Biographical Profile of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas
His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas of Amissos
Primate of the American Carpatho-Russian
Orthodox Diocese of the USA
Treasurer of the Standing Conference of the
Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas
Consecrated Bishop: March 13, 1983
Enthroned as Ruling Bishop: April 19, 1985
Elevated to Metropolitan: November 24, 1997
Priestly Formation
Metropolitan
Nicholas, the ruling Hierarch of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox
Diocese, was born on February 23, 1936. The son of the late Anna (Totin) and
Andrew Smisko, he is a priestly vocation from Saint John the Baptist Church,
Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Throughout his youth, he served as an altar boy and in
the choir and learned the Carpatho-Russian Plain Chant.
The Metropolitan's maternal family emigrated from the villages
of Kalnik and Ivanovce, Carpatho-Rus. His departed mother, Anna, was born in
the village of Kalnik. His father's family came from the villages of Cecehov
and Jastrep near Michalovce in present day Eastern Slovakia. His father,
Andrew, also is departed.
After graduating from Perth Amboy High School, he entered
Christ the Saviour Seminary in Johnstown, Pennsylvania to study for the Holy
Priesthood. Upon graduation, he was ordained on January 11, 1959 by Bishop Orestes
in Perth Amboy. His first pastorate was at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Windber,
Pennsylvania, where he served until 1962.
A new phase of his life began when he embarked on a year's
study at the renowned Patriarchal Theological Academy at Halki, Constantinople.
During his stay in the city, the young priest was assigned by the late
Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras to serve the spiritual needs of the large
Slavic Orthodox community in the Galata section of Istanbul. He also traveled
extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East, visiting the sacred sites of
the Holy Land and living for a time on Mount Athos, the ancient monastic center
of the Orthodox Church.
Upon his return to the United States, he resumed his studies
at the University of Youngstown, Ohio, and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
He holds the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Theology and the Licentiate of
Theology degree. In 1963, Metropolitan Orestes assigned him as Prefect of
Discipline at Christ the Saviour Seminary, a member of the faculty, and an
assistant at Christ the Saviour Cathedral. In 1965, he assumed the
administrative duties of pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Homer City,
and in 1971, was named pastor of Saint Michael's Church in Clymer. A year
later, he assumed the pastorate of Saint Nicholas Church in New York City.
Acknowledgement of Fr. Nicholas' labors for Christ and His
Church came in 1976 when Bishop John announced his elevation to the rank of
Archimandrite at the XI Diocesan Council in Chicago. The investiture ceremonies
were held in Saint Nicholas Church, New York, on January 23, 1977. When the
Monastery of the Annunciation was established in Tuxedo Park, New York, in the
spring of 1979, Bishop John appointed him as the community's first Abbot. He made his profession of vows during the
dedication of the Monastery on September 16, 1979.
Episcopal
Service
Three years later, Archimandrite Nicholas was elected Titular
Bishop of Amissos and Auxiliary Bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate by the Holy Synod of Constantinople. He was subsequently
elevated to the episcopacy on March 13, 1983 at Saint Mary's Church in Allentown,
Pennsylvania. The presiding prelate and
consecrator was His Eminence, Archbishop Iakovos, primate of the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese and Exarch of the Ecumenical Throne in the Western Hemisphere.
Co-consecrators were His Eminence, Metropolitan Andrew of the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church, His Grace, Bishop Philotheos of Meloa and His Excellency,
Bishop John.
Following the death of Bishop John in September of 1984,
Bishop Nicholas was chosen as the third ruling hierarch of the Carpatho-Russian
Diocese at a special Clergy Council in Johnstown on November 25, 1984.
Confirmed by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Throne, he was solemnly enthroned
in Christ the Saviour Cathedral by His Eminence, Archbishop lakovos on April
19, 1985.
The new Bishop gave immediate attention to liturgical
matters. He authorized the Liturgical Commission to translate additional
services into English. Resulting from their work was the new Diocesan Pew Book,
Holy Week and Resurrection Matins Service Book, a Christmas and Theophany
Complines Book, as well as an Altar Liturgical text for the clergy.
His Eminence has headed several pilgrimages overseas. In
1986, he traveled with some 50 pilgrims to Constantinople where he conferred
with His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I, and also to the Holy
Land. The following year, he led two pilgrimages to reverence the Weeping Icon
of Our Lady of Chicago and, in 1988, he twice journeyed to Russia and
Czechoslovakia for the Millennium Celebration.
