Metropolitan Boris (Vik)
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Metropolitan Boris (Vik) 1906-1965
Boris may also be spelt Boriss.
Vik may also be spelt Vic, Wik, Wic.
Early life of Boris Ivanovich Vik
On 15/28 August, 1906, Boris Ivanovich Vik was born into a working-class family in Saratov, in the Russian Empire. Saratov is a city about 850 km (528 mi) southeast of Moscow, beside the Volga River). This river is the longest river in Russia, and it empties into the Caspian Sea.
In the context of events later in his life, there is reason to consider that it is possible that the ancestry of Boris Ivanovich was in some way German, perhaps as a descendant of long-previous German colonists.
Boris Ivanovich received his primary and secondary education in Saratov, and for the first years of his life, he was raised within the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church, in the Diocese of Saratov.
Bolshevik Revolution, 1917
When Boris Ivanovich was 11 years of age, the 2 revolutions of 1917 occurred. The first revolution (which deposed Tsar Nicholas II) took place in February, 1917. The second, October Revolution of the Bolsheviks, was followed by the Russian Civil War, which lasted effectively until 1923. The revolution also led to the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, Soviet Union).
The Russian Orthodox Church was thrown into a state of confusion for a long period of time, during which, in 1923, the "Renovationist Schism" was invented by the communist government. Because it was supported by the Soviet government, this entity was for a time in the majority. Furthermore, from the time of its inception, this entity sowed a considerable amount of confusion amongst the people (both locally, and in foreign countries, where its clergy acted as agents of the Soviet government).
In 1923, at the age of 18, Boris Ivanovich became a novice in the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Saratov.
In 1925, he graduated from the 5th Soviet school of the 2nd stage, in Saratov.
Renovationist beginning : Diaconal ordination, 1926
In 1926, a "renovationist" bishop ordained Boris Ivanovich Vik to the Holy Diaconate as a celibate deacon.
In June, 1928, he was tonsured a rassophor monk, and he was given the name Seraphim.
Monastic tonsure, 1930
In 1930, he was tonsured a stavrophor monk, and he was given the name Boris.
Hierodiaconal service
Hierodeacon Boris (Vik) spent a few years as cell-attendant to the renovationist Metropolitan Cornelius (Popov), while he was in Voronezh.
In 1930, he became a cleric of the renovationist Ryazan diocese.
In 1931, at age 25, he was mobilised into the military service, in the rear militia.
Reconciliation with the Moscow Patriarchate ; canonical ordinations, 1934
In 1934, he was admitted to communion with the Moscow Patriarchate in the monastic dignity, but without recognition of the ordinations.
In 1934, Monk Boris (Vik) was subsequently canonically ordained to the Holy Diaconate and to the Holy Priesthood.
Soviet arrest 1935-1947
In 1935, Hieromonk Boris (Vik) was arrested and sentenced to a prison term by the authorities of the USSR. This was during a period of intense atheistic persecution of believers, particularly those in the Canonical Orthodox Church. His recent move to the Canonical Church would have drawn such negative attention to himself. However, in June, 1937, he was released (probably subject to his signing a waiver about his "spiritual career").
In August of the same year, he was employed by the "Sarmatstroy" (later called "Trust No. 13") in Saratov, where he worked until September, 1940.
In May, 1941, he moved to the post of commandant of the "Trust" in the green building of the Saratov City Council. On 28 August of the same year, he was mobilised into the army. Until October, 1942, he worked as head of logistics and head of the warehouse industrial building.
Great patriotic war (1941-1945) ; World War II (1939-1945)
On 22 June, 1941, the "Great Patriotic War" began, which elsewhere is called "World War II". The Nazi German Army invaded the Soviet Union on this date, in "Operation Barbarosa". This war included the 872-day "Siege of Leningrad" (1941-1944). During this period, more than 20,000,000 people perished in the Soviet Union.
On 1 November, 1942, Archbishop Gregory (Chukov) of Saratov assigned Hieromonk Boris (Vik) to be the rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Saratov.
In November, 1942, Hieromonk Boris was elevated to the dignity of igumen.
On 19 August, 1943, Igumen Boris was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.
Following is a translation of an exchange of correspondence between Archimandrite Boris and Joseph V Stalin (the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union) during the time of crisis during World War II (The Great Patriotic War).
Because of the threat to the survival of the Soviet Union which came with the invasion of the German army, Mr. J Stalin had turned to the Orthodox Church for help. He began to release bishops and clergy from prisons, and he permitted the re-opening of Temples in many places. In return, he asked that the Church appeal to the people to defend their homeland. This following letter is very carefully worded in that context. The language used is not at all characteristic of normal Orthodox Christian writing, thinking or teaching, but it was what was required at the time.
The believers and clergy of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saratov earnestly followed the noble example of the many patriots of our glorious Soviet motherland. They have collected and deposited in the current account of the Savings Bank in our homeland defence fund 200,000 rubles, which we ask be used to pay for the construction of the tank column of the Dmitry Donskoy Regiment. Let these formidable machines under the leadership of the soldiers of the heroic Red Army, led by the genius of your wisdom, bring death to German barbarians, clearing the sacred land from the fascist filth. Let our agency serve the glory of the Russian army, the gallant host that under your wise guidance continues the tradition of Holy Russia, of unsurpassed heroism and true patriotism. We pray to God and firmly believe that the day and hour of the complete and final victory over Nazi Germany is near, and that our people, with the same confidence and heroic tireless energy, will be able to heal their wounds after the war. Glory to the Russian military ! Glory to the Russian weapons ! Honour, praise and glory to you, Joseph Vissarionovich, arising and leading our people to the feat of arms in the name of the happiness of our homeland and all progressive mankind. We wish you, Joseph Vissarionovich, good health for years to come. God bless you in the fear of our enemies and the joy of our people. (Signed :) The rector of the Saratov Holy Trinity Cathedral, Archimandrite Boris, president of the Tsurikov church committee.
