Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral

Our Clergy

Rt. Rev.Irénée (Rochon), [Bishop]
V. Rev. James Griggs
Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko
Deacon Alexander Moisa
Deacon Sebastian Scratch

Rt. Rev.Irénée (Rochon), [Bishop]

Address:
9600 rue St-Denis Apt A101
Montreal, QC H2M 1P2

Bishop Irénée was born in Montreal on December 25, 1948. In 1971 he received a BA in Slavic Studies from the University of Ottawa and began studies at Holy Trinity Seminary at Jordanville, NY. He was accepted as a novice into the holy Trinity Monastery and placed under the spiritual guidance of Archimandrite Kiprian. In 1974 he was tonsured a Rassophore monk and in 1975 a Stavrophore monk and named Hieromartyr Irénée of Lyons and entered the minor orders tonsured a reader and sub-deacon.

In 1978 he was blessed to serve in France; in May of that year he was ordained a deacon in Brussels, and in August to the priesthood in Geneva. He served in France until 1982 and on his return to Canada in the French mission in Montreal. Hieromonk Irénée and the Mission were received into the OCA in 1986. In 1992, Hieromonk Irénée was elevated to Igumen by Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa, to care for the French language monastics in Quebec with additional duties as supply priest to the parishes in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec City.

In April 2009 the Holy Synod of the OCA elevated Igumen Irénée to the dignity of Archimandrite and elected him to be an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Canada with the title of Bishop of Quebec. In October 2009 ten bishops, led by Metropolitan Jonah participated in the Episcopal consecration of the Archimandrite at Annunciation Cathedral in Ottawa. On October 1, 2010 the Holy Synod appointed Bishop Irénée to be Administrator of the Archdiocese of Canada.
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Fr. James Griggs

Fr James Griggs began attending the Cathedral with his family in 1991. In the fall of 1994, the family moved to St Vladimir’s seminary in New York where Fr James began theological studies. While attending seminary, Fr James was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Archbishop Seraphim in November 1995.

Returning to Canada in June 1996 he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Archbishop Seraphim and was assigned as priest in charge, and later rector, of St Gregory of Nyssa mission in Kingston Ontario. Fr James began serving a small Greek parish in Brockville Ontario on a part time basis in the winter of 2004 while continuing to serve the mission in Kingston. He continued to serve this Greek parish two Sundays of each month until August 2010 when he took up a full time position at the Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa.

After serving for a short period as assistant priest with the Greek Orthodox community in Ottawa, Fr James was assigned to the altar of Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral in March of 2008. He is married to Tena and they have one daughter and three sons who are all members of the Cathedral parish.
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Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko

Protodeacon Nazari and Matushka Tatiana were born in Chernivtsi, Ukrain. Protodeacon Nazari then came to Canada, and graduated from St Andrew’s College, University of Manitoba, Theological school of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada.Later in 2003-2006, he was accepted to continue his theological studies and received a doctoral-equivalent degree in Theology from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s Theological Academy in Kiev, Ukraine. In addition to his liturgical ministry, Protodeacon Nazari and Matushka Tatiana are accomplished iconographers.

On August 1, 2008 Protodeacon Nazari was assigned to the Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa. Protodeacon Nazari is appointed to assist Bishop Irénée as the Episcopal secretary.
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Deacon Alexander Moisa

Deacon Alexander Moisa has served the Cathedral in Ottawa since 1998: first as a choir member and reader and, since February 2008, as a sub-deacon. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in the Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa ON, to which he was assigned, on the 2nd of November 2008, by His Eminence Archbishop SERAPHIM.

Deacon Alexander, originally from Romania, holds three degrees: in Aerospace Engineering (M.Sc.), in Water Resources Engineering (DEA, in France) and in Computer Science (M.Sc., in Canada). Before moving to Canada in 1995 with his family, he worked as a scientist for various research institutes. Deacon Alexander is currently employed by one of the biggest software companies in Ottawa, where he lives with his wife and daughter.

In 2003, Deacon Alexander was encouraged to enroll into the Late Vocations Program of the OCA (New York), by Vladyka SERAPHIM, Igumen John Scratch (Papa John) and the former Dean of the Cathedral, Archpriest Andrew Morbey. Deacon Alexander finished his theological studies and pastoral and liturgical training in September 2008.
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Deacon Sebastian Scratch

Deacon Sebastian has a Child and Youth Worker diploma, and works in this field. He served as Archbishop Seraphim’s senior Subdeacon for several years and by becoming a deacon followed a natural path encouraged by Vladyka Seraphim, his father, the late Igumen John and his parish priest, Father James Griggs. He completed the Late Vocational Program program in March 2010.

Deacon Sebastian Scratch was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in the Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa, ON to which he was assigned on October 1st, 2010, by his Eminence Archbishop Seraphim.