On October 14, 2018 Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (Journal No 77) relieved Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk from the obedience of the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA. The Synod appointed His Grace MATTHEW, Bishop of Sourozh to be a temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes.

Bishop Matthew was born on May 18, 1971 in Tambov, Russia. In 1993 he graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages ​​of the Tambov State Pedagogical Institute (specializing in English and French). From 1993 to 2009 he worked as a teacher of English and French in the high school of Bokino, Tambov district, Tambov region.
In 1991 he passed an internship at the University of Northumbria (Newcastle, Great Britain). In 1997, he completed a distance learning course at the University of Manchester.
From 1991 to 1998 he carried out the obedience of an altar server and subdeacon in the Protection of the Mother of God Cathedral in Tambov.}
On March 1, 1998, he was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Evgeny (Zhdan) of Tambov and Michurinsk and on October 4, 1998, to the priesthood. He served as Rector of the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra in the village of Bokino, Tambov district from 1998-2005, as a cleric of the Monastery of the Kazan Icon in Tambov from 2005-2008, and as a cleric of the Protection of the Motehr of God Cathedral in Tambov from 2008-2009.
From 2000 to 2005 he studied in the correspondence department of the Moscow Theological Seminary.
From 1998 to 2009 he served as the Chairman of the department of religious education, catechesis and missionary work of the Diocese of Tambov. From 2005 to 2009, he served as Assistant to the Pro-Rector, and from 2008 to 2009 - the first Vice-Rector of the Tambov Theological Seminary.
On May 18, 2008, Bishop Theodosius of Tambov and Michurin elevated him to the rank of Archpriest.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 27, 2009 (Journal No. 74) he was sent to carry out pastoral service in the Diocese of Sourozh. From 2009-2010 he served as Rector of the Parish of St. Kentigern of Glasgow, Dean of the diocesan districts of Scotland and Northern England. From 2010 – Sacristan of the Stauropegial Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in Manchester, Dean of the diocesan districts of Northern England and Wales, Head of the Missionary Service of the Diocese of Sourozh.
In 2008, he entered the Moscow Theological Academy, after which he transferred to the Postgraduate and Doctorate Institute of Saints Cyril and Methodius in 2011.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 22, 2015 (Journal No. 64) he was elected as Bishop of Skopin and Shatsk.
On October 24, 2015 he was tonsured a monk with the name of Matthew in honor of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.
The rite of nomination was served on November 5, 2015 in Moscow. He was consecrated on November 15 during the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Kaliningrad. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 29, 2017 (Journal No. 52), he was appointed as the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Italy with the title of “Bogorodsk” and rector of the Strauropegial Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome and relieved from the administration of the dicoese of Skopin.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 28, 2017 (Journal No. 116), he was relieved as the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Italy and appointed as ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Sourozh.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 14, 2018 (Journal No. 116), he was appointed as temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of October14, 2018 (Journal No. 77), he was also appointed as temporary Administrator of our Parishes in the USA. 

On his first visit to the United States as interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, November 18, in St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City.
On this day, (transferred from November 23),  the 116th anniversary of the Great Consecration of the cathedral by St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia will be celebrated.

We invite our parishioners to join His Grace, Bishop Matthew, as well as our clergy in fervent prayer and celebration of the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral on Sunday, November 18. There will be no Liturgy at St. George Church on that day.