The response from Mr. Stalin (published in a newspaper) was as follows :
To the rector of the Saratov Holy Trinity Cathedral, Archimandrite Boris, chairman of the Tsurikova church council. Please convey to the faithful and the clergy of the Saratov Holy Trinity Cathedral, who collected 200,000 rubles for building a tank column in the name of the Dmitry Donskoy Regiment, my greetings and the gratitude of the Red Army. J. STALIN. The newspaper 'Pravda', 17 June, 1944.
This exchange took place during the period 1943-1953, during which Mr. Stalin had eased somewhat the persecution against the Orthodox Church. Some have described this easing of persecution as being a sort of "truce". During this period, the Church undertook as many as possible projects of renewal of normal Church life, including the re-opening of Temples where possible, and the ordaining of clergy in order to care for spiritual needs of the people. All this had to be done with extreme caution, since clergy were still being arrested and sent to prisons.
In 1944, the Patriarch and the Holy Synod of Bishops decided to ordain Archimandrite Boris (Vik) to the Holy Episcopate.
Episcopal Ordination, 1944
On 2 April, 1944, Archimandrite Boris (Vik) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in the Holy Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow. The ordination was led by Patriarch Sergiy (Stragorodsky), who was assisted by other bishops.
Episcopal service
Bishop Boris (Vik) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Nizhyn, and Vicar-bishop of the Diocese of Chernigov.
Bishop Boris could not immediately go to the cathedral seat of the diocese. This was because of the war, and because it was part of the structure of the liquidated Ukrainian Autonomous Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). The diocese had become vacant because of the arrest of Archbishop Simon (Ivanovo).
Chernigov and Nizhyn Diocese, 1945
On 16 April, 1945, Bishop Boris (Vik) was assigned to be the ruling bishop of Chernigov and Nizhyn. At that time, it was one of the largest Orthodox dioceses in Ukraine.
After the recognition and reunification of the Japanese Orthodox Church with the Moscow Patriarchate on 3 April, 1946, Bishop Boris (Vik), and Bishop Sergius (Larin) were sent to Japan.
However, they were unable to pass through Vladivostok, since the USA occupation authorities did not issue them a visa to enter the country.
According to contemporaries, Bishop Boris was open to conversation, and he also impressed ordinary people with the extraordinary splendour of church services. The young Ukrainian researcher Mikhaylina Kotsyubinskaya was influenced by him, and she retained some memories of the Chernigov period of his service :
After the war, there was a revival and strengthening of the religious life. This was especially because of Bishop Boris, an educated and cultivated man, who was able to transform a church service into an almost theatrical performance. Of course, there were those who went to pray, and there were those who went to watch, so the Temples were crowded : both the Transfiguration Cathedral and Holy Trinity Church.
Saratov Diocese, 1947
On 13 January, 1947, Bishop Boris was assigned to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Saratov and Volsk. Implemented in the spring of 1947, this also provided the possibility of opening the Saratov Theological Seminary, which occurred on 16 November, 1947.
From 8 to 18 July, 1948, Vladyka Boris participated in the grandiose celebration of the 500th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Moscow Patriarchate, which was held in the capital of the USSR. He also participated in numerous negotiations with the Primates of the Orthodox Churches in the world, which took place under the official auspices of the Moscow Kremlin.
On 18 November, 1948, after the arrest of Archbishop Manuel (Lemeshevsky), Bishop Boris was requested to serve as the interim administrator of the Chkalov (Orenburg) Diocese in the Chkalov (Orenburg) Oblast.
The Blessing of the Waters on the Feast of Theophany, 1949
In Saratov on 19 January, 1949, there was traditionally a solemn service of the sanctification of the water outdoors after the Divine Liturgy of the Feast of Theophany. Bishop Boris, according to the “status quo ante”, had received from the executive committee of Saratov the permission for the worship service. This service was celebrated in Saratov and in several other cities of the diocese.
The people gathered for the Water-Blessing at Saratov
In Saratov, the hole in the ice of the Volga River was pre-cut, and a fence was erected. The air temperature was -10 degrees Celsius. Everything about the service was in accordance with the traditional services for the blessing of the water. The local Soviet authorities expected that for this service, only the clergy and a few elderly women would appear. However, a far larger number of faithful people attended the service. In Saratov alone, the estimate was 10,000.
Blessing the waters of the Volga River at Saratov
At the end of the ceremony, the clergy and the majority of the Faithful returned to the city. However, the remaining 300-500 people began to dive into the water and they did this for 35-40 minutes (these numbers could easily be even larger).
The Faithful dive into the blessed water
This occurred because the people were well aware of the likelihood that this could be the only, and perhaps last, possibility to participate as in former times in this blessing. That large numbers of them dived into the waters immediately after the blessing was quite in harmony with what was done before the revolution, and what is done again in post-soviet times. Both Bishop Boris and the believers at that time were quite aware that their participation in this blessing in this manner could result in their deportation to concentration camps or their death.
Communist reaction to the water-blessing
The communists were outraged. Bishop Boris was taken into custody, and he was held for about a month while the security services gathered detailed factual information about what had been happening in Saratov on 19 January (an unusually lengthy wait, because of other political preoccupations at the time). Then, in February, the Saratov events were the subject of proceedings in the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b). In the newspaper “Pravda”, there appeared a lampoon of the “Saratov Font”. In addition to describing the people as swimming in a violent manner, making “pornographic performances”, “a mockery of the people”, “a ritual, dictated by the idiocy of the old life”, the feature article listed the names of certain “victims” of the ceremony. Besides this, the representatives of the local religious authorities were directly accused of promoting a “savage ritual” :
How are they not ashamed that their Chernyshevsky countrymen go on about the foolishness of the hysterical and the obscurantists, helping them to revive the wild rites of pagan times and of the god Fury ! Let not the lesson pass, which was set on 19 January.
