From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette-
As the Byzantine Catholic cathedral filled with 1,200 mourners, many made their way up the center aisle to where the body of Metropolitan Basil Schott lay, still wearing the golden crown of an Eastern archbishop. After a brief prayer, they bent to kiss the cross in his right hand.
Eight years earlier he was enthroned as archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh in this same Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Munhall. The faithful had chanted "God grant you many years," but it was not to be. The 72-year-old Franciscan died of cancer June 10.
"The archbishop heard the call of God and answered it," said Bishop William Skurla of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, N.J. "We rejoice in his passage into life with the Lord but ... we will miss him."
Metropolitan Basil had led the only self-governing Eastern Catholic Church based in the United States. Eastern Catholic Churches are in union with the pope but follow many traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy.
Hundreds of priests led his procession, followed by many Eastern and Latin bishops including Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh. Bishop Nicholas of Johnstown led an Orthodox delegation, and Protestant leaders also took part.
Read more:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10170/1066858-122.stm#ixzz0rONM0MRn
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