The Rev. Som Chanpheng Vongsanit was ordained to the diaconate Dec. 20 in St. James' Cathedral, Fresno, Calif., in what was believed to be the first ordination of a person of Laotian ancestry in the Anglican Communion. Deacon Vongsanit was ordained by the Rt. Rev. John-David Schofield, Bishop of San Joaquin, under Canon 9.

Earlier in December, the new deacon received his U.S. citizenship. He was born in Laos in 1964 and was orphaned at age 6. He escaped to a refugee camp in Thailand, where he spent the next 12 years, and where he was introduced to Christianity. He was baptized in 1981. In 1987, he and his wife, Phong Tankhai, emigrated to the United States and settled eventually in Fresno. He was asked to join the staff of the diocesan-sponsored Asian Center as a translator.

The congregation of St. Martin of Tours, then meeting at the Asian Center, asked Deacon Vongsanit to help translate parts of the liturgy because he was fluent in Hmong and Lao. During that time, he became convinced that he was being called to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.

He was appointed lay vicar of St. Martin's in 1991 and completed an associate's degree at Fresno City College. He then studied for holy orders on Canon 9. It is expected that following at least six months as a deacon, he will be ordained as a local priest for St. Martin's.