Peter Loukianoff

Archbishop Peter (, secular name Pavel Andreyevich Loukianoff, ; August 9, 1948 – November 8, 2024) was an American bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, serving as archbishop of Chicago and Mid-America.

Biography Pavel Loukianoff was born in San Francisco, California, on August 9, 1948, into an ethnic Russian family of Don Cossack ancestry, who escaped to China after the Russian Revolution, and in the 1940s to the US after the Communist takeover.

There he studied at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Russian Church gymnasia and school.

He served altar boy at the San Francisco cathedral to Archbishop Tikhon (Troitsky) and later Archbishop John (Maximovitch), with whom he served the last 3 years prior to St. John's death.

July 12, 2003, the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the Protection of the Theotokos cathedral in Des Plaines, Illinois, his bishop nomination was held. Order was performed by Metropolitan Laurus assisted by Archbishop Alypy (Gamanovich) of Chicago and Detroit and bishop Kyrill (Dmitrieff) of San Francisco and Western America.

The next morning, at the Divine Liturgy, the bishop-elect presented his confession of faith and the consecration took place and was performed by the same bishops. Present at the Liturgy were Archbishop Job (Osacky) of Chicago and the Midwest (OCA) and representatives of other local churches. Also present was Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Louisa, sister of King Simeon of Bulgaria with representatives of the Bulgarian Royal house, which was commemorated at the Great Entrance.

In 2008, Bp. Peter became a permanent member of the Synod of Bishops. In September 2009, he was appointed Treasurer of the Synod of Bishops.

July 2, 2016, on the retirement of Abp Alypy, Bishop Peter was appointed to the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America and elevated to the rank of Archbishop.

Archbishop Peter died suddenly on November 8, 2024, at the age of 76.