Mitred Archpriest Michael and Matushka Mariamna Fortounatto

Mitred Archpriest Michael V Fotounatto (1921-2022)

and

Matushka Mariamna Mikhailovna Fortounatto (born Theokritoff) (1929-2023)

Michael may be spelt Mikhail.

Theokritoff may be spelt Theokritov, Feokritov.

Early life of Michael Vsevolodovitch Fortounatto

On 19 May, 1931, Michael Vsevolodovitch Fortounatto was born in Paris, France, to Vsevolod L’vovitch and Evgenia Mikhailovna (formerly von Fritsche) Fortounatto (she had been married once before). His brothers were Vladimir (1933) and Andrei (1940).

Their parents were émigrés, refugees, who had fled with their families from Russia at the time of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the overthrow of the Russian Empire, and the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

After 1940, the family moved to Asnières-sur-Seine, a little northwest from Paris. It was an important centre for Russian spirituality and culture. Michael spoke only Russian as a small child, and he was very attentive to the church choir.

The parents’ caring, spiritual home reflected the fervent parish life of their local Church of Christ the Saviour in Asnières-sur-Seine, an important centre of Russian spirituality.

The young Michael developed a strong faith and a love of church music – without lacking a natural exuberance. “We boys played football in our flat !’ he admitted, with the customary twinkle in his eyes.

At the age of 10 years, Michael entered the School of Russian Cadets in Versailles, where his musical talent came to the fore. Meanwhile he continued to be involved in the life of his parish, by attending its school on Thursdays. There, he learnt not only the tenets of his Orthodox Christian Faith, but also the Russian language, and Russian culture.

By the age of 15, he was singing in the parish choir, and directing a children’s choir.

His church life was enhanced by participating in the Orthodox children’s summer camps that played such a large part in the life of the Russian émigré families in France.

Higher education

In 1951, Michael enrolled in the Saint-Serge Theological Institute in Paris, where he studied theology under some of the foremost theologians of the Russian Emigration, and church music under Nicholas Ossorguine.

Saint Sergius Institute and Temple

The young student drank in not only the deep theological atmosphere at Saint-Serge Institute, but also the unique purity of the singing, which preserved the liturgical traditions of Russia’s pre-revolutionary seminaries and monasteries. He had never encountered such depth before, and he began to see how it was inseparable from the prayer and life of the Church. His affection for the Institute remained with him all his life.

However, as an émigré whose family had lost everything in the Revolution, his life, spiritually rich, was poor on the material level. He recalled later that for 4 years of his life, he went to bed hungry every night.

After graduation, and leaving Saint-Serge, he was called up for national service in the French army.

Once he was back in the civilian world, Michael began visiting the renowned choirmaster of the Russian Cathedral in London, England, Mikhail I Theokritoff, to continue his study of church music.

It was in Paris, however, that he met one of the choirmaster’s daughters, Mariamna Mikhailovna Theokritoff.

Early life of Mariamna Mikhailovna Theokritoff

In 1929, Mariamna Mikhailovna Theokritoff was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, to Mikhail Ivanovitch )1888-1969) and Louise Margarete Francise (born Stanscheck) Theokritoff (1905-1988). This was a family of serious Orthodox Christians. The children of Mikhail and Louise were : Elena, Nadezhda, Mariamna, Olga, Victor, Xenia, and Vera.

As did her other siblings, Mariamna Mikhailovna completed her primary and secondary education in Wiesbaden.

The family of Michael I Theokritoff suffered greatly during the years following 1934, when he was removed from his position as choir-director in Saint Elizabeth's Russian Orthodox Church at Wiesbaden, and then during World War II itself.

Saint Elizabeth Church, Wiesbaden

In a blog, Archpriest John Jillions related a conversation in which Mariamna had recalled about her father that

 He lost his job when Hitler handed over control of all the Russian churches the Russian Orthodox 
 Church in Exile. ‘That was 1934’ she said, ‘and no one yet really knew what Hitler was like’.  But 
 her father had the audacity to take Hitler to court, arguing that he had no right to usurp the
 legitimate church authority of Metropolitan Evlogy [Georgievsky, 1868-1946].  He lost, and when 
 the war broke out their door was bashed in and the Gestapo arrested him.  A friendly Nazi – there
 were many, she said – interceded for him.  He was released but remained under watch.  He had 
 no church to attend for the six years of the war, and the children were sent to the German
 Evangelical Church.  Later, while she was still a child, she experienced being shot at by British 
 planes.  ‘The pilots were flying close to the ground and they could see their target was a child.  
 But it was near the end of the war, and they had a policy of terrorizing the locals to ensure total 
 non-resistance’.  

