Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij)

Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij) (1956-____)

Rafeek may be spelt Rafiq.

Alexander may be spelt Alexandre, Iskander.

"Sayidna" is a title used for bishops in Arabic. As with the Greek equivalent "despota", its root meaning is "lord". However, "Sayidna" is roughly equivalent in meaning to the Slavic word "Vladyka", since it has a more affectionate connotation in comparison with the Greek word. "Sayidna" may also be spelt "Sayedna".

Early life of Rafeek Mufarrij

Rafeek Mufarrij was born in North Lebanon in 1956, to an Orthodox Christian family.

He attended the Tripoli Boys’ School in Tripoli, Lebanon.

From early childhood, he loved the Lord, and he loved the Church. As is often the case amongst children, as a young boy, he converted a small room in his home into a "chapel" where he celebrated make-believe services with himself as the "priest", and the neighbourhood children as the congregation.

Higher education

After passing the examinations for the Lebanese Baccalaureates I and II, Rafeek enrolled in the American University in Beirut. Because of the civil war then happening in Lebanon (1975-1990), he was not able to continue his education in Lebanon.

Rafeek then moved to the USA, and he enrolled in the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, from which he graduated in 1978 with the Bachelor of Arts degree.

He continued his studies at the University of North Texas, where he earned the Master in Business Administration degree in 1980.

Following his graduation, Rafeek returned in 1981 to Lebanon. There, he worked for a company which imported raw materials for factories.

Move to the USA, 1985

In 1985, Rafeek returned to the USA to work for the Prince George’s Hospital Centre near Washington, DC before continuing as an employee with a company which exported medical supplies to the Middle East.

After this, he worked for Federated Stores as a sales associate for Bloomingdale’s in Rockville, Maryland.

Further education

With the blessing of Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, Rafeek Mufarrij enrolled in Saint Vladimir’s Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York, from which he graduated in 2000.

Ordinations, 2000

On 9 January, 2000, Rafeek Mufarrij was ordained to the Holy Diaconate.

Then, on 9 April, 2000, Deacon Rafeek Mufarrij was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service

In 2000, Priest Rafeek Mufarrij was assigned to serve as the priest of Saint Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

In 2004, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Antioch (in Damascus) decided that Priest Rafeek Mufarrij would become a bishop. He was eventually summoned to Damascus, Syria.

Monastic tonsure, 2004

On 4 July, 2004, Priest Rafeek Mufarrij was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Alexander (Saint Alexander, Archbishop of Constantinople, 30 August).

Hieromonk Alexander (Mufarrij) was immediately elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

Episcopal ordination, 2004

On 5 December, 2004, Archimandrite Alexander (Mufarrij) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus, Syria by Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch, together with several other bishops.

Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij)

Episcopal service

In 2005, Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij) was enthroned as the first bishop of the newly-created Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada, and Upstate New York, at the Cathedral of Saint Elias in Ottawa, Ontario.

Saint Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario

The residence of Bishop Alexander (and also the office of the diocese) was then located at :

10820, rue Laverdure

Montréal, Québec

H3L 2L9

Telephone : (514) 388-4344

Fax : (514) 388-4051

In April, 2006, when he was on a private visit regarding a family matter in Los Angeles, California, Bishop Alexander was invited to concelebrate with Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) in Saint Nicholas Cathedral there on Sunday.

Bishop Joseph with Bishop Alexander in Los Angeles

In 2007, Sayidna Alexander made a visit with some companions to Russia, where he concelebrated the Divine Liturgy (once with Patriarch Aleksey II (Ridiger), and he visited various holy places. He visited the Representative of the Church of Antioch in Moscow, Bishop Niphon (Saikali) of Zahle (Lebanon), with whom he also concelebrated the Divine Liturgy.

Bishop Niphon, Patriarch Aleksey II, Bishop Alexander

In 2017, Sayidna Alexander began to suffer from a rare illness. He was sent away briefly for special intensive treatment. He was nevertheless able to carry on with his pastoral responsibilities.

From that time, Sayidna Alexander continued to care for the diocesan flock steadily.

From 28 June-1 July, 2018, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 65th Annual Diocese of Ottawa Eastern Canada and Upstate New York Parish Life Conference was held. The parishioners of the Parish of Saint Antonios worked hard to ensure that the participants in the conference received the best hospitality possible. The schedule for the 4 days was dense with activities and events that drew everyone together spiritually and in warm fellowship. Included was a tour of the new and spacious parish Temple.

Saint Antonios Temple, Halifax, Nova Scotia

In 2020, the arrival in Canada of the Covid-19 virus caused many complications and disruptions in parish and diocesan life in the context of the many and changing federal and provincial government rules. Moreover, not only were the inter-provincial borders sometimes closed, but also the international border with the USA was closed for a long time. The disruptions continued far into 2021. This situation severely limited Sayidna Alexander in any travelling to the parishes of the diocese for the usual pastoral visitations, and it especially prohibited his customary pastoral visits to the New York parishes, as well as the usual meetings.

— Bishop of Ottawa, Eastern Canada, and Upstate New York 2004-____. Preceded by : The see was created. Succeeded by : ___.

Reflections

References

Wyrwoll, Nikolaus ed., “Orthodoxia 2014-2015" (Regensburg : Ostkirchliches Institut, 2015). ISBN 978-7245-1959-1.

Antiochian Archdiocese biography

Orthodoxwiki biography

Christ the Saviour Antiochian Orthodox Church, Waterloo, Ontario, biography of the bishop

Orthodox Research Institute biography

Additional information :

Corey, George S, Gilquist, Peter E, Mackoul, Anne Glynn, Sam, Jean, Schneirla, Paul, eds., "The First One Hundred Years : A Centennial Anthology Celebrating Antiochian Orthodoxy in North America" (Englewood, NJ : Antakya Press, 1995). BX738.A753F57.

Panchenko, Constantin A, “Arab Orthodox Christians under the Ottomans : 1516-1831”, translated by Samuel and Brittany Noble (Jordanville, NY : Holy Trinity Seminary Press, 2016). ISBN : 978-1-942699-08-8.

Prokurat, Michael ; Golitzin, Alexander & Petersen, Michael, eds., “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), pp. 31-32. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Antioch

Orthodoxwiki article about Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

Antiochian Archdiocese web-site

Antiochian Archdiocese Ottawa News

Antiochian Archdiocese list of bishops

Patriarch Elias IV (Muawad)

Patriarch Theodosius VI (Abourjaily)

Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim)

Patriarch John X (Yazigi)

Metropolitan Philip (Saliba)

Bishop Antoun (Khouri)

Archbishop Gabriel (Chemodakov)