[[Image:BG2.JPG|right|thumb|His Grace on the ambon of this his first cathedral church of St John the Baptist in Mayfield, PA.]]{{orthodoxyinaustralasia}}His Grace The , the Right Reverend '''George (Schaefer)''' is [[Bishop]] of CanberraSydney, [[vicar]] and ruling bishop of the [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]].

From 2008-2014== Life ==Paul Schaefer was born on [[May 25]], 1950, in Belleville, Illinois, to Francis and Claire Schaefer, a devout Roman Catholic family. He graduated from Catholic High School in 1968 and then attended Southern Illinois University from 1968 to 1972. After graduating, he saw problems in the Roman Catholic Church; he stopped attending services and began to search for the truth, including in Buddhist and other eastern sources. In 1974, he moved to San Jose, California, and found out about Orthodox Christianity through a Greek man, discovering the Church, the lives of saints, and the true faith. He was Bishop baptised that year at the Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, California, and given the name Makarios in honor of MayfieldSaint Makarios the Great. He started attending St Nicholas Church, PennsylvaniaSan Jose, as before attending the Greek Cathedral in San Francisco and, in May 1975, a Russian church in San Francisco. In January 1975, Makarios visited Mt Athos, where he decided to become a vicar bishop monk. He later visited the [[Monastery of St. Herman of Alaska (Platina, California)|St Herman of Alaska Monastery]], Platina, where he met Monks [[Seraphim (Rose)]] and [[Herman (Podmoshensky)]] and was immersed in the Eastern American monastic life. They suggested he enrol in seminary, which he did, entering [[DioceseHoly Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]] of ROCORin September 1975.

== Life =Monastic life===Paul Schaefer On Christmas, [[January 7]], 1976, Makarios was born on made a [[novice]] by Archbishop [[May 25Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse|Averky (Taushev)]], 1950then Dean of Holy Trinity Seminary. As a novice his obediences in the [[monastery]] were cleaning, in Bellevillecooking, Illinois. He graduated from Catholic High School working the tractor in 1968 the farm and then attended Southern Illinois University from 1968 to 1972digging graves in the cemetery. In 1974 After a few years in the monastery he was received into made a riassophor [[monk]] on Friday of the Greek Orthodox Church in ModestoFirst Week of Lent, 1979 and [[tonsure]]d to the small schema on Friday of the First Week of Lent, California1980, and given the name Makarios Mitrophan in honor of Saint Makarios the Great[[Mitrophan of Voronezh]]. He joined the Russian Church Abroad in San Francisco in May 1975 and entered was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanvillesubdeacon]] on Palm Sunday of the same year, New York)|before graduating from Holy Trinity Seminary]] in September 1975that year.

On ChristmasFr Mitrophan, with the blessing of [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Archbishop Laurus]], moved to [[January 7Mount Athos]]in June of 1981. Initially, 1975he lived in St Elias Skete for several months, Makarios a strict skete which was made a then connected with ROCOR. On the advise of Elder Nicodemos of Karoulia, he then moved to an English-speaking cell (within [[noviceKoutloumousiou Monastery (Athos)|Koutloumousiou Monastery]] ) with four other ROCOR monks (including a hieromonk ordained by Archbishop then-Bishop [[Averky Mark (TaushevArndt) of SyracuseBerlin|Averky Mark (TaushevArndt)]]), which was one that other monasteries would often send American visitors to them. As a novice his obediences in the He became acquainted with St [[monasteryPaisios (Eznepidis)|Paisios the Athonite]] were working in the farm and cemeterywhile there. After a few years in the monastery he He was made a riassophor [[monk]] on Friday of tonsured to the First Week of Lent, 1979 and great schema by [[tonsureHieromonk]]d to the small schema on Friday Chrysostomos of the First Week of Lent, 1980, Koutloumousiou and given the name Mitrophan George in honor of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh. He was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[subdeacon]] on Palm Sunday of George the same year. In 1980 he graduated from Holy Trinity Seminary Great-Martyr.

In February, 1986, Fr Mitrophan was sent George returned to [[Mount Athos]] by [[Laurus Holy Trinity Monastery (Skurla) of Jordanville, New York)|Archbishop LaurusHoly Trinity Monastery]] in June and started working on the Printshop of Saint Job of 1981Pochaev, where he worked until 2008. He was tonsured assumed editorial duties on Orthodox Life from 1992 to his consecration as bishop in 2008, including writing & translating many articles for ''Orthodox Life'' magazine and translating several sayings of the great schema by Optina Elders found in ''Living Without Hypocrisy'' ([[HieromonkHoly Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|HTM Press]] Chrysostomos of Koutloumousiou Monastery, Mt2006). Athos and given He also began helping at [[Hermitage of the name George in honor Holy Cross (Wayne, West Virginia)|Hermitage of Saint George the Great-MartyrHoly Cross]] during this time, serving as confessor and spiritual father.

