Father Pavel Akmolin moved to Cincinnati to help Fr. Paul Bassett with serving at our church. He brought with him his wife, Matushka Bethany and their son, Dimitri.
Father Pavel was born and grew up in Moscow, Russia. After finishing school in 1992, he immigrated to the United States to attend seminary in Jordanville, NY. While studying in Jordanville, he was taught how to paint icons. Working in the iconography studio in Jordanville become one of his main duties.
After finishing seminary, he stayed on in Jordanville and continued to work along other iconographers. He painted many icons for orders received by the monastery and also helped paint smaller frescoes and ornaments at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ.
In 2001, he met his wife, Bethany and moved to Brillion, WI to live near her. They were married in January of 2002 at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Des Plaines, IL (Chicago). They continued living in Brillion, WI where Pavel continued painting icons.
Pavel and Bethany decided to move near the parish and monastery in Wayne, WV in July of 2003. A year later, due to the loss of the parish’s priest, Pavel was ordained to the priesthood. He became the main rector of Christ the Savior Russian Orthodox Church in Wayne, WV.