Metropolitan Hilarion Kapral of New York and Eastern America (1948- ), installed officially in New York today.
Note: Thank you to Michael for alerting me to the new pics. Pray for this poor sinner.
New York/Moscow, 18 May 2008 (Interfax):
The Solemn Elevation of Metropolitan Hilarion Kapral of New York and Eastern America, the First Hierarch-elect of the ROCOR, to the full dignity of his office took place Sunday at the Cathedral of the Sign in New York City. Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney, Australia, and New Zealand was elected First Hierarch of the ROCOR on 12 May at a session of the Archbishops’ Council of the ROCOR in New York to succeed the late Metropolitan Laurus Skurla. On 14 May, the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate confirmed the decision of the ROCOR hierarchs.
According to the present practise of the Orthodox Church, a Solemn Elevation is celebrated when a new First Hierarch of a Local Church is installed. In the MP, only the patriarch and the First Hierarchs of the Autonomous Churches (the ROCOR is one of the latter) are installed with a Solemn Elevation. In the Local Churches that follow the Greek tradition, a Solemn Elevation is performed at the installation of every bishop.
Before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy Sunday in the Cathedral of the Sign in New York, two senior bishops of the ROCOR elevated the new metropolitan on the episcopal ambo (a small elevated platform in the centre of the nave) and they exclaimed, “Axios!” (Greek for “He is worthy!”) This exclamation was first repeated by the bishops and the clergy, and then the choir repeated it. Then, the clergy robed the newly-proclaimed First Hierarch in the centre of the nave, after which two clergymen brought the metropolitan his episcopal crown. The oldest hierarch of the ROCOR presented the staff to the metropolitan. This was a gift of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia, and New Zealand, and it was blessed upon the relics of Patriarch St Tikhon of Moscow the New Martyr.
The gramota (official confirmation) and the personal greetings of Patriarch Aleksei II were brought by Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, the head of the MP commission during the dialogue with the ROCOR. At the conclusion, the choir sang “Many Years” to the newly-installed First Hierarch of the ROCOR.
Patriarch Aleksei wished that God would bless the new head of the ROCOR in the performance of his coming duties. His Holiness also touched on the preparation for the forthcoming Archbishops’ Council of the MP, which the bishops of the ROCOR shall participate in for the first time, the official website of the MP reported. In addition, with the blessings of the patriarch, Archbishop Innokenty conferred the Order of St Sergei of Radonezh (second class) upon Metropolitan Hilarion. His Holiness granted this honour to Vladyki Hilarion on the occasion of his elevation to the post of First Hierarch, for his zealous service to the Church, and in celebration of Vladyki Hilarion’s 60th birthday.
In his reply to Archbishop Innokenty, the metropolitan emphasised the extraordinary importance of the reunification of the two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church that took place a year ago. He also noted that only the day before, on Saturday 17 May, the Archbishops’ Council of the ROCOR approved a new Prayer of Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the Unity Achieved, which is set to be read on the Ascension of Our Lord, the feast days of Grand Prince St Vladimir, Grand Princess St Olga, the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, and on the Day of Remembrance of All Saints that have Shone Forth in the Russian Land. This prayer shall replace the prayer previously said in all parishes of the ROCOR for the salvation of Russia.
Metropolitan Hilarion and Archbishop Innokenty then engaged in a lengthy, personal, and cordial discussion covering various aspects of church life in the ROCOR, how to strengthen and reinforce the spiritual connections between our Orthodox compatriots abroad and the homeland, and the developments in the practical relations between the dioceses and parishes of the ROCOR and the MP.
Interfax-Religion
http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=dujour&div=306 (in Russian)
