MUNICH: November 30, 2018
Protopriest Adrian Ecchevaria, nominated to be Bishop of Vevey, is tonsured to monasticism

On Sunday evening, November 25, 2018, at the Monastery of St Job of Pochev in the outskirts of Munich, Germany, Protopriest Adrian Ecchevaria of the Western European Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was tonsured to monasticism. His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany performed the ceremony. Fr Adrian was given the name Alexander in honor of St Alexander, Martyr of Bergamo. In his sermon, Vladyka Mark wished Fr Alexander true humility and obedience, and the daily prayer for the remainder of his monastic labors.

Hieromonk Alexander, nominated on September 20 by the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR to be Bishop of Vevey (Switzerland), then congratulated Protopriest Emilian Pocinoc on behalf of the clergymen and laity of the diocese, who attended the ritual along with Archdeacon Dometian (Redko) from the Geneva cathedral. The clerics expressed their genuine joy for the event and invoked Divine aid in the difficult monastic way of life and his future archpastoral service to the Church.

St Alexander of Bergamo (c. 296-306, commemorated on August 26, Translation of his Relics May 5), according to ancient martyrologies was a centurion of the Theban Legion under the command of Holy Martyr Maurice in what is today San-Moritz, Switzerland. For his refusal to participate in the sacrifice of animals to pagan idols, he was arrested, but managed to flee. After his second arrest, he was beheaded near Bergamo (Northern Italy) during the reign of Emperor Maximian. The martyr’s relics were moved in the 4th century to Bergamo, to a church dedicated to his honor.