Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa - Exarchate of Africa
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Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa

Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa

Was born in the city of Stavropol on 26th October 1968.

In 1985, finished high school.

From 1985 to 1986, worked as laboratory assistant at the Chair of Aerodynamics and Flight Dynamics and served as acolyte at the Church of St. George in Krasnodar. 

In 1986-1988, did military service.

In 1988-1989, served as Subdeacon to Archbishop Isidor of Yekaterinodar and Kuban.

In 1989-1992, studied at the Leningrad Theological Seminary.

On 8th April 1990, was ordained deacon.

On 18th June 1990, took monastic vows.

On 8th October 1990, was ordained hieromonk.

In 1990-1997, served as a cleric on the staff of the Cathedral of St. Catherine in Krasnodar. In 1995-1997, served as the sacristan of the cathedral.

In 1997, was transferred to Moscow and started working at the Synodal Department for Relations with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies.

In March-September 1998, performed temporary service in the Independent Airborne Brigade of the Limited Contingent of Peacekeeping Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

From October 1998 to September 2002, studied at the Department of Theology of the University of Athens and served as a non-staff cleric of the Russian Church of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon in Acharnon, Athens, Greece.

In October 2002, became a staff member of the Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; since then has been on short work trips to Mt. Athos, Finland and India.

From May 2003 to December 2004, served at the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.

In December 2004, by the decision of the Holy Synod, was appointed representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.

On 11th April 2010, was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia at the Moscow Patriarchate’s Representation in Cairo.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 29th May 2013, was elected Bishop of Argentina and South America.

On 11th June 2013, was nominated as bishop at the Church of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land – Patriarchal residence at St. Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow.

On 17th June 2013, was consecrated as bishop during the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Igor of Chernigov.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 3rd June 2016, was appointed Bishop of Vladikavkaz and Alania.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 27th December 2016, was appointed administrator of the Patriarchal deanery of the Russian Orthodox Church’s parishes in the Republic of Armenia, while remaining the head of the Vladikavkaz Diocese.

On 4th December 2017, was elevated to the rank of archbishop by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia during the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 17th October 2019, was appointed vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, while remaining the ruling hierarch of the Vladikavkaz Diocese.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 29th October 2019, was appointed co-chairman of the Working Group for Coordinating Bilateral Relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 11th March 2020, was appointed co-chairman of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 24th September 2021, was relieved of his duties as administrator of the Vladikavkaz Diocese, while retaining his post as the DECR vice-chairman and administrator of the deanery of the Patriarchal parishes in Armenia, and was appointed a vicar to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia with the title “of of Klin” and the seat in Moscow.

By the decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia of 11th October 2021, was appointed rector of the Metochion of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia – the Church of All Saints in Kulishki in the city of Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of 29th December 2021, was appointed Metropolitan of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, administrator of the Diocese of North Africa and temporary administrator of the Diocese of South Africa; was relieved of his duties as the DECR vice-chairman, but remained temporary administrator of the Diocese of Yerevan and Armenia.

In December 2021, defended his Master’s thesis on International Legal Protection of Christian Minorities in the Middle East and North Africa at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (Law Institute, Department of International Law).

On 7th January 2022, during the Great Compline at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, was elevated to the rank of metropolitan by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.