Rejoice O Father Raphael, adornment of the Holy Church!
Photo courtesy of Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
On July 18th, 2024, the holy relics of Saint Raphael of Brooklyn were translated from his grave at the Antiochian Village to Saint Ignatius Chapel. His Eminence Metropolitan SABA, along with Their Graces Bishop NICHOLAS of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast, Bishop THOMAS of the Diocese of Charleston and Oakland, and Bishop JOHN of the Diocese of Worcester and New England were all in attendance. Many clergy, staff, laypeople, and Village campers were also present for this blessed event.
Canonized in March 2000, Our Holy Father Raphael Hawaweeny, dubbed the Shepherd of the Lost Sheep of America, became the first Orthodox bishop consecrated on American soil in 1904, overseeing the Syro-Arab Orthodox Mission and establishing many Orthodox Churches across North America. He published various religious texts in Arabic to support worship and education and was instrumental in fostering unity among diverse Orthodox communities. Saint Raphael’s tireless travels, pastoral care, and dedication to his flock helped establish a strong Orthodox presence in America, leaving a lasting legacy until his repose in 1915.
In 1988, Saint Raphael was buried at the grounds of the Antiochian Village Camp in Bolivar, Pennsylvania, where a shrine was erected at his gravesite. For over 30 years, campers, staff, alumni, and guests of the Village were able to venerate his grave, becoming a major site for pilgrimage. Now, with the blessing and oversight of Metropolitan SABA, his relics have been relocated to Saint Ignatius Chapel, where they will be enshrined for the faithful to venerate. His July 18th feast day not only commemorates this momentous occasion, but also ensures that his legacy will continue to inspire and guide future generations of Orthodox Christians in North America.
Campers and staff gathered around the grave and witnessed the exhumation firsthand, participating reverently. Along with his bodily relics, His Eminence as well as the clergy carefully retrieved Saint Raphael’s miter (his Bishop’s Crown), a gold cross chain inscribed with the initials “ARH” (Archimandrite Raphael Hawaweeny), as well as various pieces of his vestments. The process was indeed difficult as water and dirt had flooded the cement vault, ruining the original casket that housed Saint Raphael’s body as well as the other boxes containing the relics and remains of other Bishops and Clergy consecrated in North America.
After the clergy had thoroughly washed his bones and relics, His Eminence led everyone present in a procession carrying a tray of Saint Raphael’s bones from the cemetery to Saint Ignatius Chapel where a new reliquary is currently planned to be built for the faithful to venerate his relics more easily.
The continued veneration of Saint Raphael at the Antiochian Village ensures that his legacy of pastoral care, spiritual leadership, and dedication to the Orthodox mission in America will remain a living and physical presence among the faithful.
Read more about the event at the Antiochian website: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2114
The archdiocese has provided a video to document the momentous occasion at the following link: https://www.antiochian.org/videonews/2129
For more information on the life of Saint Raphael, read his full story provided by the Antiochian Village camp here: https://avcamp.org/liturgical-resources/patron-saints/st-raphael/
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