Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America reposes in the Lord

Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America. Photo: chicagodiocese

On November 8, 2024, Archbishop Peter (Lukianov) of Chicago and Mid-America of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) reposed in the Lord, as reported by the website of the Diocese of Chicago.

“We sincerely regret to inform you that our Abba Archbishop Peter has reposed in the Lord. More information will be forthcoming. Please remember our newly-reposed spiritual leader in your prayers,” stated the announcement.

Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America, a permanent member of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops, was born Pavel Andreyevich Lukianov on August 9, 1948, in San Francisco.

On August 19, 1965, he was tonsured as a reader by St. John (Maximovich). As a young man, he assisted and accompanied St. John on his pastoral visits. In September 1966, he entered Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville and remained at the Holy Trinity Monastery.

From 1971 to 1976, he worked with the ROCOR Synod of Bishops, assisting Bishop Laurus of Manhattan, the future ROCOR First Hierarch. After completing seminary, he graduated from Norwich University and the Faculty of Theology at the University of Belgrade.

In 1988, he took monastic vows and was ordained a hierodeacon. On April 25, 1989, he was ordained a hieromonk. Fr. Peter taught Church History and World History and Civilization at Holy Trinity Seminary and served as the seminary inspector. In 2000, he was appointed head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.

On July 12, 2003, he was consecrated as Bishop of Cleveland, a vicar of the Diocese of Chicago and Detroit. Due to the illness of Archbishop Alypy of Chicago and Mid-America, he was appointed administrator of the Chicago Diocese. On May 13, 2008, he was elected a permanent member of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops, and on July 1, 2016, he was elevated to Archbishop and made ruling bishop of Chicago.

As previously reported by the UOJ, ROCOR compared Law 8371 to the Church persecutions under the Bolsheviks.

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