Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp)

Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) (1940-____)

William may be spelt Vasile, Vasily, Basil.

Early life of William George Popp

William George Popp was born on 12 June, 1940, in Aurora, Illinois, USA. William was the third of 5 children in the family of Joseph and Vera Popp (born Boytor), who were immigrants from the county of Satu Mare in Romania.

He was raised in a pious family of Romanian Greek Catholic Christians.

Higher education

In 1958, after completing his primary and secondary schooling, William entered the Saint Procopius College in Lisle, Illinois. It was a “Pontifical Eastern Rite Centre” (operated by Benedictine monks), where he studied the history, origins, and purposes of the Greek Catholic Church. The Centre later became the “Benedictine University”.

After his graduation in 1962, William was called by the Romanian Greek Catholic bishop, Vasile Cristea, to go to Rome, Italy, to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Athanasium Greek College. There, he studied the rites, canons, and the spiritual life of the Byzantine Rite.

During these college years, William witnessed the activities of the Second Vatican Council and he travelled through Germany and Greece, including Mount Athos. It was at Mount Athos, Greece, that William first visited an Orthodox Church and he considered the thought : “If only the monks were not Orthodox”. Although he was spiritually deeply moved, his internal conflict with history and loyalty to the “Unia” caused him to keep Orthodoxy at a distance. It was on Mount Athos, however, that one of the spiritual fathers “bestowed” on him the name “Nathaniel”.

Ordinations, 1966

When he had completed his studies in 1966, William was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on 17 July, 1966, in the summer chapel "San Anatolia" in Colle de Tora by Greek Catholic Bishop Vasile Cristea.

He was then ordained to the Holy Priesthood in the Romanian Greek Catholic (Uniat) Church on 23 October, 1966, by Bishop Vasile Cristea, at the "San Salvadore" Greek Catholic Church in Coppele, Rome.

Pastoral service

After returning to the USA in January, 1967, he was appointed to be the assistant priest in the parish of Saint Michael, in Aurora, Illinois.

As Father Popp entered into parish life, the spirituality and theology of his Orthodox experiences began to rise up in importance for him. Within months, he sought entrance into the Orthodox Church. Having no practical experience in the American Orthodox situation, he visited former classmates from Rome who had also embraced Orthodoxy, in order to take advice.

Through the parish priest of Saint Mary’s Cathedral parish in Cleveland, Ohio, Father Popp was introduced to Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.

Archbishop Valerian (Trifa)

Entry into the Orthodox Church, 1968

On 15 February, 1968, under the guidance of Archbishop Valerian, Father Popp was examined by the Episcopate Council, and he was received into the Orthodox Christian Faith by Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) at Saint Mary’s Chapel (Nativity of the Theotokos Chapel) at the "Vatra" (the Episcopate headquarters, whose name means "hearth") in Michigan.

Monastic tonsure, 1968

In 1968, the Priest William Popp was tonsured to be a monk by Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) in Saint Mary’s Chapel at the "Vatra". He was given the name Nathaniel.

Afterwards, he resided in a monastic community for several years.

Pastoral service

In 1975, the Hieromonk Nathaniel (Popp) was assigned to be the priest of the Holy Cross Church in Hermitage, Pennsylvania.

On 20 September, 1980, a Special Electoral Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America called Father Nathaniel to become the Vicar-Bishop to Archbishop Valerian.

Episcopal ordination, 1980

On 15 November, 1980, in the Romanian Orthodox Saint George Cathedral in Southfield/Detroit, Michigan, the Hieromonk Nathaniel (Popp) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate. He was ordained by Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington ; Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) ; Bishop Kyrill (Yonchev) ; Bishop Dmitri (Royster) ; Bishop Christopher (Kovačević) ; Bishop Boris (Geeza) ; and Bishop Mark (Forsberg).

Episcopal ordination

Episcopal service

Bishop Nathaniel (Popp) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, and the Vicar-Bishop to Archbishop Valerian (Trifa).

Bishop Nathaniel (Popp)

Bishop Nathaniel (Popp) served as the Vicar-Bishop bishop until 1984, when Archbishop Valerian retired.

Bishop of the Romanian Episcopate, 1984

On 17 November, 1984, Bishop Nathaniel (Popp) was elected and assigned to become the Diocesan Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (ROEA).

After that time, including all his other duties, Bishop Nathaniel made systematic pastoral rounds of the many parishes of the Romanian Episcopate in the USA and Canada. He made his first canonical visit to Saint Nicholas’s Church in Regina, Saskatchewan, at the time of his first parish visitations to Western Canada. He said that it was appropriate that he should start his Canadian visit as a bishop here, since Saint Nicholas Romanian Orthodox Church was the first organised parish in North America.

