About Bishop Nicholas

Bishop Nicholas was born in Damascus, Syria, on January 4, 1963. He attended the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. He also attended the French Lycée Laïque elementary and middle school, and the Omia High School. He holds the following degrees from Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts: a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering; Master of Science in Computer Engineering; and a Specialization Certificate in Object-Oriented Design, Architecture, and Coding. He also has a Master of Divinity degree, awarded with Highest Distinction, from studies undertaken between September 2002 to May 2005 at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. He has also attended many professional engineering conferences and courses and conferences on psychology and human behavior. Bishop Nicholas speaks Arabic and English fluently. His second language in Syria was French, which he has used, along with Hebrew, Ancient Greek, New Testament Greek, and modern Greek, to conduct research on theological subjects.

Bishop Nicholas was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip, April 23, 2004, and to the Holy Priesthood by His Grace Bishop Antoun, January 9, 2005. He was assigned to St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by His Eminence for the period August 2005 to the present. He was elevated to the dignity of Archimandrite by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip on February 14, 2010, and was consecrated to the bishopric on Sunday, December 11, 2011 at the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, Balamand, Lebanon. His namesday is December 6 (St. Nicholas the Wonderworker).

Episcopal Biography for Bishop Nicholas

In Syria

Born to Mr. and Mrs. William and Nadia Ozone in Damascus, Syria, on January 4, 1963.

Attended the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. Attended the French Lycée Laïque elementary and middle school and the Omia High School.

In the United States

Emigrated to the US, February, 1981.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Honors, Sept. 1981 - June 1985, Northeastern University, Boston, MA.

Master of Science in Computer Engineering, Sept. 1985 - June 1988, Northeastern University, Boston, MA.

Specialization certificate in Object Oriented Design, Architecture, and Coding, Sept. 1992 - June 1995, Northeastern University, Boston, MA.

Attended many professional engineering conferences (including 1989-2002 MS TechEd and MS Professional Developers Conferences, and the Microsoft by-invitation-only Design Reviews), and psychology and behavioral courses and conferences (including Problem Solving Leadership classes).

Master of Divinity, Highest Distinction, Sept. 2002 - May 2005, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA.

Employment

Gained employment as a Computer Engineer at several companies, such as ViewLogic Systems and Synopsys Co. in the Electronics Design Automation industry and was promoted to the highest technical ranks as a Lead Software Architect, Principal Software Engineer, and Software Engineering Manager. 1985 - 2003.

Professionally represented his companies in many conferences in Sweden, France, England, Germany, Italy, and USA. 1985 - 2002.

Lectured on Electronics Circuitry, Circuit Theory, and Digital Computers to EE Bachelor of Science students, Jan. 1985 - June 1989, 1992, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA.

Church

Attended St. George of Boston Antiochian Orthodox Church and:

  • Elected by the parish as the Parish Council Secretary, 1998 - 2002.
  • Founded, with the help of others, the Arabic and English Language School and was selected to fill the role of Superintendent, 1998 - 2002.
  • Was a member of the Choir.
  • Was a chanter.
  • Appointed by the Pastor to be the Young Adult Coordinator, 2001 - 2002.

Visited Mount Athos monasteries several times, 2000 - 2004.

Ordained to the Holy Diaconate, by His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP, April 23, 2004.

Ordained to the Holy Priesthood, by His Grace Bishop ANTOUN, Jan. 9, 2005.

Assigned to St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church, FT. Lauderdale, FL, by His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP, Aug. 2005 - Present.

Elevated to the Dignity of Archimandrite, by His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP, Feb. 14, 2010.

Languages

Fluent in Arabic and English. His second language in Syria was French, which he used along with Ancient, New Testament, and modern Greek and Hebrew to conduct research in theology subjects.