Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow.
The hymns of Saint Tikhon are transferred to this day because of the
Annunciation of the Theotokos.
Born in 1865 in the region of Pskov, our Father among the Saints
Tikhon was tonsured a monk in 1891 and ordained to the priesthood in the
same year. In 1897 he was consecrated Bishop of Lublin, and a year
later appointed Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, with his see
extending to all of North America from 1900 onwards. He did much to unite
the Orthodox Christians of a great many ethnic backgrounds in North
America, so that there was indeed one flock under one shepherd. In 1907 he
was made Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov, and in 1913, Archbishop
of Lithuania.
In 1917, when he was Metropolitan of Moscow, he was elected to be
the first Patriarch of Russia in over 200 years, in times that could
not have been more difficult. After the Revolution of 1917, the
persecution of the Russian Church by the atheist government grew more bold
and more fierce with every year. By nature a meek and peace-loving
man, Tikhon sought to determine, while giving only to God that which
is God's, what could be given to Caesar to preserve peace and avoid
the shedding of blood. When, however, it became evident that the
atheists were intent on the complete destruction of the Church, the
Patriarch gave his blessing to Michael Zhizhilenko, a physician of devout
life and courageous spirit, secretly to become a monk and, if any of
Tikhon's successors were to betray the Church into the hands of her
enemies, to become a bishop; which, after Saint Tikhon's death on the
feast of the Annunciation in 1925, he did. Having received the monastic
name of Maximus, he was made Bishop of Serpukhov, becoming the first
catacomb bishop of the Russian Church after the infamous declaration of
Metropolitan Sergius in 1927, which proclaimed the Church to be of one mind
and heart with the atheist government. Although the exact
circumstances of Saint Tikhon's death are not clear, in the opinion of Bishop
Maximus of Serpukhov, who himself died a martyr's death in 1930, he was
"unquestionably poisoned." At his departure, Saint Tikhon made the sign of the
Cross thrice, pronouncing the words, "Glory to Thee, O God!" Because of
the many unspeakable sufferings he endures as Patriarch, he is
honoured as a Confessor.
The hymns of Saint Tikhon are transferred to this day because of the
Annunciation of the Theotokos.
Born in 1865 in the region of Pskov, our Father among the Saints
Tikhon was tonsured a monk in 1891 and ordained to the priesthood in the
same year. In 1897 he was consecrated Bishop of Lublin, and a year
later appointed Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, with his see
extending to all of North America from 1900 onwards. He did much to unite
the Orthodox Christians of a great many ethnic backgrounds in North
America, so that there was indeed one flock under one shepherd. In 1907 he
was made Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov, and in 1913, Archbishop
of Lithuania.
In 1917, when he was Metropolitan of Moscow, he was elected to be
the first Patriarch of Russia in over 200 years, in times that could
not have been more difficult. After the Revolution of 1917, the
persecution of the Russian Church by the atheist government grew more bold
and more fierce with every year. By nature a meek and peace-loving
man, Tikhon sought to determine, while giving only to God that which
is God's, what could be given to Caesar to preserve peace and avoid
the shedding of blood. When, however, it became evident that the
atheists were intent on the complete destruction of the Church, the
Patriarch gave his blessing to Michael Zhizhilenko, a physician of devout
life and courageous spirit, secretly to become a monk and, if any of
Tikhon's successors were to betray the Church into the hands of her
enemies, to become a bishop; which, after Saint Tikhon's death on the
feast of the Annunciation in 1925, he did. Having received the monastic
name of Maximus, he was made Bishop of Serpukhov, becoming the first
catacomb bishop of the Russian Church after the infamous declaration of
Metropolitan Sergius in 1927, which proclaimed the Church to be of one mind
and heart with the atheist government. Although the exact
circumstances of Saint Tikhon's death are not clear, in the opinion of Bishop
Maximus of Serpukhov, who himself died a martyr's death in 1930, he was
"unquestionably poisoned." At his departure, Saint Tikhon made the sign of the
Cross thrice, pronouncing the words, "Glory to Thee, O God!" Because of
the many unspeakable sufferings he endures as Patriarch, he is
honoured as a Confessor.
