On Tuesday, January 30, Archimandrite Maximos (Weimar) retired as abbot of the Monastery of St. Dionysios the Areopagite in St. James, NY. Per an agreement with the brotherhood, he assumed the role of abbot emeritus.

The brethren met on Tuesday, December 19 ‒ the feast of the Holy Hierarch Nicholas the Wonderworker ‒ and elected deputy abbot Hieromonk Vasilieos (Willard) as the new abbot. On January 30, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York visited the monastery to officiate the installation of Fr. Vasileios, presenting him with the abbot’s staff and wishing him God’s unfailing aid in his new post.

Fr. Maximos will remain as abbot of the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension in Resaca, GA and its dependencies: Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon Skete in Clearwater, FL and St. John Cassian Chapel in Bessemer, AL. Fr. Maximos is not leaving the brotherhood; he plans on splitting his time between these institutions.

This decision is not brought on by any ill health or other negative reasons on the part of Fr. Maximos; rather, the fathers all decided that the brotherhood’s Southern communities need more attention for the near future. It was decided that Fr. Maximos would travel south to ensure their growth.

The brethren ask for your prayers for Frs. Maximos and Vasileios, and for the united brotherhood in its various locations around the country.