Metropolitan Constantine celebrates 30th anniversary of consecration as bishop (06/30/02)

Metropolitan Constantine celebrates 30th anniversary of consecration as bishop

RFE/RL Newsline
UOC-U.S.A.

PARMA, Ohio - Metropolitan Constantine stood in the presence of the Lord in St. Vladimir Cathedral in Philadelphia on May 7, 1972, and embarked on a long spiritual journey as a bishop of our Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. He had already made his promises to God to uphold the canon law of the Church, to preserve the peace of the Church, to teach the faithful entrusted to his spiritual care, to rule the flock committed to him in the fear of God and devoutness of life, and to guard it against all heresy, to do nothing under pressure from the powerful or the multitude that is contrary to the teachings of our Lord and the Holy Fathers, to be gentle in dealing with those who oppose the Holy Church, and to visit and watch over the flock entrusted to him.

At the moment of consecration he heard the prayer: "The divine grace, which always heals that which is infirm and completes that which is lacking, through the laying-on of hands elevates you, the Most Rev. Archimandrite Constantine, duly elected as bishop of Christ's Holy Church."

Thirty years later on May 18, hundreds of faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., and representatives of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Byzantine Catholic Church, Carpatho-Russian Church, and the Ukrainian government gathered for the jubilee divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in St. Volodymyr Cathedral in Parma, Ohio.

A long procession of children and the clergy preceded Metropolitan Constantine, Archbishops Antony and Vsevolod, and the guest hierarchs to the doors of the cathedral. With great joy, the president of the parish executive board, Geofry Greenleaf and the pastor of the cathedral parish, the Rev. John Nakonachny, and assistant pastor the Rev. Ivan Mironko, greeted Metropolitan Constantine and the other hierarchs, asking the Lord to enable these bishops to continue to serve His holy vineyard in love and under the continuing guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In the presence of over 40 clergy, the hierarchs concelebrated the divine liturgy and partook of the Eucharist. The epistle reading was chanted in two languages by the youth representatives of the Parma parish: Andrea Komichak and Ryan Sirna. During his sermon, Archbishop Vsevolod greeted the metropolitan on behalf of the faithful of the UOC of U.S.A. and spoke on the role of a spiritual leader.

Archbishop Antony began the program during the agape meal that followed divine liturgy. The metropolitan was greeted by the various individuals and representatives of Church organizations: Bishop Moskal of the Parma Diocese of the Ukrainian Catholic Church; Metropolitan Basil Shott of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolia; the Rev. William Makarenko, president of the consistory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and representative of Metropolitan Wasyly; the Rev. Myron Zudor, representative of the Carpatho-Russian Metropolia and of Metropolitan Nicholas; representatives of the Ukrainian government, Counsel General Valentyn Nalyvajchenko and Vice-Ambassador to the U.S. Volodymyr Yatsenkivskyi from Washington, who represented the ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Kostyantyn Gryshchenko; Helen Greenleaf, vice-president of the Senior UOL; John Meschisen, president of the Junior UOL; Deacon Dr. Ihor Mahlay representing St. Andrew's Society; and Halyna Holosniczenko, president of St. Olga Sisterhood in Parma.

Among the greetings received and read were those from: Nadia Mirchuk, president of the United Ukrainian Orthodox Sisterhoods; Maria Konyk, president of St. Andrew's Memorial Church Sisterhood; and from Consul General from Ukraine to Chicago, Borys Bazylevskyi.

Oleh Mahlay, director of the Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble, performed several moving selections in honor of Metropolitan Constantine, which delighted and touched all the guests present.

Throughout these 30 years the metropolitan has heeded the words of the consecration prayers and commands, and has stood unashamed before the throne of God, preaching His Gospel and seeking to perfect the souls of the faithful of the UOC-U.S.A . It has not been an easy spiritual journey and has been laden with difficulty and the burdens of living in a non-Orthodox and very secular society, but Metropolitan Constantine has remained faithful to the Lord and has given his best in service to all - in the name of the Lord. His love of the young within the ranks of our faithful has always been evident, especially during his visits to retreats, UOL conventions, teenage conference and church school encampments and parishes.

The day of spiritual joy ended as it began - with prayer - for Metropolitan Constantine, for all the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. and in Ukraine, the American and Ukrainian governments, and for all of the faithful of Christ's church in the diaspora and in Ukraine.

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