Paris, June 29, 2020
L to R: Abp. Nestor, newly-consecrated Bp. Elisée, Met. John of Dubna, Met. Anthony, newly-consecrated Bp. Syméon. Photo: cerkov-ru.com
The Archdiocese of Russian Churches of Western Europe, which recently reunited with its Mother Russian Orthodox Church, continues to enjoy the fruits of this historic reunion.
Over the weekend, two new vicar bishops were consecrated for the Archdiocese to assist His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna, who was elevated to the dignity of metropolitan at the service of reunion with the Moscow Patriarchate.
Previously under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Archdiocese was not allowed to elect and consecrate new bishops to assist the aging then-Archbishop John, who pointed to this as one of the issues guiding the Archdiocese towards the Moscow Patriarchate.
The reunion of the Archdiocese with the Russian Church was formally celebrated at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow on November 3, and already on January 24, the Archdiocesan General Assembly elected Archimandrite Syméon (Cossec), the abbot of the Monastery of St. Silouan in Saint-Mars-de-Locquenay, France, and Igumen Elisée (Germain), the rector of the parish of the Holy Trinity in the crypt of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris, as their new vicar bishops. Both hierarchs were then confirmed by the Holy Synod in March.
On Friday, June 26, at the end of the evening service at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris, Met. John led the formal rite of nomination for Bishops-elect Syméon and Elisée, reports the Korsun Diocese of the Russian Church.
Met. John expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for his care and concern for the fate of the Archdiocese and to other hierarchs of the Russian Church who were present at the service. After the dismissal, Frs. Syméon and Elisée also addressed Met. John and the other hierarchs who were present.
Watch the full service of Vespers with the rite of nomination:
The next day, Met. John celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and led the rite of consecration of Archimandrite Syméon as Bishop of Domodedovo, vicar of the Archdiocese of Russian Churches of Western Europe.
Met. John was concelebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Korsun, Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, His Eminence Archbishop Nestor of Madrid and Lisbon, His Grace Bishop Marc of Neamț, the vicar of the Western and Central European Metropolia of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bishop-elect Elisée, and a number of local clergymen.
Newly-consecrated Bp. Syméon. Photo: cerkov-ru.com
At the end of the service, Met. John spoke to the newly-consecrated Bishop Syméon about the high service to which he has been called and handed him his bishop’s staff, and Bp. Syméon in turn offered his first archpastoral blessing and received congratulations from those present.
Watch the full Liturgy with the consecration:
The next day, Bishop-elect Elisée was consecrated as Bishop of Reutov, vicar of the Archdiocese of Russian Churches of Western Europe, during the Divine Liturgy at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
The service was led by Met. John, with the concelebration of Met. Anthony of Korsun, Abp. Nestor of Madrid, the newly-consecrated Bp. Syméon of Domodedovo, and a number of local clerics.
Newly-consecrated Bp. Elisée. Photo: cerkov-ru.com
At the end of the service, Met. John offered an encouraging word to the newly-consecrated Bp. Elisée and handed him his bishop’s staff, and Bp. Elisée offered his first archpastoral blessing and received congratulations from those present.
Watch the full Liturgy with the consecration:
