Carpatho-Russian Orthodox leader dies after cancer battle

Staff report

JOHNSTOWN, PA.

His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, 75, spiritual leader of the American Carpatho- Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A., died Sunday after a battle with cancer. He oversaw Carpatho- Russian Orthodox churches in the Mahoning Valley.

He was ordained Jan. 11, 1959, by Bishop Orestes in Perth Amboy, N.J. His first pastorate was at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Windber, Pa., where he served until 1962.

He then studied at Patriarchal Theological Academy at Halki, Constantinople. There, he served the spiritual needs of the Slavic Orthodox community in the Galata section of Istanbul. He also traveled throughout Europe and the Middle East and lived for a time on Mount Athos, the ancient monastic center of the Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Nicholas studied at Youngstown State University and University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He was assigned as Prefect of Discipline at Christ the Saviour Seminary in Johns-town before relocating in 1971 to New York City, where he was pastor of St. Nicholas Church.

He was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite in 1976, and was elected by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as auxiliary bishop for the Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese of America. He was consecrated as bishop March 13, 1983.

Bishop Nicholas was chosen as the third ruling hierarch of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese and was installed April 19, 1985. He was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on Nov. 24, 1997.