Raphael of Brooklyn was an Eastern Orthodox bishop who served as an auxiliary of the Russian Orthodox Church and headed the Antiochian Syrian Christian mission. Born Hawaweeny in the Levant, he moved to the United States in 1895 to serve diverse immigrant communities. He is recognized as the first Orthodox bishop consecrated in North America. Known for his extensive missionary travels and his opposition to ethnic exclusivism within the church, he worked to unify various Orthodox traditions through active ministry and media.
Life and ministry
After studying in Constantinople and Kiev, Raphael faced expulsion from the Greek Orthodox Church for writing against ethnic nepotism. He later joined the Russian Orthodox Church, teaching at a theological academy before being sent to New York. As a bishop, he maintained a nomadic missionary lifestyle, traveling extensively to provide sacraments to scattered believers. He established numerous parishes and churches, and launched the magazine The Word to serve the Antiochian community.
Veneration and legacy
He was glorified by the Orthodox Church in America in 2000. His relics were moved to Pennsylvania in 1988. He is commemorated on February 27, the day of his death, and on the first Saturday of November. Other traditions also honor him, including commemorations alongside the saints of the Kiev Theological Academy.