Clergy
Our Leader
His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia.
Head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Autobiography of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia (secular name Vladimir M. Gundyaev) was born on November 20, 1946, in Leningrad. His father, Rev. Mikhail V. Gundyaev, died in 1974. His mother, Raisa V. Gundyaeva, a teacher of German, died in 1984. His elder brother, Archpriest Nikolay Gundyaev, is a professor at St. Petersburg Theological Academy and rector of the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg. His grandfather, Rev. Vasily S. Gundyaev, a Solovki prisoner, was imprisoned and exiled in the 20s, 30s and 40s for his church activity and struggle against Renovationism.
After finishing the secondary school eighth grade, Vladimir Gundyaev got a job in the Leningrad Geological Expedition and worked for it from 1962 to 1965 as cartographer, combining work with studies at secondary school.
After graduation from school, he entered the Leningrad Seminary and later the Leningrad Theological Academy, from which he graduated cum laude in 1970.
On April 3, 1969, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod tonsured him with the name of Kirill and on April 7 ordained him as hierodeacon and on June 1 as hieromonk.
From 1970 to 1971 Father Kirill taught Dogmatic Theology and acted as rector’s assistant for students’ affairs at the Leningrad Theological Schools and at the same time worked as personal secretary to Metropolitan Nikodim and supervising instructor of the first-grade seminarians.
He was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite on September 12, 1971.
From 1971 to 1974, he was Moscow Patriarchate representative at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.
From December 26, 1974, to December 26, 1984, he was rector of the Leningrad Seminary and Theological Academy.
On March 14, 1976, Archimandrite Kirill was consecrated Bishop of Vyborg, Vicar of the Leningrad Diocese.
On September 2, 1977, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop.
From December 26, 1984, he was appointed as Archbishop of Smolensk and Vyazma.
From 1986 – Administrator of the Parishes in the Kaliningrad Region.
From 1988 he became the Archbishop of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.
On November 13, 1989, he was appointed the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations and a Permanent Member of the Holy Synod.
On February 25, 1991, Archbishop Kirill was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.
On January 27, 2009, the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church elected him Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was enthroned on February 1, 2009.
His Eminence HILARION.
Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York.
First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.
The Autobiography of His Eminence Metropolitan HILARION:
Metropolitan Hilarion’s parents – his father Alexei Kapral, and his mother, Euphrosynia (née Kasyaniuk) – were from the village of Obenizha in Volyhn , Ukraine . In 1929, during the Polish occupation, the local populace was persecuted and oppressed by Poles attempting to turn Western Ukraine into a Polish province. Thus, the 19-year-old Alexei and his young wife decided to emigrate to Canada. At the time, the Canadian government afforded immigrants the opportunity to obtain large tracts of land in Western Canada ; it was there that the young family settled. Upon their arrival in the province of Alberta , the Kapral family received 160 acres of untilled land, as well as $100 in cash, a hammer, and an axe, with which to build themselves a home. In the developing Spirit River region, there were some 200 Ukrainians, and in view of the oncoming cold, they quickly built themselves houses. The great economic crisis of 1929-1930 affected the settlers as well, making an already hard life even more difficult. To find work, Alexei Kapral had to travel far from home, and he earned but 25 cents per day. Nonetheless, the family grew ever larger – five boys and two girls filled the house with children’s voices, speaking Ukrainian at home. Their parents also spoke Russian and Polish.
The youngest member of the family was Igor, the future Metropolitan Hilarion. He was born on January 6, 1948, in Spirit River, and spent his childhood in the country. He had to walk over three miles to school every day. Later he transferred to another school in Blueberry Creek, but returned to finish high school, which he graduated in 1966. From his youth, Igor attended Holy Trinity Russian Church, located close to Spirit River. There were many conflicts among the parishioners, some of whom wanted the church to transfer to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church. The parish later transferred to the diocese of Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudika), who served first in the Russian Church Abroad, later switching to the Moscow Patriarchate. Young Igor, meanwhile, found a spiritual father in the Russian Church Abroad, in the Right Reverend Sava (Saracevic), Bishop of Edmonton, a Serb who greatly revered our Holy Hierarch St. John (Maximovitch, +1966).
From his youth, Igor felt drawn to the Church, and loved to read books and periodicals on religion and morals. In 1967, when Igor Kapral was 19 years old, he entered the Holy Trinity Theological Seminary in Jordanville , NY , USA . On graduating from the Seminary in 1972 (together with our rector, Fr. Victor – ed.), Igor entered the Holy Trinity Monastery as a novice. On December 2, 1974 he was tonsured a rassophore monk with the name Hilarion, in honor of Venerable Schema-monk Hilarion of the Kiev Caves, the famous Metropolitan of Kiev. On December 4, 1975, Archbishop Averky (Taushev, +1976), for whom the future Metropolitan served as a cell-attendant, ordained him a hierodeacon. In 1976, Bishop Laurus of Manhattan ordained him a hieromonk. The same year, Fr. Hilarion received a Master’s degree in Slavic studies and Russian literature from Syracuse University. The future First Hierarch worked simultaneously as editor of the English-language version of the magazine Orthodox Life, and as a typesetter for the monastery press.
