Job (Osacky) of Chicago
Encyclopedia
Archbishop Job of Chicago (March 18, 1946 – December 18, 2009) was the archbishop
of the Orthodox Church in America
's Diocese of the Midwest
until his unexpected death. His territory included Illinois
, Indiana
, Iowa
, Kansas
, Michigan
, Minnesota
, Missouri
, North Dakota
, Nebraska
, Ohio
, and Wisconsin
.
Archbishop Job was born Richard John Osacky in Chicago
on March 18, 1946. Saints Peter and Paul Church, at 53rd Street and Western Avenue, was his home parish. He completed university studies at Northern Illinois University
and, after graduating from Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary
in 1970, he served as cantor and youth director at Saint John the Baptist Church in Black Lick, Pennsylvania
. He assumed responsibilities in leading Divine Services in the prescribed manner for readers, conducting religious education and youth work, and writing icon
s.
In 1973, Reader John was ordained to the diaconate and consequently to the priesthood by (then) Bishop Theodosius of Pittsburgh. He was assigned to the parish in Black Lick, where he also served as spiritual director for the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at nearby Indiana University of Pennsylvania
.
In 1975, he was blessed a riasaphor
monk
, and later was tonsure
d a monk in the Lesser Schema by (then) Bishop Herman
in August 1982. In November of that year he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
The Diocese of New England nominated Job as their diocesan bishop. The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America ratified the nomination and elected him Bishop of Hartford and the Diocese of New England. He was consecrated to the episcopacy on January 29, 1983, at All Saints Church in Hartford, Connecticut
.
At its session of November 5, 1992, the Holy Synod of Bishops elected Bishop Job as Bishop of Chicago and Diocese of the Midwest. He was enthroned as Bishop of his native city at Holy Trinity Cathedral on February 6, 1993.
In addition to his regular duties as the ruling hierarch of the Diocese of the Midwest, Abp. Job was recognized as an accomplished iconographer and an authority in the field. At the 17 March 2004 session of the Holy Synod, Bishop Job was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
Archbishop Job died unexpectedly in the morning of December 18, 2009 in a hotel in Maumee, Ohio
.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the Orthodox Church in America
Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. Its primate is Metropolitan Jonah , who was elected on November 12, 2008, and was formally installed on December 28, 2008...
's Diocese of the Midwest
Orthodox Church in America Diocese of the Midwest
The Orthodox Church in America Diocese of the Midwest is a diocese of the Orthodox Church in America . Its territory includes parishes, monasteries, and missions located in eleven states in the Midwestern United States – Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota,...
until his unexpected death. His territory included Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Archbishop Job was born Richard John Osacky in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on March 18, 1946. Saints Peter and Paul Church, at 53rd Street and Western Avenue, was his home parish. He completed university studies at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
and, after graduating from Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary
Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary
Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan Township, Pennsylvania, is one of three institutions of professional theological education in the Orthodox Church in America. The other two schools are St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, Yonkers, New York, and St....
in 1970, he served as cantor and youth director at Saint John the Baptist Church in Black Lick, Pennsylvania
Black Lick, Pennsylvania
Black Lick is a census-designated place in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,438 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Black Lick is located at ....
. He assumed responsibilities in leading Divine Services in the prescribed manner for readers, conducting religious education and youth work, and writing icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
s.
In 1973, Reader John was ordained to the diaconate and consequently to the priesthood by (then) Bishop Theodosius of Pittsburgh. He was assigned to the parish in Black Lick, where he also served as spiritual director for the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at nearby Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. The university is northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is the commonwealth's fifth largest university...
.
In 1975, he was blessed a riasaphor
Degrees of Eastern Orthodox monasticism
The degrees of Eastern Orthodox monasticism are the stages an Eastern Orthodox monk or nun passes through in their religious vocation.In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the process of becoming a monk or nun is intentionally slow, as the monastic vows taken are considered to entail a lifelong...
monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, and later was tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
d a monk in the Lesser Schema by (then) Bishop Herman
Herman (Swaiko)
Metropolitan Herman is the former primate of the Orthodox Church in America . As the head of the OCA, he was the Archbishop of Washington and New York, and Metropolitan of All America and Canada...
in August 1982. In November of that year he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
The Diocese of New England nominated Job as their diocesan bishop. The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America ratified the nomination and elected him Bishop of Hartford and the Diocese of New England. He was consecrated to the episcopacy on January 29, 1983, at All Saints Church in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
.
At its session of November 5, 1992, the Holy Synod of Bishops elected Bishop Job as Bishop of Chicago and Diocese of the Midwest. He was enthroned as Bishop of his native city at Holy Trinity Cathedral on February 6, 1993.
In addition to his regular duties as the ruling hierarch of the Diocese of the Midwest, Abp. Job was recognized as an accomplished iconographer and an authority in the field. At the 17 March 2004 session of the Holy Synod, Bishop Job was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
Archbishop Job died unexpectedly in the morning of December 18, 2009 in a hotel in Maumee, Ohio
Maumee, Ohio
Maumee is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Toledo along the Maumee River. The population was 14,286 at the 2010 census. Maumee was also declared an All-America City by the National Civic League in June 2006.-Geography:...
.