Diocese of New York-New Jersey - Archimandrite Michael consecrated as Bishop of New York and New Jersey

An Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

On Saturday, May 8, over 1000 faithful including nine bishops, a 125 clergy, and 100 seminarians and their families gathered at Saints Peter and Paul Church, Jersey City, New Jersey and celebrated the consecration of its new hierarch, His Grace, MICHAEL as the Bishop of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey.

The consecrating hierarchs included His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Archbishop Nathaniel, Archbishop Seraphim, Bishop Nikon, Bishop Tikhon, Bishop Benjamin, Bishop Melchisedek, and hierarchs of the Antiochian Archdiocese, Bishop Mark and Bishop Thomas.

In keeping to a tradition the newly consecrated Bishop Michael in turn ordained to students of St. Tikhon’s Seminary: to the priesthood, Father Danial Doss and to the diaconate Thaddeus Franta.

A banquet with over 600 attendees followed with a program consisting of reflections and congratulations given by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, His Grace, Bishop Tikhon, a seminary classmate of Bishop Michael, Archimandrite Matthias Moriak, Priest John Weir, who represented the St. Tikhon’s Seminary Students, and Protodeacon Peter Skoog, who had served with Bishop Michael when he was a parish priest.

Bishop Michael, humbled and grateful, announced that with the gifts he is receiving in an endeavor the revitalize parishes; he is creating a fund to supplement the priests’ salaries. He said his work as bishop and this day, is not about me; it is about the church.

On Sunday, May 9, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Beatitude at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral, and Bishop Michael was enthroned and given his archpastoral staff. Archbishop Nathaniel, Archbishop Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA, Bishop Melchisedek, Bishop Mark of Toledo, Bishop Seraphim , Former Bishop of Sendai, and fifteen priests and six deacons joined the celebration. During the Liturgy, Bishop Michael ordained Seminarian John Dimantis as deacon. A reception followed at the cathedral center.

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