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==Life==
George Paavali Gusev was born in St. Petersburg, Russia on [[August 28]], 1914 to Alvi Gusev and his wife Anna (née Vodomensky) of St. Petersburg, Russia. When the Russian revolution broke out the family moved moved to Viipuri/Vyborg in Finland on the Gulf of Finland and changed their family name to Olmari. George changed his given name to the Finnish Yrjo. In 1926, Yrjo attended the classic grammar school in Viipuri, attendance that was cut short by the death of his father in 1932. In 1932, he entered the [[seminary]] in Sortavala and graduated in 1936. After graduating he served his obligation for military service.
At the seminary, Yrjo worked with the student choir and as deputy director of the Sortavala [[Cathedral]] choir. He also began adapting the Slavic language vocal music of the church for use with Finnish. In late 1937, Yrjo joined the [[Valaam Monastery]] on Lake Lodoga, which at the time was within the borders of Finland. In 1938 at the age of twenty three, Yrjo was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Paul and entered the [[Holy Orders]]. Paul taught at the [[monastery]] school and directed a choir of Finnish speaking [[novice]]s.
