View source for Innocent (Gula) of Hagerstown

His Grace, the Right Reverend '''Innocent (Gula) of Anchorage''' was a [[bishop]] of the [[OCA|Orthodox Church of America]] during the last decade of the twentieth century. He was an [[auxiliary bishop]] serving in the [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Diocese of Alaska]].

==Life==
George Gula was born on [[August 20]], 1949 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania to George and Elizabeth (nee Baka) Gula. After completing his basic education, George entered Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from which he graduated in 1971, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Psychology. In 1976, he received a Master of Science degree in Religious Education from Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In 1977, he graduated from [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Theological Seminary]] in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. 

Entering the [[Holy Orders]], George was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in February 1979 and to the [[priest]]hood in May 1979 while serving with the  [[American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese|Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese]] of the U.S.A. He led the establishment of St. Gregory of Nyssa Church in Seaford, New York in 1980. In 1983, he was appointed administrator of the [[diocese]]'s Annunciation Monastic Community in Tuxedo Park, New York. At Tuxedo Park, he served as instructor of liturgics in the diaconate program.

After serving as rector at [[parish]]es in the New York/New Jersey area, Fr. George was assigned as [[chaplain]] to the women's monastic Community of the Holy Myrrhbearers in Otego, New York in 1990, an Orthodox Church in America institution.

In 1994, Fr. George was assigned to [[St. Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Kodiak, Alaska)|St. Herman Orthodox Theological Seminary]] in Kodiak, Alaska where he served as chaplain and dean of students. The following year, he was elected auxiliary bishop to Metr. [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius]], who was serving as [[Locum Tenens]] of the Diocese of Alaska. Under the monastic name Innocent, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated to the episcopacy]] as Bishop of Anchorage at St. Innocent Cathedral in Anchorage, Alaska on [[September 15]]-[[September 16|16]], 1995.

Bp. Innocent traveled to many distant and remote churches in Alaska during his episcopacy, and he especially loved the Yupik people.

In April 2001, Bp. Innocent was initially suspended from his duties in Alaska and later retired from active ministry with the title of Bishop of Hagerstown. On [[May 6]], 2002, Bp. Innocent reposed of an apparent heart attack in Anchorage, Alaska. Funeral services were held in Hazelton, Pennsylvania on [[May 13]], 2002, with burial at St Mary's Church Cemetery in Hazelton. The Synod of Bishops was meeting not more than an hour away, yet not one bishop attended his funeral, which had to be held in a funeral home as no church was made available for his funeral.

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/obituaries/obit_innocent_gula_bishop.htm  ORI: Bishop Innocent Dies in Retirement]
*[http://www.ocanews.org/news/Innocent72807.html  Bishop Innocent]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category: St. Tikhon's Seminary Graduates]]