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{{orthodoxyinaustralasiaorthodoxyinamerica}}Metropolitan '''Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney, Australia Eastern America and New ZealandYork''' is First Hierarch of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] (ROCOR) and was formally [[enthronement|enthroned]] on [[May 18]], 2008. He also remains the ruling bishop of the [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]] in the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] (ROCOR). He is also the First Hierarch-elect of the ROCOR and is scheduled to be enthroned on [[May 18]], 2008.

Metropolitan Hilarion’s parents – his father Alexei Kapral, and his mother, Euphrosynia (nee Kasyaniuk) – were from the village of Obenizha in Volyhn, Ukraine. In 1929, Alexei during the Polish occupation, the local populace was persecuted and Evfrosinia Kapral moved from oppressed by Poles attempting to turn Western Ukraine into a Polish province. Thus, the 19-year-old Alexei and his young wife decided to Albertaemigrate to Canada. At the time, the Canadian government afforded immigrants the opportunity to obtain large tracts of land in Western Canada; it was there that the young family settled. They eventually had seven childrenUpon their arrival in the province of Alberta, the Kapral family received 160 acres of untilled land, as well as $100 in cash, a hammer, and an axe, with which to build themselves a home. In the lastdeveloping Spirit River region, Igorthere were some 200 Ukrainians, being born and in 1948view of the oncoming cold, they quickly built themselves houses. When he was 21The great economic crisis of 1929-1930 affected the settlers as well, Igor enrolled in [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanvillemaking an already hard life even more difficult. To find work, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]]Alexei Kapral had to travel far from home, Jordanville; three years laterand he earned but 25 cents per day. Nonetheless, he graduated from the seminary family grew ever larger – five boys and entered two girls filled the [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanvillehouse with children’s voices, speaking Ukrainian at home, New York)|attached monastery]] but the children had English as a novicetheir first language. Their parents also spoke Russian and Polish.

==Holy Trinity Monastery==In 1974The youngest member of the family was Igor, Igor the future Metropolitan Hilarion. He was born on [[tonsureJanuary 6]]d a rassophor , 1948, in Spirit River, and spent his childhood in the country. He had to walk 2.5 miles to school every day, and describes his childhood as "pleasant...absolutely free of any harmful influences"[[monkhttp://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enart_mhinterviewpriesthood.html]] with the name Hilarion (for St Hilarion. Later he transferred to another school in Blueberry Creek, Metropolitan of Kiev)but returned to finish high school. The next yearIn 1966, he was ordained to the [[diaconate]] by [[Archbishop]] Averky found a spiritual director, Right Reverend Sava (TaushevSaracevic) and began his obedience as Abp, Bishop of Edmonton, a Serb who greatly revered our Holy Hierarch St. Averky's cell attendantJohn (Maximovitch, +1966).

