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Hieromonk His Grace, the Right Reverend '''Matthias (Moriak)of Chicago''' is the [[bishop]]-elect of the [[Diocese of the Midwest (OCA)|Diocese of the Midwest]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]].
Father Bishop-elect Matthias was born David Lawrence Moriak on [[April 4]], 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Lawrence and the late Gladys Mae Moriak. He was [[baptism|baptized]] at St. Theodosius Cathedral in Cleveland. He attended the public schools in Cleveland. Following He moved with his graduation from high school in June 1967parents to Parma, Ohio when he was 12 years old. In Parma, he attended began attending a new mission of the [[Christ American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese]] and began reading the Saviour Seminary (Johnstown, Pennsylvania)|Christ Hours and the Epistle while contemplating a calling to the Saviour Seminary]] in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, graduating in June 1972Holy Priesthood.
AlsoFollowing his graduation from Parma High School in June 1967, David considered joining the U. S. Marine Corps until he met His Grace, the late [[John (Martin) of Nyssa|John (Martin)]], Bishop of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese, who inspired him to enter [[Christ the Saviour Seminary (Johnstown, Pennsylvania)|Christ the Saviour Seminary]], in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. In the fall of 1967, David began his studies at the [[seminary]] and soon realized a strong calling to the priesthood. In June 1972, he graduated from the seminary and on [[June 3]], 1972, he married Jeannette before his [[ordination]] to the [[priest]]hood on [[June 18]]. Fr, Matthias and Jeannette had two children, Rachel and Michael.
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==Life==
Following his ordination as a priest, Fr. Matthias served at [[parish]]es in Jenner, Pennsylvania (1972 to 1975), St. Paul the Apostle in Freehold, New Jersey (1975 to 1978: a mission church that he founded), Gary, Indiana (1978 to 1982), St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church in Saint Clair, Pennsylvania (1982 to 2004), at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Johnstown (2004 to 2006), and St. Gregory of Nyssa MIssion in Seaford, New York (2006 to 2010).
In May 1996, Fr. Matthias' wife Jeannette was diagnosed with acute leukemia and reposed in March 1997. While serving in St. Clair, Fr. Matthias enrolled at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Seminary]] in South Canaan, Pennsylvania and graduated in 2000 with a Masters of Divinity Degree. After visiting Fr. Matthias always admired the [[monasterymonasticism|monasteriesmonastic]] in Jerusalemlife. Following the death of his wife, Greecehe visited several monasteries for healing and spiritual strength. He made visits to Holy Transfiguration Monastery, TurkeyEllwood City, GuatemalaPennsylvania, and [[Mount AthosHoly Myrrhbearers Monastery (Otego, New York)|Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery]], FrOtego, New York, where he also served the Great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord for two years. He also visited the Monastery of St. Matthias was [[tonsure]]d a Riasaphor [[monk]] at Camp Nazareth on [[October 14]]Anthony in Arizona, 2003where he stayed for two weeks.
Before he took his monastic tonsure, he visited the [[Iviron Monastery (Athos)|Iveron Monastery]] on [[Mount Athos]] where for much of his time he spent following the daily cycle of services and obediences. He also spent hours speaking to his newly found Athonite spiritual father, [[Priestmonk]] Jeremiah. After visiting other [[monastery|monasteries]] in Jerusalem, Greece, Turkey, and Guatemala, Fr. Matthias was [[tonsure]]d a Riasaphor [[monk]] at Camp Nazareth on [[October 14]], 2003. On [[September 1]], 2010, Fr. Matthias was received into the [[clergy]] of the Orthodox Church in America and was assigned as acting rector at the [[Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery (at Otego, New York)|Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery]], Otego, New York under the omophorion of Bp. [[Michael (Dahulich) of New York|Michael]] of New York.
During 2010, Fr. Matthias was one the candidates considered by the OCA Diocese of the Midwest for election as their diocesan bishop. In September 2010, an assembly of the [[diocese]] nominated him to the [[Synod]] of Bishops of the OCA as their choice as their diocesan bishop. At the opening session of the fall gathering of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America on Tuesday, [[November 16]], 2010, Priestmonk Matthias was canonically elected to the vacant Episcopal See of Chicago and the Midwest.
During the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Saint Tikhon of Moscow, celebrated at Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel at the [[Chancery office of the Orthodox Church in America|Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America]], Thursday, [[November 18]], 2010, His Beatitude, [[Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington|Metropolitan Jonah]] elevated Bishop-Elect Matthias to the rank of [[Archimandrite]]. He was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated to the episcopacy]] on [[May 2]], 2011.
==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/news/2324 Holy Synod of Bishops gathers for Fall Session, elects Priestmonk Matthias (Moriak)]
*[http://www.stgreg.org/clergy.htm Father Matthias (Moriak)]
*[http://www.oca.org/news/2288 News and Events]
*[http://nynjoca.org/files/2010/Release-2010.18.1.pdf RELEASE NUMBER 2010.18.1]
*[http://www.oca.org/news/2325 Biography of Bishop-Elect Matthias]
*[http://www.oca.org/news/2523 The Consecration of His Grace, Bishop Matthias]
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Job (Osacky) of Chicago]]|
title=Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest (OCA)<br>''Bishop-elect of Chicago and the Midwest''|
years=2011-Present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}
[[Category: PriestsBishops]][[Category:21st-century bishops]][[Category:Bishops of Chicago]][[Category: Monastics]][[Category:St. Tikhon's Seminary Graduates]]
