Vice-chairman Department for External Church Relations, Moscow Patriarchate

Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk

Biography:

He was born on 8 February 1971 in Zagorsk (now Sergiev Posad), Moscow Region.

From 1999 to 2008, he was a reviewer at the Sofrino Art Production Enterprise of the Russian Orthodox Church and the precentor of the choir of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

In 1999, he was hired by the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations as a staff member of the Secretariat of the Inter-Orthodox Relations.

Since 2003 he has taught students of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Post-Graduate Studies (until 2022 the branch of the Moscow Theological Academy Post-Graduate Studies attached to the DECR.

From 2007 to 2009, he was a lecturer at the Sretensky Theological Seminary.

On 18 January 2008, he was ordained as deacon.

On 20 April 2008, he was ordained as priest.

In 2009, he was appointed DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations.

In 2011-2012, he was a cleric of the Church of the Holy Trinity-at-Khoroshevo, in Moscow.

On May 15, 2011, he was elevated to the rank of archpriest.

Since 1 August 2012, he has been the rector of the Church of the Founding of the Holy Sepulchre in the Danilovsky Quarter.

He is a member of the Inter-Councils Presence (since 2014) and a member of the Church Law Commission.

By the 25 August 2022 Decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, he is appointed acting vice-chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.

By the 29 December 2022 decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, he is confirmed as vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations.

Education, academic degrees:

Moscow Theological Seminary (1995). Moscow Theological Academy (graduated in 1999 with the degree of Candidate of Theology), Post-Graduate Studies of Moscow Theological Academy (2001).

Awards:

Ecclesial:

He has liturgical awards including a Pectoral Cross (2009) and an Epigonation (2018).

· Patriarchal diploma (2002)

· Patriarchal diploma (2005)

· Patriarchal diploma (2006)

· The Order of St. Marc (Patriarchate of Alexandria, 2010)

· The Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Degree III (2011)

· The Order of St. Mary Magdalene (Polish Orthodox Church, 2012)

· The Order of St. Paul (Greek Orthodox Church, 2013)

· The Order of St. Sava of Serbia, Degree III (Serbian Orthodox Church, 2014)

· Medal ‘The Millennium Anniversary of the Demise of the Holy Prince Vladimir’, 2015

· Patriarchal diploma (2016)

· The Medal of St Mark of Ephesus, Degree II (2017)

· The Order of the Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, Degree III (2021).

Secular:

· The Medal “The 75th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War” (2020)

· The Medal of the Order “For the Services to the State”, Degree II (2021)