His Eminence Archbishop of Toronto and Metropolitan of Canada Dr. Mitrofan (Kodic) was born on August 4, 1951 in the village of Ljusa, Sipovo, Bosnia. He completed his elementary studies in 1966. He received the monastic tonsure on the eve of the feast of The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple in 1970 and on the following day was ordained as a hierodeacon by Bishop Stefan (Boca). He completed his seminary studies at the Three Holy Hierarchs Seminary at the Krka Monastery in 1971. He completed the Theological Faculty in Bucharest, Romania in 1975. In 1977, after completing his studies, he was assigned as supplent of the Seminary at the Krka Monastery. He passed his professorship exam in 1979 and was assigned as assistant Rector of the Seminary in 1980 and as Rector in 1987. He was elected as the Vicar Bishop of Toplica in 1987 and appointed as assistant to the Administrator of the Diocese of Midwestern America Dr. Sava (Vukovic). He was appointed as Administrator of the Diocese of Midwestern America in 1988, where he remained until he was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern America in 1991.
In 1997 Bishop Mitrofan successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on the theme of The Mystery of Christ According to the Epistles to the Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians of the Holy Apostle Paul.
By the will of God and the grace of the Holy Spirit, he was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Canada at the regular assembly of the Holy Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church held at the Patriarchate in Belgrade from May 14–25, 2016. He was enthroned in the All Serbian Saints Serbian Orthodox Church in Mississauga on September 18, 2016, during the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy led by Serbian Patriarch Irinej, accompanied by Bishop Vasilije of Srem, Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America, Bishop Hrizostom of Zvornik and Tuzla, Bishop Maksim of Western America, and four bishops of other Orthodox dioceses in Canada.
He was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan Bishop at the regular assembly of the Holy Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church held on May 18, 2024.
Saint Sava School of Theology in Libertyville, Illinois
Bishop Mitrofan is Professor of the New Testament at the Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox School of Theology in Libertyville, Illinois. At the first session of the Academic Council, following the passing of Metropolitan Christopher (Kovacevich) in 2010, he was unanimously elected as the new Dean of the School of Theology in Libertyville. He remained in that position until the end of 2023, when the collegium granted him the title of Dean Emeritus for life.
Published works
Besides the aforementioned dissertation, Bishop Mitrofan has published many theological works. He translated from the Romanian Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Dr. Dumitru Staniloae’s Community and Spirituality in the Orthodox Liturgy, three volumes of Orthodox Dogmatics, The Immortal Image of God as well as Orthodox Moral Theology. Also from the Romanian he translated the Dictionary of Orthodox Theology by Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Dr. Ion Bria and The Romanian Patericon I and II by hieromonk Fr. Ioanichie Balan. His own book The Teaching of St. Apostle Paul on the Church, published in 1991 in Chicago, has been translated into English. His most recent works have also been published: Introduction to the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament as well as translations of the books by Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Dr. Dumitru Staniloae The Gospel Image of Christ and Jesus Christ, the Light of the World and the Deifier of Man.
