Relics of St. Raphael of Brooklyn Translated at Antiochian Village

“God is wondrous in His saints.” – Psalm 67:36

Deacon Peter Samore Director of Communications

The holy ones of God are always spiritually present with the believers, interceding before our Lord Jesus Christ, but on a special day at the Antiochian Village, believers were reminded that they are also physically present.

Since 1988, St. Raphael Hawaweeny, Bishop of Brooklyn, had been buried in the Village’s cemetery. On Thursday, July 18, 2024, his holy relics were exhumed and washed in a somber yet beautiful ceremony.

Hundreds of campers and staff witnessed this historic event, looking on quietly and reverently while several priests, deacons and laypeople unearthed the saint and clergymen buried with him.

His Eminence Metropolitan SABA presided over the translation, joined by Their Graces Bishop THOMAS, Bishop JOHN, and Bishop NICHOLAS.

The process proved difficult. Water had flooded the cement vault underground, ruining the original wooden casket of St. Raphael (1860–1915) and the boxes containing the remains of Bishop Emmanuel Abohatab (St. Raphael’s deacon, 1887–1933), Bishop Sophronios Beshara (1888–1940), Archimandrite Agapios Gollam (1882–1946), Archpriest Makarios

Moore (1892–1948), and Father Moses Abihider (1863–1926).

“This day is very important in our Archdiocese,” Sayidna SABA said. “As our first bishop, St. Raphael served this Archdiocese with all his heart, capacity and energy.”

“IT IS A GREAT BLESSING FOR ME ALSO TO BE HIS SUCCESSOR.”

The clergy took turns draining the vault and gently lifting out five skulls, dozens of bones, vestments (including mandiyas, or palls, of bishops), hair, nerves and even bits of flesh. They did everything in their ability to preserve everything they rescued without further damage.

“I realized that I had been standing and praying at this grave for 23 years now, since I went to seminary,” said Fr. Noah Bushelli, pastor of St. Philip in Souderton, Pennsylvania. “Now, I’m standing in this grave and handling his bones, trying to remove this piece and not break that piece.”

Above the vault, two medical doctors, Fr. Luke Toumi of Ss. Peter and Paul Church of Potomac, Maryland, and Dr. Elaina Zabak of Ss. Constantine and Helen Church of Carrollton, Texas, carefully reassembled skeletons.

AT LAST, WE CAN HAVE HIS RELICS, VENERATE HIS RELICS, AND KEEP HIS RELICS SO ALL THE FAITHFUL FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE AND OUR SISTER ORTHODOX CHURCHES CAN TAKE HIS BLESSING

“It was a blessing that I’m still trying to process, that I was holding in my hands the relics of St. Raphael and to see the portions that were incorrupt,” she said.

All the while, a choir led by Fr. John El Massih, pastor of St. George Church of Washington, D.C., beautifully sang hymns to St. Raphael from his service in English and Arabic.

The night before the exhumation, Sayidna SABA prayed to St. Raphael to reveal himself amongst his brother clergy buried with him. The saint answered his prayers. The gold miter, or crown, that sat atop St. Raphael’s head since his funeral, and a small gold cross and chain with his name – ARH (Archimandrite) Raphael Hawaweeny – identified him.

The clergy began the ceremony of washing the bones, vestments and other fragments, and placing them on special trays. When they had washed St. Raphael’s skull and bones, Metropolitan SABA led the procession from the cemetery to nearby St. Ignatius Church. A new reliquary will hold them for believers to venerate them more easily.

“All Orthodox Christians must know that our bodies are holy and honorable. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit,” Sayidna SABA said. “We reject cremation because God is in our bodies, not just our hearts, minds and thoughts. We have tangible proof that man is venerated as a whole.”

The campers and other attendees had graciously complied with requests not to digitally record during the exhumation in order to respect the reposed. Once they received permission to record, however, starting at the procession dozens of them raised their smartphones and captured photos and videos for memories that will last their lifetimes.

Metropolitan SABA carried the saint’s skull, while the bishops carried the saint’s bones. Once the procession reached the church, all present venerated them, as well as his icon and small gold cross.

That night, Great Vespers was celebrated with the service of Litia and Artoklasia (breaking of the blessed bread) at St. Ignatius Church. The campers and staff chanted hymns for St. Raphael. He is already celebrated on his repose (February 27) and the first Saturday in November (close to his birthday of the 8th). Now, July 18 will serve as a secondary feast in commemoration of the translation.

Prior to 1988, St. Raphael had been buried at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn – the first church that he founded – at its Pacific Street location. When the cathedral moved to its current location on State Street, St. Raphael’s body was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Queens. The other bodies were translated from that same cemetery 36 years ago.

St. Raphael was canonized in 2000 by the Orthodox Church in America. In October of 2023, the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch added him to its calendar, ensuring his veneration in all archdioceses of the Patriarchate.

“At last, we can have his relics, venerate his relics, and keep his relics so all the faithful from the Archdiocese and our sister Orthodox Churches can take his blessing,” His Eminence said.

For more, see the photo album by Sub-deacon Andrea Christoforides at https://www.flickr.com/photos/antiochianarchdiocese/albums/72177720318926570/ and the album by Alexander Moujaes and Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/antiochianarchdiocese/ albums/72177720318969533); both are available at antiochian.org.