Rich symbols abound in a bishop’s ordination

Published on Tuesday, 24 March 2015 16:05 |

Written by Clarion Herald |

(Click for image gallery)

Archbishop Gregory Aymond invokes the Holy Spirit by laying his hands on the head of Bishop Cheri, a 2,000-year tradition of the Catholic Church passed on by the apostles.

Bishop Cheri receives the Book of the Gospels from Archbishop Aymond.

Bishop Cheri offers his first Eucharistic Prayer as a bishop. Bishop Cheri says the sacred liturgy is a prayer that must be entered into by a priest with his entire being. “It’s a great responsibility as a presider to make sure you bring that spirit to the altar and make sure you keep that spirit there,” he says.

A total self-gift

Bishop Cheri lies prostrate in front of the altar as cantor Eric McCrary intones the Litany of the Saints. The face-down position is a symbol of the bishop’s submission to God’s will.