Orthodox Theology Chair

His Beatitude Metropolitan prof. SAWA Superior of the Polish Authocephalous Orthodox Church, chairman of the Orthodox Theology Chair University in Bialystok

Metropolitan SAWA (Michal Hrycuniak) was born on the 15.04.1938 in Sniatycze (near Lublin). He finished a spiritual seminary and enrolled in 1957 at the Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw, from which he graduated in 1961 with the title of Master (M.A.) of theology. From 1961 to 1979 he lectured at the Orthodox Spiritual Seminary in Warsaw. Moreover, from 1962 to the present day he has lectured atthe Christian Theological Academy (ChAT). He obtained his first ordination in 1964. In 1966, during the stay at the Orthodox Theologic Faculty of University in Belgrade, he received a title of Doctor (Ph.D.) of theology. Then he took the holy orders and was given a monastic name - Sawa. In the same year he received his next ordination. He was the director of the Office of the Orthodox Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland from 1966 to 1970. In 1970 he became Archimandryte, and also he was nominated as a prior of male monastery under invocation St. Onuphrius in Jableczna. In years 1974-1979 he became a president of the Higher Orthodox Spiritual Seminary in this monastery. In 1978, on the basis of his qualifying thesis, he became a reader of the dogmatic orthodox theology (he payed hability dissertation in the Christian Theological Academy, and he received degree „hability doctor” from orthodox dogmatic theology - the title existed in Poland). It was also then that he was appointed to a post of a docent and manager of the Chair of the Dogmatic and Moral Theology in the Christian Theological Academy. In years 1984-1990 he was a president (in Polish: rector) of the Christian Theological Academy (ChAT). On November 12, 1990, President of the Polish Republic nominated him as a professor of theology. Since March 5, 1999, he is a chairman of the Orthodox Theology Chair created on University in Bialystok.
On November 25, 1979, he obtained bishop's ordination. At the beginning, he was the Head of Lodz-Poznan Diocese, and from July 31, 1981, of Bialystok-Gdansk Diocese. On April 18, 1987, he was nominated as an archbishop. In 1994, after forming the Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army in agreement with the Holy Council of Bishops of the Polish Orthodox Church he was nominated by the Minister of National Defence as the Elder of Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army (until 1998). In 1996 he was nominated on the brygadier general.

In January 1998, due to an illness of the late His Eminence Metropolitan Bazyli, the Holy Council of Bishops of the Polish Orthodox Church entrusted duties of the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan's Throne to Archbishop Sawa. On the 12.05.1998 the Holy Council of Bishops of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church unanimously elected Archbishop Sawa on post Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland. On the 31.05.1998 in Warsaw a solemn enthronement of the new elected Metropolitan took place.
His Eminence Metropolitan prof. Sawa obtained of the title of Doctor honoris causa from next universities: St. Vladimir's Seminary in USA (2000), University in Bialystok (2001), University in Thessaloniki in Greece (2002), Theological Academy in Minsk in Belaruss (2003).