Saint Gregory Palamas Orthodox Christian Mission (ROCOR)
North of Fredericton, New Brunswick
CLERGY
REV DR MATTHEW PENNEY
Father Matthew Penney grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick. He was raised a Roman Catholic and it was not until his time in university that he and his wife Presvytera Catherine first discovered, and finally converted to, Orthodox Christianity.
He began his Bachelor’s degree in 2000 at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B. In 2001, he and Presvytera Catherine were married. They graduated in 2004 with a B.A. in Philosophy and Great Books. Fr Matthew also completed three years of Ancient Greek
language during this time. In 2004-2005, Father and Presvytera studied Classics at the Master’s level at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Following these studies, Fr Matthew and Presvytera formally became Orthodox catechumens at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Saint John, NB, under Rev Fr Theodore Efthymiadis, and were baptized, chrismated, and married in the Orthodox Church in early 2006.
After this, Father and Presvytera travelled to South Korea where they taught English from the summer of 2006 until 2008. They attended church at St. Nicholas Korean Orthodox Cathedral in Seoul and the Annunciation Korean Orthodox Church in Busan.
In 2009, they moved to Thessaloniki, Greece. In their first year (2009-2010), they studied at the School of Modern Greek at Aristotle University, and then proceeded to enter the School of Theology at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. From 2010-2013, they studied Dogmatic Theology under the supervision of the renowned Professor of Dogmatic Theology (1984-2016), Dr Demetrios Tselengidis.
Fr Matthew graduated with his M.A. in Theology after defending his thesis, “Academic Theology according to Archimandrite Sophrony of Essex.” Likewise, Presvytera Catherine graduated with her M.A. in Theology, having defended her thesis, “The Prerequisites for Theologizing in an Orthodox Manner according to Fr John Romanides.”
Presvytera Catherine also studied iconography from 2009-2013, as well as studying Byzantine chant from 2010-2012.
In 2012, Fr Matthew was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada (ROCOR) at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York. He returned to Thessaloniki, where he served as a deacon until leaving Greece in July 2013.
Returning to Canada, Fr Matthew was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Archbishop Gabriel. For the next year he served at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Saint John, N.B., with Fr Theodore. During this year Presvytera began an online Bachelor of Social Work degree through the University of Victoria.
In September of 2014, Fr Matthew and Presvytera Catherine moved to Kingston, Ontario, for Father to start his PhD in Education.
From 2014-2017, Fr Matthew has served at three churches: the Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church (ROCOR) in Ottawa, the Koimisis tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church and the St. Gregory of Nyssa Orthodox Church (OCA), both in Kingston.
From 2014-2019, Fr Matthew was the spiritual director for the Orthodox Christian Fellowship group (OCF) at Queen’s University, which met weekly during the fall and winter semesters.
Presvytera Catherine finished her BSW in 2015. In August of 2017, she began her Master’s of Social Work degree through the University of Waterloo (distance), and graduated in August of 2019. She currently works as a social worker specializing in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
In 2015, Fr Matthew also became an online instructor for the Certificate in Theological Studies (CTS) program through Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, New York. He teaches two courses: Introduction to the Old Testament I, and Introduction to the Old Testament II. As of the Spring of 2017, Fr Matthew has been appointed the Faculty Director for the program.
In September 2017, at the request of His Eminence Metroplitan Sotirios of Toronto, Fr Matthew accepted the position of parish priest at Koimisis tis Theotokou—Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Kingston while continuing his PhD, on loan from his own diocese. This was followed up in September of 2018, as the priest at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Saint John, New Brunswick, which position he continued in until November of 2019.
In December 2019, Fr Matthew began serving in Fredericton, NB, at the newly-established St Gregory Palamas Orthodox mission under the omophorion of Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada (ROCOR).
In addition, in December of 2019, Fr Matthew defended his PhD dissertation, "Perennial Educational Tensions: Saint Gregory Palamas’s Approach to Byzantium’s Exothen and Kath’imas Educational Traditions & Its Consequences for Thinking with Byzantium in a Contemporary Context." On completion of his doctorate, he has been teaching in Queen's University's (Kingston, ON) Professional Master of Education program (online) in the Faculty of Education.
MOST REV ARCHBISHOP GABRIEL (CHEMODAKOV)
OF MONTREAL & CANADA
He was born George L'vovich Chemodakov on June 2, 1961, in Sydney, Australia.
In 1980, he entered Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, from which he graduated in 1984, and where he remained as an instructor of Russian culture and other subjects through 1989.
In 1989 he was appointed cell attendant to Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov) and then to Bishop Hilarion (Kapral) of Manhattan, then vicar of Eastern American diocese. He continued in this obedience until 1996. In January 1996, at the meeting of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR, Metropolitan Vitaly raised the issue of appointing a permanent prelate to govern the ROCOR Diocese of Australia and New Zealand.
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Metropolitan Vitaly recommended that Bishop Hilarion (Kapral) of Washington, be sent to Australia and that George Chemodakov, a lay worker at the Synod and a graduated seminarian, be tonsured to the monastic state and consecrated auxiliary bishop of Brisbane.