At the end of the war, through a complicated network of communication, her father was offered the position of choirmaster at Saint Philip’s Russian Orthodox Church in London, England. The family was able to move there in 1946. The association with the Cathedral of the Dormition at Ennismore Gardens did not begin until its establishment in 1956.

The brother of Mikhail Ivanovitch, Priest Vladimir Theokritoff, had preceded this family to England. Father Vladimir was attached to the Embassy of the Soviet Union in London, and he was well-known for the quality of his singing voice (his voice was compared with that of Feodor Chaliapin). Nevertheless, in their new land, the family were soon bereaved, since Father Vladimir Theokritoff fell asleep in Christ in London in 1950.

Mariamna began to study iconography in Paris, France, under Leonid Ouspensky, and she became an accomplished icon-painter.

It was there that Mariamna met her future husband Michael V Fortounatto.

Marriage

In 1961, Michael Vsevolodovitch Fortounatto and Mariamna Mikhailovna Theokritoff were crowned in Holy Matrimony at Holy Dormition Russian Orthodox Cathedral in London, England.

Dormition Cathedral, London

After their marriage, they lived in France.

In time, she began to lecture on the subject of iconography.

Later, at the invitation of Bishop (later Metropolitan) Anthony (Bloom), they moved to England, and Michael became assistant choirmaster to his father-in-law at the Dormition Cathedral.

Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom), spiritual father and guide to the Theokritoff family

When Mikhail Ivanovitch Theokritoff fell asleep in the Lord (4 January, 1969), Michael Fortounato was assigned to succeed him as choirmaster in the cathedral.

Ordinations

Michael Fortounato was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, and later, on 28 December, 1969, to the Holy Priesthood. However, he continued serving as choirmaster.

Pastoral service

As Metropolitan Anthony’s popularity as a speaker and his open vision of Orthodoxy began to attract English converts, the use of some English in Cathedral services became necessary. Father Michael was part of the committee tasked with making translations, and he began setting them to music. He had a gift for making the music marry with the words so as to flow easily and beautifully.

Syndesmos Assembly, Finland

In the summer of 1980, Father Michael and Mariamna participated in the world assembly of the Syndesmos Youth at New Valamo Monastery, Heinävesi, Finland, near the city of Joensuu. The manner of Father Michael’s direction of singing was quite similar to that of Archbishop Paul (Olmari) of Finland. Mariamna was also present for and contributing to this assembly. During this assembly, she was able to meet and work together with another student of Leonid Ouspensky, Helena Nikkanen. Later, Helena became the head of the Icon Conservatory of the Church of Finland at New Valamo Monastery. In later years, in retirement, she was at work doing the iconography of a monastery in Egypt.

Children's camping

Father Michael and Mariamna had no children of their own, but they took a great interest in the children of the parish and diocese. A children’s camp, based on the ones in France, had been set up some years earlier, but it had ceased to operate.

Father Michael and Mariamna set up a new one, with a team of helpers who had been campers themselves. It was to become and remain one of the most inspiring features of diocesan life – ‘the truth heart of the church’ as one parent later described it. Daily worship took place in a tent converted for its purpose, and Father Michael taught the children to sing. There were classes for them to learn about their Orthodox Christian Faith, with Mariamna serving as one of the teachers. Games, treks, camp-fires (and at the Welsh campsite caving) were some of the activities everyone enjoyed.

The children became Orthodox families. Father Michael summed up the success : "The Holy Spirit is there". On their return home, the children began phoning each other from all over the country. They talked of nothing but the camp for weeks on end.

