Archimandrite Benjamin [Peterson] Consecrated to Episcopacy
His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN presided at the consecration of Archimandrite Benjamin [Peterson] to the episcopacy at historic Holy Trinity Cathedral here on Saturday, May 1, 2004.
Archimandrite Benjamin was elected to the episcopacy by members of the Holy Synod of Bishops at their Spring Session in March 2004.
On the eve of the consecration Divine Liturgy, the canonical election of Archimandrite Benjamin as Bishop of Berkeley and Auxiliary to His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco and the West was held at the cathedral. Metropolitan Herman, Bishop Tikhon, and His Grace, Bishop Nikolai of Sitka, Anchorage and Alaska were present as Protopresbyter Robert Kondratick, OCA Chancellor, read the proclamation of the Holy Synod. After the canonical election, Archimandrite Benjamin celebrated Vespers. A dinner followed in the cathedral library.
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Bishops Tikhon and Nikolai concelebrated with Metropolitan Herman at the consecration Liturgy on Saturday morning. Prior to the Liturgy, Archimandrite Benjamin offered his profession of faith in the presence of the consecrating hierarchs and some 30 clergy, many of whom were seminary classmates. Also present were the Rev. John Finley of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; Archimandrite Paul of the Moscow Patriarchate, rector of San Francisco’s Saint Nicholas Cathedral; and others. The Very Rev. Peter Perekrestov, Dean of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia’s Virgin Mary Cathedral, San Francisco, also was in attendance.
Among those offering words of congratulation to Bishop Benjamin during the consecration banquet, held at McCormick and Kuleto’s Seafood Restaurant in Ghirardelli Square, which was Prof. John Erickson, Dean of Saint Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, NY, who spoke on behalf of the faculty, students and graduates of Bishop Benjamin’s alma mater. During the banquet Bishop Benjamim was presented with numerous gifts, including three sets of episcopal vestments. Later in the evening, Great Vespers was celebrated at the cathedral.
On Sunday, May 2, Bishop Benjamin celebrated his first hierarchical Liturgy at Holy Trinity Cathedral, assisted by the Very Rev. Victor Sokolov, Dean; the Rev. David Lowell, Associate; six other priests, and Deacon Kirill Sokolov of Saint Vladimir Seminary. During the Liturgy Bishop Benjamin presented Father Sokolov with the palitsa on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops and awarded a nabedrennik to Father Lowell on behalf of Bishop Tikhon.
“We are truly grateful to God for this wonderful feast of Orthodoxy, of ‘churchliness,’ of unity in love and faith,” Father Sokolov said at the conclusion of the Liturgy.
Bishop Benjamin was born Vincent Peterson in Pasadena, CA on June 1, 1954 and was baptized and chrismated at Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA on April 27, 1972. In 1982 he was awarded a Master of Divinity degree and Certificate in Liturgical Music from Saint Vladimir Seminary.
A prolific musician, he served as choirmaster at parishes in Detroit, MI and Los Angeles and as chairman of the Orthodox Church in America’s Department of Liturgical Music. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on November 15, 1987 by Bishop Tikhon at his home parish, which he served for 10 years as deacon and youth and education director. The following year he was tonsured a riasophore monk by Bishop Tikhon and further tonsured to the lesser schema by Archbishop [now Metropolitan] Herman at Saint Tikhon Monastery, South Canaan, PA. In 1991 he was elevated to the rank of archdeacon.
On July 19, 1997, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Tikhon. In 1999, Igumen Benjamin was was transferred to the Diocese of Alaska, where he served as dean of Saint Innocent Cathedral and later as administrative dean of Saint Herman Seminary, Kodiak, AK. He was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in 2002. In January 2004 he was reassigned to Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral, Los Angeles, and appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of the West.