Archbishop George, born Paul Schaefer on 25 May 1950 in Belleville, Illinois, embarked on a remarkable journey of faith and service. He completed his secondary education at Catholic High School in 1968 before attending Southern Illinois University from 1968 to 1972. In 1974, he embraced the Orthodox faith, being received into the Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, California, and taking the name Makarios in honour of Saint Makarios the Great.

In May 1975, Makarios joined the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) in San Francisco and enrolled in Holy Trinity Seminary, Jordanville, New York, later that year. On Christmas Day, 7 January 1976, he was made a novice by Archbishop Averky (Taushev). During his novitiate, he undertook various obedience, including work on the monastery farm and in its cemetery. In 1979, on the Friday of the First Week of Lent, he was made a riassophor monk and, a year later, was tonsured to the small schema, receiving the name Mitrophan in honour of Saint Mitrophan of Voronezh. That same year, he was ordained a subdeacon on Palm Sunday and graduated from Holy Trinity Seminary.

In 1981, at the direction of Archbishop Laurus, Fr Mitrophan travelled to Mount Athos, where he was tonsured to the great schema by Hieromonk Nektarios of Koutloumousiou Monastery, taking the name George in honour of Saint George the Great-Martyr.

Returning to Holy Trinity Monastery in February 1986, Fr George worked in the Printshop of St Job of Pochaev and later assumed editorial duties for Orthodox Life in 1992. He was ordained a hierodeacon on the feast of St Michael in 1986 and a hieromonk on Palm Sunday, 1987. Elevated to the rank of abbot in 1998, he was further elevated to archimandrite in 2005 on the Feast of St Job of Pochaev.

Fr George served as economos of Holy Trinity Monastery from 1994 and, in 2007, became its dean. As a spiritual father, he provided guidance to both Holy Trinity Monastery and the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne, West Virginia, ROCOR’s largest English-speaking monastery. His literary contributions include articles and translations in Orthodox Life and the book Living without Hypocrisy, a compilation of the sayings of the Optina Elders.

In May 2008, the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR elected Archimandrite George as Bishop of Mayfield, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, with his consecration taking place on 7 December 2008 at Holy Trinity Monastery. In 2014, he was appointed vicar of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese, with the title “Bishop of Canberra,” and officially relocated to Australia on 15 April 2015.

On 21 September 2022, the Council of Bishops of ROCOR appointed Bishop George as Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, with the title “of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand.”

In recognition of his 15 years of archpastoral service, the Synod of Bishops elevated His Grace Bishop George to the rank of Archbishop. This elevation was proclaimed by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas on 12 July 2024 at Sts Peter and Paul Cathedral, Strathfield, where the decree was handed to Archbishop George with the proclamation of “AXIOS.”

Archbishop George’s life is a testament to unwavering faith and dedication to the service of Christ and His Church, marked by humility, scholarship, and pastoral care.