His Eminence, the Most Reverend Nikon, Archbishop of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese (Orthodox Church in America), fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, September 1, 2019 in Southbridge, MA.
Born to a pious Orthodox family in 1945 in New York, Archbishop Nikon graduated from St. Vladimir’s Seminary in 1966. He was ordained to the diaconate on July 5, 1969, and to the priesthood the following day, July 6. His Eminence served at St. Nicholas Church, Southbridge, MA, and St. Thomas Church, Farmington Hills, MI.
On Friday and Saturday, May 24 and 25, 2002, Archbishop Nikon was consecrated Bishop of Baltimore and Auxiliary to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius in conjunction with the annual Memorial Day Weekend pilgrimage to St. Tikhon Monastery.
Archbishop Nikon was nominated as Bishop of Boston at the Albanian Archdiocesan Assembly on October 10, 2003, and the Holy Synod elected him as Bishop of Boston on October 22, 2003. He served as administrator of the Diocese of New England and was elected ruling bishop during the fall session of the Holy Synod in October 2005. He was installed with the title Bishop of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Boston, MA on December 16 and 17, 2005. In addition to his archpastoral leadership of his own dioceses, he served as locum tenens of the Diocese of the South from February 2011 until March 2015.
Archbishop Nikon was elevated to the rank of Archbishop on May 9, 2012.
The Trisagion of Repose for His Eminence will be celebrated at St. George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral, 523 East Broadway, South Boston, MA, on Wednesday, September 4, at 7 p.m., with Calling Hours from 4 to 8 p.m. On Thursday, September 5, the Funeral Service for a Hierarch will be celebrated at Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral, 165 Park Drive, Boston, MA, at 6:30 p.m. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Friday, September 6, by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, at 9:30 a.m. with the Trisagion for the Departed immediately following.
May Archbishop Nikon’s memory be eternal!
This article has been reprinted from OCA.org.
