Russian Church elects first Korean bishop

(Orthodox China) - Archimandrite Feofan (Kim) will be the first Korean bishop of the ROC.

On October 6, 2011 the Synod elected him to the See of Tyva.

Hegumen Feofan (in the world - Kim, Alexey Illarionovich) was born January 19, 1976 in Yuzhno[South]-Sakhalinsk. In 1993 he graduated from Vostochny[Eastern] Lyceum in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. In 1997 he graduated from the South Sakhalin branch of the Moscow Commercial University. In 2000 he graduated from the Smolensk Seminary and in 2010 - the Moscow Theological Academy of the ROC/MP.

From 1995, he served in the choir in the church of St. Innocent of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, then - at the Resurrection Cathedral in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

On August 14, 1997 Bishop Ionafan of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and the Kuril he was tonsured a monk, named in honor of St. Feofan [Theophanes] the Confessor, Bishop of Nicea. On August 17, 1997 Bishop Ionafan ordained him a hierodeacon and on 19 August 1997 - a priest. From 1997 to 1998 he was a cleric of Resurrection Cathedral, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, while acting as choir director of the Cathedral Choir and editor of the diocesan newspaper.

From 1998 to 1999 he served in the Smolensk Cathedral, while studying in the Smolensk Seminary.

From 2000 - he was a cleric of the Abakan and Kyzyl Diocese.

In September 2000, with the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyayev) of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, DECR Chairman, he was sent to South Korea to serve as pastor among Russian-speaking citizens residing in the Republic of Korea.

On May 16, 2001 at the request of Metropolitan Kirill he was awarded a pectoral cross.

On June 6, 2006 on the occasion of DECR's 60th anniversary Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad he was elevated to the rank of hegumen.

On May 6, 2006 Feofan was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of Seoul."

In April 2011 he was awarded the right a palitza.

On October 7, 2011 he was elected bishop of the newly established Diocese of Tyva Kyzylsk ROC.