Basil (Doroszkiewicz) of Warsaw

His Beatitude Basil (Doroszkiewicz) of Poland, also Bazyli, was the Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland of the Church of Poland from 1970 to 1998. He was the seventh hierarch to head the Polish church since it was granted autocephaly by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1924.

Life

Wlodzimierz Doroszkiewicz was born on March 15, 1914 in Cisy village in the city of Bialystok, Poland. He attended and graduated from the Orthodox Spiritual Seminary in Vilnus, then part of Poland. He was ordained a deacon in 1937, followed by his ordination to the priesthood in 1938. His higher theological education came to stop with the start of World War II. After graduating from the seminary Fr. Wlodzimierz was assigned to a number of parishes, including Lyskow, Hornostajewicze near Wolkowysk, Swislocz, Michalowo, and Grodek.

In the 1950s, he attended the Moscow Theological Academy from which he graduated in 1960 with a Master of Arts degree in theology. Also in 1960, Fr. Wlodzimierz received the name Bazyli (Basil) when he received his monastic tonsure.

In 1960, Fr. Basil was consecrated Bishop of Bielsk, vicar to the Diocese of Warsaw. In 1962, Bp. Basil was elected bishop of the Diocese of Wroclaw-Szczecin. During his episcopate in Wroclaw-Szczecin, Bp. Basil was an effective organizer of the Orthodox faithful who were refugees from the political agitation of "Operation Wisla" in the late 1940s.

In 1970, Bp. Basil was elected Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland after the repose of Metr. Stefan. As metropolitan he witnessed the growth of the Church of Poland, adding two dioceses, Przemysl-Nowy Sacz and Lublin-Chelm. He also created the Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army. Metr. Basil also encouraged education in the church arts, blessing the formation of the School of Writing (Painting) Icons in Bielsk Podlaski and the Psalmist's Study in Hajnowka. He also witnessed for the Church of Poland by actively working in the Polish Ecumenical Council and the World Council of Churches.

Metr. Basil reposed, at the age of eighty four, on February 11, 1998 after a long and serious illness. Metr. Basil was buried at the Orthodox cemetery in the Wola district of Warsaw. Abp. Sawa, then Archbishop of Bialystok-Gdansk, presided over the burial service.

Succession box: Basil (Doroszkiewicz) of Warsaw
Preceded by: Sergius (Korolyov)	Bishop of Bielsk vicar of Warsaw diocese 1960-1962	Succeeded by: Jeremiah (Anchimiuk)
Preceded by: Stefan (Rudyk)	Bishop of Wroclaw-Szczecin 1962-1970	Succeeded by: Alexius (Jaroszuk)
Preceded by: Stefan (Rudyk)	Metropolitan of Poland 1970-1998	Succeeded by: Sawa (Hrycuniak)

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Source

• ORI:Recollection of Metropolitan Bazyli