Archbishop Dimitry (Magan)
Archbishop Dimitry (Magan) (1899-1969)
Dimitry may be spelt Dmitry, Dmitri, Demetrios, Dimitrios, Dumitru.
Eugene Mitrofanovich Magan was born on 25 June, 1899, in the city of Chernigov (Chernihiv), Ukraine.
Monastic tonsure ; ordinations, 1924
In 1924, Eugene Mitrofanovich was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Dimitry.
He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, and then to the Holy Priesthood.
Pastoral service
The Hieromonk Dimitry (Magan) served in Chełm (Kholm) (now in Poland) ; the Pochayiv Monastery in Western Ukraine ; and in Lithuania.
There, he was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.
In 1935, Archimandrite Dimitry was assigned to serve as the abbot of the Zhirovitsy Monastery, near Grodno (Byelorus), where there is the Zhirovitsy icon of Mother of God .
Episcopal ordination, 1941
Archimandrite Dimitry (Magan) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in 1941. He was given the title Bishop of Navagrudok (now in Byelorus).
Episcopal Service
Bishop Dimitry (Magan) was soon assigned to serve in eastern Ukraine. He served as the Bishop of Ekaterinoslav, now known as Dnipropetrovsk in Ukraine.
Exile, 1943
Bishop Dimitry was amongst the bishops who found themselves detached from their sees by the movement of armies and borders during World War II. He was amongst those bishops who followed Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk) of Kyiv into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) as they were moved into exile in Poland and then in Germany.
In 1943, Bishop Dimitry retreated first to Slovakia and finally to Germany, where he lived and served in displaced persons’ camps.
Emigration to North America, 1948
In 1948, upon his arrival in the USA from Europe, Bishop Dimitry was received into the “Metropolia” (Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America) by Metropolitan Theophilus (Pashkovsky).
In 1948, he was assigned to be Bishop of Montréal and the Diocese of Canada.
In 1949, he was transferred again to the USA, and he was elevated to the dignity of archbishop. He was then assigned to be Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts.
In 1954, he was assigned to serve as the Archbishop of Chicago and Minneapolis, although he never relocated to the Midwest.
In 1956, Archbishop Dimitry was assigned to be Archbishop of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.
During this time, Archbishop Dimitry often visited the Parish of Saint Mary in Jackson, New Jersey, and he blessed the new rectory after the completion of its construction.
In 1961, he was assigned to serve as the Archbishop of Wilkes-Barre and Pennsylvania.
Retirement, 1963
In 1963, at his own request, Archbishop Dimitri (Magan) was retired from active episcopal service
Repose, 1969
Archbishop Dimitry reposed in the Lord 1 April, 1969.
After the Services for the Burial of a Hierarch, his body was interred at Saint Vladimir’s Cemetery at the Church of Saint Mary in Jackson, New Jersey. In this cemetery are interred many historical Russian-speaking personages of the 20th century in the USA.
— Bishop of Ekaterinoslav (Dnipropetrovsk), Ukraine ____-1943. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.
— Bishop of Montréal and Canada 1948-1949. Preceded by : Bishop Anthony (Tereshchenko). Succeeded by : Archbishop Nikon (de Grève).
— Archbishop of Boston 1949-1954. Preceded by : Archbishop Macarius (Ilyinsky). Succeeded by : Archbishop Dionysius (Diachenko).
— Archbishop of Chicago and Minneapolis 1954-1956. Preceded by : Archbishop Leonty (Turkevich). Succeeded by : Archbishop John (Garklavs).
— Archbishop of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania 1956-1961. Preceded by : Archbishop Nikon (de Grève). Succeeded by : Archbishop Kiprian (Borisevich).
— Archbishop of Wilkes Barre and Pennsylvania 1961-1963. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.
References :
Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.
Additional information :