Family Divine Liturgy

A further initiative on Father Michael’s part was the instigation of monthly Family Liturgies at the Parish House, where the London campers could keep their friendships alive throughout the year, and younger children could feel less inhibited than at the Cathedral. Both English and Slavonic were used in the Divine Liturgy. A communal meal followed in the basement, then a lesson, and games in Holland Park.

Father Michael also organised occasional education days (diocesan-wide or pan-Orthodox). For some years, he held a Saturday school at the cathedral. He cared for the children with affection, understanding, much patience, and with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

Father Michael with Metropolitan Anthony

A year in North America

In 1989, Father Michael and Mariamna visited the western USA, where they spent almost a year in California, and helping at the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Berkeley (near San Francisco). Afterwards, during the winter, they travelled to Canada, and they experienced the rail journey by VIARail from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Ottawa, Ontario. The reason for this destination was to visit Mariamna’s sister Vera in Ottawa. A trans-continental railway journey in winter is very, very different from the same journey in warmer weather. In their experience, there was a particularly strong winter storm, during which the train had to stop several times, and during which the heating malfunctioned.

Visits to Russia

From 1991, Father Michael began annual visits to Russia to teach in the theological academies and seminaries, as well as in some secular music schools. His vast knowledge of Church chant, and experience of choir directing played an important part in revitalising the Russian Church’s musical heritage.

Visits to Byelorus (Belarus)

In addition to his teaching in Russia during the 1990s, Father Michael also made several visits to Belarus, at the invitation of Metropolitan Philaret (Vakhromeyev) of Minsk (who was himself a skilled church musician). Amongst other local needs, Metropolitan Philaret was concerned about the better formation of parish choirs in Belarus, and particularly of the monastic choirs. For instance, during that decade, locally, the Women's Monastery of Saint Elizabeth of Moscow was in formation, and officially established in 1999.

Orientation of the new Russian-speaking Immigration to Great Britain, 1990s

Once the Soviet Union had ceased to be, and the Russian Federation had been established, there began also a substantial emigration, which included London, and other parts of the United Kingdom. Along with Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom), Father Michael began serious attempts to help the newly-arrived people to adjust to the different culture of Great Britain, and to amplify their Orthodox Christian education (which the Soviet Union had oppressed and suppressed).

International Orthodox Christian Missions Conference

In the first week of November, 1993, Father Michael Fortounatto participated in the first International Orthodox Chrstian Missions Conference, which was held in Moscow, Russsia. It was sponsored by "SYNDESMOS", the Saint Gregory's Foundation, and the Moscow Brotherhood in the Name of the All-Merciful Saviour. Father Michael participated along with representatives from North America, Britain, Western Europe, Asia, the Mediterranean area, and other regions.

As reported by Priest Andrew Morbey (representing the Archdiocese of Canada, The Orthodox Church in America), the Conference attendees produced an extremely useful Statement about Orthodox Missions (which drew both from the historical activities of Orthodox Christian Mission, and more modern missionary practice). The sessions included Divine Services twice daily, visits to sites of missionary interest nearby, and sessions of speeches and consideration of various subjects. Father Michael's participation helped to encourage and nurture his own missionary activities in Great Britain.

At the IOMC, 1993 : Sergei Chapnin, Priest Andrew Morbey, Archpriest Michael Fortounatto, Professor Yemilianov

In 1994, Father Michael gave an interview with the BBC in which he discussed the potentialities, and challenges of the religious revival in post-communist Russia. It is important to understand how much energy, thought, and work that he put into trying to catechise the newcomers who had begun to fill the cathedral church in London following the fall of communism, and his dedication to trying to pass on to them the tradition of churchmanship that he, Metropolitan Anthony, and many others had grown up with in the post-1917 Russian emigration.

Lectures at Moscow Theological Academy

For 10 years following from 2004, Father Michael organised seminars on ecclesiastical chant at the Moscow Theological Academy ; he headed the Commission on Liturgical Chant in the Education Committee of the Holy Synod ; and he published books on the history and theory of liturgical chant.

Father Michael’s creative approach to Church singing became the subject of a dissertation by Natalia Balueva, which she defended at the Moscow Conservatoire, and a monograph “The Choirmaster. Destiny and Service”. The director Valentina Matveeva made a film “Choirmaster (Regent)” about him.

