Reverend Father Theodore Mikovich
Father Theodore was born on September 18, 1945, to the Orthodox parents of John and Anna (Goida) Mikovich in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania. He has two sisters, Helen (Berezniak) and Dorothy (Macenka). He was baptized by the Reverend John Zeliniak in St. John's Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in Nesquehoning. It was in this Church that as a young boy he served as an acolyte. It was also at St. John's that he began a life long career in teaching when he became a student religious education teacher. At the beloved Church of his youth he received the Boy Scouts of America God and Country Award known in the Orthodox Church as the Alpha Omega Award.
Father Theodore is a graduate of Nesquehoning High School and East Stroudsburg University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. He also has a Masters Degree in Education from East Stroudsburg University. He was certified to teach kindergarten through eighth grade in the state of Pennsylvania. In 1967 he began his professional teaching career in the Salisbury School District.
On July 5, 1969, Father Theodore and Khouriye Joanne were married in St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. They have two sons, Gregory, married to the former Catherine Reese, and Christopher, married to the former Jillian Jordan.
Under the spiritual guidance of the Very Reverend Dimitri Voytilla, Father Theodore continued his active service to the Lord as an adult acolyte, reader and adult education teacher at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church (OCA) in Bethlehem. He became a member of the Department of Education at St. Tikhon's 'Theological Seminary, and in 1983 he was accepted into the seminary as an extension student.
On February 27, 1991, Father Theodore was tonsured a reader and ordained a subdeacon by His Grace Bishop NICHOLAS of the Carpatho Russian Archdiocese. Under the spiritual direction of the Very Reverend Robert Rebeck, he entered the Deacon Program at the Annunciation Retreat Center in Tuxedo Park, New York.
In November 1993, Father Theodore entered the Antiochian Orthodox Jurisdiction with the Very Reverend John Kahle as his priest and father confessor. On September 28, 1997, he was ordained a deacon in St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church by His Grace Bishop ANTOUN.
On May 16, 1999, Father Theodore's long time desire has been fulfilled. He has been ordained into the holy priesthood by His Grace Bishop ANTOUN. God grant him many blessed years!