The article “Saratov Font” was the signal for a number of anti-religious articles and administrative measures against the clergy and the Faithful. Representatives of the Saratov civil authorities were punished.
It is not easy to explain why special negative attention was being given to the Saratov diocese and region. Before the Bolshevik Revolution, there had been more than 1,000 Temples in the region. In 1949, there were merely 14 functioning Temples, and only 2 in the regional centre. [By 2017, the Saratov diocese had again become a flourishing metropolitanate with several other associated dioceses.]
Diocese of Chkalov (Orenburg), 1949
On 22 February, 1949, the Holy Synod transferred Bishop Boris to the Diocese of Chkalov (Orenburg) and Buzuluk, (in the Orenburg oblast) under the pretext of his supposed connivance in the manifestation during the Blessing of the Waters at the Feast of Theophany in Saratov. The communists had complained that the occasion had been a seductive violation of public decency and so on. Nevertheless, the Holy Synod made the strict observation that the Blessing of the Waters in the open air on the Feast of Theophany was to be allowed to continue both there and throughout the Church as usual.
Bishop of Chkalov (Orenburg) and Buzuluk
Germany, 1950
In June, 1950, Bishop Boris was sent to the Soviet-occupied zone in Germany (East Germany) and to West Germany, as a result of a report prepared about the religious life in the German lands, and with practical proposals for strengthening the position of the Moscow Patriarchate in Germany. According to the results of the trip, Bishop Boris and the Archpriest V D Spiller prepared a report to Patriarch Alexei I (Simansky), in which questions were raised about the need to activate Church life in West Germany, as well as about the need to reorganise the diocese.
On 26 September, 1950, Bishop Boris (Vik) was assigned to serve as Bishop of Berlin and Germany. His predecessor in this diocese, Archbishop Sergius (Korolev) had returned many Russian emigrants to the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church. This process continued under Vladyka Boris.
Bishop Boris took measures to restore and to repair Orthodox Temples in the German Democratic Republic and West Berlin, including the Holy Resurrection Cathedral, the Cemetery Temple of the Equals-to-the-Apostles Saints Constantine and Helen in Tegel, and the diocesan houses in Potsdam and Berlin.
From April, 1951, a house-church in the name of Saint Sergius of Radonezh began to function in the bishop's house in Berlin. At the initiative of Bishop Boris, on 1 January, 1952, the monthly "Voice of Orthodoxy" magazine, with a circulation of 500 copies, began to be published in Germany. The editorial board of the magazine was headed by Vladyka Boris himself. A demonstration of Soviet patriotic films was organised at the bishop's house. The Orthodox Diocese of Germany led by Bishop Boris was registered in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) as the only representative of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In October, 1951, Bishop Boris (Vik) was elevated to the dignity of archbishop.
He was assigned to serve as Acting Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate Exarchate in Western Europe.
In general, it is said that he acted in a "corridor of opportunities" of the post-war Stalinist era, at a time when the Orthodox bishops were forced to be submissive and to support the actions of the USSR in the occupied territories.
After the death of Mr. J V Stalin in March, 1953, and the beginning of the leadership of Mr. N S Khrushchev, there began a return towards greater pressure against the Orthodox Church and other believers.
On 25 October, 1953, the former rector of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) in Berlin, Archimandrite Mstislav (Volonsevich), was reunited with the Russian Orthodox Church. In doing so, he has been accused of participating in the activities of the NKVD regarding the elimination of the structures of the ROCOR.
In 1954, the Communist Party (CPSU) Central Committee adopted 2 resolutions about scientific and atheistic propaganda. The first of them, of 7 July, 1954, noted that "party organisations unsatisfactorily conduct scientific and atheistic propaganda among the population". In the second of them (10 November, 1954), there was a revelation of the facts about gross misadministration, and, on the part of individual local workers, the insulting of the feelings of believers and the clergy. It was also said that there was a need to "strengthen the ideological struggle against religious views and to educate workers in the spirit of the military guide to materialism" [as cited by Alexander Babich].
In this context, from 29 July to October, 1954, Archbishop Boris was assigned temporarily to lead the Yaroslavl diocese (northeast of Moscow) in Russia.
North American Exarchate, 1954
On 11 November, 1954, Archbishop Boris (Vik) was assigned to be the "Archbishop of the Aleutian Islands and North America", as the Exarch of North America and South America.
Despite this assignment, Archbishop Boris was unable to establish a long-term presence in North America. The international political tensions of the time limited him to periodic and brief visits only. Meanwhile, he was assigned in the USSR to care for the needs of others.
Administrator of the Krasnodar Diocese
Archbishop Boris was also assigned to serve as the temporary administrator of the Krasnodar Diocese.
After his appointment to the Kuban region and the Krasnodar Diocese, Archbishop Boris, unlike his predecessor, set himself to replace the pastoral care of parishes in which there were no priests for more than 3 years. These files of these parishes would appear periodically on the bishop's desk as a result of the clergy’s refusal to serve there because of their low profitability, or for some other reasons ; and after some time, with the consent of the Council for the Russian Orthodox Church, they would be removed from the register and listed as inactive, after which the commissioner reported to Moscow about the reduction in the number of houses of worship in the diocese as a result of atheistic work successfully carried out. This decrease was not compensated by anything, since new houses of worship did not open at that time under any circumstances.
