On June 29/July 12, the Holy Church commemorates the Holy Preeminent Apostles Peter & Paul. On this day in 2003, Archimandrite Peter (Loukianoff; administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Detroit ‒ now the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America) was consecrated Bishop of Cleveland, vicar of the diocese, at Protection of the Mother of God Diocesan Cathedral in Des Plaines (Chicago), IL.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of now-Archbishop Peter of Chicagsky & Mid-America's hierarchal consecration. Clergymen of the diocese and hierarchs from throughout the Diaspora gathered in Des Plaines, at the same cathedral in which His Eminence was consecrated, to mark this significant jubilee.

The feast was presided over by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York. Concelebrating with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad were:

• Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
• Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada
• Archbishop Daniel of the Diocese of Chicago & the Midwest (Orthodox Church in America)
• Archbishop Peter of Chicago & Mid-America
• Bishop Longin of the Diocese of New Gračanica & Midwestern America (Serbian Orthodox Church), and
• Bishop John of Caracas & South America.

The priests who participated in the Divine Services on this day were:

• Archimandrite Ioann (Magramm)
• Archpriest Sergei Prisacaru
• Archpriest Vladimir Kovalchuyk
• Archpriest Gregory Joyce
• Archpriest Ilia Marzev
• Archpriest John Whiteford
• Archpriest Sergei Alekseev
• Archpriest Daniel Marshall
• Archpriest Valery Vovkovskii
• Priest Radomir Plavsic
• Priest Alexander Koranda
• Priest Nikolai Lochmatow
• Hieromonk Raphael (Tadros)
• Priest Mikhail Volzhanskii
• Priest Antony Alekseyenko
• Hieromonk Alexander (Cordos)
• Priest Leonty Naidziones
• Priest Matthew Floyd
• Priest Michael Lillie
• Priest John Komisarchuk
• Priest Robert Bower
• Priest Artemii Makartetskyi
• Protodeacon Alexander Kichakov
• Protodeacon John Cavin
• Protodeacon Vasily Gilliland
• Deacon Alexander Petrovsky
• Deacon Ioann Feloniuk
• Deacon Maxim Sopiga, and
• Deacon Nicolai Chemski.

At the Little Entrance, Archbishop Peter elevated Deacon Alexander Petrovsky to the rank of protodeacon.

Following Divine Liturgy, greetings were read for Archbishop Peter from His Holiness, Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow & All Russia, as well as from members of the Synod of Bishops. Gifts were given to Archbishop Peter from the bishops who participated in the festivities, as well as the clergy of the diocese. The gathered clergy and faithful then moved to the cathedral hall to continue the celebration well into the afternoon, sharing stories of the many years of service of Archbishop Peter in the Mid-American Diocese.