In Memoriam: Hieromonk Alexis (Lisenko)

OAK LAWN, IL [DOM] – Hieromonk Alexis (Lisenko) reposed in the Lord on Friday, June 12, 2026.

Hieromonk Alexis was born in Paris, France, on March 31^st, 1947, to a Russian mother and a Ukrainian Father. When he was 4 years old, his parents immigrated to the United States of America, first to San Francisco, CA and then to Berkeley, CA. After graduating from high school, he went on to study at the University of California-Berkeley receiving a degree in Sociology. After graduating from college in 1968, he studied taught Russian at the prestigious U.S. Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. He then entered seminary at St. Vladimir’s in 1975, graduating with an Masters of Divinity in 1978.

He was ordained at Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, CA in 1979, and was assigned as a priest in Santa Rosa, CA. In 1980, Fr. Alexis was assigned to Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral in Los Angeles, where he served for the next 15 years. From 1995 on, he served parishes in Desloge, MO; Wheaton, IL.; and San Diego, CA. Eventually, he was tonsured as a priest-monk in Manton, California, at St. John of Shanghai Monastery. In 2019, he moved back to the Chicago area to be closer to family and to receive better medical care. He was attached to St. Luke Church, Palos Hills, IL, in early 2019.

Fr. Alexis was well known for his theological erudition. He spoke Russian, Ukrainian, French, and English fluently. He was also an excellent translator and worked for many years with St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, translating works from Russian into English. He assisted the OCA’s Department of Archives on many projects. His most famous work was the 2014 monumental 2 Volume,765-page translation from Russian into English of “My Life’s Journey: The Memoirs of Metropolitan Evlogy”. This was the fruit of many years of work. At the time of his death, Fr. Alexis was working on translating the diary of Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich).

Fr. Alexis was as humble and loving an Orthodox priest. He was soft-spoken and gentle. He loved to serve at the holy altar where he remained deep in prayer. He was immensely shy on the one hand, but to those whom he came to know as friends, he was fiercely faithful and loyal. He was dedicated to his family, especially to his two sons Daniel and Timothy, his daughter-in-law Remy, and his grandchildren Christian, Isabella, and Sofia.

Fr. Alexis loved history, poetry, literature, and was an accomplished pianist, who loved to play for his parish during coffee hours and banquets. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was never without a new joke to share.

Thursday, June 18, Funeral for a Monastic 6:00 p.m.
Friday, June 19, Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.

Services will be held at St. Luke Church, Palos Hill, IL. 

May Hiermonk Alexis’ memory be eternal!