Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada Bishop of Sourozh MATTHEW
Born on May 18, 1971, in Tambov. Baptized in infancy. From 1978 to 1988 he attended Secondary School No. 8 in Tambov.
In 1991, he graduated from the Tambov Diocesan School.
In 1993 he graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Tambov State Pedagogical Institute (majoring in English and French). From 1993 to 2009 he taught English and French at the 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, a priest. He served as rector of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra in the village of Bokino, Tambov District (1998–2005), as a cleric of the Kazan Monastery in Tambov (2005–2008), and as sacristan of the Intercession Cathedral in Tambov (2008–2009).
From 2000 to 2005 he studied in the correspondence program of 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, Bishop Theodosius of Tambov and Michurinsk elevated him to the rank of archpriest.
By decision of the Holy Synod of July 27, 2009 (Minutes No. 74), he was sent to pastoral service in the Diocese of Sourozh.
From 2009 to 2010 he was rector of the parish of St. Kentigern in Glasgow and dean of the diocesan districts of Scotland and Northern England. From 2010 he was sacristan of the Stauropegial 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 decision of the Holy Synod of October 22, 2015 (Minutes No. 64), he was elected Bishop of Skopin and Shatsk.
On October 24, 2015, at the Donskoy Stauropegial Monastery in Moscow, the abbot of the monastery, Hegumen Paramon (Golubka), tonsured him a monk with the name Matthew in honor of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.
On October 27, 2015, at the Donskoy Monastery, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga.
His nomination as bishop took place on November 5, 2015, in the chapel of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God at the Patriarchal Residence in Chisty Lane, Moscow. He was consecrated on November 15 during the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Kaliningrad. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.
By decision of the Holy Synod of July 29, 2017 (Minutes No. 52), he was appointed Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Italy with the title “of Bogorodsk” and rector of the Stauropegial Church of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine in Rome, and was relieved of the governance of the Diocese of Skopin.
By decision of the Holy Synod of December 28, 2017 (Minutes No. 116), he was appointed Bishop of Sourozh and relieved of the administration of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Italy.
By decision of the Holy Synod of July 14, 2018 (Minutes No. 66), he was appointed Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada.
By decision of the Holy Synod of October 15, 2018 (Minutes No. 77), he was appointed Temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.
Since July 24, 2025, he has served as rector of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York.
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.
