Michael Filimon

Early life

Mihail Maricel Filimon was born on January 25, 1964, in the village of Matca, located in eastern Romania. After completing basic education, Maricel entered the Cernica monastery of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. With the approval of Patriarch Iustin of Romania, Maricel was tonsured a monk, and subsequently named Mihail.

In the summer of 1986, Mihail was transferred to another monastery in Curtea de Argeș. There, he fulfilled the duties of hall custodian and cashier. for the Romanian diaspora community of Australia who built parishes after migrating in the 1970's.

On March 5, 2008, together with the official founding of the Episcopate, Archimandrite Mihail was elected by the Holy Synod of the Church of Romania to the episcopal see of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand. During the enthronement ceremony, which was officiated by a delegation of high-ranking hierarchs, a Patriarchal letter was read.