Brooklyn’s own St. Raphael venerated at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral
Father Thomas Zain, dean of St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, celebrated the Feast of St. Raphael of Brooklyn.
The vigil, held on Nov. 4, began promptly at 6 p.m. with Great Vespers and Artoklasia, with Festal Orthros and the Divine Liturgy.
Raphael Hawaweeny was born in Beirut, but his family was from Damascus. Around the time of Raphael’s birth in 1860, the family fled Damascus during the massacre against Christians.
Raphael was ordained to the priesthood in Russia. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1895 and served under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Mission. He became the pastor of St. Nicholas Church in Brooklyn and later became bishop of Brooklyn.