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In January 1918, Metropolitan Anthony was present at the All-Ukrainian Church Council in Kiev. He then fled the city before the Bolshevik invasion. Following the killing of New [[Hieromartyr]] St. [[Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) of Kiev and Gallich|Vladimir (Bogoyavlesky) of Kiev]], Metropolitan Anthony was elected to the Kiev cathedra, and returned when the city was occupied by the Germans. However, his election was not approved by the authorities because of his opposition to Ukrainian [[autocephaly]].
In December 1918, together with Archbishop Eulogius of Volyn, he was arrested by the Symon Petliura government. The two hierarchs were held at the [[Uniate]] [[monastery]] in Buchacha. In the spring of 1919, when Buchacha was taken by Polish forces, they were transferred to the vicinity of Krakow. In the summer of 1919 they were freed through the work of the French diplomatic mission. Metropolitan Anthony lived in L'viv. In September 1919, he left for Kuban, then returned to Kiev, which was held by White forces of General Denikin. After Kiev was retaken by Bolsheviks in November, he left for Yekaterinodar, where he was elected as president of the Temporary Higher Church Authority of South-East Russia. After the defeat of the Denikin army, he left for Greece, where he received the support of Archbishop [[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletius (Metaxakis)]] of Athens. In September 1920, he returned to Crimea, which was controlled by General Wrangel. After the latter's defeat in November, he left Russia for the last time.
Between November 1920 and February 1921, Metropolitan Anthony was in [[Constantinople]]. At first he decided that the Temporary Authority should be abolished and pastoral care for displaced Russians handed over to other local churches. However, after learning of the decision of General Wrangel to retain his army for further battle with the Bolsheviks, Metropolitan Anthony decided to keep the Church organization abroad. The Temporary Authority met on [[November 19]], 1920, aboard the ship "Great Prince Alexader Mikhailovich," presided over by Metropolitan Anthony. He and Bishop [[Benjamin (Fedchenko)]] were appointed to examine the canonicity of the organization. On [[December 2]], 1920, they received permission from Metropolitan Dorotheos of Prussia, [[Locum Tenens]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]], to establish "for the purpose of the service of the population ... and to oversee the ecclesiastic life of Russian colonies in Orthodox countries a temporary committee (epitropia) under the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate"; the committee was called the Temporary Higher Church Administration Abroad (THCAA). In February 1921, at the invitation of [[Patriarch]] Dimitry of Serbia, the THCAA relocated to Serbia, where, on [[August 31]], 1921, the Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church decided to take the organization under its protection as an independent jurisdiction for displaced Russians.