New Bishops

Peppery-smelling incense swirled one day last week in a fusty house of God in uptown Manhattan. Built 35 years ago with funds given by Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, archiepiscopal seat of the North American continent, has never since been repaired. But bravely beneath its crumbling ceiling and rain-stained murals stood Russian prelates in vestments of gilt studded with imitation jewels, crying: "Axios! Axios!" (Worthy! Worthy!), as Archbishop Nicholas Kedroff, head of the North American branch of the Russian Orthodox Church, bestowed a bishop's cassock, pectoral image, mantle, cowl and rosary upon Rt. Rev. Damaskinos Demessianos. Bishop Damaskinos was appointed by the Holy Synod of Russia to the Orthodox see of San Francisco. The handful of his friends and worshipers at his investiture were outnumbered by news cameramen popping flash bulbs.

Chin-bearded Bishop Damaskinos, born 50 years ago in Corfu and educated in Greece, earned the bishopric of San Francisco by doing able work in Western parishes in recent years. His church, under the jurisdiction of the Soviet-dominated Metropolitan Sergius in Russia, has a U. S. hierarchy of only five. Ten years ago it had to go to court to win title to the dilapidated cathedral whose 500 parishioners--400 of whom are now on relief rolls--have never had money to refurbish. In better shape is the newer, autonomous Russian Orthodox Church of North America, which has three archbishops, seven bishops. 300,000 communicants, and takes no orders from Russia.

Other new U. S. bishops of the past fortnight :

Syracuse, N, Y., with 200,000 Catholics, got a new shepherd when Rev. Walter Andrew Foery was consecrated in nearby Rochester, where he was born 47 years ago and where for 21 years he was a parish priest. Lean, pale, serious, Bishop Foery was consecrated by Archbishop Edward Francis Mooney. lately of Rochester, now of Detroit (TIME, Aug. 16). Co-consecrators were Bishop Francis P. Keough of Providence and Bishop Emmet Michael Walsh of Charleston, both his classmates at Rochester's St. Bernard's Seminary.

To Salt Lake City, whose 10,000 Catholics were guided by Bishop James Edward Kearney until he was transferred to Rochester to succeed Archbishop Mooney, the Pope appointed Monsignor Duane Garrison Hunt, 52, vicar general of the diocese. Born of Methodists in Reynolds, Neb., he went to Cornell, was converted to Catholicism in 1912, became professor of public speaking at the predominantly Mormon University of Utah a year later. In 1935-36 Monsignor Hunt was the weekly speaker on NBC's Catholic Hour.

To succeed Auxiliary Bishop Joseph H. Albers of Cincinnati, transferred last month to the new diocese of Lansing, Mich., the Pope chose Monsignor George J. Rehring, 47, longtime professor and present rector of Mount St. Mary Seminary.

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