On December 10, 1984, His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky, +1985) and nine other bishops officiated at the consecration of Hieromonk Hilarion to the episcopacy. As Bishop of Manhattan, His Grace was also responsible for the parishes of Pennsylvania, and was also appointed the Deputy Secretary of the Synod of Bishops by the Council of Bishops. Ten years later, thanks to the archpastoral efforts of Bishop Hilarion, the number of parishes in the Eastern American Diocese grew to 64. Visiting parish after parish, Vladyka drew the love and respect of all those who met him. Holding a position of responsibility in the administrative center of the Church Abroad, Vladyka Hilaron was also an active participant in the main events of its history. In 1995, Bishop Hilarion was given the title Bishop of Washington as he continued to live in New York, but due to problems in the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand after the retirement of the ailing Archbishop Paul (Pavlov), and in recognition of his exception pastoral talents, Vladyka Hilarion was elevated to the rank of archbishop and appointed Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand.
In 2003, Vladyka Hilarion was awarded the right to wear the diamond cross. During the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 2006, he was appointed First Deputy President of the Synod of Bishops.
On March 16, 2008, the very day of the repose of His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, Archbishop Hilarion was appointed Temporary President of Synod of Bishops and of the electoral commission tasked with preparing for the Sobor of Bishops. There His Eminence was elected First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad on May 12. On May 18, 2008, Metropolitan Hilarion was enthroned in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign.
Archpriest Vasily Zelenyuk.
Rector of the Church of Saint Luke the Blessed Surgeon in Pompano Beach, Florida, USA.
The Autobiography of Archpriest Vasily Zelenyuk:
Born on May 21, 1974 in the village of Zrub-Komarivtzy, Storozhinetzky region, Chernovitsky district, Ukraine.
From the family of a priest, Mitered Archpriest John and Stephania Zelenyuk. The fifth child of seven children. He has four brothers and two sisters. Four brothers, a sister's husband, four nephews are clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the omophorion of the Most Blessed Onufry, Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine.
Archpriest Vasily received his spiritual formation in Kiev Spiritual Seminary. On the 29th of November in the year 1992, with the blessing of the Most Reverend Onufry, bishop of Chernovtsy and Bukovina, he was ordained to the diaconate by the Most Reverend Antony, Bishop of Ural and Guryevsk, in Chernovtsy's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
On December 4th of the year 1992, with the blessing of the Most Reverend Onufry, bishop of Chernovtsy and Bukovina, was ordained to the priesthood by the Most Reverend Panteleimon, bishop of Kitsman, Vicar of the diocese of Chernovtsy and Bukovina, in Chernovtsy's
Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
In the years 1993–2005, was the rector of St. Michael’s parish in the town of Stavchany, Khotinsky region, in the diocese of Chernovtsy and Bukovina.
In the years 2005–2008, performed obedience in the Church of St. Innocent of Irkutsk Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), in the city of Redford, MI (U.S.A.).
From the 2nd of December 2008 through the 10th of November 2020 was appointed rector of Holy Trinity Church of the Russian Church Abroad in the city of Milwaukee, state of Wisconsin, Chicago and Mid-American diocese, by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and
administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.
From March 14th, 2013 through the 10th of November 2020 was appointed temporarily to perform the duties of rector of the Russian mission in honor of the icon of the Mother of God «Tender Mercies» in the city of Madison, state of Wisconsin, Chicago and Mid-American diocese, by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.
From April 1st, 2013 through the 10th of November 2020 was appointed Dean of the Second Deanery of the Chicago and Mid-American diocese by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.
On the 14th of October in the year 2014 was elevated by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America to the rank of Archpriest.
From July 1, 2016 through the 10th of November 2020 was appointed Acting Rector of the Parish of All Saints in Fargo, North Dakota, the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and
Mid-America.
From June 1 to October 25, 2018 was appointed interim rector of the Holy Panteleimon Parish in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and
Mid-America.
On October 14, 2018, in the Cathedral of the Holy Protection Church of Chicago, he was awarded the right to wear the jeweled cross by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.
He was relieved of duties as the Dean, Second Deanery, Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, Rector, Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church in Milwaukee, WI, Acting Rector, Our Lady of Tenderness Mission in Madison, WI, Acting Rector, All Saints Russian Orthodox Church in
Fargo, ND by The Most Reverend Peter, Bishop of Cleveland and administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America on November 10, 2020.
On the 10th November of the year 2020 was transferred by Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York to the Eastern American Diocese Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and appointed first priest in the church of Saint Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in the city of Pompano Beach in Florida.
On January 1, 2021, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, was appointed rector of the Parish of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in the city of Pompano Beach in Florida.
Alexey V. Lukianov
Starosta of the Saint Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church from 01/01/2020.
Yurkevich Andrey Alexandrovich,
Reader of the St. Luke the Church.
Andrey Yurkevich was born in Moscow, Russia (former USSR) on April 12, 1955. Since October 2017 he has been living in Florida, USA.
Since 2017, he has been a member of the parish of the Church of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon (Coconut Creek, Florida).
On November 10, 2019, he was tonsured as a reader of the Church of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon (Coconut Creek, Florida) by Bishop Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan, Vicar of the Eastern American and New York Diocese.
Since 2021, he has been a Reader in the Church of St. Luke, Archbishop and Doctor of Crimea in Pompano Beach, Florida.
