Metropolitan Vitaly Ustinov

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Metropolitan Vitaly Ustinov (Russian -Митрополит Виталий, в миру - Ростислав Петрович Устинов), (18 March 1910, St Petersburg - 25 September 2006, Magog, Canada) was a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. He was ROCOR's First Hierarch from 1985 to 2001.

[edit] Biography

Was born in family of naval officer Peter Ustinov and Lydia Andreevna, nee Stopchanskaya, daughter of the general of police, worked on Caucasus.

In 1920, during Civil War in Russia, Rostislav Ustinov with family has moved to Crimea and has been determined in a military school established by general Pyotr Wrangel. At the end of the year he and his corps evacuated to Constantinople (Istanbul), and then - to Yugoslavia (at evacuation the corps totaled 650 cadets).

In 1923 the mother of the future Metropolitan called her son to come to Constantinople, whence she has moved to Paris and has placed him in the French college named by Saint Louis in city of Le Маns. After ending the college Rostislav Ustinov lived with mother in Cannes.

In 1934 Rostislav Ustinov has been called to serve in the army and has been enlisted in 9-th cuirassier (cavalry) regiment. Having served up to a grade of the foreman, he has refused to continue military career as the officer and has decided to leave the world and to enter a monastery.

In 1938 he has arrived in a monastery of Saint Iov in Ladomirova in Carpathian mountains (then - territory of Czechoslovakia). In 1939 Rostislav Ustinov has been cut in monach with Vitaly's name, and in one year - in small schim.

In 1941 in the city of Bratislava Vitaly has been imposed by archbishop Serafim of Berlin and German.

The second world war has forced a monastic brotherhood to leave Ladomirova and to evacuate to Germany. Hieromonk Vitaly appeared in Berlin where together with archimandrite Nafanail (L'vov) has developed wide missionary activity in the environment of Russian refugees and prisoner of war. Nafanail and Vitaly relocated in northern part of Germany, in Hamburg where they have concentrated on rescue of thousand refugees from compulsory repatriation to the USSR.

Having located in Hamburg, hegumen Vitaly has engaged in the device of a church life at camp Fischbeck. There at once the barrack-type church with daily circle of divine services, and even an annual rate of theological sciences for 12 young men has been based. Simultaneously with it hegumen Vitaly has collected there and small monastic brotherhood, and also has established a printing house which began to print for all camp churches of Germany "Great collections" (brief vaults of the basic divine services).

With 1947 archimandrite Vitaly on 1951 has stayed in the rank of the prior of London arrival Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia where MT Antoni (Blum) serially served in one temple with the future metropolitan Russian Orthodox Church. On July, 12, 1951,on the day of apostles Peter and Paul, Vitaly has been imposed in a dignity of bishop of Sao Paulo, vicar of the Brazilian diocese. There young bishop has opened the printing house and has arranged a small shelter for boys who were trained in a divine service circle.

In 1955 bishop Vitaly with the brotherhood has been transferred to Edmonton to Canada. In 75 miles from city he suited the Dormition monastery. Being soon appointed the ruling bishop of Montreal and Canada, bishop Vitaly has arranged a monastery (skete) in Mansonville.

In Montreal bishop Vitaly has got and has magnificently equipped a large cathedral. The fine house of his(its) monastic farmstead and a residence is near to a cathedral. In this farmstead the printing house which was let out (which was released) divine service, and the periodical "The Orthodox bulletin" also has been arranged.

Death of Leader of Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Metropolitan Filaret in 1985 has caused emergency for election of new Metropolitan, and for discussion of spiritual - administrative questions. On January, 9/22, 1986, in day of memory of martyr Phillip, Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia, Metropolitan of Russian Foreign Church archbishop the Montreal and Canadian Vitaly has been elected. Becoming Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, he has reserved also management of the Canadian diocese.

After a trauma in 2000 Metropolitan Vitaly has actually departed from has put, and in July, 2001 has transferred the powers to the assistant, archbishop Lavr.

Metropolitan almost has carried out last years of the life in Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery in Mansonville where went on services and received visitors. Sometimes he said simple lectures about a pray, shared memories. The constant qualified medical aid to him did not appear, despite of what he till last days kept vivacity.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, ROCA, or ROCOR) is a jurisdiction of Eastern Orthodoxy formed in response against the policy of Bolsheviks with respect to religion in the Soviet Union soon after the Russian Revolution of 1917.

In 2001, the Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow and ROCOR exchanged formal correspondence. The Muscovite letter held the position that previous and current separation were purely political matters. ROCOR's response is that they were worried about continued Muscovite involvement in ecumenism as compromising Moscow's Orthodoxy. Nevertheless, this has been far more friendly a discourse than previous decades have seen.

This possibility of rapprochement has however led to schism within ROCOR; a small group led by a suspended bishop, Bishop Varnava (Prokofiev) of Cannes, left the ROCOR, taking with them ROCOR's self-retired former First Hierarch, Metropolitan Vitaly Ustinov. In 2006, Bishop Varnava asked for forgiveness and was received back into the ROCOR. In June 2004, a contingent of ROCOR clergy visited Russia and met with Patriarch Alexey II. Committees were set up by both the Patriarchate and ROCOR to begin dialogue towards rapprochement.

On June 21, 2005, the ROCOR and the Patriarchate of Moscow simultaneously announced on their respective websites that rapprochement talks were leading toward the resumption of full relations between the ROCOR and the Patriarchate of Moscow and that the ROCOR would be given the status of autonomy.^[1]

On 2006-05-12 the general congress of the ROCOR confirmed its willingness to reunite with the Russian Orthodox Church. The latter hailed this resolution as "an important step toward restoring full unity between the Moscow Patriarchate and the part of the Russian emigration that was isolated from it as a result of the revolution, the civil war in Russia, and the ensuing impious persecution against the Orthodox Church." ^[2] The sixth meeting of the ROCOR and Patriarchate commissions was held in February 2006.^[3] In September 2006, the ROCOR Synod of Bishops approved the text of the document worked out by the commissions. Its signing is expected to take place in early 2007, followed immediately by a full restoration of communion with the Moscow Patriarchate.