Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) celebrates farewell Liturgy at Sretensky Monastery

His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Pskov and Porkhov, newly appointed to that position, celebrated his farewell Divine Liturgy at Moscow’s Sretensky Monastery today.

Thousands gathered in the monastery’s Church of the Resurrection of Christ and the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church for Vladyka Tikhon’s heartfelt and moving last service as the abbot of the monastery that he had led into renewal beginning in the mid-1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Vladyka Tikhon was appointed to the Metropolitanate of Pskov and Porkhov by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on Monday and was formally elevated to the rank of metropolitan on Thursday, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, in Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral.

Met. Tikhon bid his farewell to his brotherhood, as well as the seminary and parish community, and the priests and faithful of his former vicariate in western Moscow as the bishop of Yegorievsk.

He left today for Pechory, where he will temporarily stay until he can take up residence in Pskov.

Hieromonk John (Ludischev) has been appointed acting abbot in Met. Tikhon’s stead. Fr. John has been a monk of Sretensky Monastery for many years and previously served as dean of the monastery. Hieromonk Silouan (Nikitin) has been appointed rector of Sretensky Seminary in Met. Tikhon’s stead.

Source: DECR