In this case, however, Archbishop Boris deprived the commissioner of this opportunity. He sought not only to restore the fading parishes to life, but also to help them regain vitality. By the time of the assignment of Vladyka Boris to the Kuban diocese, there were 12 such houses of worship, for which he undertook the revival. At the same time, Vladyka Boris set about restoring order in the diocese itself. In order to strengthen church discipline, he forbade the clergy to leave for the city of Krasnodar without his permission ; he cancelled all sorts of “labour holidays”, and he allowed investing parish money in savings banks only in the name of parish councils by proxy, and not in the name of priests or parish elders, as had been done before. In the diocesan administration itself, he established the position of accountant-auditor. During the short time that Vladyka Boris was in the Krasnodar Diocese, 12 priests were ordained. In contrast, not a single priest had been ordained in the Kuban region in 1954.
Visit in Canada, 1955
In late 1955, after many complicated communications (because of the political tensions during the year in which NATO and the Warsaw Pact were formed), it was arranged that Archbishop Boris (Vik) visit Canada and the USA.
Visa complications
The visit in Canada was the result of an invitation extended by the United Church of Canada to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1952. There were 2 other Russians who accompanied Archbishop Boris : Archpriest Constantine Ruzitsky, the rector of the Moscow Theological Seminary, and Anatole Gorbachov, the lay inspector of seminaries. Bishop Palladiy (Raev) of Volyn and Rovno was also supposed to visit Canada, but he did not appear. No reason was given. The Russian group was expected to arrive in Canada in late November. However, the visit was delayed a week owing to an unexplained "mix-up" with their passport and visa arrangements. Archbishop Boris had hoped to twin a visit to Canada with a trip to the USA ; but after initially granting the archbishop a visa, the USA State Department retracted it. Vladyka Boris had become caught up in a tit-for-tat struggle between the USA and the Soviet Union over religious representation.
When the archbishop had originally received his assignment in the USA in 1954, he had gone to the USA on a 60-day visa. However, the USA State Department turned down his request for an extension of the visa when it expired at the end of February, 1955. The USA authorities were afraid that the USA might become the headquarters of a Moscow-controlled faction of the Russian Orthodox Church. There began an impasse between the countries which was not resolved until 1959.
Montréal
Meanwhile, Archbishop Boris and his colleagues fulfilled their 2-week visit at the end of 1955 to Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa and Edmonton. Archbishop Boris (Vik) and the entourage arrived at the Montréal Airport at Dorval in early December. He was met by a welcoming committee of United Church dignitaries and by G F Popov from the Soviet Union Embassy in Ottawa. Dr. Ernest Long, Secretary of the General Council of the United Church of Canada, said that the 3-fold purpose of the visit was to promote understanding, give visibility to Christian unity, and to foster goodwill between Canadian and Russian Christians.
Conspicuously absent from the welcoming party was any representative of any part of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada. The rector of the Orthodox Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Montréal said that he would ignore the visit as the delegation did "not represent the true and continuing branch of the Orthodox Church" and that the Russian Orthodox Church had become "a mere political organ of the Soviet government". The Russian visitors also had to sidestep a small group of about 50 demonstrators with banners who were handing out leaflets at the airport in protest of the visit. In answering questions from Canadian and American journalists, Archbishop Boris said through an interpreter that he was not a communist and that he did not have a personal acquaintance with either Party Secretary N S Khrushchev or Premier N A Bulganin. He added that many Russians believed in God and practiced those beliefs ; there was no ban on practicing religion in the Soviet Union. When asked about Canadian Orthodox churches, he replied that there were fewer than 10 Russian Orthodox churches in Canada, and that they were "unfriendly" to the Russian hierarchy. As reconciliation attempts had proven unfeasible, the churches were considered to be "in schism". After a short stay in Montréal, Archbishop Boris and his entourage travelled by train to Toronto.
Toronto
In Toronto, 2 Ukrainian Catholic priests presented him with a letter asking him to negotiate the release of Bishop Joseph Slipyj from a Siberian labour camp. He and 11 other Ukrainian Catholic bishops had been sent to Siberian gulags after the war. Bishop Slipyj had received an 8-year sentence in 1946 for his alleged collaboration with the Nazis and for his refusal to accept the forced take-over of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church by the Russian Orthodox Church. (Constantine Ruzitsky, one of the archbishop's travelling companions, was reportedly one of the masterminds behind this takeover.) Despite the conclusion of his sentence, Bishop Slipyj remained in custody. Archbishop Boris promised to place the request before the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on his return to Moscow. If he had been able to submit the letter, it would not likely have been at that time within the capability of the Holy Synod to have any influence. While in Toronto, Archbishop Boris took the opportunity to visit the large department stores (unknown in the USSR) and to Niagara Falls. As a part of his encounters with the United Church of Canada, he took part in a service at Timothy Eaton Memorial United Church. He did so wearing the mitre and mantiya. When a newspaper reporter took pictures in a gallery, Anatole Gorbachov followed him and asked if he had permission to take pictures. When the journalist said no, Mr. Gorbachov told him to go. This exchange revealed that at least some of the delegation spoke English.
Ottawa
Archbishop Boris, Archpriest Ruzitsky and Anatole Gorbatchov arrived by train at the Union Station in Ottawa at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, 10 December, 1955. An "Ottawa Citizen" article described Archbishop Boris as being a "huge man" with a "long ginger-coloured beard, flowing over the front of his long black cloak" and carrying a silver-topped walking-stick. Rev. Frank Fidler of Toronto and Rev. Herman Neufeld of the United Church College in Winnipeg accompanied the Russian visitors. As they were being welcomed by United Church dignitaries, Lydia Szarwarkowska (a citizen of Ottawa, and a parishioner of one of the Russian-speaking parishes) pushed ahead of the greeters to plead for help from the Russian archbishop. In tears, she asked in Russian for his intercession on her behalf with the Soviet government for an exit permit for her 70-year-old mother who lived alone, the rest of her family having been killed in World War II. Then, after checking into the Château Laurier Hotel, the visitors were taken on a tour of the capital. They visited the Soviet Embassy on Charlotte Street, and they were taken out to dine at a restaurant by the Ottawa Presbytery of the United Church. The next day, the Russian delegation joined the congregations of the Greek Orthodox Church on Albert Street and Saint Elijah's Syrian Orthodox Church on Lyon Street for Sunday services.