From his youth, Igor felt drawn to the Church, and loved to read books and periodicals on religion and morals. From a young age, around 6 or 7, he knew that he wanted to become a priest. He went to Holy Trinity Church in Spirit River, part of ROCOR and composed of ethnic Ukrainians. Services were held monthly or bi-monthly, and often Archbishop Panteleimon would celebrate these services. Abp Panteleimon was revered by Igor, and he was told by Abp Panteleimon that "someday you will be a priest"[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enart_mhinterviewpriesthood.html]. ==Seminary and the Priesthood==In 1967, when Igor Kapral was 19 years old, he entered the [Hierodeacon[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Theological Seminary]] Hilarion received a double honour in 1976Jordanville, NY, USA. While here, he was able to learn Russian, as it well as sing on the kliros and serve in the altar, learning the order of divine services.  From his second year at seminary, Igor was tasked with typesetting Orthodox Life in English, under the year when he editorship of Archimandrite [[Konstantin (Zaitsev)]]; Igor soon succeeded him as editor. After some time, Hieromonk Ignaty (who was ordained in charge of the printery) asked him to do the Russian typesetting as well.  On graduating from the Seminary in 1972, Igor entered the [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] as a [[novice]] (''poslushnik''). On [[priestDecember 2]], 1974 he was tonsured a [[Monastic Ranks|rassaphore]]hood by [[Bishopmonk]] with the name Hilarion, in honor of Venerable Schema-monk Hilarion of the Kiev Caves, the famous Metropolitan of Kiev. On [[Laurus December 4]], 1975, Archbishop [[Averky (SkurlaTaushev) of New YorkSyracuse|Averky (Taushev]], +1976), for whom the future Vladyka served as a cell-attendant, [[ordination|Laurusordained]] him a hiero[[deacon]] . As part of Bishop Laurus' push to elevate the quality of Russian language and also when literature instruction at Holy Trinity Seminary, he graduated from Syracuse University with was selected to study a masterMaster's degree in Slavic Studies and Russian Literature. He graduated in 1976, the same year that [[Bishop]] [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus]] of Manhattan ordained him a [[hieromonk]]. Fr Hilarion served as a priestmonk at the monastery, continuing his work at the printing press. He was often sent to parishes, replacing absent priests, often traveling to Cleveland and Pennsylvania.

{{orthodoxyinaustralasia}}In 1984, at the young age of 36, Fr Hilarion was consecrated a [[bishop]] by [[Metropolitan ]] [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret of New York]] and nine other bishops and was appointed to the [[see ]] of Manhattan, charged with overseeing the [[parish]]es in Pennsylvania and the Eastern American diocese and serving as deputy secretary for the Synod of Bishops. In 1995, Bishop Hilarion was transferred to the See of Washington while retaining his residence in New York. This did not last long, however. The Diocese of Australia and New Zealand was experiencing turmoil, and had not had a ruling bishop for five years; hence in June 1996, recognising his pastoral gifts, he was transferred to the [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]] (which was experiencing some problems at that stage) and raised to the rank of [[archbishop]]. Abp Hilarion set establishing the Property Trust as an Act of the New South Wales Parliament, and then rectifying the shortage of priests and beginning missionary work, generally strengthening the diocese and its church life. In 2003 he was awarded the honour of wearing a diamond [[cross]] on his [[klobuk]].

In 1995Upon Metr. Laurus's death Abp. Hilarion was appointed as the temporary head of the ROCOR Synod. To his dismay, on [[May 12]], 2008, Bishop Archbishop Hilarion was transferred to elected and elevated as the See new Metropolitan of Washington while retaining ROCOR, having received all but one vote (his residence in New Yorkown). This didn't last longAs First Hierarch, howeverhe convenes meetings of the synod (3-4 times each year), as he was simultaneously transferred to meetings of the [[Diocese Council of Australia Bishops, and New Zealand (represents the ROCOR)|Diocese at the Moscow Patriarchate when bishops convene there. In addition, he remains ruling bishop of the diocese of Australia and New Zealand]] and raised , in addition to also being ruling bishop of the rank of [[archbishop]]Eastern American diocese. Further honor came in 2003 when he was awarded the honour of wearing a diamond cross on his [[klobuk]].

Upon On the [[December 10]], 2009 Metropolitan Laurus's death Archbishop Hillarion became Hilarion marked 25 years since the date of [[consecration of a bishop|consecration as a bishop]]. The festivities took place in the temporary head [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]]. On May 12 Vladyka Hilarion, 2008notably, Bishop Hillarion was elected and elevated as is presiding over a period where unity with the new Metropolitan Church of Russia is smooth and without inequality, and divisiveness has died down in ROCOR, having recieved a vast majority of votes.

before=''unknown''[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington and Florida|Gregory (Grabbe)]]|

before=''unknown''Gregory (Grabbe)|

after=''unknown''—}}

title=Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York<br>First Hierarch of ROCOR|years=20012008-2008present|