DETROIT/SOUTHFIELD, MI –  Saint George Romanian Orthodox Cathedral will be the site of the Ordination to the Episcopacy of Archimandrite Andrei (Hoarște) on February 1, 2020.  The weekend will begin with the celebration of Great Vespers with the Proclamation of Election and Calling of the Bishop-Elect on Friday, January 31 at 7:00pm, followed by a formal reception in the Cathedral Cultural Center.  The Bishop-Elect will recite his Profession of Faith the next morning, Saturday, February 1 at 9:00am, immediately followed by the Divine Liturgy with the Ordination to the Episcopacy.  A Grand Banquet will follow at the nearby St. John Armenian Church Cultural Center.

The following day, Sunday, February 2 at 9:30am, Bishop Andrei will serve his first Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio, followed by a banquet hosted by the parish in his honor.

At the request of Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp), Ruling Hierarch of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (ROEA), the Church Congress of the ROEA in Special Electoral Session elected Fr. Dan Hoarște as a candidate for the office of Auxiliary Bishop on August 31, 2019.  On October 13, 2019, he received the monastic tonsure and was given the name Andrei.  Then, in its session on Tuesday, November 12 the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America canonically elected Fr. Andrei as Bishop of Cleveland, Auxiliary Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, and elevated him to the rank of Archimandrite.

Archimandrite Andrei was born in 1982 into an Orthodox Christian family in Făgăraș, Romania.  At the age of 15, he moved with his family to the United States where they established their home in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, becoming members of Sts. Peter & Paul Romanian Orthodox Church.  While completing his high school and undergraduate studies, he was active in the life of the parish and Episcopate, including serving as the 37th president of the American Romanian Orthodox Youth, the international youth auxiliary of the ROEA.  In September 2004, with the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel, he began pursuing theological studies at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, graduating in 2008 with a Master of Divinity Degree and working at the same time for the Master of Theology Degree.  In October 2010, he commenced doctoral studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, Italy, earning a Doctorate of Theology Degree in June 2019 in the field of dogmatic/liturgical studies.  He was ordained into the Holy Diaconate in September 2012 and then the Holy Priesthood that December by Archbishop Nathaniel, who subsequently appointed him to lead the Episcopate’s Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministry in 2013 and then as Vicar of Canada in 2014 to assist with the administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Episcopate.

Details of the weekend, including information on how to purchase tickets for the Grand Banquet and/or offer a donation in honor of this special event by mail, can be downloaded in PDF format from roea.org.  To purchase tickets or donate using your credit/debit card, refer to the "Banquet and Support" form in the downloaded PDF file, then visit roea.org/donate and follow these instructions:
1) Click on "Donate" button in the BLUE box for credit/debit cards (do NOT click in the red box);
2) Enter total amount of ticket purchase/donation;
3) Click on the white button "Donate with a Debit or Credit Card";
4) Click on "Add special instructions to the seller" and enter ALL of the following in that box: Your Name, Address, Phone, Email, Parish, Number of tickets/Amount of donation;
5) Enter credit/debit card information, checking box next to "Share your mailing address...";
6) Click on "Donate Now".  You will then receive a confirmation email in the following days.

Deadline for purchasing tickets has been extended until Monday, January 27.  Donations may be made at any time.

Additional rooms have been added to the block at The Westin-Southfield/Detroit.  Call (248) 827-4000 and mention "ROEA" to get the discounted rate of $99 (king) / $109 (double), or click here to reserve online.  Deadline for hotel reservations has been extended until Monday, January 27.

St. George Romanian Orthodox Cathedral is located at 18405 West Nine Mile Road, just West of the Southfield Freeway.  Directions can be found on their website at rocathedral.org

For more information visit roea.org, or contact the cathedral office at sgroc_info@yahoo.com / (248) 569-4833.