Vladyka Seraphim: /* Episcopal service */

2026-06-20T21:11:08Z

Episcopal service

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

	==Reflections==		==Reflections==

Vladyka Seraphim at 23:02, 2 July 2024

2024-07-02T23:02:58Z

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	[[File:Bishop Alexander Muffarij 2.png]]		[[File:Bishop Alexander Muffarij 2.png]]
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	~~Please send your suggestions, additions, corrections or contributions to this address :~~

	~~info@orthodoxcanada.ca~~



	[[Category:Bishops]] [[Category:AP]] [[Category:AOCA]] [[Category:AOCADO]]		[[Category:Bishops]] [[Category:AP]] [[Category:AOCA]] [[Category:AOCADO]]

Vladyka Seraphim: /* Episcopal service */

2023-01-31T15:53:09Z

Episcopal service

New page

[[File:Bishop Alexander Muffarij 2.png]]

'''Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij) (1956-____)'''

Rafeek may be spelt [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafiq Rafiq].

Alexander may be spelt Alexandre, Iskander.

"[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Clerical_address Sayidna]" is a title used for bishops in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic 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 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Governorate North Lebanon] in 1956, to an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Greek_Orthodox_Christians Orthodox Christian] family.

He attended the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripoli_Evangelical_School Tripoli Boys’ School] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripoli,_Lebanon Tripoli], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripoli,_Lebanon 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 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Lebanon Lebanese Baccalaureates I and II], Rafeek enrolled in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_University_of_Beirut American University] in [https://www.britannica.com/place/Beirut/ Beirut]. Because of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Civil_War civil war] then happening in [https://www.britannica.com/place/Lebanon Lebanon] (1975-1990), he was not able to continue his education in Lebanon.

Rafeek then moved to the [https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States USA], and he enrolled in the [http://www.unt.edu/ University of North Texas] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denton,_Texas Denton], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas Texas], from which he graduated in 1978 with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Arts Bachelor of Arts] degree.

He continued his studies at the University of North Texas, where he earned the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Business_Administration 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 [http://www.dimensionshealth.org/index.php/dimensions-healthcare-facilities/prince-georges-hospital-center/leadership-pghc/ Prince George’s Hospital Centre] near [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C Washington, DC] before continuing as an employee with a company which exported medical supplies to the [https://www.britannica.com/place/Middle-East Middle East].

After this, he worked for [http://www.nndb.com/company/849/000060669/ Federated Stores] as a sales associate for [https://www.tiendeo.us/Stores/rockville-MD/bloomingdales Bloomingdale’s] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockville,_Maryland Rockville], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland Maryland].

==Further education==

With the blessing of [[Metropolitan Philip (Saliba)]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Archdiocese_of_North_America Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese], Rafeek Mufarrij enrolled in [https://orthodoxwiki.org/St._Vladimir%27s_Orthodox_Theological_Seminary_(Crestwood,_New_York) Saint Vladimir’s Theological Seminary] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crestwood,_Yonkers Crestwood], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_(state) New York], from which he graduated in 2000.

==Ordinations, 2000==

On 9 January, 2000, Rafeek Mufarrij was ordained to the Holy [https://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Deacon Diaconate].

Then, on 9 April, 2000, Deacon Rafeek Mufarrij was ordained to the Holy [https://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Presbyter Priesthood].

==Pastoral service==

In 2000, Priest Rafeek Mufarrij was assigned to serve as the priest of [http://www.findglocal.com/US/Hunt-Valley/1772074019736021/Saint-Mary-Antiochian-Orthodox-Church Saint Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunt_Valley,_Maryland Hunt Valley], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland Maryland].

In 2004, the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Synod Holy Synod] of Bishops of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Church_of_Antioch Church of Antioch] (in Damascus) decided that Priest Rafeek Mufarrij would become a [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Bishop bishop]. He was eventually summoned to [https://www.britannica.com/place/Damascus Damascus], [https://www.britannica.com/place/Syria Syria].

==Monastic tonsure, 2004==

On 4 July, 2004, Priest Rafeek Mufarrij was [https://orthochristian.com/101607.html tonsured] to be a [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Monk monk], and he was given the name Alexander ([https://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/08/30/102420-st-alexander-the-patriarch-of-constantinople Saint Alexander, Archbishop of Constantinople], 30 August).

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieromonk Hieromonk] Alexander (Mufarrij) was immediately elevated to the dignity of [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archimandrite archimandrite].

==Episcopal ordination, 2004==

On 5 December, 2004, Archimandrite Alexander (Mufarrij) was ordained to the Holy [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Episcopate Episcopate] at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariamite_Cathedral_of_Damascus Patriarchal Cathedral] in [https://www.britannica.com/place/Damascus Damascus], [https://www.britannica.com/place/Syria Syria] by [[Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim)]] of Antioch, together with several other bishops.

[[File:Bishop-Alexander-(Mufarrij).jpg]] '''Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij)'''

==Episcopal service==

In 2005, Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij) was enthroned as the first bishop of the newly-created [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Diocese_of_Ottawa,_Eastern_Canada_and_Upstate_New_York_(Antiochian)#:~:text=The%20Diocese%20of%20Ottawa%2C%20Eastern%20Canada%20and%20Upstate,and%20Upstate%20New%20York%20in%20the%20United%20States. Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada, and Upstate New York], at the [http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Ottawa_ON_Saint_Elias_Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Cathedral_1929 Cathedral of Saint Elias] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa Ottawa], Ontario.

