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William C. Skurla was ordained to the episcopate and enthroned as the as third Bishop of Van Nuys on April 23, 2002, the feast of St George. The ordination was well attended by the faithful of the eparchy of Van Nuys. (My best estimate there were about 700 people in attendance). Bishops Andrew, Basil and George were the consecrators. Bishop Basil was the homilist, and Bishop Andrew, as the administrator of the Metropolia as well as Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, papal nuncio to the USA, enthroned Bishop William. Bishops from various jurisdiction were in attendance as well. Serving at the altar, I noticed most Latin bishops were chanting the Paschal troparion as well as other responses.

A number of Latin presbyters were quite in awed of the whole event, especially with the 3 professions of faith made by the Bishop-elect during vespers on Monday evening. They were taken aback with all the theology contained in the professions of faith. One presbyter remarked, "There's nothing like this in our Church, the episcopal consecration for our bishops pales in comparison".

May God grant his servant, our God-beloved Bishop William, many years!

Can someone post pictures or a link to them?

Could you elaborate a bit on this?


[QUOTE]Originally posted by bisantino:
[A number of Latin presbyters were quite in awed of the whole event, especially with the 3 professions of faith made by the Bishop-elect during vespers on Monday evening. They were taken aback with all the theology contained in the professions of faith. One presbyter remarked, "There's nothing like this in our Church, the episcopal consecration for our bishops pales in comparison".

Were there other Eastern Catholic Bishops and Orthodox Bishops/Priests in attendance?
Mnohaya Lita Fr Bishop William!
-ukrainiancatholic

bisantino

You said, "A number of Latin presbyters were quite in awed of the whole event, especially with the 3 professions of faith made by the Bishop-elect during vespers on Monday evening. They were taken aback with all the theology contained in the professions of faith. One presbyter remarked, "There's nothing like this in our Church, the episcopal consecration for our bishops pales in comparison"."

That is why I went to the Eastern Side of things!

God grant the new Bishop Many Years!

Congratulations to all the People of God at the Van Nuys Eparchy.

May God grant your new Bishop many years.

Then the Bishops cammand the Archpriest and the Proto-Deacon to summon him who is to receive consecration: and they, doing reverence and kissing the hands of the Bishops, take the candidate for consecration who is in the Sanctuary, clad in all the vestments of a Priest, and lead him ujpon the tail of the eagle, and he makes three reverences. The Proto-Deacon first leades the Bishop-elect, proclaiming and saying, in an audible voice, these things following:

The most God-Beloved, elect and confirmed Archimandrite (or Heiromonk, etc.) N., is led forth for consecration to the Bishopric of the God saved city N.

And to the Bishop-elect, holding in his hands the holy writings of the Orthodox faith, the Chief Bishop saith:
Wherefore art thou come; and what dost thou ask of our meekness?

The Bishop-elect maketh answer, saying:
The laying-on of hands, unto the grace of the Bishop's office, Most Reverend Sirs.

And the Bishop-elect recitieth, aloud: The Symbol of Faith (The Creed):

And when he hath said this, the Bishop blesseth him with the sign of the cross, and saith:

The grace of God the Father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, be with thee.

The Bishop-elect is then led to the middle of the eagle, the Proto-Deacon proclaiming his being led:

The most God-Beloved ...is led...


The Chief Bishop then saith:

Reveal unto us more particularly how thou believest concerning the properties of the three Persons of the ineffable Godhead, and concerning the Incarnation of the Person of the Son and Word of God

