AUTOBIOGRAPHIES OF OUR NEWLY ELEVATED BISHOPS

 BISHOP TICHON (Antonov) 

In the world Anton Valerey Nicholaievitch, I was born December 4, 1976 in the Sergeev of the Pavlogorodsk region Ukraine, to a peasant family. I was baptized in infancy in a local Church.

Completing school with honors in 1993, I immediately entered the Juridical Academy in Harkov. After completion in 1998 I worked in this specialty until 2004 when I began distance education in the ROCA Seminary of Odessa.

Having joined the Church Abroad in 2000 through a mission of the Catacomb Church in Harkev, I received spiritual nourishment at the St. John of Shanghai Monastery in Kiev, where I subsequently joined the brotherhood in 2004.

I was tonsured in 2005 with the name Tichon, after St. Tichon of Moscow. In 2006 I was ordained to the Priesthood by bishop Anthony (Rudei.) In the monastery I was given the obedience of assisting the dean.

Archbishop Vladimir of San Francisco, Bishops Anastassi of Vladivostok, Victor of Paris and Alexei of Saltonov elevated me to the episcopacy in 2010 to the See of Vasilksk, Vicar of Moldovia.

                                                                                           _________________________________    

BISHOP MARTINE (Lapkovsky)  

Born Valerey Ivanovitch on April 27, 1945 in the Derbemtsk area of Dagestan to a working Russian family, I was baptized in 1947.

In 1965, I was rejected from the Komsomol and the Leningrad University for "religious searching and unfriendly inclinations towards the collective."

In 1968, I was arrested in the Crimea on charges of religious propaganda and agitation, as well as “attempting illegal departure abroad” and “malicious hooliganism.”

After my release, I worked in the Moscow Patriarchate as an archivist and cell attendant for the bishop of Astrahan, Michael - as well as senior hypo-deacon for Bishop Pimen of Saratoga.

In 1976, I was ordained deacon by Chrysostom of Kursk and subsequently priest in 1977. I served in Kursk along with Archpriest Lev Lebedev. Repeatedly I was suspended by the authorities, stemming from my sermons in which I attempted to explain the position of a priest being unable to belong to the party as well as the situation of the captive Church.

From 1981 to 1989 having committed no crime, I was forbidden to serve anywhere in the Soviet Territories by the Ministry of Church affairs.

In 1987 I organized a group of 27 believers in Kerchi where together we managed to reopen an ancient Church of St. John the Fore-runner which had been taken away during the time of Stalin.

In 1991, I severed all ties with the M.P. being accepted into the Church Abroad by Met. VItaly, and was charged with organizing parishes of the Church Abroad in the Crimea. Serving several parishes in this area for 8 years I was awarded the rank of arch-priest.

In 2000, I was appointed rector or the ROCOR in the Moscow region. Due to the severed ties with bp. Michael (Donskoff) however, over his actions towards the First Hierarch Met. Vitaly, I served in a home chapel in the Moscow area.

I subsequently became rector of the Church of the 40 Martyrs in the city of Theodosius.

His grace Bp. Alexei of Saltonov tonsured me a monk in 2009 with the name Martine.

My civil marriage to Olga Evgeniavna was mutually dissolved. My former wife entered monasticism within the M.P. with the name of Theodora. My daughter Nikka completed Orthodox University in foreign languages in Moscow, where she now teaches English.

At the decision of the Bishops Council in Kiev, I was elevated to the episcopacy on September 25/ October 08 2010 and appointed to the See of Aleksinsk and Southern Russia.

                                                                                       _______________________________ 

BISHOP CASSIAN (Muhin)

I was born Sergei Nicholaievitch, April 3/16, 1954 in Paris.

My father, Nicholai Vasiliovich, who reposed in 1962 was from a lineage of clergy. My mother, Nun Barbara has been at the Lesna Convent since 1975. In the world she was Irina Fadeevna.

My father guided me in the Church and taught me rubrics. After his repose I was instructed by Fr. Leonid Mogilevsky, the rector of the Paris church of St. Seraphim of Sarov under the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

A pilgrimage to the Lesna Convent in 1971 resulted in meeting Met. Philaret. I was accepted by him into the Church Abroad through Confession and Communion. Met. Philaret blessed me to enter the seminary in Jordanville after completion of my civil schooling.

Due to a prolonged recovery from a catastrophic automobile accident in 1972 which resulted in the death of the driver, I was unable to continue seminary.

From 1971 to 2001 I attended the parish of the New Martyrs and Confessors in Paris and in 2002 the Marseilles church of St. George of the ROCA where I had obedience on the cliros.

I became a widower in 2007 at the repose of my wife Natalia.

In 2003 I was ordained to the diaconate by Archbishop Varnava, and to the Priesthood in 2007 by Bp. Antony (Rudei) and in the same year was appointed rector of the ROCA parish in Marseilles. I continued serving at the Church of St. George in Marseilles at the directive of Bishop Anastassi (temporarily administering the European See) in 2008, and was also appointed secretary of the diocese.

At the decision of the Council of Bishops in 2010, I was elevated to the episcopacy in Kiev on the 27 September / 10 October by Archbishop Vladimir of San Francisco and Bishops Anastassi, Victor, Alexei, Tichon and Martine. I was appointed to the See of Marseilles and Western Europe.