Tuesday, January 13, 2009 His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah and members of the Holy Synod arrived in Mexico City for the installation of His Grace, Bishop Alejo (Alexis) as the first ruling hierarch of the Mexican Exarchate. We were greeted by Bishop Alejo and local clergy. Our first stop was at the Cathedral of the Ascension which is located just blocks from the international airport. A panikhida was served for Patriarch Aleksei as our arrival coincided with his 40th day.

The hierarchs and clergy stand in a park across the street from the cathedral which can be seen in the background. We were delighted to discover the Mexican government erected a three-bar cross in that park in honor of the elevation of Bishop Alejo and that cross was blessed on Sunday following the Divine Liturgy and a blessing of water was served by Archbishop Dmitri, who is most certainly the “Grandfather” of the Exarchate. He was warmly received by the parishioners and clergy.

Communing the clergy during the Liturgy on Sunday.

Archbishop Dmitri reads, in Spanish, the proclamation of the Holy Synod elevating the Exarchate to the status of diocese and Bishop Alejo to diocesan bishop. A quintet from St. Tikhon Seminary sang responses along with the cathedral choir. A presentation from the Diocese of the West was made to Bishop Alejo of a fine art photograph by Christopher Burkett a renowned photographer and member of the Annunciation Church in Milwaukie, Oregon. We are grateful to Christopher and his wife Ruth for the photograph. A banquet was held that evening in honor of the event.

On Thursday, the delegation from the States was invited to visit the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We were warmly received by members of the cathedral clergy and given a private tour of what is certainly the spiritual center of Mexico.

While not all the members of the Holy Synod were present, we met daily to discuss important matters ranging from strategic planning to some rather sad developments in Australia. His Beatitude has asked me and Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia to represent the Orthodox Church in America at the enthronement of the new Russian Patriarch. I am personally heartened by the wonderful feeling of fraternity among the bishops and His Beatitude.