Metropolitan Mark (Petrovtsiy)

Archbishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) (1951-____)

Mykolay may be spelt Mykola, Mikolay, Nicolas, Nicholas, Nikolai, Nikolay.

Mykolay Ivanovych Petrovtsiy

On 6 December, 1951, Mykolay Ivanovych Petrovtsiy was born in the village of Zadne (now called Pryborzhavske), of the Zakarpattya (Trans-Carpathia) Province of Ukraine (at that time, it was the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic). His God-fearing and pious parents were Ivan Ivanovych Petrovtsiy, and Hanna Andriyovna Bodorovych, and there were other children. They raised their children in the bosom of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church within the Russian Orthodox Church

His elder brother Dimitry was Bishop Mefodiy (Petrovtsiy) (+13 September, 2013), who had preceded him as bishop in the Khust diocese ; another brother was Protodeacon George Petrovtsiy (who served the Ukrainian Church faithfully for a long time, and who in 2018 served at the Khust cathedral). The whole family received spiritual guidance through the Women's Monastery of Saint Seraphim in the region (until its closure).

In 1958, Mykolay began the 8 years of primary school in his village. He continued his secondary school studies in Dolzhansk, which included the "gymnasium" level.

After graduation from school, Mykolay worked in the Dolzhansk wood-production farm together with his father.

Military service

From 1970 to 1972, he served in the ranks of the Soviet army, thus fulfilling his compulsory military service.

Higher education

In 1972, Mykolay Ivanovych travelled to Zagorsk (now known as Sergeiev Posad) with the intention of preparing to enter the Moscow Theological Seminary.

In September of that year, he entered the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra as a novice.

He accepted different sorts of obediences as usual, such as work in the library, and work as the cellarer to the Superior of the Lavra.

In August, 1973, Mykolay Petrovtsiy entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, and he was enlisted at once as a 4th-year student.

Moscow Theological Academy

In September, 1973, Mykolay Petrovtsiy submitted a formal application for entering the brotherhood of the monastery.

In 1973, the novice Mykolay Petrovtsiy was assigned to serve as the cell-attendant ("kellenik") of Archimandrite Jerome (Zinoviev), the "namestnik" of the Lavra. He continued in this obedience until the repose of Archimandrite Jerome in 1982.

Monastic tonsure, 1974

In February, 1974, Mykolay Petrovtsiy was admitted to the brotherhood of the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra at Zagorsk (Sergeiev Posad).

On 6 March, 1974, Novice Mykolay Petrovtsiy was tonsured to be a monk, and given the name Mark, after the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark.

Ordinations, 1974

On 17 March, 1974, Archbishop Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Dmitrov (who became the now-reposed Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine), the Rector of the Moscow Theological Schools, ordained Monk Mark (Petrovtsiy) to the Holy Diaconate.

On 7 April, 1974, Archbishop Sergiy (Golubtsov) of Kazan and Mari ordained Hierodeacon Mark (Petrovtsiy) to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service

Hieromonk Mark (Petrovtsiy) continued his studies and his monastic obediences within the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Monastic Brotherhood.

In 1978, Hieromonk Mark (Petrovtsiy) graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a degree of Candidate of Theology (Ph.D.) for the thesis “The Image and Likeness of God in the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Alexandrian School”.

In the same year, he was assigned to serve as a teacher of the New Testament at the Moscow Theological Seminary.

On 16 April, 1982, Hieromonk Mark was assigned to be the Dean of the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra.

He combined this obedience with the work of teaching at the seminary.

On 26 June, 1985, Igumen Mark (Petrovtsiy) was assigned to serve as the Vicar-Abbot ("Namyestnik") of the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra in Ukraine.

He was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

On 19 July, 1988, by a decision of Patriarch Pimen (Izvekov) and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Mark (Petrovtsiy) was chosen to become a bishop.

Episcopal ordination, 1988

In Kyiv, Ukraine, on 27-28 July, 1988 (the feast-day of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir), Archimandrite Mark (Petrovtsiy) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate. On the eve of the ordination (following the Vigil), the nominated bishop makes a formal Confession of Faith before the assembled bishops, and he is then formally named the bishop-elect. There is usually a speech given by the candidate.