[[File:St Elias Antiochian Orthodox church Ottawa 2.png]] '''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 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles Los Angeles], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California California], Bishop Alexander was invited to concelebrate with [[Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) |Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui)]] in [http://ww1.antiochian.org/parish/35058 Saint Nicholas Cathedral] there on Sunday.

[[File:Bisop Alexander and Bishop Joseph in Los Ageles 1.jpg]] '''Bishop Joseph with Bishop Alexander in Los Angeles'''

In 2007, Sayidna Alexander made a visit with some companions to [https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia 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 [http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5479956.html Church of Antioch in Moscow], [https://www.antiochpatriarchate.org/en/category/antiochian-vicariates-and-representatives-of-his-beatitude/108/ Bishop Niphon (Saikali)] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahl%C3%A9 Zahle] (Lebanon), with whom he also [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concelebrate concelebrated] the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Divine_Liturgy Divine Liturgy].

[[File:Bishop Alexander Patriarch Aleksey II Bishop NiphonS.jpg]] '''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 [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nova-scotia Halifax], [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nova-scotia Nova Scotia], the [http://ww1.antiochian.org/ottawa 65th Annual Diocese of Ottawa Eastern Canada and Upstate New York Parish Life Conference was held]. The parishioners of the [http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Halifax_NS_Saint_Antonios_Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Church_1980 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.

[[File:Saint Antonios Halifax 1.jpg]] '''Saint Antonios Temple, Halifax, Nova Scotia'''

In 2020, the arrival in Canada of the [https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1 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==

[http://www.orthodoxia.ch/en/name/113/show Wyrwoll, Nikolaus ed., “Orthodoxia 2014-2015" (Regensburg : Ostkirchliches Institut, 2015). ISBN 978-7245-1959-1.]

[http://ww1.antiochian.org/BishopAlexander Antiochian Archdiocese biography]

[http://orthodoxwiki.org/Alexander_(Mufarrij)_of_Ottawa Orthodoxwiki biography]

[http://www.xcsaviour.com/our-parish/about-our-parish/bishop/ Christ the Saviour Antiochian Orthodox Church, Waterloo, Ontario, biography of the bishop]

[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/antioch/bios/bio_alexander_mufarrij_bishop_ottawa.htm 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.

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Church_of_Antioch Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Antioch]

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/St._Vladimir%27s_Orthodox_Theological_Seminary_(Crestwood,_New_York) Orthodoxwiki article about Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary]

[http://www.antiochian.org/BishopAlexander Antiochian Archdiocese web-site]

[http://ww1.antiochian.org/ottawa-news Antiochian Archdiocese Ottawa News]

[http://ww1.antiochian.org/bishops 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)]]

[[Archbishop Irénée (Rochon)]]

[https://www.antiochpatriarchate.org/en/category/antiochian-vicariates-and-representatives-of-his-beatitude/108/ Bishop Niphon (Saikali)]

[https://www.antiochpatriarchate.org/en/category/new-york-and-all-north-america/127/ Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East clergy listing under Metropolitan Joseph]

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Archdiocese_of_North_America Orthodoxwiki article about the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America]

[http://ww1.antiochian.org/ottawa Web-page of the Antiochian Diocese of Ottawa, Upstate New York and Eastern Canada]

[https://www.antiochianladiocese.org/news_090110_20.html Antiochian Archdiocese article : Bishop Alexander visits Los Angeles, 2006]

[https://www.antiochianladiocese.org/news_090110_21.html Bishop Joseph concelebrates the Divine Liturgy with Bishop Alexander at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Los Angeles, California, April, 2006] (with photo gallery)

[http://ww1.antiochian.org/canam/bpAlexanderInRussia 2007 Visit of Bishop Alexander to Russia] (with photos)

[http://ww1.antiochian.org/ottawa-news Bishop Alexander with the Antiochian Orthodox Union of Canada members]

[http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/thearena/interview_with_bishop_alexander_of_the_antiochian_archdiocese_of_north_amer “Interview with Bishop Alexander of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America”]

[https://www.nativityofthetheotokos.org/ St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Hunt Valley, Maryland]

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Halifax_NS_Saint_Antonios_Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Church_1980 Saint Antonios Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia]

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Ottawa_ON_Saint_Elias_Antiochian_Orthodox_Christian_Cathedral_1929 Saint Elias Antiochian Orthodox Christian Cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario]

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Canadians Wikipedia article about Lebanese Canadians]

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Canadians Wikipedia article about Syrian Canadians]

[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/arabs/ Canadian Encyclopaedia article about Arab Canadians (Syro-Lebanese)]

Please send your suggestions, additions, corrections or contributions to this address :

info@orthodoxcanada.ca

[[Category:Bishops]] [[Category:AP]] [[Category:AOCA]] [[Category:AOCADO]]

Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij) - Revision history

Vladyka Seraphim: /* Episcopal service */

Vladyka Seraphim at 23:02, 2 July 2024

Vladyka Seraphim: /* Episcopal service */