The Very Rev. Father Mark Templet
Meet our Staff
Our Rector
Archpriest Mark was ordained a priest in the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church on December 2(ns), 2007. Fr. Mark was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 1994 he began attending Southeastern Louisiana University. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology and Health Studies in 2000. He then enrolled in Graduate School at Southeastern Louisiana University, a Master's Degree in Exercise Science in 2001, a doctorate in business from CalUniversity in 2013, and a Master's degree in Healthcare Administration from Louisiana State University in 2023.
Fr. Mark studied for the priesthood under the tutelage of the Most Reverend Archbishop Andrei of Pavlovskoye and Rockland who was the spiritual son and cell attendant of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko) of Rockland, the Father Confessor of St. Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky). Fr. Mark has been active in prison ministry and is an accomplished church vestment maker. He also plays a vital role in maintaining the ROAC American diocese website and is the diocesan Archivist. He is married to Matuska Sophia and they have two children.
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Subdeacon Tikhon
Subdeacon Tikhon and his large family are great servants of the church and often cook food, make clothing, and other services for those in need.​
Reader Thaddeus
Reader Thaddeus and his wife just welcomed their first child, a daughter not long ago and have served the parish for several year. Reader Thaddeus is the most senior of our readers and helps with many tasks such as recently creating new service books for the church.
Reader Savvas
Reader Savvas is a faithful servant of the parish and always leads the men of the parish in cleaning the church and preparing for services. He is a great help to all.
Reader John
Reader John and his lovely family come from MIssissippi on a regular basis to be apart of our parish, while at the same time they are starting a mission in Mississippi (the Chapel of St. John) and inviting locals to join them. May God bless their efforts.
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Our Archbishop
Our parish is under the spiritual guidance and direction of His Eminence, Archbishop Andrei of Pavlovskoye and Rockland who resides in New Jersey. He is a member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church, whose president is His Eminence, Metropolitan Theodore of Suzdal and Vladimir.
The Most Rev. Andrei
Archbishop of Pavlovskoye and Rockland
The Most Rev. Theodore
Metropolitan of Suzdal and Vladimir