Biography of His Grace Archbishop Hilarion (Igor Kapral), Archbishop of the Diocese of Sydney - Australia, & New-Zealand
Bishop Hilarion was born in Spirit River, Alberta, Canada, in 1948 to the family of Alexias and Evprhosiniya Kapral, who had emigrated from Volhynia in 1929. He was educated in local schools, and entered
the Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, N.Y. in 1967, on the advice of Bishop Savva (Sarachevich, +1973) of Edmonton. He graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor's degree in Theology, and went on to receive a Master's degree in Slavic Languages and Literature from Syracuse University.He became a novice at Holy Trinity Monastery in 1973, and was tonsured ryassophore monk in 1974. In 1975, he was tonsured stavrophor monk, and received the name Hilarion, after Saint Hilarion of the Kiev Caves. The same year, he was ordained hierodeacon by Archbishop Averky (Taushev, +1976) of Syracuse and Holy Trinity. This was the last ordination performed by Vladika Averky before his repose in 1976. On Palm Sunday 1976, he was ordained Hieromonk by then Bishop Lavr (Skurla, now Metropolitan) of Manhattan.
He performed many obediences at the Monastery; in 1968, while still a seminarian, he was appointed assistant to Archimandrite Constantine, who was editor of the Monastery's English-language periodical, "Orthodox Life." When Archimandrite Constantine reposed in 1975, the future Vladika Hilarion became editor-in-chief. He also began teaching at the Seminary in 1975. He also served as kellenik to Archbishop Averky until his repose.
His status as candiadte for the episcopate was approved by the Bishop's Sobor meeting at Mansonville, Quebec in 1983, and Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky, +1985) suggested that hew be appointed as Bishop of Manhattan, Vicar of the Diocese of New York and Eastern America. This suggestion was approved by the Synod, and Hieromonk Hilarion was consecrated to the epsicopate on 27 November/10 December 1984 at the Synodal Cathedral in New York City.
The consecration was presided over by Metropolitan Philaret, concelebrating with Archbishop Seraphim (Ivanov, +1987) of Chicago and Detroit, Archbishop Antony (Sinkevich, +1996) of Los Angeles and Southern California, Archbishop Vitaly (Ustinov, later Metropolitan) of Montreal and Canada, Archbishop Lavr (Skurla, now Metropolitan) of Syracuse and Holy Trinity, Archbishop Paul (Pavlov, +1995) of Sydney, Australia, and New Zealand, Bishop Gregory (Grabbe, +1995) of Washington, Bishop Mark (Arndt, later Archbishop) of Berlin and Germany, and Bishop Alypy (Gamanovich, later Archbishop of Chicago and Detroit) of Cleveland.
In 1987, he was named Deputy Secretary of the Synod, and in 1995 named Bishop of Washington. While serving as Vicar of the Diocese of Eastern America, Vladika Hilarion was noted for his frequent visiting of parishes, and his accessibility to the faithful.
In 1996, he was named ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia, and New Zealand, and elevated to Archbishop. This new appointment was lamented greatly by the faithful of the Diocese of Eastern America, who petitioned the Synod that Vladika Hilarion be permitted to remain in the USA. This was not to be.
Vladika Hilarion has continued his accessibility to the faithful in Australia, and also visited missions in Korea and China, being the first hierarch of ther Church Abroad to visit China since Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco was made to leave by the communists after World War II.
M. Woerl