On 28 July, 1988, in the Saint Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv, the ordination of Archimandrite Mark (Petrovtsiy) to the Holy Episcopate was accomplished by Metropolitan Filaret (Denysenko) of Kyiv and Galicia, Patriarchal Exarch of Ukraine. He was assisted by together with Metropolitan Nikodim (Rusnak) of Lviv and Ternopil ; Archbishop Anton (Vakarik) of Chernigov and Nezhin ; Archbishop Varlaam (Ilyuschenko) of Volyn and Rivne ; Bishop Lazar (Shvets) of Argentina and South America (patriarchal Exarch of Central and South America) ; Bishop Damascene (Bodry) of Mukachevo and Uzhgorod ; Bishop Sevastian (Pilipchuk) of Kirovohrad and Mykolayiv ; Bishop Palladiy (Schiemann) of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky ; and retired Bishop Basil (Rodzianko), Retired Bishop of San Francisco and the Diocese of the West of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America.

Episcopal service

Bishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Kremenets, and the Vicar-Bishop of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rusnak) of L'viv and Ternopil (who was later the metropolitan of Kharkiv and Bohodukhiv) in Ukraine.

On 27 December, 1988, Bishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) was assigned to be the bishop of the newly-established Diocese of Ternopil and Kremenets.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Kremenets

Transfer to South America, 1989

On 10 April, 1989, by a decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) was transferred and assign to be the Bishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina and South America. He served also as the Patriarchal Exarch of Central and South America (until 31 January, 1990, when the exarchate was closed).

Transfer to Canada, 1993

On 1 November, 1993, by a decision of the Holy Synod, Bishop Mark was appointed to be the Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada, with the title “Bishop of Kashira” ("Kashira"is a city whose bishop usually is a Vicar-Bishop of the Patriarchate of Moscow).

This was to be (until that time) the longest ecclesiastical obedience of Vladyka Mark, which he conscientiously performed for almost 12 years.

Saint Barbara Cathedral in Edmonton, Alberta, served as the cathedral.

Saint Barbara's Cathedral, Edmonton, Alberta

In 2001, Bishop Mark was awarded the Order of Friendship of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.

In 2003, Bishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) was elevated to the dignity of archbishop.

During the years when Vladyka Mark served in Canada, his nephew the Priest (later Archpriest) John Shandra (in Russian, "Протоієрей Іоанн Шандра") came to Canada with his family, and he served under his omophor in one of the 2 groups of parishes in Alberta of the Moscow Patriarch (2000-2008). In 2008, he returned to serve in Transcarpathia. After serving there in the Diocese of Khust for about 10 years, he returned to Canada with his family in 2019 in order to serve in the Archdiocese of Canada (OCA).

Transfer to Sumy, Ukraine, 2005

On 23 May, 2005, by a decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and a decree of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) (+5 July 2014), the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) was recalled and transferred to Ukraine, and he was assigned to be the Archbishop of Sumy and Okhtyrka.

At the same time, his predecessor there, Bishop Iov (Smakouz) was assigned to lead the Patriarchal parishes in Canada.

On 29 May, 2005, in the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Sumy, the new bishop of the Diocese of Sumy, Archbishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) was enthroned in the presence of the faithful flock in that city.

Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Sumy

Holy Protection Cathedral, Okhtyrka

Diocese of Sumy

On 30 June, 2005 the Department of Charity and Social Service was founded at the Sumy Diocesan Administration. After the foundation of the department, kitchen facilities for the charity refectory for the homeless were developed ; the living-quarters of the younger children of the Regional Orphanage were repaired and equipped (that is, the facilities of the video-hall of the Sunday school of the Bilovody village of the Sumy Province) ; the Orthodox Centre for the Re-socialisation of the Homeless and of the Alcohol-dependent Persons was established. In 2005, the community of the Women’s Monastery of Mercy (in honour of the Venerable New-Martyr Elisabeth) was registered in the village of Zhuravne, Okhtyrka County.

In August, 2006, the Holy Relics of the Holy Great Martyr and Unmercenary Healer Panteleimon were brought to the diocese. The reliquary was made available for veneration in the cathedral, after which it was taken to the main cities of the diocese. With the blessing of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan), Archbishop Mark took part in the Nativity Readings which took place in Moscow. He also took part in the celebration of the Uncovering of the Relics of Saint Sergius, the Abbot of Radonezh, in the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra (18 July, 2006).

During his time of service in the Sumy diocese, Archbishop Mark of Sumy and Okhtyrka founded and consecrated many churches and chapels.

In 2006, Vladyka Mark served more than 50 hierarchical Divine Liturgies. With the support of this diocesan bishop, many pious traditions came to be (and continue to be) observed once again.