In 1988, Metropolitan Nicholas presided at the festivities
celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese. Two years later, a similar
celebration marked the 50th Anniversary of Christ the Saviour Seminary. In 1985, His Eminence represented
the Patriarch and the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the
Americas (SCOBA) of which he is a member and its treasurer, visiting all four
Dioceses of the Orthodox Church in Czechoslovakia, seeing firsthand the persecution it was suffering.
In July of 1990, he, along with Metropolitan Maximos of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had the honor of hosting His All-Holiness, Ecumenical
Patriarch Dimitrios in Johnstown, with impressive services at the Cambria
County War Memorial and a visit by the ranking prelate of World Orthodoxy to
the Carpatho-Russian Cathedral, Seminary and Administrative Offices. Metropolitan
Nicholas represented the Diocese at the funeral services of the late Patriarch
Dimitrios on October 2, 1991. He again represented the Diocese at the
enthronement of His All-Holiness, Bartholomew, as new Ecumenical Patriarch in
1991.
In 1992, Metropolitan Nicholas initiated HARVEST 2000, a
Diocesan plan for missions, renewal and evangelization. This
effort resulted in parish growth and renewal, several new parishes were received into the Diocese and missions were
established in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia
and Ontario, Canada. He also participated in a special Synod of Orthodox
Bishops, convened by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Constantinople. While
in Europe, Metropolitan Nicholas also traveled to Aegina, Greece, where he was
given relics of our Holy Father, Saint Nectarios, the miracle-healer of cancer
patients, as well as oils from his tomb, which he has shared with all of the
Diocesan parishes.
Metropolitan Nicholas has spearheaded the continued
development of Camp Nazareth with the construction of a staff lodge and
additional cabins for campers. He also had the vision to build an "Old Country
Church" at the camp which was consecrated in August of 2003. Its patrons are
the evangelizers of the Slavs, Saints Cyril and Methodius. Under his leadership, a new Chancery
for the Diocese has been constructed, adjoining the present Episcopal
Residence. Ground was broken for the edifice in June 1997 by His Eminence,
Archbishop Spyridon, while the cornerstone was dedicated by His All-Holiness,
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during his historic visit to the Diocese on
November 16, 1997.
In September of 2005, a new diocesan-wide youth ministry was
established by Metropolitan Nicholas to more effectively meet the spiritual
needs of our diocesan youth. Known as the
Diocesan Apostolate for Youth, this
apostolic ministry has labored for the strengthening and evangelization of the
youth of the Diocese and the establishment of a Christian
witness for any youth seeking a relationship with Christ.
Ecological
Concerns
Metropolitan Nicholas participated in three annual
Environmental conferences in Constantinople sponsored by Patriarch Bartholomew,
and in November, 1997, he delivered a paper on "Orthodoxy and the Environment"
in Santa Barbara, California, at an ecological seminar presided over by His
All-Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew.
Inter-Orthodox
Collaboration
His Eminence has participated in the biennial Synod of
Bishops Conference at the Ecumenical Patriarchate since its inception, and he
was the Patriarchal representative to the Synod of American Roman Catholic
Bishops in Rome in December of 1997.
His Eminence is a member of the Standing Conference of
the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas and serves as its treasurer, and is
also a member or the Orthodox/Catholic Bishops' Dialogue. For many years he has
been a member of the Halki Alumni Association.
In August of 2008 His Eminence was invited by Patriarch
Bartholomew to the 1020th Anniversary of the Orthodox Christianization of Kiev,
commemorating the establishment of the Metropolitinate of Kiev, document given
by the late Patriarch Jeremiah.
Fifty
Years of Priestly Ministry and Twenty Five Years of Episcopal Service
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In March of 2008, His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas
observed his Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of
consecration to the Holy Episcopacy and in January of 2009 the Golden
Jubilee of his Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. Over his many years of
service to Christ and His Holy Church, His Eminence has proven to be a worthy
laborer in the Vineyard of the Lord. His
Eminence is noted for his love for his flock an25d the liturgical services of the
Church, and his devotion to the Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He
is well-respected in Orthodox and Ecumenical circles as being a promoter
of peace and mutual understanding
amongst all Christ-loving people. True
to his patron Saint, Nicholas the wonderworker, His Eminence is perhaps best
known and respected for his pastoral
sensitivity, generosity of spirit and
compassion for the sick and suffering and the less fortunate.
Awards
And Recognitions
Metropolitan Nicholas is the recipient of the Saints Cyril
and Methodius Award, given by the Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia through His
Eminence, Metropolitan Dorothej of Prague.
For service to the Serbian Orthodox Church in the United
States as well as abroad, Patriarch Pavel awarded His Eminence the prized Saint
Sava Award.
He delivered the 1998 commencement address at Hellenic
College and Holy Cross School of Theology, at which time he was presented an
honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.