And the Bishop elect, readeth aloud:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; For he is without beginning, unbegotten, and without cause, but is himself the natural beginning and cause of the Son, and of the Spriti. And I believe in his Only-begotten Son, without mutation and without time begotten of him, being of one Essence with Him by whom all things were made. And I believe in the Holy Spriti, who proceedceth from the same Father, and with him is glorified as coeternal, being of one Essence with him, and equal in glory, and enthroned together with him, the Author of creation. I believe that one of the same super-substantial and life-giving Trinity, the Only-begottenWord, came down from heaven, for us men, and for our salvation, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, that is to say, was made perfect man, yet remaining God, and in nowise changing his divine essence by his participation in the flesth, neither being transmuted into anything else: but without mutation assuming man's nature, he therein endured suffereing and death, being fee in his divine nature from every suffering. And on the third day he rose again from the dead; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of his God and Father. And I believe those traditions and narrations concerning the one Catholic and Apostolic Church which we have received from God and the men of God. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Furthermore I confess the one Person, the Word made flesh; and I believe and proclaim that Christ is one and the same in tow natures after his incarnation, preserving those things which were in them and from them. Therefore, also, I adore two wills, in that each nature retaineth its own special will and its own action. I reverence, relatively, but not in the way of worship, the images divine and reverence-worthy of Christ himself, and of the all undefiled Mother of God, and of all the Saints, addressing to their originals the honour shown to them. I reject as ill-advised those who think otherwise. And I literally and truly confess our Sovereign Lady, Mary the Birth-giver of God, as having borne in the flesh one of the Trinity, even Christ our God. And may the same be my helper, protector, and defender all the days of my life. Amen

And immediately the Bishop saith, blessing in the form of a cross him who is receiving Consecration;

The grace of the Holy Spirit be with thee, enlightening, strengthening and endowing thee with wisdom all the days of thy life.

Then the Bishop-elect is led upon the head of the eagle, the Bishop saith to him;
Declare unto us, also, what thou thinkest concerning the Canons of the holy Apostles and the holy Fathers, and the traditions and regulations of the Church.

And the Bishop-elect replies:
In this my confession of the holy faith, I promise to observe the Canons of the holy Apostles, and of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, and of the pious Provincial Councils, the traditions of the Church, and the decress, orders and regulations of the Holy Fathers. And all things whatswever they have accepted I also accept; and whatswever things they have rejected those will I also reject.
I promise also to preserve the peace of the Church, and firmly to hold and zealously to teach the people entrusted to me, and not to devise anything whatsoever which is contrary to the Orthodox Catholic Christian faith of the East all the days of my life; and that I will, in all things, follow and always obey the Most Blessed Patriarch and the Most Holy Synod; and to be, in all things, of one mind with the Most Blessed Patri-Synod; and to be, in all things, of one mind with the Most Blessed Patriarch and with the Most Reverend Metropolitans, Archbishops, and Bishops, my brethren, and conjointly with them submissive to the divine law, and the sacred rules of the Holy Apostles and Holy FAthers; and with all sincerity to cherish towards them spiritual affection: and to regard them as brethren.
And I promise to rule the flock committed unot me in the fear of God and in devoutness of life, and with all diligeng heed to guard it against all heresies of doctrine.
And I also confess, in this my written profession of faith, that neither by the promise nor by the gift of gold or of silver am I come this ministry, but, on the contrary, I have received it by the election of the Most HOly Synod.
And herewith I promise also to do nothing through constraint, whether coerced by powerful persons, or by a multitude of the people, even though they should command me, under pain of death, to do something contrary to divine and holy laws: nor to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in another diocese than my own, nor to exercise any other priestly function without the permission of the Bishop of that diocese, and that I will not ordain either a Priest, or a Deacon, or any other eccleseiastic in another's dioces, nor receive such into my diocese without letters of dismissal from their own Bishops.
I will deal with the opponents of the Holy Church with reasonableness, uprightness and gentleness, according to the Apostle Paul; and the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, forbearing, in meaknessinstructing those who oppose themselves; if God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
I promise to visit and watch over the flock now confided to me, after the manner of the Apostles, whether they remain true to the faith, and in the exercise of good works, more especially the Priests; and to inspect with diligence, and to exhort and inhibit, that there may be no schisms, supersititions and impious veneration, and that no customs contrary to Christian piety and good morals may injure Christian conduct.
And all those things, my bounden duty, which I have this day promised in word, I also promise to perform in deed unto my uttermost breath, for the sake of the covenanted good things to come. And my God, who seeth the heart, be the witness to my vow. And may our Saviour himself be my helper, in my sincere and zealous government and my performance thereof; and unto Him, together with the FAther and the HOly Spriti, be glory and dominion, honour and worship, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(Hapgood translation)

Fr. Dcn. John

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

What a glorious day for our Eparchy! I am so happy Many Years to Bishop William; may his Episcopacy be blameless and may he lead us all into the absolute fulness of our Orthodox traditions and customs.

