Archimandrite Teofil (Maxim)

Archimandrite Teofil (Maxim)

Teofil may be spelt Theophil, Théophile, Theophilus.

Maxim may be spelt Macsim.

Early years of Teofil Maxim

Teofil Maxim was born on 1 August, 1894, in Arbore, near Rădăuți in the County of Suceava in the Bucovina province of Moldavia in the Kingdom of Romania. His older brother was Daniil.

While he was still a young boy, Teofil’s father was killed in a foresting accident.

His widowed mother placed her 2 sons Daniil and Teofil in the Secu Monastery, and her daughter Evpraxia in a women's monastery. It is clear that these 3 children had been carefully raised in the Orthodox Christian Faith and in the bosom of the Romanian Orthodox Church. At the Secu Monastery, Daniil and Teofil began their training and monastic formation.

Teofil embraced and followed the monastic path early during this time.

Secu Monastery "Beheading of John the Baptist" Temple

Higher education

Teofil had the gift of a good singing voice and musical capability. With the blessing, he travelled to the Neamț Monastery, where he entered the school for cantors. He graduated from this school in 1915.

Neamț Monastery of the Icon of the Theotokos "Axion Estin"

Monastic tonsure

Teofil was tonsured to be a monk, at the Neamț Monastery, and he was given the name Teofil (Theophilus).

Diaconal ordination, 1919

In 1919, the Monk Teofil (Maxim) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in Iași, Moldavia, in the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, of Saint Parascheva, and of Saint George.

Diaconal service

The Hierodeacon Teofil (Maxim) was transferred to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iaşi, where he was assigned to perform certain duties.

Metropolitan Cathedral, Iași

Presbyteral ordination, 1925

On 30 January, 1925, the Hierodeacon Teofil (Maxim) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Grigorie (Leu), a Vicar-Bishop of the Iaşi Metropolitanate.

Pastoral service

In 1925, the Hieromonk Teofil (Maxim) was assigned to serve as a vicar-priest in the cathedral, and he was elevated to the dignity of protosinghel.

Emigration to Canada, 1925

Service in Saskatchewan

Later in 1925, Metropolitan Pimen (Georgescu) of Iaşi sent the Protosinghel Teofil (Maxim) to Canada. He therefore emigrated to Canada in order to serve the Romanian-speaking parishes there, where his brother, Protosinghel Daniil (Maxim) was already serving (in Dysart). He arrived in Kayville, Saskatchewan (215 km southwest of Dysart), to take up his assignment as the pastor of the parish of the Dormition of the Theotokos (usually called “Saint Mary”).

Dormition of the Theotokos (Saint Mary) Temple, Kayville

This was the second parish in that region, and situated northwest of the village. Most of the parishioners of this region had emigrated from the area around Rădăuți. He also served sometimes in Flintoft, Elm Springs, and at Saint Nicholas Temple in Regina.

Hieromonks Teofil and Daniil (Maxim)

Service in Ontario, 1938

In 1938, Protosinghel Teofil was transferred, and he was moved to Timmins, Ontario (a town whose economy was based on mining), where he served the Dormition of the Theotokos (Saint Mary) Temple, which had been established in 1933. Timmins is situated in a remote area of Ontario, 290 km (180 mi) north of Sudbury, and 703 km (437 mi) north of Toronto.

Dormition of the Theotokos (Saint Mary), Timmins, Ontario, (1st Temple)

Dormition of the Theotokos (Saint Mary), Timmins, exterior and interior (2nd Temple)

Retirement, 1962

In 1962, Archimandrite Teofil retired, and he moved to live in Dysart, Saskatchewan, near his brother. By this time, his brother's health was failing, and he was able to help him in his pastoral duties, and to assist him personally. After his departure from Timmins, that parish moved from the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (ROEA) to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Canada (ROAA).

Father Teofil continued to live in Dysart until about 1978, when his brother, Archimandrite Daniil (Teofil) fell asleep in the Lord. It was after this that he moved to Regina.

During this time, Father Teofil was injured in a pedestrian-automobile accident. The injuries he sustained confined him to a wheel-chair for the rest of his life. Nevertheless, because he was compensated by insurance, he received enough money to be able to travel to Romania and to visit his sister in her monastery there.

Repose, 1980

On 11 December, 1980, Archimandrite Teofil (Maxim) fell asleep in the Lord in his home at 20, Sunset Drive, Regina.

On Sunday, 14 December, 1980, at 7:30 p.m., a Memorial Service was offered at Saint George's Romanian Orthodox Church in Regina. On Monday, 15 December, 1980, the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Priest were led by Igumen Martinian (Ivanovici), Priest George Treff, Priest Daniel Nenson, Priest Constantin Turcoane, Priest Nicolae Mariancu, and Archpriest Svetislav Balevich (of Moose Jaw) in Saint George's Romanian Orthodox Church in Regina.

After the completion of the funeral services, the body of Archimandrite Teofil (Maxim) was interred in the Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery in Regina. The funeral arrangements were in the care of the Helmsing-Forsberg Funeral Chapel.

Grave of Archimandrite Teofil (Maxim)

Reflections

In addition to his devoted pastoral service, Archimandrite Teofil (Maxim) was known throughout his life and service for the high quality of his singing of the “Byzantine” melodies in the various services of the Church in the parishes he served. He was considered to be an expert in this melodic tradition, and he had been given by the Lord a beautiful voice through which he glorified God and encouraged the Faithful.

Achimandrite Teofil (Maxim)

References

Bugea, Eleanor, “Romanians in Canada” (Michigan : Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, 2009), pp. 26, 39, 69-70, 140-141. ISBN : 978-1-929200-14-6.

Patterson, G James, “The Romanians of Saskatchewan : Four Generations of Adaptation (Ottawa : National Museums of Canada, 1977). ISBN : 9781772823318.

Sandulescu, Archpriest George, ‘Saskatchewan's Romanian Orthodox Communities Including Dysart, Wood Mountain, Kayville, Assiniboia, Pierceland, Regina’ in "SGS (Saskatchewan Genealogical Society) Bulletin”, vol. 19, no. 1 (1988), p. 81.

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Additional information :

Saint George’s Romanian Orthodox Church in Regina, Saskatchewan

Saint Nicholas Romanian Orthodox Church in Regina, Saskatchewan

Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church in Timmons, Ontario

Saints Peter and Paul Romanian Orthodox Church in Flintoft-Lakenheath

Findagrave reference for Archimandrite Teofil (Maxim).

Findagrave reference for Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery

Bishop Polycarp (Moruşca)

Archbishop Valerian (Trifa)

Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp)

Archimandrite Daniil (Maxim)

Archimandrite Martinian (Ivanovici)