Fr. Daniel Andrejuk begins duties as OCA Representative to Moscow Patriarchate
Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk will begin his duties as the Orthodox Church in America’s Representative to the Moscow Patriarchate and Rector of the OCA’s Representation Church of the Great Martyr Catherine, Moscow, on February 1, 2018.
Father Daniel was appointed to the position by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and the Holy Synod of Bishops. He succeeds the late Archimandrite Alexander [Pihach], who served as OCA Representative to the Patriarchate from November 30, 2012 until his repose on October 7, 2016.
On Friday, January 26, Metropolitan celebrated a Molieben in the Chancery’s Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel for Father Daniel and Matushka Vera, and their three daughters, Paraskeva, Ephimia and Fevronia, prior to their move to Moscow. [Watch the video of the service.] Earlier, on December 7, 2017, Metropolitan Tikhon had introduced Father Daniel to the faithful of Saint Catherine’s after the parish’s patronal feast day Divine Liturgy. Father Daniel was a member of the OCA delegation that traveled with Metropolitan Tikhon to Russia for the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Election and Enthronement of Saint Tikhon as the first Patriarch of the reestablished Moscow Patriarchate, which had been abolished in the early 18th century by Emperor Peter the Great.
The Andrejuks departed for Moscow on Monday, January 29.
Father Daniel was born on January 11, 1976 in Bialystok, Poland. At the age of 12, he and his family relocated to the United States. After graduating from Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, South Canaan, PA in 1999, he continued theological studies at the Moscow Theological Academy, Sergiev Posad, Russia, from which he graduated in 2002. He was ordained to the diaconate at Saint Catherine Representation Church on June 9, 2002 and to the priesthood at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery, South Canaan, PA, on August 15 of the same year. For several years, Father Daniel served as Rector of Saint TIkhon of Moscow Church, Anchorage, AK.
It was in early 1992 that Protopresbyter Daniel Hubiak, former OCA Chancellor, was appointed as the OCA’s first Representative to the Moscow Patriarchate. He initially celebrated English-language services in the Church of Saint Symeon the Stylite at Moscow’s Danilov Monastery while a suitable church for the OCA’s use could be identified. Two years later, Saint Catherine Church was selected as the site of the Representation Church due to its central location and size. During the Soviet era, the church had been used for secular purposes; it has since undergone extensive renovations, especially in its interior.
May God bless and grant many years to Father Daniel and his family begin this new chapter in their lives.