Renewal of spiritual activities

Every year, at the invitation of Archbishop Herman (Moralin) of Kursk and Rylsk (from which diocese came the Kursk Root Icon of the Theotokos), Vladyka Mark and the clergy took part in the meeting (at the international border with Russia) of the holy procession with the Wonder-working Pryazhiv Icon of the Mother of God (this custom continues now). The procession starts at the Holy Trinity Church of Sudzhi in the Kursk Province, and then proceeds to the Saint Michael Bilogirya Monastery in Gornal, and continues to the Church of Saint Michael in the village of Myropillya of the Krasnopils county, in the Sumy province. On the Feast Day of the Okhtyrsky Wonderworking Icon of the Mother of God (2/15 July), which is revered in the Sumy province, the Divine Liturgy is solemnly celebrated in the Holy Protection Cathedral of Okhtyrka. It is presided over by the archbishop, who concelebrates with the numerous clergy of the diocese. After the Divine Liturgy, there is a Cross-procession with the Wonder-working Icon, which goes to the chapel built in 2002 at the place of the appearance of the icon.

Every year, on the Feast of Theophany, there is a holy Cross-procession from the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral of Sumy to the Church of Saint Elijah on the river Psiol near the Kharkiv Bridge. There, the Great Blessing of Water takes place in the presence of a great number of people. The sojourn that year of the Blessed Copy ("spisok") of the Wonder-working Icon of the Mother of God of Molchensk (from the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery of Molchensk near Putivl’ in the Sumy Province) was dedicated to the 600th Anniversary of the appearance of the Molchensk Icon of the Mother of God, and to the 350th Anniversary of the erection of the first church in the city.

Together with other clergy, Archbishop Mark regularly visited the prisons, military units, hospitals, orphanages and secular educational establishments.

Establishment and renewal of diocesan pastoral activities

Under the pastoral guidance and blessing of Archbishop Mark, catechisation work with convicts and employees of the penitentiary institutions was always in progress. On the Feast-day of Saint Michael, special charitable events are held in the homes for elderly people of the village of Synivka of the Lypova Dolyna settlement. Besides, the teachers and students of the Sumy Pastoral Theological School were reading lectures and holding workshops concerning work with the HIV-infected, and on prevention of the negative effects amongst the young.

Agreements were signed on co-operation between the Diocesan Administration, the Department of Administrating Punishments, and the Chamber of Commerce of the Sumy Province, and the work of priests was organised with the heads of the Collective Labour Colonies and Investigatory Isolation Wards.

The Orthodox Sisterhood of Mercy in honour of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God at the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral has existed for well over 12 years. The Sisters of Mercy continue to prepare the disabled for receiving Holy Communion, organise children’s matinées and prepare charitable dinners for orphans and disabled persons. They accomplish missionary work in the hospitals of Sumy, and nursing work in the infection wards of the children’s hospital. They organise meetings of the orphans with priests. They visit convicts in the correctional institutions, and patients in the mental health clinics of the bigger villages of the Okhtyrka County, and they collect and distribute needed items amongst the needy. The priests of the diocese visit on a regular basis the pre-school institutions and the secondary schools for the orphans and for the children with no parental care. They also provide these institutions with clothes, footwear, toys and food.

In the Holy Nativity of the Theotokos Temple of the village of Kamyanka, Trostyanets County, the Parish Home for the Aged functions with the warmth of the Church in the spirit of the Righteous Sampson the Hospitable of Constantinople. The Home was founded in 1995. There, 20 lonely women live. The Diocesan Department of Charity and Social Service bought for the Home farming equipment (a rototiller, ploughs, a potato harvesting machine), an electrical stove for the kitchen, and a boiler.

In 2006, a Home for the Aged was opened in the Holy Trinity Parish of the Moskovskyi Bobryk Village in the Lebedin County. In 2006, the half-ruined Holy Archangel Michael Church and the village infirmary (spa) were transferred to the ownership of the women’s monastery. Here, the nuns’ pavilion and a Home for Girls are to be built. On 3 January, 2006, the charitable institution “Gift of Life”, led by the nun Elisabeth (Stensfield) held a workshop in Okhtyrka, at which gynaecologists of the city and regional medical workers were present. At the workshop, questions about improving the demographic situation in Ukraine were considered.

Under the guidance of Archbishop Mark, the workers of the Diocesan Department of Religious Education and Catechisation gave showings of Orthodox films for the youth, followed by further discussion. This Department began to issue the newspaper “Pravoslavna Sumshchyna” ("Orthodox Sumy Land"), which is distributed in the region. In 2006, the Orthodox web site of the Sumy Diocese was launched (pravoslavie.sumy.ua). In July-August 2006, with the blessing of Archbishop Mark, in the Kuleshivka Village, in the Nedrygayliv County, the children’s recreational educational camp “Kitezh-grad” was held. Also, by the joint efforts of the Diocesan Administration and the workers of the Ministry of Emergencies, the recreational patriotic camp was held. In the summer of 2006, an agreement was signed between the diocese and the regional broadcasting company for the establishment of the Orthodox radio programme “Orthodox Calendar”, which is broadcast twice a month.

