The Orthodox activist Eino Hartikainen, who lived in their village, and hieromonk Sergei (Leimu), a resident of the New Valaam Monastery, had a great influence on the upbringing of the boy.

In July 1990 he entered the brotherhood of the New Valaam Monastery in Heinävesi, where in December 1991 he was tonsured a rassophore by Archimandrite Panteleimon (Sarho), and in March 1992 he became a monk with the name Sergius.

[5] Defenders of the dismissed hegumen filed a complaint with the Finnish Chancellor of Justice against the actions of Archbishop Leo, noting that Archbishop Leo violated the charter of the monastery, and also put pressure on the hegumen, demanding that he himself resign for health reasons.

[6] At the opening of the church council of the Finnish archdiocese, Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland, commenting on the issue of the dismissal of the hegumen of the only male monastery in the country, noted that there were “good reasons” for the dismissal of Hegumen Sergei and “there was no alternative” to resolve the situation in a different way.

[7] On November 8, 2012, the Deputy Chancellor of Justice of Finland, Mikko Puumalainen, reprimanded Archbishop Leo: according to the law, he did not have the right to single-handedly dismiss the hegumen of the Valaam Monastery, whose post is for life.

Bishop Nazarius (Lavrinenko) of Kronstadt was present at the service as an official representative of the Russian Orthodox Church.