Brief Life of St. Tikhon
Education:
Baccaulareat, Pskov Theological Seminary (Russia), 1884
Master of Theology, St. Petersburg Theological Academy (Russia), 1888.
Ordinations:
Service:
1888-91 - Instructor in Dogmatics and Moral Theology, Pskov Theological Seminary.
1892-97 - Superintendent (later Rector), Chelm Theological Seminary.
1897-98 - Bishop of Lublin (Poland).
1898-1907 - Bishop of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska; after 1905, Archbishop.
1907-13 - Archbishop of Yaroslavl (Russia)
1913-17 - Archbishop of Vilna (Lithuania)
1917-24 - Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
Died: April 27, 1925
Patriarch Tikhon was the greatest of the holy Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.
He was born in January 19, 1865, to a rural priest, Ioann Belavin. His early years close to peasants and their labor. His father had a vision of his (deceased) mother, who prophesied that one of his sons would die young, another unfortunate throughout his life, another would be a great man, all proved to be true.
He graduated from the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, later took monastic vows, taking the name of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. He was consecrated a Bishop in 1897 in the city of Kholm, Russia, a town between Moscow and St. Petersburg. A year later, he was appointed Bishop of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. His cathedral was in San Francisco, CA. On May 22, 1901, he blessed the cornerstone for St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York. On November 9, 1902, he consecrated the church of St. Nicholas in Brooklyn for the Syrian Orthodox immigrants. Two weeks later, he consecrated St. Nicholas Cathedral in NY.
By 1904, Archbishop Tikhon established in America a plan allowing National Orthodox Churches with their own bishops, to enjoy an autonomous status. Western rite Orthodoxy grew out of these autonomous jurisdictions. As a result, there now exists in America, Western Rite Orthodox Churches which are associated with various canonical Orthodox Churches.
In regards to the liturgical rites used by Western rite orthodox Churches, Patriarch Tikhon while still bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church of North America, presented a petition to the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow for approval of western liturgies. In 1904 approval was given for use of the Rite of St. Gregory-(Gregorian Rite) and the Anglican Book of Prayer. These rites came in time to be known as the Rite of St. Tikhon which is in use today in most western rite Parishes. Patriarch Tikhon is looked upon as patron Saint of the western rite Orthodox Churches.
It is interesting to note that the Patriarch did not spend all of his time in cathedrals of large cities. He also traveled by kayak and dogsleds across wilderness lands, encouraging missionary development by clergy, missionaries, and lay people. His parishes increased from fifteen to seventy, and two seminaries. In Alaska, he founded a school for women with an affiliated orphanage. In the monasteries visited he often helped the brothers cut firewood, worked the soil, harvested grain, and assisted in construction projects of monasteries. He shared simple monastic duties and demanded no special treatment. Truly, he was the most humble of all Patriarchs. Throughout his ministry, he remained a kind, gentle, man, and was loved by people everywhere he went.
In February of 1907, he was called back to Russia. In accepting the will of the Church when elected Patriarch in 1917.
In 1924, Patriarch Tikhon became ill. He checked into a hospital, but would leave it on Sundays and Feast Days in order to conduct services. On Sunday, April 5, 1925, he served his last Liturgy, and died two days later. On April 7, 1925 the Patriarch received Metropolitan Peter and had a long talk with him. In the evening, the Patriarch slept a little, and then he woke up and asked what time it was. When he was told it was 11:45 P.M., he made the Sign of the Cross twice and said, "Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee." He did not have time to cross himself a third time.
Patriarch St. Tikhon is commemorated on October 5 according to the calendar of the ancient Church (October 18 according to the New Style calendar) with the other Holy Hierarchs of Moscow.
For a more detailed life of, Patriarch Tikhon please go to:
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikhon_of_Moscow
