Ordination of Fr. Elijah Bremer

August 28, 2006

JOHNSTOWN, PA - On Monday, August 28th at Christ the Saviour Cathedral, His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas ordained Deacon Elijah Bremer to the Holy Priesthood. The ordination took place during the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Birth-giver of God, and the responses were sung in Church Slavonic by the Women's Choir of the Church of the Dormition in Jarabina, Slovakia. Attending His Eminence at the altar was: Very Rev. Frank Miloro, Dean and Cathedral Pastor, Very Rev. Hieromonk Matthias, Very Rev. Fr. Dan Donovan (retired, OCA), Rev. Fr. Jeff Zias, Rev. Fr. Michael Ellis, Rev. Fr. Matthew Moriak, and Rev. Fr. Matthew Conjelko. Protodeacon Emil Gulick and Hieromonk Matthias presented Deacon Elijah as a candidate for ordination, and Fr. Deacon Oleg Aminov served as second deacon. Also in attendance were other clergy from the Johnstown Deanery.

First Divine Liturgy

Fr. Elijah traveled home to Saint Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church in Saint Clair, Pennsylvania to serve his first Sunday Divine Liturgy on September 3rd. Fr. Jeff Zias, pastor of St. Michael's and the Very Rev. Hieromonk Matthias led the congregation in singing the traditional plain chant responses. Alexander Christensen, Jonah Zias, and seminarian Matthew Yarnell attended Fr. Elijah as altar boys.

Following the Divine Liturgy, the Parishioners of St. Michael's organized a reception for the newly ordained priest, his guests, and the parish family. Representatives from Holy Trinity and Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Churches, as well as St. Mary's (OCA) Church were present. Fr. Elijah still has family ties to Holy Trinity and St. Nicholas Parishes.

Biography of Fr. Elijah J. Bremer

Fr. Elijah is the only child of (the late) Fr. Deacon James Joseph and Bernadette Bremer, Minersville, Pensylvania. He is the most recent in a series of eight family vocations to both the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Classically trained as an Historian, he holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in American History and Philosophy from Mount Saint Mary's University, Emmitsburg, Maryland. He received a Master of Education degree in Teaching and Curriculum from Penn State University, and has been employed as a high school administrator and teacher. While finishing his studies at Christ the Saviour Seminary, Father is also employed as an adjunct professor of History and Religious Studies at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Johnstown and Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. He is married to the former Laryssa Nicole Palko, daughter of Rev. Fr. Raymond and Matushka Joanne Palko, Buffalo, New York. Father and Pani Matka Bremer have a one year old son, Jonah Alexei.