Augustine Markevich

Augustine, born Adam Ivanovich Markevich (Belarusian: Аўгусціна/Адам Іванавіч Маркевіч) on April 7, 1952, in the Gomel Oblast, is a Belarusian metropolitan bishop of the diocese of Belotserkovsky and Boguslavsky under the semi-autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He also served as bishop of the Lviv and Drohobych (changed to Lviv and Galicia in 1998) diocese from September 16, 1993, until being transmigrated to the diocese at Belotserkovsky and Boguslavsky on July 20, 2012, where he continues to serve today. He holds Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian citizenship, but resides with his diocese in Ukraine.

Early life and education Markevich was born on April 7, 1952, in the Byelorussian SSR to what Markevich describes as "a priestly family", and in 1955 his father became a priest in Zhytomyr. His paternal grandfather was a soldier of the Red Army and had been killed during the Great Patriotic War. He graduated from high school in 1969 and subsequently studied medicine. In 1971, he graduated from medical school and moved to Ukraine, where he began working as a paramedic in Rivne. During this time, he also started studying theology at the Moscow Theological Academy. He obtained his doctorate in theology from the university in 1982. He was transmigrated to the diocese of Belotserkovsky and Boguslavsky on July 20, 2012, and was granted the rank of metropolitan a year later on November 23, 2013.

In September 2023 Augustine took part in a service and conference organized by clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church in Italy. In May 2022 a schism occurred within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. A number of bishops declared full independence and autonomy from the Russian Orthodox Church and stated loyalty to an opposing metropolis although Augustine remains loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate.