Diocese of Krasnoyarsk
The Diocese of Krasnoyarsk and Achinsk, (Russian: Красноярская и Ачинская епархия), is a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, located in the southern part of central Siberia.
History
Diocese of Krasnoyarsk was established as the Diocese of Yeniseisk on May 25, 1861 and included the area of the Yeniseysk province. At the time the Orthodox population consisted of churches and monasteries along the Yenisei River. The diocese became a center for missionary work in Siberia. Among the missionaries of the period was Abp. Paul (Popov), who was born in Yeniseysk province and led the diocese from 1870 to 1873.
The Bolshevik revolution of 1917 decimated the diocese. By 1940, no churches were functioning within the diocese as the atheistic Bolshevik government mounted its war against the Orthodox Christian Church. Relations with the Soviet government improved during World War II which allowed Abp. Luke, in 1943, to open the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra and Lycia at the Nikolaevskoye cemetery as well as many other churches. However, during the Khrushchev era of the early 1960s most of these churches were again closed such that by 1988 only ten churches remained open. Subsequently, in a more open political atmosphere within the country a revival of the Russian Orthodox Church developed.
On July 20,1990, Abp. Anthony (Cheremisov) was installed as the ruling bishop of the diocese and by the end of 1991 the diocese had 68 functioning churches.
On June 11, 1993, the Kemerovo district within the Krasnoyarsk Diocese was split off to form the new Diocese of Kemerovo. On July 18, 1995, the Khakasiya district was also split off from the Diocese of Krasnoyarsk to form the new Diocese of Khakasiya.
As of 2010, there are more than 220 places of worship within the diocese including five monasteries, three for men and two for women. The principal cathedral of the diocese is the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection (Svyato Pokrovsky Sobor) in Krasnoyarsk city. The largest cathedral in Siberia, the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Lesosibirsk, is also located in the diocese.
On October 8, 2011, Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and All Russia enthroned Metropolitan Panteleimon during the Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Trinity at Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra]] in Moscow.
Ruling Hierarchs
- Nikodem (Kazantsev) (1861 - 1870)
- Paul (Popov) (1870 - 1873)
- Anthony (Nicholas) (March 31, 1873 - May 14, 1881)
- Isaac (Polozhensky) (May 30, 1881 - March 8, 1886)
- Tikhon (Troitsky, Donebin) (March 8, 1886 - March 28, 1892)
- Alexander (Bogdanov) (March 28, 1892 - April 30, 1894)
- Acacius (Zaklansky) (April 30, 1894 - October 28, 1898)
- Euthymius (Schastnaya) (28 October 1898-1912)
- Nikon (Bezsonov) (January 26, 1913 - July 25, 1917);
- Nazarius (Andreyev) (1917-1922);
- Zosimus (Sidorovsky) (1919) (temporary ruler)
- Amphilochius (Skvortsov) (March 8, 1925 - July 1926)
- Nikon (Degtyarenko) (October 5, 1927 - February 3, 1928)
- Melchizedek (Payevsky) (1928 - 17 May 1931)
- Paul (Pavlovsky) (August 11, 1931 - June 11, 1933)
- Anthony (Milovidov) (16 June 1933 - May 3, 1934)
- Theophanes (Elansky) (23 April 1934-1935)
- Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) (1943 - 1944)
- Bartholomew (Gorodtsov) (1944 - August 4, 1947) (temporary ruler)
- Sophronius (Ivantsov) (August 4 - December 24, 1947)
- Joannicius (Speransky) (December 1947-1948) (temporary ruler)
- Anthony (Cheremisov) (July 20, 1990 - 2011)
- Panteleimon (Kutovoy) 2011 - Present
Diocesan monasteries
- Monastery of the Holy Annunciation - a monastery for women, established in 1995.
- Monastery of the Holy Dormition - a monastery for men, restored in 2000.
- Monastery of the Holy Ascenion - a monastery for women, established in 2003.
