Four Tonsures to the Small Schema (March 2014)

On March 14/27, the feast-day of the father of western monasticism, St. Benedict of Nursia, four riassophore-monks (the intermediate stage of monasticism in the Orthodox church) took their monastic vows and were tonsured to the small schema as full monks by Bishop George.

Fr. John retained the name which he was given as a riassophore, in honor of St. John the Wonderworker of Shangai and San Francisco. Fr. Jacob received the name Macarius, in honor of St. Macarius of the Glinsk Hermitage. Fr. William received the name Philaret, in honor of the Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia. Fr. Ephraim received the name Gabriel, in honor of the Holy Archangel.