And May the Lord God remember all you Orthodox Christians in His Kingdom now and ever and forever! Amen!

I love you all.

In Christ,


Robert H.

Oh, and another thing I know you put the Isabel Hapgood translation of the rite of Ordination and Entronement for Bishops, but could someone put our Ruthenian Catholic text up; I know ours is a little different - in regard to our Bishop's Profession of Faith to the Holy Father and the Catholic Faith.

Thank you.

Eastern Catholic Bishops in attendance at Bishop William's ordination:

Ukranians
Metropolitan Stephen of Philadelphia, Bishop Basil and Bishop Robert.

Melkite
Bishop John Elya and Bishop Nicholas Samra.

Bishop John of the Slovak Eparchy of Toronto.

I did not see any clergy from the Orthodox jurisdictions.

[ 04-26-2002: Message edited by: bisantino ]

No bishops from the Syrian Catholic, Malabar Catholic, and/or Malankar Catholic Churches? I know this last Church doesn't have a bishop yet, but only an apostolic visitor, but the previous two have bishops...

[ 04-29-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

[ 04-25-2002: Message edited by: amonasticbeginner ]

[ 04-25-2002: Message edited by: amonasticbeginner ]

No Maronite Bishops attendes either, for that matter.

Michael

Episcopal Profession of Faith

The announcement is now made to the episcopal candidate by the archpriest in this way:

Archpriest: Most honorable Father William, the holy ecumenical pontiff, John Paul, Pope of Rome, blesses you to be the bishop of the God-saved Eparchy of Van Nuys.

The episcopal candidate replies:
Because the holy ecumenical pontiff, John Paul, the Pope of Rome has decreed me to execute this ministry, I give thanks and accept and say nothing to the contrary.

Consecrator: And how to you believe?

The episcopal candidate recites the first profession of faith:
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, the only-begotten, born of the Father before all ages. Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became man. He was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And He arose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. And He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, and of His kingdom there will be no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I profess one baptism for the remission of sins. I expect the ressurection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

And when he has said this, the consecrator blesses him with the sign of the cross and says:
Consecrator: The grace of God the Father, and of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, be with you. Reveal to us, in greater detail, how you confess the attributes of the three Hypostases of the incomprehensible Godhead?

The episcopal candidate, in a clear and audible voice, so that all may hear, reads the second confession of faith as follows:
I believe in One God in Three distinct Persons, Whom I name the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; I mean that They are "distinct" in Their Properties and Undivided in Essence, entirely Trinity and entirely Unity. Unity in Essence and Unity in Nature and Form; Trinity in Properties and Names. For the One is called "Father", the other "Son", and the other "Holy Spirit". The Father is Unbegotten and without Beginning: for He does not have His Being from anyone, but from Himself.
And I believe that the Father is the Principle of the Son and of the Spirit; of the Son by generation and of the Spirit by procession. For the Father begets the Son, and brings forth the Holy Spirit; the Son is begotten of the Father Himself, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and thus I preach One Principle, and I confess One Cause of the Son and the Spirit: the Father. And again I say that the Son is Beginning, infinite and transcending the limits of time, but not "beginning" in the sense of created things, as though He were first-created and having a primacy among the created. Let it not be! That is the absurdity of the Arian wickedness. For the abominable Arius blasphemously taught that the Son and the Holy Spirit were created. I say that the Son is a Principle, from the Father Who is without any beginning. And the Father is not seperated from the Son, nor is the Son from the Spirit, nor is the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, but the Father is entirely in the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the Son is entirely in the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is entirely in the Father and the Son: They are united in Their distinctiveness, and They are distinct in Their Unity.
And I confess that the Word of God, co-eternal with the Father, from befor all ages, incomprehensible and infinite, condescended to our nature, and received our fallen manhood from the holy and virginal blood of the one incorrupt and pure Virgin, that for the sake of His compassion He might bestow grace and salvation upon the whole world.
He suffered as God, I say, in the flesh, for it must be understood that the Godhead is never subject to suffering or passion. He died, therefore, accepting death for us, while His Godhead remained Immortal.
After His Resurrection from the dead, He ascended into the heavens, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. I do not mean a localized or limited right hand, but I speak of the Right Hand of God, Beginningless and Glory before all the ages; Glory which the Son had before He became Man. He is likewise worshipped in His Holy Flesh as in His Godhead, with the honorable adoration, yet not as if there had been an increment to the Holy Trinity: let it not be! For the Trinity remains the Trinity even after the union of the Only-Begotten; His Flesh remained inseperable, and remains with Him still, and will remain throughout the ages; with this Flesh He will come to judge the living and the dead, the righteous and the sinners. To the righteous He will give the reward of their good works and the Heavenly Kingdom, for the sake of which they labored here. But to sinners He will give eternal torment and the Gehenna of never-ending fire. May we all be granted to escape that torment and to inherit the eternal and incorruptible good things in Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