"Ottawa Journal" notice of the meeting on 12 December, 1955, in Ottawa
The visitors were also given a tour of the Parliament buildings. It seems that Vladyka Boris was surprised there was a Liberal government in power. The group also went to the National Gallery of Canada. Vladyka Boris was not impressed with a certain modern sculpture, but he said that he liked the art made by Canada's native peoples. That evening, the Russian delegation attended a candlelit service at the Dominion United Church for the Canadian Girls in Training. Archbishop Boris sat behind the pulpit with the Rt. Rev. George Dorey, the Moderator of the United Church and the Rev. J Lorne Graham, minister and Presbytery Chairman. Vladyka spoke at the service, urging Christian unity, and he told the girls the Russian legend of the Christmas tree. Moderator Dorey warned against western propaganda that religion was non-existent in the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, a dozen men, apparently immigrants from Communist-ruled Eastern Europe, handed out anti-Russian pamphlets. The following day, a luncheon was held in Archbishop Boris' honour, and attended by senior representatives of the United Church, the Anglican Church, the Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Church, as well as a representative of Canada's Department of External Affairs.
Afterwards, Archbishop Boris, accompanied by George Dorey, the United Church Moderator and Lorne Graham, the Presbytery Chairman, held a press conference. Vladyka Boris spoke of his experience so far in Canada, saying that he found Canadians to be "hospitable and hard-working". He was also impressed with the church services. He also took the opportunity to complain about the US decision to rescind his visa, and he said that it amounted to "pressure on religion". In contrast, he said that although communists were unbelievers, he knew that some came to his church. Moreover, he had seen with his own eyes the good work the communist government was doing. He posed the rhetorical question "Is the American Government Christian ?" He also insisted that there was no interference in the Russian Orthodox Church by the Soviet Government. He added that Russians were entitled to their own opinion and could practice religion. All these things were typical of what had to be said on such visits. After a final service at Southminster United Church, the Russian delegation flew first to Toronto, and then westwards to Edmonton, Alberta.
Edmonton ; return to Moscow
The visit to Edmonton was brief, but he there visited Saint Barbara's Cathedral and Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk). Then Vladyka Boris and the entourage returned to Montréal, before returning to Moscow via Amsterdam.
In April, 1956, Archbishop Boris temporarily returned to Ukraine ; but up until 1960, once the difficulties regarding the visa were settled, he regularly visited the Temples of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA.
Odessa period, 1956
On 25 April, 1956, Archbishop Boris was released from his responsibility as the Exarch of the Americas. He was assigned instead to be the Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa, and he was entrusted with the temporary administration of the Voroshilovgrad (Luhansk) diocese. At that time, the Odessa and Luhansk Oblasts were part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the USSR.
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On 25 February, 1959, Archbishop Boris (Vik) was elevated to the dignity of metropolitan.
In the early 1960s, power was brought to bear in order to close the churches which were still actively functioning in the Odessa Oblast at that time, and to curtail religious life. This was during the time of Nikita S Khrushchev and the campaign of persecution of the Church by the communist party at that time (and continued during the time of Leonid I Brezhnev). As it is reported in the Wikipedia article about the persecution,
The principle of persecuting religion in order to spread atheism did not disappear, however, even if the methodology was re-examined after Khrushchev. Many of the secret, unofficial, instructions aimed at suppressing the Church were made into official laws during Brezhnev's control, which thereby legally legitimised many aspects of the persecutions.
According to the reports of the Odessa communists, Metropolitan Boris actually let them act, rather than make many enemies. It is suggested also that Vladyka Boris did spend much energy in opposition to the "ROC Affairs Council" (of the State) authorised in the Odessa region, which sought to defend (ironically) by closing as many churches as possible. Whatever may truly be the case regarding his actions or inaction, this very stressful situation certainly undermined the health of Vladyka Boris.
Nevertheless, as Metropolitan of Kherson and Odessa, Vladyka Boris played a special role in the life of the late primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan). Vladyka Boris admitted him to the Odessa Seminary and set him in subdiaconal service.
Bishop Boris was a very kind man, with a sensitive heart. He helped all the pupils of the seminary, and he took care of the monks, who were being driven out by the closing of monasteries. [...] Metropolitan Boris was very fond of worship. He was always at the temple in the pre-festal days of Christmas and Pascha [...] he instilled in me the love of the forefeasts themselves over the holidays, and I loved them as he did. Metropolitan Boris loved memorial services. He commemorated hundreds of names. I try to imitate Metropolitan Boris, and I always feel a special warmth for the funeral prayers. The years as a subdeacon, conducted with Vladyka Boris were the happiest in my life. Even now, I often see him in my sleep, how I was serving with him, travelling or having a conversation. I think that he is praying for me in the other world. — Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan).
Many others concur with Metropolitan Volodymyr about the nature of Metropolitan Boris.
Developing illness, 1962
On 16 June, 1962, because of health concerns, Metropolitan Boris (Vik) was released from his responsibilities as Exarch of North and South America ; and on 16 November, 1962, he was released from the administration of the Voroshilovgrad Diocese.
During the years 1963-1965, Metropolitan Boris suffered several heart-attacks.
On 11 May, 1963, Metropolitan Boris was awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir, first degree, but he then suffered a heart attack.
In 1964, he suffered another infarction, but Vladyka Boris nevertheless soon participated in the anniversary of Patriarch Alexei I (Simansky).
At the beginning of February, 1965, Vladyka Boris took part in celebrations on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the patriarchal service of Patriarch Alexis I.