In 1987, Bishop Nathaniel (Popp) sanctified the first Temple of the Nativity of the Ever-Virgin Mary Parish in Calgary, Alberta during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. He later sanctified the new Temple when it was constructed.

Under Archbishop Nathaniel’s direction, the ROEA came to the aid of their brothers and sisters in Romania immediately after the fall of communism in 1989, and the Episcopate continues until this day to petition concerning their rights.

In 1994, Archbishop Nathaniel made a pilgrimage to visit all parts of Romania.

In 1995, at the invitation of Patriarch Teoctist (Arăpașu) of Romania, he was a guest of the Romanian Patriarchate for the festivities celebrating the 110th Anniversary of the autocephaly of the Church of Romania, and the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of the Romanian Patriarchate. From this time also, the ROEA resumed a relationship with the Church of Romania, with Archbishop Nathaniel working for a greater understanding between the 2 Romanian dioceses in North America.

On 24 April, 1999, Bishop Nathaniel made a pastoral visit to the mission of the Holy Bishop Nicholas in Ottawa, Ontario, in order to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the mission. The parishioners were very grateful for this visit.

Archbishop of the Romanian Episcopate, 1999

On 20 October, 1999, the Holy Synod of The Orthodox Church in America elevated Bishop Nathaniel (Popp) to the dignity of archbishop.

In May, 2003, Archbishop Nathaniel travelled to Romania, where he was awarded an Honourary Doctorate from the University of Oradea (near the border with Hungary).

In 2009, the 40th anniversary of the parish of the Nativity of the Ever-Virgin Mary in Calgary, Alberta, was celebrated during an hierarchical visitation by Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp).

On 18-19 July, 2010, Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) visited the parish of the Nativity of the Ever-Virgin Mary in Calgary, Alberta, as usual, but after major renovations had been undertaken. These transformed the appearance of the Temple.

Archbishop Nathaniel at Saint Mary's, Calgary

30th anniversary of episcopal service, 2014

On 8 November, 2014, in the Cathedral of Saint George, in Detroit, Michigan, after Vespers, there was a Service of Thanksgiving offered on the occasion of celebrating 30 years since the enthronement of Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) as the Bishop of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate. Afterwards, there was offered a reception with a programme.

Archbishop Nathaniel with clergy and others in Regina

Other pastoral visits

On 11 June, 2015, along with the Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) Board, Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) visited Project Mexico & St Innocent Orphanage”.

Project Mexico

On 5-6 November, 2016, Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) visited the parish of Saint George in Winnipeg, Manitoba. At that time, he blessed the newly-renovated Temple, and he ordained a priest who was assigned to serve the parish.

Archbishop Nathaniel at the grave of Father Glicherie Popa, Lennard Manitoba

From 11-23 July, 2019, Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) made an archpastoral visit to the Parish of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Calgary, Alberta, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the parish, which was being marked at that time.

— Bishop of Dearborn Heights 1980-1984. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : Bishop Irineu (Duvlea).

— Vicar-Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America.

— Bishop of Detroit 1984-1999. Bishop of the Romanian Episcopate 1984-1999.

— Archbishop of Detroit 1999-____. Preceded by : Archbishop Valerian (Trifa). Succeded by : ____.

— Archbishop of the Romanian Episcopate 1999-____. Preceded by : Archbishop Valerian (Trifa). Succeeded by : ___.

Reflections

Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) presides over the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, which is a non-territorial diocese of The Orthodox Church in America.

Archbishop Nathaniel is also the founder and president of the Saint Andrew’s House - Centre for Orthodox Christian Studies in Detroit, Michigan.

He has continued to be an active member of the Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, and he has represented the OCA in numerous events both in North America and Europe.

Archbishop Nathaniel participates actively in inter-Orthodox conversations and activities, and he has been a very vocal supporter in general of visible Orthodox unity. He is an active participant in the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in North and Central America.

The Romanian Episcopate includes more than 2 dozen parishes in Canada, some of which had their beginnings more than a century ago in the Archdiocese of Canada during its earliest days, when it was a part of the "Russian Mission". Thus, Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp) actively participates in the Canadian Council of Canonical Orthodox Bishops.

Having served as a bishop for more than 40 years, he has shone as one having a heart for monastic life and for helping those who are oppressed. In Christ, he led the flock entrusted to him with determination and love. The dignified, patient and Christian manner in which Archbishop Nathaniel has led this flock has borne fruit in the historical facts : the Romanian Episcopate multiplied in size during the years of his paternal archpastorate ; under his omophor, monastic life slowly and steadily progressed in a healthy manner.