In February, 1986, Fr George returned to was [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)ordination|Holy Trinity Monasteryordained]] a [[hierodeacon]] and started working on the Printshop feast of Saint Job of Pochaev in St. Michael, 1986and a hieromonk on Palm Sunday, 1987. In 1994, where he worked until was appointed Economos of Holy Trinity Monastery, was elevated to the rank of [[hegumen]] in September 1998. He assumed editorial duties , was elevated to [[archimandrite]] on Orthodox Life from 1992 to his consecration as bishop Labor Day, 2005, and was made dean of Holy Trinity Monastery in 20082007.

Fr George was ===Episcopal service===In May 2008, the [[ordination|ordainedSynod]] a of Bishops of the ROCOR elected Archimandrite George as Bishop of Mayfield, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese. The [[hierodeaconHoly Synod]] on of the Russian Orthodox Church confirmed the election in June 2008; though Bp George, having no internet, found out about his appointment from the feast congratulations of Stfriends. MichaelOn [[December 7]], 1986 and a hieromonk on Palm Sunday2008, 1987. In September 1998 he Archimandrite George was elevated [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] to the rank episcopal office at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, by Bishop [[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Manhattan|Gabriel of Montreal and Canada]], Bishop [[hegumenPeter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter of Cleveland]] and Bishop [[John (Berzins) of Caracas|John of Caracas]]. Bishop George's place of residence was at the [[archimandriteHoly Cross Skete (Wayne, West Virginia)|Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne]] on Labor Day, 2005West Virginia. In 2009, when the Hermitage became independent of Holy Trinity Monastery, he was appointed Abbot.

In 1994 On behalf of Metropolitan Hilarion (who, before being elected First Hierarch, had been diocesan bishop of Australia and New Zealand), Bp George visited Australia for two months in 2013, and repeated this trip in 2014. On [[October 10]], 2014, he was appointed as economos by the Holy Trinity Monastery and made dean Synod to be 'Bishop of Holy Trinity Monastery in 2007. He is Canberra' as a vicar bishop within the author Diocese of several articles Australia and translations published in Orthodox LifeNew Zealand. Translated several sayings of the Optina Elders published in It was later announced that Bp George would move to the book “Living Without Hypocrisy”Australian Diocesan Chancery after Pascha 2015, published by HTM Press in 2006. He also served as confessor and spiritual father would remain Bishop of the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne, West Virginia, the largest English-language monastery of the ROCORMayfield until his relocation.[http://eadiocese.org/News/2014/oct/bg.en.htm]

In May 2008On Bright Tuesday, the [[Synod]] of Bishops of the ROCOR elected Archimandrite 2015, Bp George as Bishop of Mayfielddeparted America for Sydney, Vicar of the Eastern American DioceseAustralia. The [[Holy Synod]] of the Russian Orthodox Church confirmed the election in June 2008. On [[December 7]], 2008, Archimandrite George He was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] to the episcopal office at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, by Bishop [[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Manhattan|Gabriel of Montreal welcomed on Bright Thursday and Canada]], Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter of Cleveland]] and Bishop [[John (Berzins) of Caracas|John of Caracas]]. inducted as Bishop George's place of residence was at the [[Holy Cross Skete (Wayne, West Virginia)|Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne]], West Virginia. In 2009, he was appointed AbbotCanberra on Bright Friday.

On After the repose of Metropolitan [[October 10Hilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion]], 2014, he Bp George was appointed by Acting Ruling Bishop of the Holy Synod to be 'Bishop Diocese of Canberra' Australia and a vicar New Zealand. Later that year, during the same Council of Bishops that elected Bp [[Nicholas (Olhovsky) of New York|Nicholas of Manhattan]] as First Hierarch, Bp George was appointed ruling bishop within of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealandon [[September 21|21 September]] 2022, and given the title "Bishop of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand".[https://synod.com/synod/eng2022/20220923_enbpgeorgeaustralia.html]

years=2008-20142015|

before=Igumen [[Seraphim (Voepel)]]<br>'''''as Superior of a dependency of Holy Trinity Monastery''|

years=2009-present2015|after=&mdash;Archim. [[Seraphim (Voepel)]]}}

years=20142015-2022|after=&mdash;}}{{succession|before= Metr. [[Hilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion]]|title=Bishop of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand<br>([[ROCOR]])|years=2022-present|