From 5 February, 1965, Metropolitan Boris (Vik) spent 3 months in the hospital, during which he had been given a medical leave. He took a further course of treatment in Sochi after another heart-attack.
Repose, 1965
However, in Sochi, on 16 April, 1965, Metropolitan Boris fell asleep in the Lord.
The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Hierarch were served for Metropolitan Boris (Vik) of Kherson and Odessa on 19 April, 1965. The services were led by Metropolitan Joasaph (Lelyukhin) of Kiev and Galicia, the Exarch of Ukraine for the Moscow Patriarchate.
After the completion of the services, the body of Vladyka Boris was interred in the cemetery in Odessa Dormition Monastery.
Holy Dormition Cathedral, Odessa
Cemetery at the Holy Dormition Monastery, Odessa
— Bishop of Nizhyn, 1944. Preceded by : Bishop Mefody (Filimonov). Succeeded by : Bishop Iriney (Semko).
— Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Chernigov.
— Bishop of Chernigov 1945-1946. Preceded by : Archbishop Simon (Ivanovo). Succeeded by : Bishop Paisiy (Obraztsov).
— Bishop in the Japanese Exarchate 1946. Preceded by : Bishop Nikolai (Ono). Succeeded by : Archbishop Benjamin (Basalyga)
— Bishop of Saratov and Volsk 1947-1949. Preceded by : Bishop Boris (Obraztsov). Succeeded by : Archbishop Philip (Stavitsky).
— Interim Administrator of the Chkalov Diocese 1948.
— Bishop of Chkalov and Buzuluk 1949. Preceded by : Bishop Manuil (Lemeshevskiy). Succeeded by : Bishop Varsanofiy (Grinevitch).
— Bishop of Berlin and Germany 1950-1954. Preceded by : Bishop Sergiy (Kovolev). Succeeded by : Bishop Michael (Tchub).
— Archbishop of Berlin and Germany 1951.
— Acting Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate in Western Europe 1951-1954. Preceded by : Bishop Fotiy (Topiro). Succeeded by : Bishop Nikolai (Eryomin).
— Temporary Administrator of the Diocese of Yaroslavl 1954. Preceded by : Bishop Dmitry (Gradusov). Succeeded by : Bishop Isaiah (Kovalev) (administrator).
— Exarch of North and South America 1954-1962. Preceded by : Archbishop Germogen (Kozhin). Succeeded by : Archbishop Dionisius (Diachenko).
— Temporary Administrator of the Diocese of Krasnodar 1954-1956. Preceded by : Bishop Innocent (Zelnitsky). Succeeded by : Bishop Sergiy (Kostin).
— Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa 1956-1959. Preceded by : Archbishop Nikon (Petin).
— Temporary administrator of the Voroshilovgrad (Luhansk) diocese 1956-1962.
— Metropolitan of Kherson and Odessa 1959-1965. Succeeded by : Metropolitan Antoniy (Melnikov) (administrator) ; Metropolitan Sergei (Petrov).
Reflections
It may be helpful to be aware that the rather frequent transfers of Vladyka Boris in his years of episcopal service happened to him just as they happened to many (if not most) other bishops at that time. During the time of the Soviet Union, the political authorities applied strong pressure to the Church so that such transfers were made. The authorities did not wish any one bishop to become too popular or too influential amongst the people. Even after the end of the USSR, it took time before it was possible for bishops to remain for a long time (even for life) in their sees.
Despite the many obstacles and difficulties he faced during his archpastoral service in particular, Vladyka Boris demonstrated time and again his devotion to the Saviour and to His Church. He had had the experience of being in prison, as had so many other bishops, priests and deacons who served the Lord faithfully in the Church. He had learnt how to walk the tight-rope of careful diplomacy with regard to living under a militantly atheist government, and he understood the deeper spiritual implications involved in this situation. It was not drastically different from the interior, personal struggle to be faithful in love to Jesus Christ while being subtly or blatantly tempted by the powers of darkness. He persevered, as did many other servants of the Lord in the Church, and he did so always at the risk of his life.
Alexander Babich provided some examples of this sort of service in what follows here :
Boris showed tireless care in relation to church premises. He repeatedly, with particular perseverance, sought the liberation of the basement under the Saint Catherine Cathedral and the pickling centre in the basement of the Holy Trinity Church in Krasnodar. At the same time, Vladyka even drew up a project for steam-heating of the cathedral, and he concluded an agreement with the city greenhouse on the breakdown of flower beds and planting flowers in the cathedral fence, so that it would also be 'in the park in front of the regional executive committee'. However, the authority S F Babushkin, with no less persistence, countered that they were worthy of better use. He refused the bishop these requests, pointing out that the main part of the cathedral’s premises, which before the revolution had a winter church and a tomb, was occupied by a warehouse of ready-made dresses and kept in good condition, and since the city 'has a very great need for basements and warehouses, since during the German occupation many large buildings with basements and warehouses were destroyed', it is not possible to free the basement under the cathedral [...]. Understanding that a certain incentive for the development of Church life would be the easing of the tax burden on parishes, [the government of the USSR taxed the Church at every level very heavily, even to 80%] the bishop addressed the authorised representative with complaints from the clergy of Krasnodar and Kropotkin on the transfer of income tax to the clergy. At the same time, he said that the employees of the Krasnodar Territory Finance Department behaved extremely rudely and, in general, an oppressive tax policy was being pursued in the province, with the goal of forcing the clergy to abandon church services. However, the plenipotentiary rejected the claims of the archbishop and 'explained' to him that there was no special 'policy with respect to the clergy in the region', and due to specific conditions in calculating the income of the clergy 'there may be errors in either direction'. Then Archbishop Boris reduced the [wholesale0 selling price of candles made by the Krasnodar Candle Workshop by 50%. This, in turn, reduced the workshop income tax by more than 200,000 rubles and by the same amount and increased church income, as the selling prices for believers remained at the same level. The released funds were used to decorate churches and houses of worship, as well as for supplying them with necessary liturgical utensils. [The Archbishop was trying to pay lower taxes in order to have money for regular needs.]
