Brand-New Old Friends

The "laying on of hands" of the other bishops.

The trip to Washington D.C. was primarily planned to attend the ordination, as a bishop, of our spiritual father, Father Alexis. The date for the ordination was set to be the day after the national March for Life, a demonstration for the sanctity of all human life. There was an Orthodox Christian delegation there, which I attempted to join; if you have not read why I did not make it, you will have to read the story told by Ioann.

The ordination was beautiful. There were many of us present who have been the recipients of (now) Bishop Alexis's loving and pastoral care. The bishop is the chief pastor, the shepherd of the sheep, and it is the people's job in any ordination to respond "axios!", or "he's worthy", and we wanted to share our whole-hearted confirmation of his worthiness as a pastor of the Church...though that means we have to give him up, at least a little bit, to the time requirements of his new responsibilities.

Some gave up far more than we did. More than 20 years ago, after being made a monk here at St. Tikhon's Monastery (across the street) and teaching at the seminary, he moved to a monastery in Greece where he has been ever since. We had the opportunity to meet and talk with several of his spiritual children from Greece, who also came, like us, to "confirm" his worthiness.

Some of his spiritual children (left background)
looking on as he is vested for the first
time (by a classmate of mine).

This new role required him to move back home to the United States and away from them in Greece. Their faces betrayed the mixture of joy and sorrow they feel. My Greek was far worse than their English, but we talked long of the spiritual life, the guidance we have received, the healing we have found.

It was one of those rare times that you find brand-new old friends, that you have a chance to stop the daily bustle and touch the soul of another human. You come out feeling more human yourself, somehow. That is communion.