Bishop MATTHEW of Sourozh Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada Bishop of Sourozh МАТФЕЙ
Born on May 18, 1971, in Tambov. Baptized in infancy. From 1978 to 1988, he attended Secondary School No. 8 in Tambov. Крещен в младенчестве. В 1978-88 гг. обучался в средней школе № 8 г. Тамбова.
In 1991, he graduated from the Tambov Diocesan School.
In 1993, he completed his studies at the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Tambov State Pedagogical Institute (specializing in English and French). From 1993 to 2009, he worked as a teacher of English and French at a secondary school in the village of Bokino, Tambov District, Tambov Region.
In 1991, he underwent training at Northumbria University (Newcastle, UK). In 1997, he completed a distance learning course at the University of Manchester.
From 1991 to 1998, he served as an altar server and subdeacon at the Intercession Cathedral in Tambov.
On March 1, 1998, he was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Eugene (Zhdan) of Tambov and Michurinsk, and on October 4, 1998, he was ordained a priest. He served as rector of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra in the village of Bokino, Tambov District (1998–2005), a cleric at the Kazan Monastery in Tambov (2005–2008), and the sacristan of the Intercession Cathedral in Tambov (2008–2009).
From 2000 to 2005, he studied in the correspondence program at the Moscow Theological Seminary.
From 1998 to 2009, he headed the Department of Religious Education, Catechesis, and Missionary Work of the Tambov Diocese. From 2005 to 2009, he served as assistant to the vice-rector, and from 2008 to 2009, as first vice-rector of the Tambov Theological Seminary.
On May 18, 2008, he was elevated to the rank of archpriest by Bishop Theodosius of Tambov and Michurinsk.
By the decision of the Holy Synod on July 27, 2009 (Journal No. 74), he was assigned to pastoral service in the Diocese of Sourozh.
From 2009 to 2010, he served as rector of the Parish of St. Kentigern in Glasgow and dean of the diocesan districts of Scotland and Northern England. Since 2010, he has been the sacristan of the Stavropegial Parish of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in Manchester, dean of the diocesan districts of Northern England and Wales, and head of the missionary service of the Diocese of Sourozh.
In 2008, he enrolled at the Moscow Theological Academy and in 2011 transferred to the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Church-wide Postgraduate and Doctoral School.
By the decision of the Holy Synod on October 22, 2015 (Journal No. 64), he was elected Bishop of Skopin and Shatsk.
On October 24, 2015, at the Donskoy Stavropegial Monastery in Moscow, he was tonsured a monk with the name Matthew (in honor of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew) by the monastery’s abbot, Hegumen Paramon (Golubka).
On October 27, 2015, at the Donskoy Monastery, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga.
He was nominated as bishop on November 5, 2015, in the Chapel of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God at the Patriarchal Residence in Chisty Lane, Moscow. His episcopal consecration took place on November 15 during the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Kaliningrad, presided over by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
By the decision of the Holy Synod on July 29, 2017 (Journal No. 52), he was appointed Administrator of the Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy with the title "Bogorodsky" and rector of the Stavropegial Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome, while being relieved of his duties as ruling bishop of the Skopin Diocese.
By the decision of the Holy Synod on December 28, 2017 (Journal No. 116), he was appointed Bishop of Sourozh and relieved of his duties as Administrator of the Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy.
By the decision of the Holy Synod on July 14, 2018 (Journal No. 66), he was appointed temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada.
By the decision of the Holy Synod on October 15, 2018 (Journal No. 77), he was appointed temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.
Education:
1993 – Tambov State Pedagogical Institute.
2005 – Moscow Theological Seminary (correspondence program).
Moscow Theological Academy, Church-wide Postgraduate and Doctoral School.
Date of Birth: May 18, 1971.
Date of Consecration: November 15, 2015.
Date of Monastic Tonsure: October 24, 2015.
Name Day: November 29.