Amongst the 12 priests who were ordained in Krasnodar, the Commissioner listed 8 : Fedor Fedorovich Zubov ; Longin Efimovich Starchenko ; Stepan Timofeevich Bakancha ; Georgiy Mikhailovich Stroyev ; Evgeny Gavrilovich Okolot ; Mikhail Andreevich Purik ; Boris Yakovlevich Sumrov ; Vadim Yakovlevich Grishin.
Apparently, from amongst the ordained, 2 were Candidates of Theology, and 1 graduated from one-year pastoral courses. In addition, 2 priests were appointed after serving their sentences. In a report for 1955, the Commissioner noted that Archbishop Boris had a special sympathy for persons who were imprisoned and exiled. To the question : 'Why did he collect them into his diocese ?' Vladyka answered : 'Where are they going to go, poor them ? [...]' At the same time, the archpastor continued to educate the clergy. On 29 October, 1955, he handed over to the authorised representative a draft message on the diocese, in which he not only described the stay of the Patriarch in Krasnodar, but he also made strict remarks to the Kuban clergy. In particular, the archbishop noted that in the diocese entrusted to him, there were priests who were ashamed of their pastoral rank, of their spiritual vestments, who are trying in every possible way to shorten their worship services and distort their spiritual treasures, who refused to read sermons and preach the Word of God for the edification of their flocks. At the same time 'they were not ashamed at all and did not refuse to eat from the altar of the Lord'. 'A true shepherd who cares to make his flocks the sons of God', the bishop continued in the epistle, 'must make them faithful sons of the great family of our Motherland, educating them in the spirit of industriousness, and striving to fulfil their civic duties'. In conclusion, the archbishop expressed his dissatisfaction with those priests who, bypassing him, turned to members of the diocesan council, and firmly declared that he would fight to the end with such behaviour.
Continuing to visit the parishes, Vladyka demanded that the clergy not only strictly observe all the rules of church life and set an example for everyone, starting with their appearance and ending with the splendour of temples and church services, but also communicate more closely with people, read intelligible sermons, and in conversation with believers, he linked the Word of God and the teaching of the Church with modern life, with how the people lived, both spiritually and materially. Such appeals did not go unnoticed ; soon, in their reports, the deans began to inform Archbishop Boris about the specific work being done in the field. Thus, the Otradnensky Dean Leonid Chernetsky informed Vladyka that sermons began to be delivered from the church ambo, the main theme of which was the struggle for peace and the prohibition of atomic weapons. From the ambo, articles were read from the Moscow Patriarchate magazine and materials from central newspapers : 'Decisions of the Bureau of the World Council of Churches', 'Against the Madness of Atomic War', 'Destroy the Sting of atomic Death', 'On conducting a Campaign in the USSR to collect Signatures under the Appeal of the World Peace Council against the Threat of atomic War' and others. Going around the parishes of his deanery, the Dean L Chernetsky instructed the rectors to familiarise believers with current events from church and civil life, to conduct conversations with believers not only during the service, but also outside the service, 'when believers come to church and, waiting for services, sitting within the fence on the benches'. The head of the Slavic deanery, Aleksandrov, informed the archbishop that the fathers-rectors of the deanery entrusted to him 'increased the conduct of spiritual and moral conversations with believers. In these conversations, the idea was sharpened that we should not stand aside from this Christian idea : the desire for world peace, and that we should, tirelessly, take the closest, lively part, in strengthening peace on the peaceful front of labour, strengthening and multiplying with his useful work, each to the best of his strengths and abilities, the welfare and power of our peaceful Fatherland. The rectors of the temples of Krasnodar did not stand aside. Therefore, in his sermon, delivered in Saint Catherine’s Cathedral on the day of the memory of the Great Martyr Catherine, the Archpriest Benevolsky expressed the following reasoning : 'Every feat, especially combined with self-sacrifice, conquers our heart as a manifestation of the highest beauty of the soul. Can the feats of our heroes of the Great Patriotic War, who gave their young lives for our well-being, for our peaceful life, for the happiness of our Motherland, ever die in the memory of the people ? Their exploits are covered with immortal glory'. Focussing on the attention of believers, Benevolsky said : 'Therefore, to the memory of holy believers' hearts show special love for their sacrificial exploits, because with their sufferings and death they accomplished the highest sacred foundations of Christianity : invincible Faith, undoubted Hope and fiery Love. And if in any field of human activity : scientific, social and political, it is impossible to successfully achieve the goal without faith in the correctness of his work, without hope for his success, and without love for him, then all the more without these Christian foundations religious activity is impossible. Before any goal can be achieved, one has to endure and suffer a lot, and only a firm FAITH, undoubted HOPE and strong LOVE help to transfer everything, overcome everything and win. Only believers win'. Then he went on to a detailed biography of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine.
