Orthodox Icon of Saint Raphael of Brooklyn

St. Raphael of Brooklyn COPYRIGHTED ART. Do not copy or deep-link to without prior permission from "Come and See" Icons, Books & Art.

1st Saturday in November & February 27th
Troparion (Tone 3)
Rejoice, O Father Raphael, Adornment of the holy Church! Thou art Champion of the True Faith, Seeker of the lost, Consolation of the oppressed, Father to orphans, friend of the poor, Peacemaker and Good Shepherd, Joy of all the Orthodox, Son of Antioch, Boast of America; Intercede with Christ God for us and for all who honor thee.

St. Raphael was born Rafia Hawaweeny in November 1860 in Beirut, Lebanon. He attended school in Damascus, Syria, and studied at the famous Patriarchal School of Theology on the island of Halki in the Eastern Aegean. He later studied at the Kiev Theological Academy in Russia; served as Rector of the Metochion of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Moscow; and taught Arabic at the Theological Academy of Kazan. He was tonsured a monk in 1879, ordained Deacon in 1885, Priest in June 1889, and Archimandrite one month later. In 1895, Fr. Raphael came to the United States at the request of the Syrian Orthodox Benevolent Society in New York City. He worked quickly to organize the scattered Syro-Arab Orthodox community, and set up St. Nicholas Church (later St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn.) Fr. Raphael traveled extensively across the United States and Canada, for months at a time, performing marriages, hearing confessions, and celebrating the Divine Services. He worked tirelessly for Christ's church, and in a span of 15 years he established 29 parishes. Among his many writings, he published a large service book in Arabic in 1898 This work was translated into English by Archimandrite Seraphim Nassar in 1938. In 1904, St. Raphael became the first Orthodox bishop consecrated on American soil, at the hands of Archbishop (Saint) Tikhon (Belavin) and Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky). His vestments were a gift from Tsar Nicholas II. Bishop Raphael consecrated the grounds for St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania in 1905. He founded al-Kalimat magazine ("The Word") as the official publication of the Syro-Arab Mission in 1905 and remained its editor until his repose. Bishop Raphael reposed on February 14/27, 1915. His sacred remains were translated to the Holy Resurrection Cemetery at the Antiochian Village, Ligonier, Pennsylvania, August 1988. O Holy Saint Raphael, pray for us!

This Icon is by the hand of Nicholas Papas. It is from St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church in Souderton, Pennsylvania.

Order # pha-12