Archimandrite Alexander was born Dennis Alexander Pihach on June 27/1952 in Saskatoon, SK and raised in an Orthodox family with 2 brothers. He entered St. Andrews seminary in Winnipeg and graduated in 1973. He continued studies in Sociology and Slavic Studies graduating from the University of Saskatchewan. He was employed with Social Services in the corrections and psychiatric services. In 1986 he was ordained to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Canada (OCA) and assigned to organize a mission in Yorkton, now St. Mark's Church while working in Youth Addictions Services.

He was elected Dean of Manitoba, Sask. for the Archdiocese and appointed Chancellor of the Archdiocese in 1996. In 1998 he became Rector of St. Herman of Alaska Sobor in Edmonton and remains so to the present.

On July 11, 2009 he was tonsured a monk and elevated to Igumen of St. Elias Skete in Dickie Bush, AB. On Sept 1st 2009 he was appointed Interim Dean of the Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral in Ottawa. In May of 2011 Fr. Alexander was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite and was returned to St. Herman's Sobor on a full time basis.



Fr. Vincent is a former evangelical Pastor who, along with his wife and three children, became Orthodox in 1999. After serving as a Deacon in the Orthodox Church for seven years, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on January 1, 2010. He currently serves as assistant Priest at St. Herman’s Orthodox Church in Edmonton, along with being Priest-in-Charge for All Saints Orthodox Church in Meadow Lake, SK.



Deacon Daniel, together with his wife, Valerie, and two sons, joined the Orthodox Church at St. Herman’s in January, 2000, climaxing a several years’ journey from the Protestant world, where Deacon Daniel had served as a Baptist pastor for close to 10 years. He was ordained a deacon at St. Herman’s in December, 2007. He has three children and five grandchildren. He provides for his family by working in accounting for a computer software company in Edmonton.


Deacon Matthew has been a member of St. Herman of Alaska since 2003, and was ordained a deacon in 2010. Before coming to Edmonton he attended St. Peter the Aleut Church in Calgary and St. Aidan of Lindisfarne in Manchester, England. He studied History and Theology and currently works in the heritage conservation field as a public servant with Alberta Culture & Community Spirit. He is married to Krista, and their son Basil is the only true Albertan in the family!