The Very Reverend George D. Gallaro [archpitt.org], 67, has been appointed [goo.gl] the new Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi, the Italo-Albanian Byzantine eparchy that covers the Italian island of Sicily.

The Bishop-elect is a priest of the Melkite Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Newton, Massachusetts, serving on the faculty [bcs.edu] of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he teaches Canon Law, Ecumenism and Vatican Documents.

Born Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro [contessioto.blogspot.no] in Pozzallo in Sicily on January 16, 1948, he emigrated to the United States in 1968. Apart from graduate studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome and a brief stint on the staff of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, he has lived and worked continuously in America.

Axios!!

Rev. Dr. Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro is appointed Eparchial Bishop of Piana degli Albanesi (Palermo), Sicily. The bishop-elect served for decades in the United States at the Melkite Eparchial Seminary of Saint Gregory the Theologian (Newton Centre) and the Byzantine Metropolitan Seminary of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (Pittsburgh). Axios! Axios!! Axios!!!

This is what is interesting:

A man is born in Siciyl and educated in Italy, but later is ordained as a Latin Rite priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He is later incardinated in the Greek-Melkite Eparchy of Newton, Massachusetts and serves as the judicial vicar of the Byzantine Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Now he is named as the bishop of an Italo-Albanian Byzantine Church eparchy in Sicily. That’s three different canonical churches and serving four! (http://www.usccb.org/news/2015/15-053e.cfm)

He has also served as the judicial vicar for appeals of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

Many years,

Neil

Axios! Axios! Axios!

I've known Father George for somewhat more than 30 years. He is a wonderful priest, a very learned man, and has a great personality. I've no doubt that his appointment will be a great blessing to the Eparchy!

May God grant Bishop-Elect Giorgio many years in His service!!!

According to an email that I received, Father George is hoping to schedule his episcopal ordination in June - around the Feast of St. John the Baptist - possibly the weekend after it. It is anticipated that Bishop Nicholas (Samra) will be one of the co-consecrators.

Many years,

Neil

AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!
I wish Don Giorgio many blessed years!

At the 50th ordination anniversary for the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic ordination class of 1965 at the cathedral in Munhall last night, bishop-designate Fr. George Gallaro was honored and commemorated at the Divine Liturgy. Afterwards, at the reception, he spoke briefly and said he is to be ordained to the episcopate in Palermo on June 28.