Jan. 30, 2007
He was born on January 28, 1925, in the Beijing Spiritual Mission (Beiguan). His parents were Orthodox Chinese—his father used to make metal chests for icons.
From his childhood he was involved in helping and singing in the Mission. In 1939 he finished the Mission's middle school.
From 1948 until 1950, he studied at the Mission's school for missionaries from where he obtained his diploma.
In May 1949, he married Anne Liu Shirong. Four children were born to them. Now they live with their families in Shanghai.
He was tonsured a reader in 1948. In 1949 he was made deacon by His Eminence, Archbishop Victor, in Beijing, and in August 1950 he was ordained into priesthood by the same hierarch in Beijing.
From 1950 until 1951, he served at St Innokenty church in Beijing.
From November 1951 until 1966, he served in Shanghai at the Kazan church (under His Grace, Bishop Symeon).
In the wake of the Chinese "Cultural Revolution" he was expelled from his parish and the parish house. Thus the road of suffering began for Fr Michael and his family. From 1966 till 1984 he had worked ceaselessly day by day at a quarry. In 1984 he retired.
From 1986 until 1989, he served as a second priest at the Holy Protection church in Harbin.
From 1989 until 1998, he lived in Shanghai.
In May 1999, Fr Michael Li together with presbytera Anne went to Australia, and on May 24, 1999, by a decree of His Eminence, Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand, he was received in the clergy of the Australian and New Zealand diocese of ROCOR and engaged in missionary work among the Chinese Orthodox population of Sydney.
In May 1999, he was temporarily included in the clergy of the Holy Protection Church in Cabramatta (Sydney).
From June 1999, he was appointed a second priest at the Cathedral Holy Cross church in Croydon (Sydney). [1]
On September 16, 1999, he was awarded by the Holy Synod with the right to wear a gold chest cross.
On June 25, 2000, on the occasion of his fiftieth anniversary as a priest he was elevated to the rank of protopresbyter.
On July 23, 2002, he was awarded with the right to carry a scepter and ornamented cross.
On Thursday, May 12, 2016, the second week of Holy Pascha, he reposed in the Lord.
[1] The church in Croydon is dedicated to All Saints of Russia. The confusion which sometimes arises with calling it a "Holy Cross church" may arise from the Russian term for a Bishop's chapel. It is called a "cross church" - krestovaya tserkov.
Dec 6, 2012, Hong Kong