On the morning of August 6, 2023, the feast of the Transfiguration was celebrated in the homonymous Greek Orthodox Church in Corona, New York, with a Liturgy led by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America together with His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos, General Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese of America, Archimandrite of Ecumenical Throne Charalampius Nichev, serving the Bulgarian-speaking community in Constantinople (Istanbul) and other clergy.
A prayerful participation from the altar by the Bishop-Elect of Stobi, Archimandrite Dionysius Mishev from the Bulgarian Patriarchate, who is always visiting the USA.
„I want to welcome a significant hierarch from the Bulgarian Patriarchate, His Grace Mr. Dionysius, who has been elected bishop, more precisely, as we say in church language, voted for bishop, and after some time his episcopal ordination will also take place.
Also with us is Father Charalampius from Constantinople, Archimandrite of Ecumenical Throne, responsible for the Bulgarian-speaking Orthodox community in Constantinople.
Father Charalampius is half Bulgarian, half Ukrainian. Right? Am I saying it right? (Father Charalampius nods that it is so. – Note ed.) And so. The Ecumenical Patriarch chose him and put him in charge of the Bulgarian-speaking Orthodox community in Constantinople.
In Constantinople itself, we also have a Bulgarian-speaking Orthodox community. We also have a person in charge who takes care of her. And this is Father Charalampius.
And so. The two came together – Father Charalampius and His Grace Mr. Dionysius. Their presence brought brilliance to our Divine Liturgy.
Why doesn’t Mr. Dionysius serve? Because according to church order, from the moment you are elected (voted) until the moment of your ordination, you cannot serve. Because you are neither a priest nor a bishop in this period. Therefore (the Most Reverend Mr. Dionysius) sat with us at the altar and took part in the service. Welcome, brother.’
Archimandrite Charalampius said in Greek: „Allow me, Your Eminence, to make the translation from Bulgarian to Greek.“
Archbishop Elpidophoros: „How many people understand Bulgarian here?“ Nobody.” (Laughs) “Then you’d better translate.”
In response, the elected Bishop of Stobia, Archimandrite Dionysius, addressed Archbishop Elpidophoros with the following:
„Your Eminence, thank you very much for giving us, together with Archimandrite of Ecumenical Throne Mr. Charalampius, the opportunity to be pilgrims here on Tabor.
But we are also here on another occasion, which I am absolutely convinced will be thoroughly discussed with you tomorrow. Because ten months ago, His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I encouraged an activity for rapprochement with the first-born daughter church of the Mother Church – the Bulgarian one. And if you will, in the presence of all this Orthodox Christian (inaudible; probably says „congregation“, „flock“, or something like that – ed.), I would say the following.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the first child of the Mother Church in Constantinople, but as it is no secret, not only in relation to the Church, everything that happened in our country and in our society for the last 80 years was under the influence first of all of the Soviet Union, then to the Russian Federation.
There was no government in Bulgaria for two and a half years. Now a government is formed. And thanks to the officers of the Government of the United States of America in Bulgaria and in Turkey, the Bulgarian Government also occupies a country which suits you not only as Archbishop of America, but also primarily as Hypertimos and Exarch of the two oceans—not only of the Pacific, but also the Atlantic, because we are all currently in the North Atlantic Alliance, NATO.
Thanks to Patriarch Bartholomew, rapprochement with the bishops of the Great Church of Christ is a fact, first with the visit of the Bulgarian Metropolitan for Western and Central Europe Antony, and with the visit of your fellow Metropolitan Elder Emmanuel of Chalcedon in Bulgaria a few months ago. And because the glory of God, which is manifested today at Tabor, is predominantly in the hearts of those who are victims of the war in Ukraine.
With gratitude, not on behalf of the Bulgarian Church, but of Bulgarian society, and thank you very much for your personal commitment so that the Bulgarian Church fulfills the canonical justice and soon becomes the first Slavic-speaking church to recognize the autocephaly that only the Ecumenical Patriarch has the right to to provide.
All of us Orthodox Christians have a prophet as our Ecumenical Patriarch. Because imagine if today in Ukraine there was no one to give comfort to all those who are widows and orphans. But also an ideologue of the autocephaly of the Church in Ukraine, I would say that it is you, Your Eminence, since 2008, with a book, which we hope will soon be translated and presented in the Republic of Bulgaria.
And since I am here with the blessing of the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte, for the transformation of the relationship between the Mother Church and her first-born daughter, I think it is most suitable for Your Eminence precisely on today’s Engolpion feast with the icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Thank you very much.“
An embrace followed between Archbishop Elpidophoros and the Bishop-Elect Dionysius of Stobi.
Also, below is the official invitation previously sent by the Archbishop of America to Archimandrite Dionysius to visit the United States and specifically New York:
July 11, 2023
His Grace Bishop-elect Dionysius of Stobi (Legal Name: Dionisiy Boykov Mishev) Bulgarian Passport Number: …………..
I greet you warmly in the grace and peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It is with particular joy that I extend this letter of invitation to you to visit New York City next month, August 3-8, 2023, as an esteemed guest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
Kindly know that I will be most pleased to receive you for an audience at our Archdiocesan headquarters here in Manhattan on August 4, where we will have the opportunity to discuss in person various matters of mutual eccesial interest. It will be my pleasure to host you personally for lunch and dinner during your stay in New York and to invite you as well to join me for the celebration of Matins and the Divine Liturgy on the feast of our Lord’s Tranfiguration at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration in Corona, New York, on Sunday, August 6.
At your convenience, I kindly request that you please inform me of your travel itinerary, so that the Archdiocese can make the necessary arrangements concerning your transportation and lodging accommodations for the duration of your stay in New York City.
Wishing you safe travels and a blessed continuation to the summer, I convey to you my warm brotherly greetings and heartfelt prayers, and remain in joyous anticipation of Your Grace’s forthcoming visit to the United States of America.
