[[Image:BG2.JPG|right|thumb|His Grace on the ambon of this his first cathedral church of St John the Baptist in Mayfield, PA.]]{{orthodoxyinaustralasia}}His Grace The , the Right Reverend '''George (Schaefer)''' is [[Bishop]] of Mayfield, PennsylvaniaSydney, and ruling bishop of the [[vicarDiocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]] bishop of the Eastern American Diocese of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]].

== Life ==Paul Schaefer was born on [[May 25]], 1950, in Belleville, Illinois, to Francis and Claire Schaefer, a devout Roman Catholic family. He graduated from Catholic High School in 1968 and then attended Southern Illinois University from 1968 to 1972. After graduating, he saw problems in the Roman Catholic Church; he stopped attending services and began to search for the truth, including in Buddhist and other eastern sources. In October 20141974, he moved to San Jose, California, and found out about Orthodox Christianity through a Greek man, discovering the Church, the lives of saints, and the true faith. He was appointed baptised that year at the Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, California, and given the name Makarios in honor of Saint Makarios the Great. He started attending St Nicholas Church, San Jose, before attending the Greek Cathedral in San Francisco and, in May 1975, a Russian church in San Francisco. In January 1975, Makarios visited Mt Athos, where he decided to be become a monk. He later visited the [[BishopMonastery of St. Herman of Alaska (Platina, California)|St Herman of Alaska Monastery]] of Canberra, Platina, where he met Monks [[vicarSeraphim (Rose)]] bishop of and [[ROCORHerman (Podmoshensky)]]and was immersed in the monastic life. Upon relocation to Australia They suggested he enrol in seminary, which he did, entering [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]] in September 1975. ===Monastic life===On Christmas, [[January 7]], 1976, Makarios was made a [[novice]] by Archbishop [[Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse|Averky (scheduled to be after Pascha 2014Taushev)]], then Dean of Holy Trinity Seminary. As a novice his obediences in the [[monastery]] were cleaning, cooking, working the tractor in the farm and digging graves in the cemetery. After a few years in the monastery he will take up this titlewas made a riassophor [[monk]] on Friday of the First Week of Lent, 1979 and [[tonsure]]d to the small schema on Friday of the First Week of Lent, 1980, and given the name Mitrophan in honor of Saint [[Mitrophan of Voronezh]]. He was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[subdeacon]] on Palm Sunday of the same year, before graduating from Holy Trinity Seminary that year.

== Life ==Paul Schaefer was born on Fr Mitrophan, with the blessing of [[May 25Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Archbishop Laurus]], 1950moved to [[Mount Athos]] in June of 1981. Initially, he lived in BellevilleSt Elias Skete for several months, Illinoisa strict skete which was then connected with ROCOR. He graduated from Catholic High School in 1968 and On the advise of Elder Nicodemos of Karoulia, he then attended Southern Illinois University from 1968 moved to 1972an English-speaking cell (within [[Koutloumousiou Monastery (Athos)|Koutloumousiou Monastery]]) with four other ROCOR monks (including a hieromonk ordained by then-Bishop [[Mark (Arndt) of Berlin|Mark (Arndt)]]), which was one that other monasteries would often send American visitors to them. He became acquainted with St [[Paisios (Eznepidis)|Paisios the Athonite]] while there. In 1974 he He was received into tonsured to the Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, California, great schema by [[Hieromonk]] Chrysostomos of Koutloumousiou and given the name Makarios George in honor of Saint Makarios George the Great. He joined the Russian Church Abroad in San Francisco in May 1975 and entered [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]] in September 1975-Martyr.

On ChristmasIn February, [[January 7]]1986, 1975, Makarios was made a Fr George returned to [[novice]] by Archbishop [[Averky Holy Trinity Monastery (TaushevJordanville, New York) of Syracuse|Averky (Taushev)Holy Trinity Monastery]]and started working on the Printshop of Saint Job of Pochaev, where he worked until 2008. As a novice He assumed editorial duties on Orthodox Life from 1992 to his obediences in the [[monastery]] were working consecration as bishop in 2008, including writing & translating many articles for ''Orthodox Life'' magazine and translating several sayings of the farm and cemetery. After a few years Optina Elders found in the monastery he was made a riassophor ''Living Without Hypocrisy'' ([[monk]] on Friday of the First Week of LentHoly Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, 1979 and [[tonsureNew York)|HTM Press]]d to the small schema on Friday of the First Week of Lent, 1980, and given the name Mitrophan in honor of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh2006). He was also began helping at [[ordinationHermitage of the Holy Cross (Wayne, West Virginia)|ordained]] a [[subdeacon]] on Palm Sunday Hermitage of the same year. In 1980 he graduated from Holy Trinity Seminary Cross]] during this time, serving as confessor and spiritual father.

