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In 1964, while he was studying English and Slavistics at the University of Heidelberg, he converted to Orthodox Christianity. In the course of his study of Slavistics, he became a specialist in a number of Slavic languages and literature, including Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Slovak, Czech and Macedonian. He completed his PhD. with the doctoral thesis "Biographical Literature of the Tver Duchy in the 14th and 15th Centuries".
He began his theological studies in 1973 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia finishing his degree in theology in 1979. In 1975, Michael chose a [[monasticism|monastic]] life and was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Mark by Abp. Paul (Pavlov) of Sydney. He was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in the summer of 1975, and a [[hieromonk]] three days later by Abp. Paul. Hieromonk Mark was appointed as Deputy Rector of the Russian church in Wiesbaden, Germany. In 1976, he was elevated to the rank of [[archimandrite]].
In 1980, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] bishop, and was installed as the (ROCOR) Bishop of Stuttgart and Southern Germany. In 1982, he was assigned as Bishop of Berlin and All Germany, succeeding Abp. Paul (Pavlov). In the mid-1980's, he was appointed Ruling Bishop of the [[Diocese]] of Great Britain and [[Rector]] of St Alexander Nevsky Parish in Copenhagen. In 1990, he was elevated to the rank of [[Archbishop]]. In 1997, he was also appointed Overseer of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.
