Metropolitan Tikhon names new Personal Secretary
His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, having accepted the resignation of Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak, has named Deacon John Thetford as his Personal Secretary. Deacon John began this position effective August 16, 2020.
His Beatitude offers his sincerest thanks to Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak for his many years of service at the Central Administration of the Orthodox Church in America. Archdeacon Joseph served faithfully as His Beatitude’s Personal Secretary and Archdeacon since 2012, as the Interim Media Manager of the Orthodox Church in America since 2019, and in a number of other previous positions in the Central Administration of the Orthodox Church in America. Archdeacon Joseph, together with his wife, Matushka Nina, and sons Alexander and Daniel, will be temporarily relocating to Poland to spend time with family following the death of Matushka Nina’s father from COVID-19. In order to make this move, he offered his resignation to His Beatitude, which His Beatitude accepted, effective the date of August 15, 2020.
Deacon John Thetford was raised in the Orthodox faith at St. Elias Parish, Ellwood City, PA (Romanian Episcopate). He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010 and a Master’s Degree in Education from Duquesne University in 2011. He worked as an elementary teacher and social worker before beginning at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in 2017, from where he graduated in May 2020. Deacon John has been working at the Central Administration since June 2019, at first as an intern, and since June 2020 as an administrative assistant. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on August 9, 2020 by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon. Deacon John is married to Matushka Katherine (Ketchum) Thetford.
May God grant many years to Archdeacon Joseph for his many years of service to the Metropolitan’s office, and to Deacon John in anticipation of his service!