His Beatitude was born in 1966. In 1989, he was received into the Orthodox Church from Episcopalianism and began studies at St Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA. One year later, he entered the monastic community at St Tikhon’s Monastery as a novice. He was awarded the MDiv degree from St Tikhon’s Seminary in 1993. In 2002, he was named Deputy Abbot of St Tikhon’s Monastery. Two years after his election to the episcopacy by the Holy Synod of Bishops in 2003, he was installed as Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania. From 2005 to 2012, he also served as Rector of St Tikhon’s Seminary. In 2012, he was elevated to the dignity of Archbishop and elected Primate of the Orthodox Church in America at the 17th All-American Council. Full biography available here. 

Bishop Vasily was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1977 in a family of a Russian and Ukrainian origin. At age 14, he was baptized at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Riga. Vitaly graduated from the Pushkin Lyceum in 1995, then from the Latvian Academy of Culture in 1999. In late 1999, he entered the USA, where he completed an MDiv at St Vladimir’s Seminary. During these years, Vitaly served as captain of the kitchen cleaning crew and a sacristan. Vitaly completed a PhD in liturgical theology at University of Notre Dame in 2012, with a dissertation on the Byzantine rite for the consecration of a church. From 2011–20, Vitaly taught at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, NY, where he co-edited the OCA’s Small Book of Needs and Hieratikon. In 2020, Dr Permiakov was appointed Assistant Professor of Liturgical Theology at St Vladimir’s Seminary. He was ordained to the holy diaconate in a celibate status in 2021, ordained to the holy priesthood in 2024, and tonsured to the small schema in 2025—when he was given the name Vasily, after St Basil the Great. In 2025, Fr Vasily was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite, then ordained to the holy episcopate on August 16, 2025 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco. Full biography available here. 

Fr Gregory was raised in Utah, where he developed a deep love of nature. He was brought up as a Protestant, though his father was baptized at Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago. After receiving a BA from Wheaton College, he worked for wilderness programs and with adjudicated youth. He met his wife Stephanie in Chicago, while involved with conservative Anglicanism. Upon wedding, they moved to Utah, where Fr Gregory worked in education administration, and taught at a community college and a regional seminary. The Matlaks then moved to Boston, where by God’s mercy they were received into the Orthodox Church. There Fr Gregory completed a degree in Theology and Education at Boston College. Upon graduating, he received a call to prepare for the holy priesthood, which he did at St Tikhon’s Seminary. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in 2019 and the Holy Priesthood in 2020. The Matlaks have two beautiful daughters.

Forthcoming …

His Beatitude was born in 1966. In 1989, he was received into the Orthodox Church from Episcopalianism and began studies at St Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA. One year later, he entered the monastic community at St Tikhon’s Monastery as a novice. He was awarded the MDiv degree from St Tikhon’s Seminary in 1993. In 2002, he was named Deputy Abbot of St Tikhon’s Monastery. Two years after his election to the episcopacy by the Holy Synod of Bishops in 2003, he was installed as Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania. From 2005 to 2012, he also served as Rector of St Tikhon’s Seminary. In 2012, he was elevated to the dignity of Archbishop and elected Primate of the Orthodox Church in America at the 17th All-American Council. Full biography available here. 

Forthcoming …