithful.
At the conclusion of the consecration
Liturgy, Metropolitan Herman presented Bishop Irineu with the archpastoral
staff.
"In accepting this staff -- a
shepherd's staff -- may you also accept the call to imitate the one True
Shepherd," Metropolitan Herman told Bishop Irineu. "I exhort you to
carry this staff with confidence -- with confidence that the Lord Himself will
guide you. I also encourage you to carry it with humility and with the
awareness that all that you may accomplish will only be accomplished by the
mercy and blessing of the Lord Himself. Serve God's people with love and
generosity -- love and care for all who come to you in need with the love of
Christ Himself."
A banquet followed the consecration
Liturgy at Saint John Armenian Cultural Center, Southfield, MI, after which
Vespers was celebrated at the Descent of the Holy Spirit Church, Warren, MI.
"Today is a joyous day for the
Orthodox Church in America," Metropolitan Herman said in his banquet
remarks. "Most especially, it is an important, historic, and joyous day
for the Romanian Episcopate, an integral part of the Orthodox Church in
America, as it receives a new bishop to assist His Eminence, Archbishop
Nathaniel, in continuing to work for the building up of Christ's Holy Church.
The Lord has blessed us today for, through the laying-on-of-hands, the Holy
Spirit has given the Church a new archpastor."
"Our coming together for this celebration
is truly the fruit of our love and obedience to the All-Holy Spirit who makes
present here and now the living Body of Christ," Metropolitan Herman
continued. "Our prayers for His Grace, Bishop Irineu and for those he will
serve as bishop affirm our oneness in the saving truth of the Gospel. This
morning's concelebration of the Banquet of Immortality has confirmed our unity
in the undivided Christ who is the very expression-the very incarnation-of
divine love and reconciliation."
During the 1990s, the Romanian
Episcopate experienced explosive growth with the arrival of thousands of new
immigrants from Romania," according to the Very Rev. John Matusiak, OCA
Communications Director. "Dozens of new parishes and missions have been
organized, and in 1999, the Episcopate Congress recommended that Archbishop
Nathaniel explore the possibility of electing an auxiliary bishop to assist him
in his archpastoral duties."
Concelebrating
with Metropolitan Herman and Archbishop Nathaniel at the consecration Liturgy
were His Eminence, Archbishop Kyrill of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania
[OCA]; His Eminence, Metropolitan Christopher of Midwestern America of the
Serbian Orthodox Church; His Eminence, Archbishop Nicolae of the Romanian
Orthodox Archdiocese in America and Canada; His Grace, Bishop Seraphim of
Ottawa and Canada; His Grace, Bishop Demetri, Auxiliary of the Antiochian
Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; and His Grace, Bishop Nikon of
Baltimore, Auxiliary to Metropolitan Herman.
On
Sunday morning, November 3, Bishop Irineu celebrated his first hierarchal
Divine Liturgy at Saints Peter and Paul Church, Dearborn Heights, MI.