September 4, 2016
Epistle of Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York on
the 40th Anniversary of Ever-Memorable Archbishop Nikon (Rklitsky’s)
Repose
Your Grace! Dear fathers, brothers, and sisters!
Today,
on the 40th anniversary of the day of his
blessed repose, we prayerfully commemorate His Eminence,
Archbishop Nikon. This was an archpastor who wholeheartedly loved
God and devoted himself to the Holy Church. He dedicated himself to
Her from his very childhood; he gave Her all of his spiritual and
mental strength, without reserve, for which he was generously
rewarded by the Lord.
The future Archbishop Nikon was born on December 17 (o.s.) in the
Chernigov Gubernia to the family of Priest Pavel Rklitsky. He
graduated from Chernigov Theological Seminary, and the Law Schools
of Kiev and Belgrade Universities. He fought in the First World War
and the Civil War in Russia.
In October 1941, he accepted monastic tonsure; he served as a
wartime army chaplain in the Russian corps. His life’s path led him
through Germany, where he served as the secretary to the First
Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia,
Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky), and Switzerland, where he
arrived along with the Brotherhood of Ven. Job of Pochaev.
In December 1946, Fr. Nikon arrived in New York, where he served as
secretary to another distinguished Church leader of the Russian
Diaspora – Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko).
On June 27, 1948, Fr. Nikon was consecrated Bishop of Florida, vicar
of the Diocese of North America & Canada, and in 1960, as Archbishop
of Washington & Florida, served as the secretary of the Synod of
Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad.
In 1960, upon the repose of Archbishop Vitaly, Archbishop Nikon took
the helm of the St. Vladimir Society and the Building Committee for
St. Vladimir Memorial Church, begun in 1940 in Jackson.
Continuing the labors of the Russian missionaries in North America,
Archbishop Nikon, with pastoral love, did all that he could to
spread the Faith of Christ among the Russian émigrés and their
descendants, preserving them within the Holy Church.
The faithful received his every word as the living word of a Pastor,
a Teacher of the Church, who instructed them in the truths of the
Faith, and they received grace-filled spiritual aid from his words.
Most importantly, he was a teacher of the love with which we must
approach every human being.
Archbishop Nikon reposed on September 4, 1976, in New York, and is
buried here, in St. Vladimir Memorial Church.
Today we have gathered together here to offer the most important
thing to Archbishop Nikon – our prayers in the Church, which surpass
not only time and space, but also the barrier that separates us from
those who now abide with Christ and stand before Him. Prayer is the
highest and most necessary gift, and today in the church we will ask
of God and pray for the repose of the soul of the ever-memorable
Archbishop Nikon. Radiant be his memory!
+HILARION
Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York
First Hierarch of the Russian
Church Abroad
Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese
