“I was born in the Soviet Republic of Georgia in 1972. By the time I reached middle school, the first signs of Georgia’s longing for national and religious freedom were already beginning to surface — a desire nourished, protected, and kept alive throughout the Soviet era within the Georgian Orthodox Church.
The transformational decade of the 1980s led many young people to join the struggle for independence and brought countless families back to the Church, including my own. My spiritual home formed under the guidance of Archpriest Archil Mindiashvili, whose pastoral care blended a deep love for Orthodoxy with a profound devotion to Georgian history and the nation’s fight for freedom.
Before immigrating to the United States in 2001, I spent several years involved in Georgia’s political life. I managed regional elections, served as a regional leader of a political party, and worked for a period in the Parliament of Georgia.
My new chapter began in Minneapolis, where I was blessed with many people who helped me find my footing. During those years, my family became part of St. Panteleimon Russian Orthodox Church. I completed graduate studies in business and public administration, was granted political asylum in 2009, and married.
In 2014, seeking to advance my career, I moved to Walnut Creek and now operate a franchise of a private wealth advisory practice associated with Ameriprise Financial. St. Michael Orthodox Church in Concord became our family’s spiritual home.
Even before immigrating, I had contemplated serving the Church beyond the role of a layman. When I learned there was a path toward ordained ministry, I pursued and completed the diaconal program, taking my first steps in diaconal service at St. Michael Orthodox Church and now at Holy Trinity Cathedral.
I am blessed with a kind, supportive, and God‑loving spouse, Nino, and two wonderful sons, Dimitry and Gabriel, as well as my mother and three sisters.”