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{{orthodoxyinaustralasiaorthodoxyinamerica}}Metropolitan '''Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney, Australia Eastern America and New ZealandYork''' is the ruling bishop of the [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese First Hierarch of Australia and New Zealand]] in the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] (ROCOR). He is also the First Hierarch of the ROCOR and is scheduled to be 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]].

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 emigrate 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. Upon their arrival in the province of Alberta, Canadathe 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 developing Spirit River region, there were some 200 Ukrainians, and in view of the oncoming cold, they quickly built themselves houses. The great economic crisis of 1929-1930 affected the settlers as well, making an already hard life even more difficult. They eventually To find work, Alexei Kapral had seven childrento travel far from home, and he earned but 25 cents per day. Nonetheless, the family grew ever larger – five boys and two girls filled the house with children’s voices, speaking Ukrainian at home, but the last, children had English as their first language. Their parents also spoke Russian and Polish. The youngest member of the family was Igor, being the future Metropolitan Hilarion. He was born on [[January 6]], 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"[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enart_mhinterviewpriesthood.html]. Later he transferred to another school in 1948Blueberry Creek, but returned to finish high school. In 19671966, he found a spiritual director, Right Reverend Sava (Saracevic), Bishop of Edmonton, a Serb who greatly revered our Holy Hierarch St. John (Maximovitch, +1966). From his youth, at 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 19years old, Igor enrolled in he entered the [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Theological Seminary]]in Jordanville, NY, USA. While here, he was able to learn Russian, as well as sing on the kliros and serve in the altar, Jordanvillelearning the order of divine services.  From his second year at seminary, Igor was tasked with typesetting Orthodox Life in English, under the editorship of Archimandrite [[Konstantin (Zaitsev)]]; five years laterIgor soon succeeded him as editor. After some time, he graduated Hieromonk Ignaty (who was in charge of the printery) asked him to do the Russian typesetting as well.  On graduating from the seminary and Seminary in 1972, Igor entered the [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|attached monasteryHoly Trinity Monastery]] as a [[novice]] (''poslushnik''). On [[December 2]], 1974 he was tonsured a [[Monastic Ranks|rassaphore]] [[monk]] with the name Hilarion, in honor of Venerable Schema-monk Hilarion of the Kiev Caves, the famous Metropolitan of Kiev. On [[December 4]], 1975, Archbishop [[Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse|Averky (Taushev]], +1976), for whom the future Vladyka served as a cell-attendant, [[ordination|ordained]] him a hiero[[deacon]].

==As part of Bishop Laurus' push to elevate the quality of Russian language and literature instruction at Holy Trinity Monastery==In 1974Seminary, Igor he was selected to study a Master's degree in Slavic Studies and Russian Literature. He graduated in 1976, the same year that [[tonsureBishop]]d a rassophor [[monkLaurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus]] with the name Hilarion (for St Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kiev). The next year, he was Manhattan ordained to the [[diaconate]] by him a [[Archbishophieromonk]] Averky (Taushev) and began his obedience as Abp. Averky's cell attendant.

[[Hierodeacon]] Fr Hilarion received served as a double honour in 1976priestmonk at the monastery, as it was continuing his work at the year when he printing press. He was ordained often sent to parishes, replacing absent priests, often traveling to the [[priest]]hood by [[Bishop]] [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus]] and also when he graduated from Syracuse University with a master's degree in Slavic Studies Cleveland and Russian LiteraturePennsylvania.

{{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.

In 1995, Bishop Hilarion was transferred to the See of Washington while retaining his residence in New York. This didn't 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, as he was simultaneously 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. Further honor came in In 2003 when he was awarded the honour of wearing a diamond [[cross ]] on his [[klobuk]].

Upon Metropolitan Metr. Laurus's death Archbishop Abp. Hilarion was appointed as the temporary head of the ROCOR Synod. On To his dismay, on [[May 12]], 2008, Archbishop Hilarion was elected and elevated as the new Metropolitan of ROCOR, having recieved a vast majority received all but one vote (his own). As First Hierarch, he convenes meetings of the synod (3-4 times each year), meetings of the Council of Bishops, and represents the ROCOR at the Moscow Patriarchate when bishops convene there. In addition, he remains ruling bishop of votesthe diocese of Australia and New Zealand, in addition to also being ruling bishop of the Eastern American diocese.

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= 2008-present|