The Sumy Department of Catechisation co-operates with the organisation of the Veterans and the Disabled War Veterans of Afghanistan. With the active support of the clergy, in October, 2006, the festival “By the Roads of the Afghanistan War” took place. On the premises of the Sumy Diocesan Administration, the traditional International Exhibition-fair “Orthodox Sumy Land” is held, in which the dioceses of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus take part. The fourth festival of spiritual music “The Entrance Chants” made a significant contribution to local history. In particular, the performance of the bishop’s choir of the Stavropegial Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery “Glinka Hermitage” and the performance of the choir of the Holy Transfiguration of Our Saviour Cathedral must be mentioned.

On 31 May, 2007, by a decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Journal no. 47), Archbishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) was assigned to serve as a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Transfer to Khust and Vinohradiv, 2007

On 14 December, 2007, by a decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Journal No. 122), Archbishop Mark was transferred and assigned to be the Archbishop of Khust and Vinohradiv in the Trans-Carpathia Province. He was also entrusted with the temporary administration of the Diocese of Mukachevo.

The assignment to Khust and Vinohradiv took Archbishop Mark back to his home province, and in so doing, he followed his brother, Bishop Mefodiy (Petrovtsiy) as bishop of the diocese. Vladyka Mefodiy (Methodius), who was the first bishop of the Diocese of Khust and Vinohradiv, had fallen ill and he had to retire.

Bishop Mefodiy (Petrovtskiy) of Khust

In the same manner as in Sumy (but with far fewer material resources available), Archbishop Mark undertook the encouragement of the further reconstruction of Temples and monasteries, the establishment of new Temples and monasteries, and the construction of a partly-completed cathedral church in Khust. Included in the various construction works has been a new diocesan centre (including offices, residence-space and a chapel).

Sanctification of Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral, Khust, 2011

On 30 November, 2011, the Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Khust was sanctified. The services of sanctification were led by a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the UOC, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) of Chernovtsi and Bukovina, together with Archbishop Mark (Petrovtsiy) of Khust and Vinohradiv ; Metropolitan Pytyrym (Starinsky) of Mykolayiv and Voznesensk ; Archbishop Avgustin (Markevitch) of Lviv and Galicia ; Archbishop Ioann (Siopko) of Kherson and Tavria ; Archbishop Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil ; Archbishop Theodore (Mamasuyev) of Mukachevo and Uzhgorod ; Bishop Meletius (Yegorenko) of Khotyn, and Bishop Methodius (Petrovtsiy).

This parish had been organised in 1990, first by a decision of Orthodox Christians in Khust, and then with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the UOC. On 14 November, 1990, the elders of the new community requested a piece of land from the local governing authorities. On 10 July, 1991, the parish was visited by Bishop Euthimius (Shutak) of Mukachevo and Uzhgorod, who appointed its first rector, the late Archpriest Constantine Tsutskov. Upon formation of the Khust Diocese in 1994, the Temple received the title of city cathedral.

Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral, Khust

In 2011, Archbishop Mark was awarded the Order of Saint Innocent of Moscow, 2nd degree.

On 28 August, 2014, before the Divine Liturgy in the Kievo-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine elevated him to the dignity of metropolitan.

In 2015, Metropolitan Mark (Petrovtsiy) was awarded the right to wear a second panagia.

In 2016, Metropolitan Mark was awarded the Order of Saint Innocent of Moscow, first degree.

In May, 2017, Archimandrite Pimen (Voyat) of the Diocese of Khust and Vinohradiv of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, travelled to the USA in order to venerate the Holy Relics of Saint Alexis Toth at the annual pilgrimage at Saint Tikhon's Monastery at South Canaan, Pennsylvania. Near the current Slovakian and Hungarian borders, the Diocese of Khust is in the area in which Saint Alexis was born and served pastorally prior to his emigration to the USA in the 1880s. Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) presented a relic of Saint Alexis to Father Pimen, a gift to His Eminence, Metropolitan Mark of Khust and his diocese.

Primatial visit, 2019

On Tuesday, 24 November, 2019, on the Feast-day of Saint John Chrysostom, the Primate, Metropolitan Onufry (Berezovskiy) of Kyiv and All Ukraine presided at the Primatial Divine Liturgy in the Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Khust. The service marked the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the Diocese of Khust.