Father Michael was well-known for his clear and non-ostentatious (one might say minimalist) manner of direction, his manner of explaining the mysteries of Russian chant, and for his beautifully crystalline voice.

Back in London, Father Michael continued his work as choirmaster. Furthermore, he was also a caring, sympathetic priest, always understanding and approachable, with an appealing sense of humour : a much-loved father and pastor to all who came to him.

Retirement

In 2005, Father Michael and Mariamna retired to France to the village of Châtel-Montagne, near to his 2 brothers. He was, at that time, transferred to the Archdiocese of the Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe (Constantinople Patriarchate).

In France, he joined his brother, Father André, in serving in the Church of Christ the Saviour and the Dormition in Vichy.

From 2009, Father Michael began lecturing on liturgical chant at his beloved Saint-Serge Institute, and he began inspiring another generation of students. This continued during his retirement in France, as long as his health allowed.

At the same time he organised courses on church chant in the French language, and he translated the texts into French. This was a considerable and very important task.

By 2014, because of poor health, he was no longer able to travel to Paris. However, he continued to work by writing essays, articles, and studies of Scripture, theology, and liturgical musicology.

Some of these have been published, and it is hoped that others will follow. He had donated his archive to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow.

After 2018, when the Patriarchate of Constantinople dissolved the Tomos of the Archdiocese of Western Europe, Father Michael transferred to the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe (Moscow Patriarchate).

Bereavement

On 11 January, 2020, Archpriest André Fortounatto fell asleep in the Lord at Vichy, France.

Repose of Archpriest Michael

On 19 February, 2022, Archpriest Michael Fortounatto fell asleep in the Lord at Châtel-Montagne, France.

On 26 February, 2022, the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Priest was offered at Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church in Vichy, France.

Following the funeral obsequies, his body was interred at the Cimetière de Châtel-Montagne.

Repose of Mariamna

On 23 November, 2023, Mariamna Mikhailovna (born Theokritoff) Fortounatto fell asleep in the Lord, in Châtel-Montagne, France, at the age of 93.

On Saturday, 25 November, 2023, at 2:20 p.m., the Funeral Service for a Lay-person was offered at Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church, 8, rue du Docteur-Charles, at Vichy, France.

Following the funeral obsequies, her body was interred at 4:15 p.m. at the Cimetière de Châtel-Montagne.

Reflections

For 45 years, Father Michael directed the choir of the London Russian Orthodox Cathedral. By doing so, he made it famous for its prayerful singing. His methodology of understated hand movements required a particular harmony between him and the choir. This particular method was used by many other choir-leaders (including Archbishop Paul (Olmari) of Kuopio and Finland).

This method, together with many elements in the repertoire, were received from teachers and predecessors who had been active at various levels in the Russian Orthodox Church during the time of the Russian Empire. These persons had providentially escaped the Revolution of 1917, and had been leading parish and other choirs in various countries of Western Europe and elsewhere.

Mariamna Fortounatto studied icon-painting under Leonid Ouspensky in Paris. For many years, she taught icon-painting (iconography) at a school organised at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in London, as well as teaching students individually, and advising former students of Professor Ouspensky.

She lectured widely in a freelance capacity on the history, theology, and meaning of icons at ecumenical gatherings, extra-mural departments of universities, and theological colleges. Publications include the article 'The Icon' in The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Russia and the Soviet Union (Cambridge University Press, 1981). This particular work, and Mariamna's other work offer to Canadian iconographers and iconologists an important element in their own formation, because of her own inheritance of the iconographic tradition through her teacher, Leonid Ouspensky. Just as iconographers everywhere, the tradition is inherited throughout history, and all the Orthodox Churches (with their various "flavours") are in harmony with that tradition. This is not different from the manner in which her husband, Father Michael, inherited and perpetuated the tradition of singing and chanting in the Church.

Although Father Michael and Mariamna did not live or work in Canada, they did have relatives living there, and they did visit. It is true that the actual connexions between Canada and Great Britain (as well as France) are minimal in comparison to former decades. However, these two, representing a broad experience of pastoral, musical, and iconographic experience, give us a visible and practical example of how the Orthodox way of life is inherited in experience and personal application of the whole of Orthodox Tradition. Canadians can learn not only from their personal example of whole-hearted service to the Lord in His Church, but also from reading their works.

