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Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) ROCOR's Corrective Baptism from the American Metropolia (OCA).



This record shows that Igor Kapral, the future Metropolitan of ROCOR-MP was baptized by Bishop Sava (Saracevic) of Edmonton. Metropolitan Hilarion was born into an Orthodox Christian family in 1948 in Spirit River, Canada. During this period, Igor's family attended Holy Trinity Russian Church, near Spirit River, Canada. It is presumed he was baptized at this parish as an infant by one of the former rectors of this parish which belonged to the American Metropolia (OCA), which originated as a schism from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Around the time of the birth of Igor the rectors were:

  • Archpriest Evtimi Pashchenko 1930-1944

  • Archpriest Evgenii Olendy 1944-1945

  • Archpriest John Karateev 1949-1951


Archpriest John Karateev may have been the priest to baptize Igor as an infant. The last known record of John Karateev was as the rector of Saint Peter and Paul OCA Parish in Phoenix, Arizona where he reposed in 1972. As far as we know these above referenced rectors were all part of the American Metropolia (OCA).


According to the official biography of Metropolitan Hilarion from the ROCOR, he joined the Holy Trinity Monastery Seminary in 1967 at the age of 19.


The Official Baptismal Record of the Province of Alberta Register of Baptism from (1965-1968) shows that Igor was baptized by Bishop Sava of Edmonton November 4th, 1967, the same year he entered the seminary at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville.


This seems to indicate that if Igor was baptized as an infant, as is normal for all Orthodox Christian families, that the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and Bishop Sava of Edmonton did not recognize this American Metropolia baptism and he was baptized by ROCOR before entering the ROCOR seminary.


This non-recognition of any American Metropolia Baptism that took place during Igor's infancy would be due to ROCOR recognizing the American Metropolia (OCA) as a schismatic body that separated from them and that their baptism was lacking baptismal grace or it could be that he was not properly baptized according to the patristic form. The answer to the reason why is lost to history as far as we know.




References: 1. ROCOR Biography: https://www.eadiocese.org/methilarionrepose

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