Fr Nicola Yanney

TODAY is the 89th anniversary of the falling asleep in Christ of Father Nicola Yanney of St George/Kearney, NE, the first priest ordained by St Raphael of Brooklyn following his consecration to the sacred episcopacy on March 13th, 1904. Until his repose Father Nicola was the only resident priest to serve the territory which is now our Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America. He was tonsured a Reader by St Raphael at St Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY on March 17th, 1904, ordained Subdeacon on March 20th, Deacon on April 2nd, and Priest on April 3rd. Next October, to mark the 90th anniversary of his repose, our Diocesan Fall Gathering will take the form of a Diocesan Pilgrimage to St George Church and Father Nicola’s grave in Kearney where a new gravestone, to be erected by our DOWAMA Clergy Brotherhood, will be blessed and prayers offered for the repose of his soul and that of his wife Martha, and those of all the departed clergy and their wives who have served our holy temples. May his memory be eternal, and may you be granted long life.

DOWAMA = Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America.

— Taken from the DOWAMA Clerby Brotherhood email of 10/29/07.