Archbishop Feofan was born on July 8, 1954, in Belaya Tserkov (Kiev) in Ukraine. He was tonsured a monk on January 4, 1976. Three days later, on January 7, he was ordained to the diaconate. He completed his education at the Leningrad Theological Academy in 1977. He was ordained to the priesthood on April 17, 1977. On February 14, 1985, He was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. He was consecrated Bishop of Kashira, Vicar of the Diocese of Minsk, on January 11, 1987. He was transferred as Bishop of Berlin and Leipzig in 1991. On December 23, 1992, he became the Bishop of Berlin and Germany. He was elevated to the office of archbishop in 1996.