Archimandrite Alexander (Belya) was born on March 20, 1981, in the village of Horinchovo, Khust District, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine, into a priestly family.
From 1998 to 2003, he studied at the University of Prešov (Slovakia), where he earned a Master of Theology degree.
From 2004 to 2011, he studied at Charles University (Czech Republic), where he earned a Doctor of Theology degree after defending his dissertation, “Ideological and Reformist Movements in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the First Half of the 20th Century.”
From 2004 to 2011, he served as senior subdeacon and secretary to Archbishop Simeon (Yakovievich) of Olomouc and Brno. From 2007 to 2010, he participated in international scholarly conferences, including “Religion and Society,” “The Missionary Work of the Church,” and others.
On February 12, 2011, at the Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Vilemov, Czech Republic, he was ordained to the diaconate by Archbishop Simeon (Yakovievich) of Olomouc and Brno. On February 13 of the same year, he was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of St. Wenceslas in Brno. On the same day, he was tonsured a monk and given the name Alexander in honor of St. Alexander of Jerusalem. On February 19, 2011, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen. Later that year, at Pascha, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. In September of the same year, in recognition of the successful completion of two doctoral programs (the major doctorate, Th.D., and the minor doctorate, ThDr.), he was granted the right to wear a second cross by Metropolitan Christopher (Pulec), Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
In February 2011, he was a member of the official delegation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, headed by its Primate, which visited the Orthodox Church in America, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and the Patriarchal Parishes. At the invitation of Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral), First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York (in a letter dated September 28), he transferred to the clergy of the Eastern American Diocese for missionary service in Florida.
Since November 27, 2011, he has served as a clergyman of the Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and rector of the newly established Church of St. Matrona of Moscow in Miami, Florida. During his four years as rector, he succeeded in acquiring the largest Orthodox church on the southeastern coast of the United States, which was elevated to cathedral status by decree of the First Hierarch in 2016. Since February 17, 2014, he has served as Dean of the Florida Deanery of the Eastern American Diocese.
Since September 13, 2016, he has served as hegumen of the St. Nicholas Monastery in Fort Myers, Florida. On December 26 of the same year, Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) presented Archimandrite Alexander with the abbot’s staff. In 2018, the oldest Orthodox monastery in Florida, the Monastery of St. Nicholas, celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding. In preparation for this anniversary, monastic life was revitalized at the monastery, which at that time was on the verge of closing: daily services resumed, the number of brethren increased, and the monastery buildings were renovated.
In September 2019, having received a canonical release from the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Archimandrite Alexander (Belya) was received into the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. On March 9, 2020, he was appointed Vicar of the Slavic Vicariate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. On July 15, 2022, he was elected Bishop of Nicopolis.
Education:
— 1998–2003 — University of Prešov (Slovakia), Master of Theology.
— 2004–2011 — Charles University (Czech Republic), Doctor of Theology.
Honors:
— Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, Third Class (Ukrainian Orthodox Church — UOC)
— Order of St. Innocent of Moscow, Third Class (Russian Orthodox Church — ROC)
— Order of St. Raphael of Brooklyn (ROCOR and the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese)
— Order of St. Nestor the Chronicler, First Class (UOC)
— Order of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves, First Class (UOC)
— Jubilee Order of Grand Duchess Elizabeth the New Martyr (ROCOR)
— Jubilee Medal commemorating the 200th anniversary of Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) (ROCOR)
— Gold Medal of Saints Cyril and Methodius (Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia — OCCLS)
— Medal of Hieromartyr Paul of Zhytomyr (UOC)
— Medal of St. Heracleides the Confessor of Issyk-Kul, Third Class (ROC)
— Medal of Hieromartyr Gorazd of Prague (OCCLS)