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.
