About Andrey, Metropolitan of New York
Lived 1886 – 1972 (aged 85). Andrey, Metropolitan of New York was a Bulgarian and American eastern Orthodox priest and bishop.
Metropolitan Andrey (; secular name Stoyan Nikolov Petkov, ; 31 December 1886 – 9 August 1972) was the diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia with the title of "Metropolitan of New York" between 1947 and 1972. He is also known as Andrey Velichky or Velichki and in Bulgarian, as .
He was born Stoyan Petkov on 31 December 1886 in Vrachesh, a village in Botevgrad Municipality. He took his comprehensive education in Targovishte. In 1903 he entered the Sofia Seminary where he graduated in 1909 and continued his education in the Moscow Theological Academy in Russia between 1911 and 1916. In the meantime, he served as a medical orderly in the Russian army (1914–1915). After graduating the academy he worked as a teacher in St. Petersburg for two years (1916–1918).
Petkov came back to Bulgaria after bursting out of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. Again in his motherland he consecutively worked as: a secretary and inspector with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1919–1921); a teacher in Sofia Seminary (1921–1926); a head of culture department with the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (1926–1929).
In 1928 Stoyan Petkov took "Andrey" (Andreas, Andrew) as his name in religion. After being ordained as hierodeacon and later archimandrite, on 20 April 1929 he became a titular bishop with the title Velichki and appointed as a vicar to Simeon, Metropolitan of Varna and Preslav.
In 1937 the Holy Synod sent Petkov to take control of the Bulgarian Eparchy of USA, Canada and Australia with his seat in New York City, USA.
He died in 1972 and was buried in the St. John of Rila Church, Targovishte that was reconstructed with his donation during the 1970s.
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Important facts
People in Andrey, Metropolitan of New York's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Andrey, Metropolitan of New York?
Bulgarian clergyman
When was Andrey, Metropolitan of New York born?
Andrey, Metropolitan of New York was born on 30 November 1886 in Vrachesh.
When did Andrey, Metropolitan of New York die?
Andrey, Metropolitan of New York died on 9 August 1972 in Lozenetz Hospital.
What was Andrey, Metropolitan of New York's occupation?
Andrey, Metropolitan of New York was an eastern Orthodox priest and bishop.
What nationality was Andrey, Metropolitan of New York?
Andrey, Metropolitan of New York was Bulgarian and American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Andrey, Metropolitan of New York
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Andrey, Metropolitan of New York. https://biography.guide/andrey-metropolitan-of-new-york/
MLA: "Andrey, Metropolitan of New York." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/andrey-metropolitan-of-new-york/.
Chicago: "Andrey, Metropolitan of New York." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/andrey-metropolitan-of-new-york/.
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