Born in a land soon to be ravaged by war, raised in a country dominated by atheistic powers, educated in the bosom of God's Holy Church, trained from youth to bear Christ's Cross with dignity, nobility, courage, and humility, Michal Hrycuniak was dedicated to the service of the Lord from his very youth.

Ordained deacon in 1964 at the age of 26, he took monastic vows and was ordained to the priesthood two years later with the name of SAWA, having received his doctorate in theology from the Orthodox Theological Faculty of Belgrade in Serbia.

True to the example of his heavenly patron, the Enlightener of the Serbians, Father SAWA gave himself wholly to the proclamation of Christ's Gospel and the upbuilding of Christ's Church among his own people. Assistant to the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of Poland, pastor of souls, monastic superior, dean of the Orthodox Department of the Academy of Christian Theology in Warsaw, Father Sawa, being "instructed in God's law," accomplished the words of the Apostle Paul to be "a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children" (Rom 3:19).

He was consecrated Bishop of Lodz and Poznan on November 25, 1975, and was transferred to Bialystok and Gdansk in 1981, where he served until becoming Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland in May, 1998.

With respect for his single-minded service to God and His People, his care for Orthodox youth, his support of theological education, his dedication to those serving in the military, and his concern for Orthodox Christians in North America and throughout the world, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary bestows upon His Beaitute SAWA, Archbishop of Warsaw and Metropolitan-Primate of the Orthodox Church of Poland, the degree of Doctor of Divinity honoris causa.

May 20, 2000
Crestwood, New York