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| St. Amphilochios of Vladimir-Volhynia (Feast Day - October 10) |
Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Vladimir-Volhynia was the third bishop of one of the oldest Russian dioceses, Vladimir-Volhynia, which was established in the time of Saint Vladimir. The first Vladimir-Volhynia bishop was Stephen, elected under Saint Vladimir himself; the next in succession was Abbot Stephen of the Kiev Caves (April 27), who became the abbot after Saint Theodosius (May 3). Saint Amphilochius was consecrated bishop on August 27, 1105 by the Metropolitan of Kiev, Nicephorus (1103-1121).
For seventeen years Bishop Amphilochius guided the Vladimir-Volhynia flock. Only a couple of generations separate his time from that of the Baptism of Kievan Rus, and the Saint toiled tirelessly for the conversion of pagans to Christ. He also worked to root out pagan superstitions among the newly-baptized, while pacifying the strife among the princes of the region.
Resigning as hierarch, he continued his service to God in the Kiev Caves Monastery, where he died in the year 1122. The October 10 celebration of his memory, together with the other holy hierarchs of the Volhynia region, was established in the year 1831, after the restoration of the Pochaev Lavra in Volhynia to Orthodoxy.
