Panteleimon Sarho

In 1973 and 1975, Panteleimon worked as a travelling cantor in the Ilomantsi district. He was tonsured a monk, then ordained a hierodeacon and a hieromonk in 1977, when he also became a member of the brotherhood of the New Valamo Monastery. In New Valaam, he served as the head of the monastery, or hegumen, from 1979 to 1997. He was awarded the title of Archimandrite in 1986.

In 1997, he was elected Auxiliary Bishop of the Orthodox Church of Finland with the title Bishop of Joensuu. The consecration as a bishop took place in Kuopio in March 1997. He was locum tenes of the Diocese of Helsinki for two months at the turn of the year 2001–2002. In April 2002, he was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Oulu with the title of Metropolitan of Oulu.^[4]

Panteleimon was a member of the General Synod of the Orthodox Church of Finland, first from 1986 to 1992 and then as a member in his own right from 1997 until his retirement.

Panteleimon has written numerous articles and books and historical novels in Finnish on Valaam and the Orthodox faith. He has also written a non-fiction history book of the Pechenga monastery.^[5]