Mexican Exarchate Elevated to Diocese

To view a photo collection from the weekend’s events, see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/collections/72157612808480334/

Mexican Exarchate elevated to Diocese

Submitted by Fr. Antonio Perdomo,

Rector of St. George Orthodox Church, Pharr, Texas.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” ~ Matthew 28:18-20

[Pharr] On Sunday, January 18, 2009, it was apparent that the Holy Spirit gathered Christ’s Church together in Mexico City for a significant event. Metropolitan Jonah, most Hierarchs from the Holy Synod of Bishops, clergy, monastics and a multitude of the faithful from throughout Mexico, the United States and Canada gathered at La Catedral de la Asención de Nuestro Señor. Hundreds witnessed the blessed occasion of the Auxiliary Bishop of Mexico’s elevation to Ruling Bishop and the Exarchate of Mexico into a full Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America. The celebration of this momentous event found Bishop Alejo [Pacheco-Vera], surrounded by several of the founding Clergy of the Orthodox Church in Mexico, including Priest Ramon Merlos and  Priest José Raul Valencia, as well as long-time Exarchate of Mexico Hierarch, Archbishop Dmitri. All present rejoiced at participating in this long awaited and critical next step towards bringing the fullness of the Church into the culture of Latin America. Native Mexican Priest, Ramon Merlos, Rector of Our Lady of Kazan Russian Orthodox Church in San Diego, California said, “This was a very historical event for Mexico. For the first time ever, we had six guest Bishops plus the Metropolitan, come here to support and pray with us as the holy Orthodox Church in Mexico. The people present had a deeply spiritual experience.” 

In Spanish, Metropolitan Jonah shared how awesome it is to at last elevate the Church in Mexico from Exarchate to Diocese of the OCA, and to fully equip the Church there to accomplish the task Christ has set before it. At the end of the installment services, each visiting Bishop in turn offered their wishes and congratulations for Bishop Alejo and the new Diocese of Mexico. Archbishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada stated that the Church in North America is like a sandwich, with Canada and Mexico being the bread and the USA being the nourishing filling. The Metropolitan added that now there exists the Orthodox Church in Mexico, in America and in Canada, and that between all of these is an indivisible unity of mutual love and purpose.  

Among the many apparent things during this weekend was the grace of the Holy Spirit and how the gospel of Christ is being shared with the indigenous people of that land. With the foundation now laid, the fields are ready for harvest. The Diocese of Mexico currently contains nine churches and missions, including the Cathedral of the Ascension in Mexico City, and several thousand faithful. What is needed indeed is for all of us to pray the Lord of the harvest to prepare and send workers to this field.

Mexican seminarian from St. Tikhon’s Seminary in Pennsylvania, Sub Deacon Abraham Labrada said, “It is good to experience, participate in and help build the Orthodox Church in Mexico as it now enters into this new chapter of its story.”  Guests from the St. Tikhon’s Seminary Mission Choir sang during Saturday evening’s Vespers service. The Mission Choir joined the Cathedral Choir and guests from St. George Orthodox Church Choir in Pharr, Texas during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Enthronement.  The beauty of Christ and His Church were tangibly reflected in the liturgical services of the weekend. Everyone present acclaimed that the Orthodox Church is alive and active in Mexico. “It was a wonderful and awe-inspiring weekend. We were very blessed to be here,” said guest choir director, Analucia Perdomo of St. George’s Orthodox Church in Pharr, Texas. The University of Texas Pan American student continued, “Through our many visits over the past several years, we’ve been blessed to see the Mexican Exarchate grow, become a Diocese and now come into its own. It is great to, in some small way, have been part of it all.”

Besides Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Alejo of Mexico, other hierarchs in attendance at this notable event included Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas and the South, Archbishop Nathanial of the Romanian Diocese, Archbishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada, Bishop Benjamin of the West and Bishop Tikhon of Eastern Pennsylvania. Clergy attending included Priest Ernesto Rios, Priest Ramon Merlos, Priest Dennis Pihach, Priest José Raul Valencia-Salinas, Igumen Nazario Ipac-Uribe, Priest Jorge Barrera-Zermeno, Priest Antonio Perdomo, Priest José Luis Serna-Estrada, Hieromonk Victorin Torres-Martinez and Hieromonk Serafin Mendoza Segundo. A number of deacons, sub-deacons and monastics were also present for the weekend. 

The intent of the first Orthodox missionaries who came to Alaska was to share the good news of the gospel and evangelize the natives of North America. Evangelization has been a continual theme handed down to all Orthodox Christians from apostolic times to this day. This continued commission was most recently witnessed by many as we gathered in Mexico City for the installation of Bishop Alejo as the Bishop of Mexico City and Mexico. A giant step forward occurred as the Orthodox Church in Mexico was brought into a fullness which now allows it to fulfill the commission of our Lord, and therefore manifest the grace of God and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Edinburg, Texas university student, Cristina Perdomo added, “The weekend in Mexico was deeply moving. It was filled with the grace of the holy spirit as well as the undying communion of the entire church, as Mexico was elevated to become its own Diocese.”

It is feasible that many might be surprised by the previous statement. Often, when the subject of Orthodoxy in Mexico comes up, the question most often asked is if the Orthodox Church even exists in Mexico. It does and has for nearly 45 years. In 1965, Bishop José [Cortes - Olmos], and his clergy contacted the rector of St. Seraphim's Church in Dallas, Texas, Father Dmitri [Royster], now the Archbishop of Dallas and the South. Archbishop Dmitri, instrumental in converting many Mexicans to Orthodoxy, translated many Orthodox liturgical services into Spanish. Archbishop Dmitri presented the case of the Orthodox Church in Mexico to the hierarchy of the OCA. After a number of exchanges and informal visits, the Holy Synod officially sent Archbishop Dmitri to visit Mexico and to report on his findings. That report, studied by the OCA's Department of Canonical Affairs, recommended the acceptance of the Mexican communities into the Orthodox Church in America.

In 1971, Bishop José petitioned for the acceptance of the Church into the Orthodox Church in America. He and other priests of his community were received in their Roman Catholic rank of priest. Prior to his consecration as Bishop of Mexico City, Father José studied at St. Vladimir's Seminary. He was consecrated at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in New York City on April 22, 1972.

On January 28, 1983, Bishop José fell asleep in the Lord after a relatively short bout with cancer. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Ireney, presided at the funeral service in Mexico City on February 1, 1983.  It was not until 2005 that a successor to Bishop José was found. On May 28 of that year, at St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, Archimandrite Antonio Alejo [Pacheco-Vera] was consecrated as Bishop Alejo, the Auxiliary Bishop of Mexico City within the Exarchate of Mexico. As of this past weekend, both Bishop Alejo and the Diocese of Mexico have been elevated, to the Glory of Christ and His Church.

It is my hope that in the future, questions will not be asked about if there is an Orthodox Church in Mexico, but rather, how we can help support its work. Now, more than ever, the entire Orthodox Church in America can become aware that throughout Mexico and Latin America, there exists an alive and active Orthodox Church made up of our brothers and sisters in Christ. The Diocese of Mexico is part of us; part of our body; the body of Christ. It is a part of us which we can all share in and support through our ongoing prayers and ministry efforts.  Truly, the historic event witnessed by hundreds gives us the hope that the gospel will take hold and bring forth much fruit in Latin America. If you or your parish would like to learn more about or assist in supporting missionary efforts in Mexico and Latin America, please feel free to contact Father Antonio Perdomo at 956-781-2388 or 781-6114 or by email at padreantoniop@aol.com. 

To view a photo collection from the weekend’s events, see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/collections/72157612808480334/