John (Bērziņš)
Encyclopedia
Bishop John is bishop
of Caracas
and South America
for the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR).
. He was fluent in ancient Greek and Latin
.
In 1982, he entered Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York
, and enrolled in Holy Trinity Seminary. He graduated from the seminary
in 1985.
He was tonsure
d to the mantle on 16 March 1985, by Archbishop Laurus (Shkurla)
of Syracuse and Holy Trinity and ordained
hierodeacon
on 12 April 1987, also by Archbishop Laurus.
From 1992-1996, he served as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land
. In 1994, he was awarded the gold pectoral cross
by Archbishop Laurus. From 2001-2005, he served again as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land.
In September 2005, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen
by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus. From 2005 to 2008, he ministered to Ss. Sergius and German of Valaam Community of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.
In May 2008, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR designated him as candidate for the Caracas cathedra.
Hegumen John was consecrated Bishop of Caracas on 21 June 2008, at the Old-Rite
Church of the Nativity in Erie, Pennsylvania
. Officiating at the consecration were Metropolitan Hilarion
of New York and Eastern America, Bishop Daniel of Erie, and Bishop Peter of Cleveland.
On 26 October 2010 he was appointed head of the Old-Rite
parishes of the ROCOR.
He speaks Russian, English, Latvian, Greek and Latin languages, and studying the Argentine dialect of Spanish
.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
for the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR).
Life
Pēteris Bērziņš was born on 16 March 1957 in Cooma, Australia, of Latvian Orthodox refugees, Leonid (1921–1996) and Margarita (b. 1924) Bērziņš, who were forced to leave their homeland during the Second World War. He grew up in Cooma and graduated with a philological degree from the Australian National UniversityAustralian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
. He was fluent in ancient Greek and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
.
In 1982, he entered Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York
Jordanville, New York
Jordanville is a hamlet in the town of Warren, Herkimer County, New York. Jordanville is in the northwest part of Warren, at the intersection of Routes 18 and 155. The community was settled before 1791.-Gelston Castle:...
, and enrolled in Holy Trinity Seminary. He graduated from the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in 1985.
He was tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
d to the mantle on 16 March 1985, by Archbishop Laurus (Shkurla)
Metropolitan Laurus
Metropolitan Laurus of New York was First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, the fifth cleric to hold that position...
of Syracuse and Holy Trinity and ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
hierodeacon
Hierodeacon
A Hierodeacon , sometimes translated "deacon-monk", in Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a monk who has been ordained a deacon...
on 12 April 1987, also by Archbishop Laurus.
From 1992-1996, he served as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. In 1994, he was awarded the gold pectoral cross
Pectoral cross
A pectoral cross or pectorale is a cross, usually relatively large, suspended from the neck by a cord or chain that reaches well down the chest. It is worn by the clergy as an indication of their position, and is different from the small crosses worn on necklaces by many Christians, which have no...
by Archbishop Laurus. From 2001-2005, he served again as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land.
In September 2005, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen
Hegumen
Hegumen, hegumenos, igumen, or ihumen is the title for the head of a monastery of the Eastern Orthodox Church or Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the one of abbot. The head of a convent of nuns is called hegumenia or ihumenia . The term means "the one who is in charge", "the leader" in...
by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus. From 2005 to 2008, he ministered to Ss. Sergius and German of Valaam Community of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.
In May 2008, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR designated him as candidate for the Caracas cathedra.
Hegumen John was consecrated Bishop of Caracas on 21 June 2008, at the Old-Rite
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
Church of the Nativity in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. Officiating at the consecration were Metropolitan Hilarion
Hilarion (Kapral)
Metropolitan Hilarion — bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia , Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First-Hierarch of ROCOR ; he is the first in its history First-Hierarch of ROCOR, approved by the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate...
of New York and Eastern America, Bishop Daniel of Erie, and Bishop Peter of Cleveland.
On 26 October 2010 he was appointed head of the Old-Rite
Edinoverie
Edinoverie is an arrangement between certain Russian Old Believer communities and the official Russian Orthodox State Church, whereby the communities are treated as a part of the normative Orthodox Church system, while maintaining their own traditional rites...
parishes of the ROCOR.
He speaks Russian, English, Latvian, Greek and Latin languages, and studying the Argentine dialect of Spanish
Rioplatense Spanish
Rioplatense Spanish or River Plate Spanish is a dialectal variant of the Spanish language spoken mainly in the areas in and around the Río de la Plata basin of Argentina and Uruguay, and also in Rio Grande do Sul, although features of the dialect are shared with the varieties of Spanish spoken...
.