ST. RAPHAEL OF BROOKLYN: APOSTLE TO THE NEW WORLD (FEB 28TH)

Byzantine Icon of America’s First “Home-Grown” Orthodox Bishop 

Edited by Bp. Joseph (Orthodox Archdiocese of America) 

Today we celebrate the feast of the repose of St. Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn

“Rising in distant Syria, ascending through the land of Russia, a bright star has appeared over the New World! Shining with divine knowledge and radiating the love of Christ, the luminous Raphael overcomes every deception of the Enemy. Now crowned among the saints, he intercedes for us before the throne of God.”

A SHEPHERD FOR THE SCATTERED SHEEP 

In the waning years of the 19th century, as multitudes of Orthodox Christians left their homelands in the Old World to seek refuge in the Americas, a spiritual crisis emerged. These scattered flocks, adrift in a foreign land, longed for the familiar sounds of the ancient prayers, the warm embrace of the Church’s Mysteries, and a shepherd to guide them in the uncharted wilderness of the New World. God, in His mercy, answered their cries and sent them a bishop after His own heart - St. Raphael of Brooklyn. 

Born in Damascus in AD 1860, Raphael Hawaweeny was a son of the ancient Christian community of Syria, nurtured in the faith that had flourished since the days of the Apostles. From his youth, he displayed an insatiable hunger for learning and a fervent love for Christ. This passion led him from the monasteries of Antioch to the great theological schools of Russia, where he drank deeply from the wellsprings of Orthodox wisdom. Ordained a priest in Russia, he was sent to the New World at the request of Orthodox immigrants who longed for a shepherd of their own. 

THE FIRST ORTHODOX BISHOP CONSECRATED IN AMERICA 

In AD 1904, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Fr. Raphael was consecrated as the first Orthodox bishop to be enthroned on American soil. The consecration of St. Raphael marked a divine turning point in our history, for through him, the fullness of Apostolic Succession was established among us. He was not merely an administrator of diocesan affairs, but a true father in God, a living link to the faith of the Apostles, a bishop whose hands imparted the grace of the Holy Mysteries and whose voice resounded with the truth of the Gospel.

AN APOSTLE IN THE NEW WORLD 

St. Raphael was no stranger to toil and hardship. He crisscrossed the vast expanse of North America, from bustling cities to remote villages, seeking out his wandering flock. Where there was no church, he built one. Where there was no priest, he trained and ordained one. He labored tirelessly to gather his people into the ark of salvation, ensuring that no soul was left untended. 

He founded St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, not only as a place of worship but as a spiritual home for all Orthodox Christians, regardless of language or nationality. Under his pastoral care, the faith took deep root in American soil, blossoming into a living vine that continues to bear fruit to this day. 

A LEGACY OF HOLINESS 

On February 27, AD 1915, having spent himself in the service of Christ, St. Raphael fell asleep in the Lord. Yet his work did not end with his repose. His prayers continue to uphold us, his labors still bear fruit, and his apostolic lineage remains unbroken in our Church today. We, who descend from his line, rejoice this day, knowing that through him, the grace of the Apostles was renewed in the New World. 

O holy Raphael, pillar of Orthodoxy and father of the flock, intercede for us before the throne of Christ, that we may remain steadfast in the faith which thou didst establish upon these shores, and that we may be found worthy to share with thee in the unending glory of God’s kingdom. 

COLLECT

O God, who didst raise up thy servant Raphael to be a shepherd unto thy scattered flock in the New World, and by his labors didst establish the apostolic faith upon these shores: Grant that, following his holy example, we may ever be zealous for the unity of thy Church, steadfast in the confession of thy truth, and fervent in the love of thy Holy Mysteries; that, being strengthened by his intercession, we may attain unto the heavenly kingdom, where with thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

ST. RAPHAEL OF BROOKLYN, PRAY FOR US!

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