Funeral Services held for Protopresbyter Daniel Hubiak, former Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America

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On February 10 and 11, 2021, the funeral services for Protopresbyter Daniel Hubiak were held at Christ the Savior Church, Berlin, MD. Father Daniel had departed this life on February, 5, 2021, at the age of 94, in his retirement in Ocean Pines, MD.

Father Daniel was well known as the longtime Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, from 1973 to 1988, and the first Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate from 1991 to 2001. He also served as a parish priest in several parishes, and worked for the national church in various other capacities in his long and distinguished life. He is survived by his wife, Matushka Dunia, two daughters, Larice and Annice, and their spouses and families, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was beloved and known by many. His full obituary was posted on the OCA website on the day of his repose.

It was with great sorrow that His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, along with the Chancellor Archpriest Alexander Rentel and the rest of the Chancery staff, was unable to be present at the funeral services due to exposure to COVID-19 earlier in the week. His Beatitude expressed his condolences to Matushka Dunia by phone, and had his eulogizing remarks read in absentia at the services.

On February 10, 2021, the Memorial (Panikhida) Service was held at 3:00 pm at Christ the Savior Church, which was founded as a mission in 2001 with Father Daniel as the founding priest. Serving were the Rector, Priest John Parsells, and Father Daniel’s son-in-law, Archpriest Joseph Oleynik. Father Joseph gave remarks following the service, focusing on Father Daniel’s family life and personal diligence. Viewing hours followed.

Video recordings of the memorial can be found on the OCA Facebook page and YouTube channel.

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At 7:00 pm, the Funeral Service for a Priest was held at Christ the Savior Church. Presiding at the service was Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, former Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, 2007-2011. Serving with him were Archpriest John Jillions, former Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, 2011-2018, Priest John Parsells, Archpriest Joseph Oleynik, Economos Michael Kallaur, and Archpriest David Vernak.

Before the service began, Father Alexander read a message of condolences from His Beatitude.

Read His Beatitude’s remarks in full

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By the request of Father Daniel, Father Alexander gave a eulogy following the service. In his eulogy, Father Alexander began by pointing out one of the truths found in the text of the funeral services: “…at the services, we simply do not acknowledge death. We don’t acknowledge death, because we are alive! Life is just too good! It can’t end. It can’t possibly end.” Speaking of Father Daniel, he eulogized him as “one of the greatest generation of the OCA.” Commenting on the state of the Church in America around the time of Father Daniel’s birth, Father Alexander spoke about his experiences as a young man, arriving at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and being exposed to the fuller liturgical life of the Church, at the time in the early 1950’s when the Church was “waking up” and becoming more engaged liturgically.  He recognized Constantine Kallaur, Father Daniel’s roommate from seminary, who was present at the service, and then spoke about Father Daniel’s early service in the Church as a priest, emphasizing his outstanding work in vitalizing the life of Holy Trinity Church, East Meadow, NY, and leading up to his time as a member of the delegation that received the Tomos of Autocephaly in 1970, and then to his time as Chancellor. Father Alexander spoke of how Father Daniel steered a great period of engagement in Church life, as a theologian-worker, working closely together with Father Alexander Schmemann, who was a theologian-visionary. He noted how Father Daniel was instrumental in developing the vision of what the Orthodox Church should be: not a cultural institution or an exotic novelty, but “the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church… as good as, as meaningful as, anything in life!” He lauded Father Daniel as someone who had true humility, and was “truly a Christian.”

The full video recording of the funeral and eulogy can be found on the OCA Facebook page and YouTube channel.

A photo gallery of the Funeral can be viewed on the OCA website and Facebook page.

On February 11, 2021, the Funeral Divine Liturgy was celebrated at Christ the Savior Church, with Archpriest John Jillions presiding. Concelebrating were Priest John Parsells and Archpriest David Vernak.

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Father John gave the homily following the Gospel reading. In his homily, he first explored the connection between the life of Father Daniel and the verse from the Epistle: “But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). He shared that he saw Father Daniel, together with Matushka Dunia, as people who give hope that problems can arise, but something good can be done, and that anything is possible, by the Grace of God. He recalled Father Daniel’s ability to cultivate real friendships.  He noted how in 2014, when asked to reflect on his life as a priest, Father Daniel said that everything comes down to being “eye to eye” with one another as a person. Then, Father John reflected on the Gospel: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live” (John 5:25). He noted that Father Daniel had been hearing the voice of God from his youth, and that also, as it says of the righteous in Psalm 92, he brought “forth fruit in old age”, and even continues to do so after his repose. Father John said that merely thinking of Father Daniel’s example and life gives faithfulness, and hope, and encourages all of us think “I can do more!”

Following the Divine Liturgy, on behalf of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, Father John read the eulogy that was offered by His Beatitude. In it, His Beatitude again spoke about Father Daniel’s warmth and humility: “… Fr. Daniel indeed belonged to the Lord and gave himself to all with the same self-sacrificial love and humility of his master. To all that he met or ministered to or simply spoke with, he smiled with the same warm smile, tilted his head in the same manner, and laughed with the knowing laugh that revealed, not just a unique set of personal characteristics, but the expression of care, compassion, and genuine love of a man whose whole heart is immersed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in the care for his fellows.”

Read His Beatitude’s remarks in full

Next, the short memorial service was served, and a short personal recollection was offered by Father David Vernak. The clergy and faithful then came forward to offer the Last Kiss.

The full video recording of the Divine Liturgy, including the homily, the reading of His Beatitude’s remarks, and the memorial service, can be found on the OCA Facebook page and YouTube channel.

A photo gallery of the Divine Liturgy and Burial can be viewed on the OCA website and Facebook page.

The burial was held at St. Tikhon’s Monastery today, February 12.

May Protopresbyter Daniel’s memory be eternal!


Photo credits: Victor Lutes