Friends, family and clergy of the Eastern Rite gathered last week at St. John the Baptist American-Russian Orthodox Church, Nesquehoning, to honor the Very Rev. Msgr. Michael Sopoliga on the occasion of his retirement as the dean of the church after 23 years of service. He will continue his pastoral duties there.

The honors bestowed on Msgr. Sopoliga came as a complete surprise to him and he was presented a jeweled cross from Father Michael Dahulich, who will succeed him as dean.

Clergy on hand for the program included Rev. Michael Kabel, Rev. Thomas Kadlec, the Very Rev. Robert Rebeck, the Very Rev. Theodore Moses, Rev. David Moriak, Rev. Robert Yurvati, Deacon Peter Skoog and subdeacon Ted Mikovich and Charles Kovich.