In March 1996, George Chemodakov was tonsured a monk with the name Gabriel, in honour of his great-grandfather Gavriil Luchinin, a priest from Vyatka, and New-Martyr of the Communist Yoke.
On the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent of 1996, he was ordained hierodeacon by Archbishop Laurus (Škurla) of Syracuse and Holy Trinity. In the same year on the feast of the Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, he was ordained hieromonk by Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov).
On 7 July 1996 at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, he was consecrated bishop of Brisbane, vicar of the Australian and New Zealand diocese. The consecration was performed by: Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov), Archbishop Anthony (Medvedev) of San Francisco and Western America, Archbishop Laurus (Škurla) of Syracuse and Holy Trinity, and Bishop Hilarion (Kapral) of Manhattan.
On October 6th of same year he was appointed vicar of Eastern American diocese with title Bishop of Manhattan and deputy secretary of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR.
In October, 2001, he was appointed secretary of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR.
In January, 2005, he was appointed as member of the Commission for the Conducting of the Fourth All-Diaspora Council.
In May 13, 2008, he was appointed Bishop of Montreal and Canada by Decree of the Council of Bishops of ROCOR.
In May 2011, at the intercession of the President of the Council of Bishops metropolitan Hilarion, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop
During the Synod of Bishops of the ROCOR during regular meeting June 30 - July 1, 2016, Archbishop Gabriel was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, representing the Synod of Bishops on the Board.
VERY MOST REV METROPOLITAN
NICHOLAS (OLHOVSKY) OF EASTERN AMERICA
& NEW YORK, FIRST HIERARCH OF ROCOR
Nicholas Olhovsky was born on 17 December, 1974, in Trenton, NJ.
In 1991, he graduated St Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Parish School in Lakewood, NJ, and in 1993, he graduated Hamilton West High School.
In 1998, he graduated from Holy Trinity Theological Seminary in Jordanville, NY, with a Bachelor of Theology Degree. During his studies at the seminary, he worked at Holy Trinity Monastery in the book-binding department and iconographical shop, and until 2002 in the monastery publishing concern.
In 1994, on the feast of the Dormition of the Most-Holy Mother of God, His Grace Bishop Hilarion of Manhattan, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, ordained him as a reader at Dormition Church in Trenton, NJ.
In 2000, he graduated State University of New York Technology School with a Bachelor’s degree in Information and Communications.
From March 1999 to March 2008, he served as cell-attendant of Archbishop Laurus (Skurla; from October 2001-March 2008, Metropolitan and First Hierarch of ROCOR).
In May, 2004, he accompanied Metropolitan Laurus, Primate of the Russian Church Abroad, during the latter’s first official visit to Russia. That year he married Elizabeth Shohoff, granddaughter of Bishop Mitrofan (Znosko-Borovsky) of blessed memory.
In May, 2006, he was a delegate at the All-Diaspora Church Council of ROCOR.
On 12 June, 2006, Metropolitan Laurus ordained him to the deaconate and assigned to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY.
In May, 2007, he participated in the ceremonial execution of the Act of Canonical Communion in Moscow, after which he escorted Metropolitan Laurus on a pilgrimage to the Kursk Diocese and the dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
In September, 2008, he was assigned to the administration of the Chancery of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR.
In 2009-2010, he participated in the ROCOR delegation with the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” on a visit to Ukraine. In December 2010, he was appointed official Caretaker of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God.
In September, 2010, his spouse reposed in the Lord.
Since January 2011, he was a clergyman of the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady in New York City. In 2011, he accompanied the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God to the Kursk Diocese and to the Metropoliate of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and in November, 2011, to Australia.
On 1 August, 2012, he was ordained to the priesthood in St Seraphim Church in Sea Cliff, NY. In 2012, he accompanied the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God to the dioceses of Samara, Kursk and Perm, to the city of Seattle and to the Hawaiian Islands; in 2013, to the parishes of the Canadian Diocese of ROCOR, to Japan and to the Primorie Metropoliate in Russia.
By decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, he was elected Bishop of Manhattan. The appointment was confirmed by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on March 19, 2014.
On 4 April, 2014, Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, he was tonsured a monk and dedicated to the patronage of St Nicholas of Japan.
On 27 April, 2014, during Divine Liturgy at Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia Cathedral and St Nicholas in Munich, Germany, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany.
His nomination to the episcopacy took place on 28 June, and his consecration was performed on 29 June, 2014, at the Cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in San Francisco, CA. Divine services were officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York.
By decision of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR of 12 May, 2022, he was appointed Head of the Chancery of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
The Synod of Bishops of ROCOR on 17 May, 2022, decided, in connection with the repose of the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral), he was appointed Acting Ruling Bishop of the Eastern American Diocese of ROCOR.
On 13 September, 2022, during a meeting of the Council of Bishops of ROCOR, he was elected First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. On 14 September, at a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was confirmed.
HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH KIRILL (Gundyaev)
OF MOSCOW & ALL RUSSIA
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 Archbishop of Smolensk and Vyazma. From 1986 – administrator of the parishes in the Kaliningrad Region.
From 1988 he became Archbishop of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.
On November 13, 1989, he was appointed chairman of the department for external church relations and 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.