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Metropolitan Mark (secular name: Michael Arndt; born 29 January 1941) is the Metropolitan of Berlin and Germany of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Vice President of the global synod of the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia [1] and Overseer of the Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.
As a child, Michael attended the schools in Frankfurt am Main, graduating in 1960. After finishing school he volunteered for military service in West Germany for one year. Later he was recalled up to serve several times, rising to the rank of First lieutenant. In 1962, he entered Frankfurt University, then later transferred to the University of Heidelberg. His academic program included studies in English and Slavic languages and literature. [2]
In the course of his study of Slavistics, he became a specialist in a number of Slavic languages and literature, including Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Slovak, Czech and Macedonian. He completed his PhD with the doctoral thesis "Biographical Literature of the Duchy of Tver in the 14th and 15th Centuries". [2]
During his studies of Russian, he became acquainted with the Russian émigré community in Frankfurt. While studying under Professor Dmitri Chizhevsky at the University of Heidelberg, he visited the ROCOR Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Mannheim.
In 1964, he converted to Orthodox Christianity and became a reader. He later made trips to Mount Athos where he developed friendships with many of the elders, including two Hieroschemamonks named Seraphim and Abel. [2]
He continued his theological studies in 1973 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia graduating with a degree in theology in 1979. In Belgrade, Michael became part of a tightly-knit group of Serbia elder's students through an archimandrite, St. Justin (Popović): hieromonks Amfilohije Radović, Atanasije (Jevtić), Artemije (Radosavljević) and Irinej (Bulović), now bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In 1975, Michael chose a monastic life and was tonsured a monk with the name Mark by Bishop Paul (Pavlov) of Stuttgart.
He was ordained a deacon in the summer of 1975, and a hieromonk three days later by Bishop Paul. Hieromonk Mark was appointed Deputy Rector of the Russian church in Wiesbaden, Germany. In 1976, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
On 30 November 1980 he was consecrated bishop, and was installed as the (ROCOR) Bishop of Munich and Southern Germany succeeding bishop Paul (Pavlov).
In 1982, he was assigned as Bishop of Berlin and All Germany.
In April 1986 he was appointed Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland and Rector of St. Alexander Nevsky Church in Copenhagen.
In 1990, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop.
In 1997, he was also appointed Overseer of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.
Archbishop Mark has been one of the most ardent supporters of Church unity between ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate, and worked tirelessly to see this goal achieved. From 1993 to 1997, he headed the dialog between the German-based dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate in the reunited Germany. Since 2000, he has been the President of the Committee on the Unity of the Russian Church, and since 2003, the President of the Commission on talks with the Moscow Patriarchate. This was a large part of the impetus which brought about the reunification of the ROCOR and Moscow Patriarchal churches, which finally took place in 2006.
From 7–12 June 2009 he was a participant of the Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference IV of the Russian Orthodox Church. [3]
Since 27 July 2009 he is Member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church. [4]
8 December 2016 the Synod ща ROCOR heard the report by Archbishop Mark and then accepted his resignation from the Diocese of Great Britain [5]
On 10 December 2019, the feast day of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God, Archbishop Mark was made a Metropolitan by the Holy Synod of ROCOR in recognition of his 40 years of Episcopal service to the Church. Although largely symbolic, this is the first instance of multiple active Metropolitan Bishops in ROCOR, apart from those who were previously made Metropolitans prior to the inception of ROCOR and retired Metropolitans.
The Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sourozh is a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), covering the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Since 28 December 2018, the Diocese of Sourozh is part of the Patriarchal Exarchate in Western Europe.
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, also called Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia or ROCOR, or Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church. Currently, the position of First-Hierarch of the ROCOR is occupied by Metropolitan Nicholas (Olhovsky).
The Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe is an archdiocese of the Russian Orthodox Church with special status, headquartered in Paris. It comprises various Russian Orthodox parishes located throughout Western Europe.
Metropolitan Jonah is a retired American Eastern Orthodox bishop who served as the primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) with the title The Most Blessed Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada from his election on November 12, 2008, until his resignation on July 7, 2012. Metropolitan Jonah was the first convert to the Orthodox faith to have been elected as the primate of the OCA.
The Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe is a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), encompassing all of western Europe but with communities primarily on territories of the United Kingdom, Switzerland and France.
Archimandrite Joasaph was an American scholar and priest of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia in the last year of his life. From February 2009 until his death he served as Chief of the Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
Metropolitan Hilarion was a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First-Hierarch of the ROCOR since 18 May 2008; as the first person elected to that position following the Act of Canonical Communion between the ROCOR and the Russian Orthodox Church, he was the first whose election required approval by the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Archbishop Elisey is the archbishop of the diocese of The Hague and the Netherlands of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). His monastic name, "Elisey", is the equivalent of the Latin Eliseus and the English Elisha.
Valentine was metropolitan bishop of Suzdal and Vladimir, and Primate of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church.
Metropolitan Philaret was the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia from 1964 until his death on November 21, 1985.
Archbishop George is bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, bishop of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand, and former abbot of the Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, West Virginia.
Metropolitan Anastasy was a hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the second First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
The Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church is a Russian Orthodox church body headquartered in Suzdal, Russia. ROAC identifies as part of True Orthodoxy. In the Moscow Patriarchate, the ROCOR, and the mass media, it has the designation "Suzdal Schism".
Archimandrite Roman is Archimandrite of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and current chief of the ROCOR Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.
Bishop Luke is an American church leader. He serves as bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, current abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, rector, associate professor of patrology of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, New York, and auxiliary bishop of Syracuse, New York.
Metropolitan Mark, is a bishop in the Russian Orthodox Church. He holds the title of "Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky, head of the Ryazan Metropolis", as well as "Metropolitan of Budapest and Hungary".
Metropolitan Leonid is a retired bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. He holds the title "Metropolitan of Klin". Former Patriarchal Exarch of Africa (2021-2023).
Metropolitan Nicholas is the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York since 14 September 2022.
Metropolitan Barsanuphius is a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church who is serving as the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, head of the Metropolitanate of St. Petersburg. Permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church since March 31, 2009. His name day is April 11 (24).
Archbishop Simon (Vinogradov) of Shanghai and Beijing was a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church and a hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. He served as the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission from 1928 to 1933.
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