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Bishop AgapitBishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Date of Birth: 06.03.1965
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
Life and Ministry of Metropolitan Agafangel of Mohyliv-Podilskyi and Sharhorod
Early Life and Monasticism
Metropolitan Agafangel, an archpriest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), was born on March 6, 1965, in Davydivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine. After completing secondary school, he enrolled in the Chernivtsi Music School, graduating in 1983. In 1985, he joined the brotherhood of the Holy Spirit Monastery in Vilnius.
Three years later, at the request of Archimandrite Jonah (Yeletsky), the governor of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, he was transferred to the monastery and was tonsured a monk with the name Agafangel in honor of Saint Agafangel of Kyivan Caves, the unmercenary healer. In 1988, he was ordained a hierodeacon and then a hieromonk in 1990.
Leadership at Ionynsky Monastery
In September 1992, Agafangel was appointed rector of the Holy Trinity Church of the newly revived Ionynsky Monastery in Kyiv. Bishop Jonah (Cherepanov) recounted how Hieromonk Agafangel "gathered the nucleus of our brotherhood and created a monastery here out of nothing. I had only to support what he had started. Under him, restoration work began with a complete lack of funds. He never despaired, seeing the utter poverty and desolation."
In 1994, after being elevated to the rank of archimandrite, he was appointed governor of the monastery. He graduated from the Kyiv Theological Seminary that same year and the Kyiv Theological Academy in 1998 with a thesis on "The Role of Ecumenical and Local Councils in the Formation of Christian Worship."
Episcopal Ministry
On November 5, 1998, Archimandrite Agafangel was consecrated Bishop of Khust and Vinogradiv by the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. His episcopal consecration took place on November 22, 1998, at the Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. On July 26, 2000, he was appointed Bishop of Mukachevo and Uzhhorod.
From December 14, 2007, to December 20, 2012, he served as Bishop of Severodonetsk and Starobilsk. On July 20, 2012, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
On January 5, 2013, Archbishop Agafangel was appointed Archbishop of Mohyliv-Podilskyi and Sharhorod. He was elevated to the rank of metropolitan on August 17, 2015.
Honors and Recognition
Metropolitan Agafangel has received the Order of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, 2nd degree (2008), for his contributions to the Church.