Fr Mitrophan George was sent to [[Mount Athosordination|ordained]] by a [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Archbishop Laurushierodeacon]] in June on the feast of 1981St. He Michael, 1986 and a hieromonk on Palm Sunday, 1987. In 1994, he was tonsured appointed Economos of Holy Trinity Monastery, was elevated to the great schema by rank of [[Hieromonkhegumen]] Chrysostomos in September 1998, was elevated to [[archimandrite]] on Labor Day, 2005, and was made dean of Koutloumousiou Holy Trinity Monastery, Mt. Athos and given the name George in honor of Saint George the Great-Martyr2007.

===Episcopal service===In FebruaryMay 2008, the [[Synod]] of Bishops of the ROCOR elected Archimandrite George as Bishop of Mayfield, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese. The [[Holy Synod]] of the Russian Orthodox Church confirmed the election in June 2008; though Bp George, 1986having no internet, Fr found out about his appointment from the congratulations of friends. On [[December 7]], 2008, Archimandrite George returned to was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] to the episcopal office at Holy Trinity Monastery (in Jordanville, New York, by Bishop [[Gabriel (Chemodakov)of Manhattan|Holy Trinity MonasteryGabriel of Montreal and Canada]], Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter of Cleveland]] and started working on Bishop [[John (Berzins) of Caracas|John of Caracas]]. Bishop George's place of residence was at the Printshop [[Holy Cross Skete (Wayne, West Virginia)|Hermitage of Saint Job the Holy Cross in Wayne]], West Virginia. In 2009, when the Hermitage became independent of Pochaev in 1986Holy Trinity Monastery, where he worked until 1998. He assumed editorial duties on Orthodox Life from 1992 to his consecration as bishop in 2008was appointed Abbot.

Fr On behalf of Metropolitan Hilarion (who, before being elected First Hierarch, had been diocesan bishop of Australia and New Zealand), Bp George was visited Australia for two months in 2013, and repeated this trip in 2014. On [[ordination|ordainedOctober 10]] , 2014, he was appointed by the Holy Synod to be 'Bishop of Canberra' as a [[hierodeacon]] on vicar bishop within the feast Diocese of St. Michael, 1986 Australia and a hieromonk on Palm Sunday, 1987New Zealand. In September 1998 he It was elevated later announced that Bp George would move to the rank Australian Diocesan Chancery after Pascha 2015, and would remain Bishop of Mayfield until his relocation.[[hegumen]] and [[archimandritehttp://eadiocese.org/News/2014/oct/bg.en.htm]] on Labor Day, 2005.

In 1994 he was appointed as economos Holy Trinity Monastery and made dean of Holy Trinity Monastery in 2007On Bright Tuesday, 2015, Bp George departed America for Sydney, Australia. He is the author of several articles was welcomed on Bright Thursday and translations published in Orthodox Life. Translated several sayings of the Optina Elders published in the book “Living Without Hypocrisy”, published by HTM Press in 2006. He also served inducted as confessor and spiritual father of the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne, West Virginia, the largest English-language monastery Bishop of the ROCORCanberra on Bright Friday.

In May 2008, After the repose of Metropolitan [[SynodHilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion]] of Bishops of the ROCOR elected Archimandrite , Bp George as was appointed Acting Ruling Bishop of Mayfield, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese. The [[Holy Synod]] of the Russian Orthodox Church confirmed the election in June 2008Australia and New Zealand. On [[December 7]] Later that year, 2008, Archimandrite George was [[consecration during the same Council of a bishop|consecrated]] to the episcopal office at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, by Bishop Bishops that elected Bp [[Gabriel Nicholas (ChemodakovOlhovsky) of ManhattanNew York|Gabriel Nicholas of Montreal and CanadaManhattan]]as First Hierarch, Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) Bp George was appointed ruling bishop of Cleveland|Peter the Diocese of Cleveland]] Australia and Bishop New Zealand on [[John (Berzins) of CaracasSeptember 21|John of Caracas21 September]]. 2022, and given the title "Bishop George's place of residence was at the [Sydney, Australia and New Zealand".[Holy Cross Skete (Wayne, West Virginia)|Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne]], West Virginiahttps://synod. In 2009, he was appointed Abbotcom/synod/eng2022/20220923_enbpgeorgeaustralia.html]

years=2008-present2015|

before=Igumen [[Seraphim (Voepel)]]<br>'''''as Superior of a dependency of Holy Trinity Monastery''|

years=2009-present2015|after=&mdash;Archim. [[Seraphim (Voepel)]]}}

years=''yet to be taken up''2015-2022|after=&mdash;}}{{succession|before= Metr. [[Hilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion]]|title=Bishop of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand<br>([[ROCOR]])|years=2022-present|