Clergy and faithful from parishes across the Diocese of the West in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) congregated at Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, CA, for the consecration of Bishop-Elect Daniel (Brum) during the Hierarchical Liturgy. The new Bishop of Santa Rosa will serve as Auxiliary to His Eminence The Most Reverend Benjamin, archbishop of San Francisco and the West. His Beatitude The Most Blessed Tikhon, archbishop of Washington, and metropolitan of All America and Canada (OCA), presided, and six other hierarchs concelebrated.
Bishop-Elect Daniel was canonically elected by members of the OCA's Holy Synod of Bishops on October 21, 2014. On the eve of the consecration, the hierarchs celebrated the Rite of Nomination of the Bishop, after which Bishop-Elect Daniel gave an acceptance speech and then served Great Vespers for the feast of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg.
Seminary Chancellor/CEO, The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, and The Very Rev. Dr. Alexander Rentel, assistant professor of Canon Law and Byzantine Studies, represented St. Vladimir's at the consecration, along with many alumni and friends of the Seminary who live within the Diocese of the West. Father Alexander and Bishop Daniel serve together as canonical consultants for the OCA's Statute Revision Task Force; the newly-consecrated bishop received his degree in Canon Law (JCL) from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., in 1995.
"I've known Bishop Daniel for a number of years now," reflected Fr. Alex, "working with him on any number of projects, most recently the revision of the OCA Statute. I was honored to represent the seminary at his ordination, but also to be there as his friend."
At the conclusion of the Hierarchical Liturgy, Metropolitan Tikhon offered words of exhortation to Bishop Daniel. His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk, administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, also greeted the newly consecrated Bishop and presented him with an icon of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk.
