His ancestors are linked to the Rusyn village of Naviczke [uk] (now Nevyts'ke) near the city of Uzhorod.

in Russian studies at Fordham University in 1960, followed by a Master of Divinity degree at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1963.

In 1968 he began to teach at St. Vladimir's and eventually succeeded his teacher Serge Verkhovskoy as professor of dogmatic theology.

[3] Hopko has written about the ordination of women and the reasons for its rejection in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

[4] Hopko died of complications from congestive heart failure due to amyloidosis on March 18, 2015, in the Pittsburgh suburb of Wexford, Pennsylvania.