Writings

“Reflection by Archpriest Michael Fortounatto : To the members of the Archdiocese” (11 June, 2013),

Balueva, Natalia Veniaminovna, “Regent of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Michael Fortounattto” (Moscow : 2007)

Biography of Mikhail Ivanovitch Theokritoff on the “Religious Russian Persons Abroad” web-site

Recordings

Recordings of Archpriest Michael Fortounatto and choirs

Choir Of The Russian Orthodox Cathedral In London, Reverend Michael Fortounatto - Vespers of Good Friday ‎(LP) Ikon Records (3) IKO 9 1979

Choir Of The Russian Orthodox Cathedral In London Conducted By Reverend Archpriest Michael Fortounatto* - Russian Orthodox Church Music Vol.12 : The Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom ‎(LP) Ikon Records (3) IKO 14 1984

The Choir Of The Russian Orthodox Cathedral, London*, Nicolai Gedda, Reverend Michael Fortounatto - Hymns And Chants Of The Russian Orthodox Church ‎(CD, Album)

MP3 Recording : Choir Of The Russian Orthodox Cathedral In London Conducted By Reverend Archpriest Michael Fortounatto - Russian Orthodox Church Music Vol.12: The Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom Album

References

Biography of Mikhail Ivanovitch Theokritoff on the “Religious Russian Persons Abroad” web-site

In Memoriam : Archpriest Michael Fortounatto (1931-2022) by Ivan Moody.

Recollections by Gillian Crow.

Additional information :

Fortounatto, Archpriest Michael, Biographical article about Mikhail Ivanovitch Theokritoff in Russian Religious Persons Abroad

Fortounatto, Mariamna, and Cunningham, Mary B, “Was Iconoclasm A Theological Or Political Controversy ?”

Fortounatto, Mariamna, and Mary B Cunningham, “Theology of the Icon” (“Cambridge Companions to Religion” (Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2008) pp. 136-149.

Theokritoff, Elizabeth, and Cunningham Mary B, eds., “Cambridge Companion to Orthodox Christian Theology”

Theokritoff, Elizabeth, Cunningham, Mary B, eds., "The Cambridge Companion to Orthodox Christian Theology" (Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2009). IXBN : 9781139001977. Patriarchal Exarchate in Western Europe (Moscow Patriarchate)

Patriarchal Exarchate in Western Europe (Moscow Patriarchate)

Metropolitan Evlogy (Georgievsky)

Metropolitan Vladimir (Tikhonitsky)

Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom)

Metropolitan Nicholas (Eremine)

Archbishop Elisey (Ganaba)

Bishop Basil (Osborne)

Archpriest Vladimir Theokritoff

Wikipedia article about the Saint-Serge Theological Institute

Russian People Abroad reference for Matushka Mariamna M Fortounatto

Russian People Abroad reference for Archpriest Michael Fortounatto

Russian People Abroad reference for Vsevolod L’vovich Fortounatto

Russian People Abroad reference for Evgenia Mikhailovna (born Von Fritche) Fortountatto

“Recording of the Choir of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in London directed by Archpriest Michael Fortounatto with Nicolai Gedda”

Geni.com genealogical record for Michael I Theokritoff

A blog reference by Archpriest John Jillions, the founding principal of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (IOCS) (Tuesday, 25 August, 1998)

Diocese of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate) : “Archpriest Michael Fortounatto celebrated his 90th Birthday” (19 May, 2021)

Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe (Moscow Patriarchate) : “In Memoriam – Archpriest Michael Fortounatto” (19 February, 2022).

Diocese of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate) : “Repose of Archpriest Michael Fortounatto (February, 2022)

Obituary of Matushka Mariamna M Fortounatto (November, 2023)

Video : Vocal workshop, 1999

Video : Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) about Father Michael, 1999

Video : Gillian Crow In Memoriam about Father Michael Fortounatto and Costa Carras

Video : “Salt of the Earth : In Memory of Father Michael Fortounatto and Costa Carras”. (Published by The Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh Spiritual Heritage Foundation and Alexander Solzhenitsyn Centre for Studies of Russia Abroad, 2021)