St. Timothy’s continues regular service

FAIRFIELD — Parishioners will continue to worship at St. Timothy Orthodox Church without their pastor.

The Rev. Robert Ruark, 65, was arrested Thursday and is suspected of committing lewd acts on at least six teenagers, all now in their 20s, police said. He is the pastor at St. Timothy Orthodox Church, where he is known as Father Silas.

Sunday’s service was led by the Rev. John Christianson, or Father John, a visiting pastor from the Santa Cruz Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church.

Toward the end of Sunday’s service, Christianson said to the parishioners, “We are all in shock. . . . We are suffering .”

Christianson said he was called last week to help continue the services. He does not know if the position will become permanent or not.

He said he was shocked when he heard the news.

“It’s a betrayal,” he said. “I’ve never seen this happen in our diocese.”

Police allege that Ruark molested teenage boys and girls — some for more than a decade — in his church and during sleepovers in the Suisun City home he shares with his family.

The allegations surfaced last week, when a woman who works with youth in the church overheard two people in their 20s talking about abuse at the hands of Ruark. The woman persuaded the pair to tell a bishop, who turned over the information to his superiors in New York, according to police. The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese contacted Fairfield police Wednesday.

Ruark remains in custody at Solano County jail on $500,000 bail. His arraignment is scheduled Monday.

Reach Heather Ah San at 427-6977 or hahsan@dailyrepublic.net. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HeatherMalia.