And immediately the consecrator blesses the episcopal candidate in the form of a cross and says:
Consecrator: The grace of the Holy Spirit be with you, enlightening, confirming and filling you with understanding, all the days of your life. Reveal to us, in greater detail how you confess the Incarnation of the Hypostatic Son and Word of God.

And the episcopal candidate immediately reads in a loud voice the third confession of faith as follows:
I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, without beginning, unbegotten and without Cause, the Essential Principle and Cause of the Son and of the Spirit. And I believe in His Only-Begotten Son, Begotten of Him outside of time and without change, One in Essence with Him through Whom all things were made. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the same Father, is glorified with the Father, co-eternal with the Father, One in Essence with the Father, Who is enthroned with the Father, Who is Equal in Glory with the Father as the Author of Creation.
I believe that One of the same Super-Essential and Life-Giving Trinity, the Only-Begotten Word, came down from the heavens for the sake of us men and for the sake of our salvation, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made Man: that is to say, He became Perfect Man, yet remaining God, and having changed nothing of the Divine Essence by His communion with the flesh, nor having been altered in any way, and having become Man without change, in His Manhood He endured suffering and death, although according to the Divine Nature He was free from all suffering. And on the third day He arose from the dead; having ascended into the heavens He is seated at the Right Hand of God the Father. In whatever concerns God and divine things, I believe the traditions and explanations of the One Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Furthermore, I confess the One Hypostasis of the Incarnate Word, and I believe and preach that in His Incarnation Christ remain s One and the Same in the Two Natures in Which and from Which He Is; therefore I worship Two Wills, because each Nature retains its own proper Will and its own proper Energy.
I bow down, with relative worship, but never with divine adoration, befor the sacred Icons worthy of veneration: the Icons of Christ Himself, and of the most pure Mother of God and of all the Saints, and I refer all the honor paid before the Icons to their Prototypes; I reject as estranged all those who thinks otherwise.
I anathematize Arius and all those who are of one mind with him and who share his ill-considered false opinion; likewise Macedonius and those with him, who are properly denominated "enemies of the Spirit"; I also anathematize and reject Nestorius and the other heresiarchs and those who agree with them, and I exclaim loudly, "To all the heretics. Anathema!"
I confess that our Lady, the Mother of God, Mary, actually and truly gave birth in the flesh to One of the Trinity, Christ our God; may She be to me a Helper, a Protectress, and a Defender all the days of my life. Amen.

And immediately the consecrator blesses the episcopal candidate in the form of a cross and says:
Consecrator: The grace of the Holy Spirit, through us, leads you forth, beloved of God, the priest William, elected Bishop of Van Nuys.

[ 04-25-2002: Message edited by: bisantino ]