At the invitation of Metropolitan Mark, Metropolitan Theodore (Mamasuyev) of Mukachevo and Uzhhorod, also served, together with Metropolitan Antony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary ; Metropolitan Avgustin (Markovich) of Bilatserkov and Boguslavsk ; Metropolitan John (Siopko) of Kherson and Tauride ; Metropolitan Agapit (Bevtsik) of Mogilev-Podolsky and Shargorodskii ; Archbishop Ephraim (Yarinko) of Berdyansk and Primorsk ; Bishop Paramon (Golubka) of Sergiev Posad (Russia) ; Bishop Simeon (Golubka) of Uholsky ; Bishop Ambrose (Vainagiy) of Zgurov, and many clergy and monks of the Khust and Mukachevo dioceses.

Greeting the Primate, Metropolitan Onuphry ; the bishops concelebrating the Primatial Divine Liturgy of the anniversary

On 10 December, 2020, Metropolitan Mark (Petrovtsiy) sanctified a new Temple of Saint George in the village of Yasinya, Rakhiv County, Zakarpattia Oblast. Metropolitan Mark was assisted by 14 clerics on this occasion and about 200 Faithful.

This new Temple was founded by parishioners of the Saint George parish who were left bereft of a place to worship, and they met for some time in a private house. They had become bereft in the wake of a takeover by the so-called autocephalous Ukrainian Church which had recently been created by the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine. In the same region, 2 other parishes had suffered the same painful situation soon afterwards.

New Temple of Saint George, Yasina, Rakhiv, Trans-Carpatha

— Bishop of Kremenets 1988. Preceded by : Archbishop Dorofei (Philip). Succeeded by : vicariate established.

— Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Lviv and Ternopil 1988.

— Bishop of Ternopil and Kremenets 1988. Preceded by : Diocese established. Succeeded by : Archbishop Lazar (Shvets).

— Bishop of Argentina and South America, 1989-1993. Preceded by : Bishop Lazar (Shvets). Succeeded by : Archbishop Plato (Udovenko).

— Exarch of Central and Southern America. 1989-1990. Preceded by : Bishop Lazar (Shvets). Succeeded by : Exarchate dissolved.

— Bishop of Kashira 1993-2003. Preceded by : Bishop Feofan (Galinsky). Succeeded by : Archbishop Job (Smakouz)

— Vicar-Bishop of the Moscow Diocese 1993-2003.

— Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada 1993-2005. Preceded by : Bishop Paul (Ponomarev). Succeeded by : Bishop Iov (Smakouz).

— Archbishop of Kashira 2003-2005.

— Vicar-Archbishop of the Moscow Diocese 2003-2005.

— Archbishop of Sumy and Okhtyrka 2005-2007. Preceded by : Bishop Iov (Smakouz). Succeeded by : Bishop Hilarion (Shishkovsky).

— Archbishop of Khust and Vinohradiv 2007-2014. Preceded by : Bishop Mefodiy (Petrovtsiy).

— Metropolitan of Khust and Vinohradiv 2014-____. Succeeded by : ___.

Reflections

When Metropolitan Mark was ordained to the Holy Episcopate, it was at the time of the end of the Soviet Union, and the beginning of the renewal of more normal Church life Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, now all becoming distinct countries. The pastoral life of bishops began to change in a more normal direction as well. Both in the time of the Russian Empire and of the Soviet Union, the political authorities exerted pressure on the Church to ensure that most bishops would not stay very long in any one diocese. They were moved often in order to keep them from becoming too popular or too influential.

In the new situation that developed after 1988 and the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus', bishops began to be able to serve again as true shepherds and fathers to the spiritual flocks they led.

When Vladyka Mark was assigned to serve as the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, he became the first such bishop to remain in place in this responsibility up to the maximum permitted renewals of the Canadian government visa for clergy.

Awards :

Church

• Order of Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, 2nd degree (2011)

• Right to wear the second panagia (2015)

• Order of Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, 1st degree (2016)

• Order of the Holy and Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir, 3rd degree

• Order of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, 2nd degree

• Order of the Holy and Right-believing Prince Daniel of Moscow, 2nd degree

• Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene (Orthodox Church of Poland)

• Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius (Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia).

Secular

• Order of Friendship (2001) : "For his great contribution to the development of spiritual and cultural ties of the foreign community with Russia"

Writings

• "The image and likeness of God in man according to the teachings of the fathers and teachers of the Church of the Alexandrian school". (Ph.D. thesis)

• The words of Archimandrite Mark (Petrovtsy) when he was named to become the Bishop of Kremenets