|
|
|
Published by the
Orthodox Church in
America, May 27, 2005
Holy Synod
elects Bishop Tikhon of South Canaan ruling
hierarch of the Diocese of Philadelphia and
Eastern Pennsylvania |
 |
 |
 SOUTH
CANAAN, PA [OCA Communications]
— At a special session of the Holy Synod of
Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America held at
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery here Friday, May
27, 2005,
His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of South Canaan and
auxiliary to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman,
was elected Bishop of the Philadelphia and Eastern
Pennsylvania.
Bishop Tikhon’s election followed a special
assembly of the
Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvana
held at the monastery two days earlier, during
which he was nominated to the vacant episcopal see
by parish clergy and lay delegates.
Metropolitan Herman, who chaired the Holy Synod’s
special session, had headed the Eastern
Pennsylvania diocese for over two decades. He
continued to oversee its life after his election
as OCA Primate in July 2002. The see was declared
vacant at the Holy Synod’s spring 2005 session, at
which it was announced that Metropolitan Herman
would assume duties as ruling bishop of the newly
formed Diocese of Washington and New York on May
1.
Bishop Tikhon was born in Boston, MA on July 15,
1966, the son of Francis and Elizabeth Mollard.
After brief periods living in Connecticut, France,
and Missouri, he and his family settled in
Reading, PA, where he graduated from Wyomissing
High School in 1984. In 1988 he received a
Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Sociology
from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA,
after which he moved to Chicago.
In 1989 he was received into the Orthodox Faith
from Episcopalianism and, in the fall of the same
year, he began studies at Saint Tikhon’s Seminary.
The following year he entered Saint Tikhon’s
Monastery as a novice.
After receiving his Master of Divinity degree from
Saint Tikhon’s Seminary in 1993, he was appointed
instructor in Old Testament at the seminary. He
subsequently served as senior lecturer in Old
Testament and taught master level courses in the
prophets, the psalms, and wisdom literature. He
also served as an instructor in the seminary's
extension studies program, offering a number of
courses related to the Old Testament.
Archimandrite Tikhon collaborated with Igumen
Alexander [Golitzin] in the publication of The
Living Witness of the Holy Mountain, published by
Saint Tikhon’s Seminary Press, by illustrating
this classic book about Mount Athos.
In 1995 he was tonsured to the lesser schema and
given the name Tikhon, in honor of Saint Tikhon,
Enlightener of North America and Patriarch of
Moscow. Later that year he was ordained to the
holy diaconate and priesthood at Saint Tikhon’s
Monastery. In 1998 he was elevated to the rank of
igumen, and in 2000 to the rank of archimandrite.
In December 2002, he was appointed by Metropolitan
Herman to serve as the monastery’s deputy abbot.
Archimandrite Tikhon was elected to the episcopacy
by members of the Holy Synod of Bishops at their
October 2003 session. His consecration was
celebrated on February 14, 2004 at Saint Tikhon’s
Monastery.
Additional information concerning Bishop Tikhon’s
installation, as well as further information on
the special session of the Holy Synod, will be
posted on the OCA web site at www.oca.org.
|
