Luke (Murianka)
Introduction
Bishop Luke (secular name Mark Murianka, Russian: Марк Петрович Мурьянка; November 10, 1951, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American church leader. He serves as bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, current abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, rector, associate professor of patrology of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, New York, and auxiliary bishop of Syracuse, New York.
Career
Luke was ordained as a hieromonk on July 12, 1981 by Bishop Laurus (Škurla) of Syracuse. He served in the Holy Trinity Monastery. Luke became the serving priest of the mission that is now Christ the Savior parish, located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
In 1982, Luke/Murianka became the Dean of Students of the Holy Trinity Seminary.
On October 21, 1991, the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR (Synod) decided to raise Luke to the rank of hegumen for his monastic obedience and for his hard work for Holy Trinity Seminary.
On December 17, 2003, the Synod appointed Luke to the newly-created Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, on talks with the corresponding Commission of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Synod included Luke in the official delegation to attend the ceremony of signing of the Act of Canonical Communion, held on April 18-20, 2007.
Luke was elected abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery on May 21, 2008. In September 2008, Synod appointed him as rector of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville.
On May 5, 2009, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR (Council) decided to include Luke in the commission to study the relationship with the Orthodox Church in America, whose task was to restore the Eucharistic communion with the Church.
On December 6, 2018, the Synod elected Luke as Bishop of Syracuse and Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese. Both the Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and the state government of New York sent appeals for the confirmation of this election to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. The election was confirmed on December 28, 2018.
On February 11, 2019, Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of Eastern America and New York, Metropolitan Luke (Kovalenko) of Zaporozhye and Melitopol, Archbishop Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal and Canada, and Bishop Nicholas (Olhovsky) of Manhattan performed Luke's nomination as Bishop and Vicar, leading the episcopal consecration in Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville.
Writings
- «Reflections on the 200th Anniversary of the French Revolution», // «Orthodox Life» magazine, 1989; pp. 21-30, pp. 21-33
- "Concerning the Tradition of Long Hair and Beards" // Orthodox Life, Vol. 45, No. 5 (Sept-Oct 1995), pp. 41-43
- New Age Philosophy, Orthodox Thought, and Marriage // Orthodox Life, No. 3, 1997
- “A Patristic Reading of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary” // Orthodox Life. 2001. pp. 38-49
- «Мадам Бовари» Флобера и святоотеческое учение о грехе // Новый журнал. — Нью-Йорк, 2003. — Кн. 231. — С. 191—209. (Russian translation)
- Aleksei Khomiakov : A Study of the Interplay of Piety and Theology // A.S. Khomiakov : Poet, Philosopher, Theologian / edited by V. Tsurikov ; Editorial Board H. Baran, R. Bird, P. Hunt, A. Klimoff, P. Valliere; Forew. by М. Раева ; Afterword by R. Bird. — Jordanville, N.Y. : Holy Trinity Seminary, 2004. — 20-37. — (Readings in Russian Religious Culture ; Vol.2)
- Report by Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) on the First Meeting of the Negotiating Committees of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate // pravoslavie.ru, July 2/15, 2004
- Миссия Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей (доклад) // pravoslavie.ru, 14 мая 2006
- Archimandrite Flor (Vanko): December 9, 1926 — September 4, 2012 // Orthodox Life,No. 6 2012
- «Архимандрит Флор (Ванько) (+04.09.2012)» // «Церковный вестник», 20 ноября 2012