Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas

Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas and the South

His Eminence the Most Reverend Archbishop Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas and the South (1923-2011) was the ruling bishop of the OCA's Diocese of the South (1978-2009). He was one of the first American converts to Orthodoxy to be made an Orthodox Bishop. He is lovingly remembered by many as "Apostle to the South."

Life

Abp. Dmitri was born Robert Royster on November 2, 1923. As a teenager he lived in Teague, Texas (outside of Dallas), and was faithful to his conservative Baptist upbringing. But he, along with his sister, felt that there must be more to the Christian faith than his Protestant denomination was offering. After a period of inquiry and study, the two young teens were received, together, as Orthodox Christians, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas in 1941. It was at this point that Robert adopted the name Dmitri (after St. Dmitri of Rostov). Dmitri was drafted into the US Army in March, 1943, where he served as a Japanese interpreter at the rank of Second Lieutenant. After his military service, he began, though never completed, his doctoral studies at Tulane University before working as an instructor of Spanish at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Dmitri was active as a layman in an ethically Mexican (Spanish Language) parish under the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarch) where he worked on translating many liturgical texts to Spanish.

In April of 1954, as a subdeacon in Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Dmitri helped to establish an English Language parish, named for St. Seraphim of Sarov in Dallas, TX. On November 2, 1954, he was ordained to the diaconate and then to the priesthood on November 6 by Bishop Bogdan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate). While his focus was on the new, English-language community, he continued his work among the Mexican-American Orthodox in Dallas.

In 1965, he was contacted by Bishop Jose (Cortes y Olmos) of the Mexican National Church who with his flock had become interested in becoming Orthodox. Dmitri presented their situation to the Holy Synod of the Metropolia. After many visits and exchanges, Bp. Dmitri presented his report recommending acceptance of the Mexican group into the Orthodox Church. After consideration, in February 1972, the Holy Synod, now of the Orthodox Church in America, accepted the Mexican group with formation of an exarchate in Mexico, with Bp. Dmitri as exarch.

During 1966, Fr. Dmitri attended St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York while concurrently teaching Spanish at Fordham University. In 1969, Archimandrite Dmitri was elected to the episcopate. Then on June 22, he was consecrated Bishop of Berkeley as auxiliary to Abp. John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco. In 1970, Bp. Dmitri was assigned as Bishop of Washington, auxiliary to Metropolitan Ireney. On October 19, 1971, Bp. Dmitri was elected Bishop of Hartford and New England while continuing as the exarch of Mexico.

With the formation of the Diocese of Dallas and the South, Bp. Dmitri was elected its first ruling bishop in the 1978, and was charged with the development of the diocese, which at the time consisted of a few churches primarily in Florida and Texas. In the 1980s, Bp. Dmitri was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

Abp. Dmitri authored several books. His theological writings include Orthodox Christian Teaching: An Introduction to the Orthodox Faith; The Doctrine of Christ; The Parables of Christ; The Miracles of Christ; The Kingdom of God: The Sermon on the Mount; and The Epistle to the Hebrews, A Commentary, which was published in 2003. He was also the editor of The Dawn, the diocesan monthly newsletter.

On September 4, 2008, following the retirement of Metr. Herman, the Holy Synod of the OCA named Abp. Dmitri as the locum tenens, with Abp. Seraphim (Storheim) administrator to assist him. In November of 2008, Dmitri's role as locum tenens ended with the election of Bishop Jonah of Fort Worth as Metropolitan. On March 22, 2009, Abp. Dmitri requested to be granted retirement from active duty as a diocesan bishop effective March 31, 2009.

He reposed in the Lord on August 28, 2011. On March 5, 2016, the body of Abp. Dmitri was disinterred from Restland Cemetery. The state of his body surprised those who examined it, and many have said it is incorrupt, one of the marks of a saint. He was revested and reinterred in a memorial chapel adjoining St. Seraphim Cathedral, in a special burial chamber.

Abp. Dmitri with Holy Apostles Mission in Tulsa, Oklahoma for Land Blessing

Succession box: Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas
Preceded by: see created	Bishop of Berkeley 1969-1970	Succeeded by: Benjamin (Peterson)
Preceded by: Theodosius (Lazor)	Bishop of Washington 1970-1972	Succeeded by: Basil (Rodzianko)
Preceded by: ?	Bishop of Hartford 1972-1978	Succeeded by: Job (Osacky)
Preceded by: see created	Archbishop of Dallas 1978-2009	Succeeded by: Alexander (Golitzin)

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Source

• Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America, C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York.

See also

• Missionary

External links

• His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri announces retirement - (OCA website)
• From District to Diocese: An Examination of the Founding and Missionary Methods of the OCA Diocese of the South Masters Thesis at ResearchGate
• Vladyka Dmitri at the website of St. Seraphim Orthodox Cathedral (OCA), Dallas, TX
• Tex-Mex Orthodoxy: Article in Christianity Today on Abp. Dmitri by Khouria Frederica Mathewes-Green
• The Repose of His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri (OCA)
• Vladimir Grigorenko's Facebook post on the reinterment of Abp. Dmitri
• "Knowing Saints" by Fr. Stephen Freeman