Vladimir (Tikhonitsky) of Paris

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His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir (Tikhonitsky) was a hierarch of the Russian Orthodox diaspora in Western Europe following the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. He succeeded Metr. Eulogius (Georgievsky) as ruling hierarch of the Exarchate of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition In Western Europe under the jurisdiction of the Church of Constantinople.

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Life

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Tikhonitsky was born on March 22, 1873 in the village of Orlov in Viatka, Russia. He attended the diocesan seminary of Viatka before continuing his education at the Kazan Theological Academy from 1893 to 1898. While attending the academy he was tonsured a monk with the name Vladimir in 1897 by Archimandrite Anthony (Kharpovitsky). Having entered the Holy Orders, Father Vladimir was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite in 1901.

Fr. Vladimir was consecrated to the episcopate as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Grodno on June 3, 1907 at the Lavra of St. Alexander Nevsky in St. Petersburg, Russia by Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky). He attended the All-Russian Church Council of 1917-1918 after which he returned to Grodno which had become part of the new Republic of Poland. In 1923, he was expelled by the Polish government. Traveling to Czechoslovakia, Bp. Vladimir joined the Western European exarchate of the Russian Church under Metr. Eulogius (Georgievsky) who installed him as rector of St. Nicholas Church in Nice, France in February 1925.

Bp. Vladimir remained with Metr. Eulogius as the exarchate accepted the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1931 through World War II, before returning in 1945 as an exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate. In 1946, Abp. Vladimir ordained Fr. Alexander Schmemann to the priesthood.

After the repose of Metr. Eulogius in 1946, Abp. Vladimir became locum tenens. However, with the appointment of Metr. Seraphim (Lukyanov) by the Moscow Patriarchate as Exarch, most of the parishes of the exarchate, under Abp. Vladimir, broke with the mother Church and rejoined the Ecumenical Patriarchate as the Russian parishes in Western Europe of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Metr. Vladimir reposed on December 18, 1959 in Paris, France and was buried at the église Notre-Dame de l'Assomption, Rue Léo-Lagrange, St. e-Geneviève-des-Bois.

Sources

Russians in Exile]