Saint Catherine's Cathedral, Krasnodar
Holy Trinity Sobor, Kranodar
It should be noted that this sermon made a tremendous impression on the believers, many of those present wept, apparently recalling their relatives and friends who had died during the past war. Studying the documents presented to him, the commissioner came to the following conclusion : 'Archbishop Boris and the most competent and far-sighted clergy consider that the preaching of church doctrine in combination with modern life is at this stage the main weapon in the struggle for the believer. Everything else, they say, will follow this'. Thus, thanks to the decisive actions of Archbishop Boris, a strict record of preaching was established in the diocese in order to monitor those 'who work in the field of God' and those who neglect this occupation. In his circular on this issue, Vladyka wrote to the fathers and the rectors : 'It is necessary for you to have a “liturgical journal” in your church, in which you keep a constant record that, on a certain day, on a holiday or on a feast-day of the week, month, year, you have worshipped, indicate which. In addition, in this journal, it is imperative to always write down the sermons that you preached during the service, indicating the topic of each sermon. It is advisable that you periodically present me the full text of your sermon, because according to your sermons it will be possible to have the correct judgement about your pastoral activity and your abilities, which is always necessary when determining your reward or when transferring you to the best parish according to your abilities'. In a circular addressed to the deans, Vladyka Boris ordered them to submit to him once a quarter special reports on the fulfilment by the rectors of the directions in the above circular, with an appendix in writing of one sermon from each rector. [...] From the material presented, it is evident that not one external side of Church activity escaped the attention of Vladyka. In addition to strengthening the splendour of Temples and improving worship, he sought to bring to the various ranks of the Kuban clergy, in addition to strict discipline, a lively spirit of preaching. As mentioned above, in the course of his activity, Archbishop Boris paid special attention to Saint Catherine’s Cathedral, and his efforts did not remain in vain : the church choir strengthened, the iconostas was gilded, the chandeliers were illuminated, the cathedral was provided with valuable vessels and a lot of new vestments. Why all this was done, Archbishop Boris explained in his report to the Patriarch : 'We hope that our other churches, in their holy imitation of the cathedral, as an exemplary church, will perk up from spiritual sleep and begin to bear fruit worthy of their purpose'. To find out how the clergy of the diocese live and how his orders are implemented, he more often than the previous stewards went to parishes. In 1955, he visited 24 parishes, and he visited 6 parishes in cities twice, and one 3 times. In 6 parishes on the periphery, he performed hierarchical services twice. In the churches of the cities of Kropotkin, Sochi, Novorossiysk and Tuapse, he performed Hierarchical services and he read sermons there on topics such as raising the moral character of believers, calling for industriousness, fighting for world peace and fulfilling the duties of believers imposed on them by the Church and the Soviet Homeland. Visiting prayer-houses and churches, Vladyka carefully checked the records, the financial books and books of clerical activities ; he paid close attention to the condition of churches and church facilities ; he carefully studied people, not only those who were amongst the church clergy, but also the church groups. At the same time, Vladyka demanded a strict accounting of church funds. He immediately removed any embezzlers from work, and he strictly punished priests who were found to have spent money incorrectly. During 1955, 39 people were expelled from the Church, including 20 people from church elders, and 83 people were re-elected from the Church assembly. Amongst the innovations of the bishop can be attributed his successive installation of the election of church councils and groups, instead of co-optation, which was usually carried out under his predecessor. This [innovation of election instead of appointment], in his opinion, was to pacify the parishes, which actually happened. At the same time, Vladyka Boris strongly encouraged the clergy to reckon with church bodies and respect their opinion. Once, Vladyka called to him from the village one priest, about whom the church council complained that he did not reckon with them and decided everything on his own. For a rather long time, he instructed the cleric that the priest should go with the people (believers and Church communities), and representatives of the people, and that priest who cannot keep up with the chosen ones of the people will not find contact with believers either. Thanks to the rational and active policy of Archbishop Boris, Church authorities began to show more activity, and if earlier petitions addressed to the Commissioner were usually signed by one rector, then already in 1955 this was an exception. Most of the documents were signed by the composition of the church council, and in many cases even the minutes of the meeting were attached. In the first half of 1955, there was even such a case connected with the aforementioned settlement.
On 25 February, the Psebay Church Council convened a meeting with the Auditing Commission. He put the question on the agenda : 'To note that the decision of the Supreme Body of the Soviet Union on the strictest cost savings should also be implemented by church bodies. For this purpose : 1. From 1 January, 1956, to stop the payment of 600 rubles from church funds to the pension fund of the Krasnodar diocese in the amount of 50% of the amount of 1200 rubles per year previously paid. 2. On 2 February, 1956, to stop monthly payments from church funds for the maintenance of the Psebay dean, Priest Strokov for 150 rubles per month, since he was no longer dean. 3. From 1 February, 1956, to stop paying the priest for confession candles at the old prices for 5 rubles per candle, and to set the price at 3 rubles. To set payment for confession candles at 1 ruble regardless of their selling value. 4. From 1 March, 1956, to stop paying the psalmist a salary of 100 rubles per month from church funds, since he should receive the share of the priest's income due to him. 5. To stop paying for postal transfers of planned monetary amounts to the diocesan administration, but to do this by transferring money from one account to another through a bank. 6. The expenditure of funds for domestic needs to be produced only with the knowledge of the church council. 7. To establish that financial statements about accountable amounts were to be considered to be valid only if approved by the church council. 8. Illegal and careless spending of church funds, or without the knowledge of the church council, was to be considered a violation of financial discipline, and the amounts would be exacted from those responsible in an indisputable manner. The protocol was signed by 7 people of the church council and 3 people of the members of the church auditing commission [...].
Unfortunately, the activities of Vladyka Boris at the Kuban Krasnodar Cathedral did not last long. In April, 1956, he was transferred to the Kherson and Odessa departments with the assignment of the temporary administration of the Voroshilovgrad (now Luhansk) Diocese, while he continued in his authority as the Exarch of North and South America. However, at the end of Pascha Bright Week (Pascha was on 6 May in 1956) Archbishop Boris arrived from Odessa, and on 13 May, he served 2 farewell services in the cathedral. Especially there on that occasion were many worshipers (up to 5,000 people) in the evening service. In the evening after service, during 2 hours, Archbishop Boris held the Cross for the worshippers to kiss. The fact is that whereas on ordinary Sundays the worshippers after the service often left without kissing the Cross, now, each worshipper, as a sign of respect for the archbishop, considered it his/her duty to approach him and kiss the Cross. As a sign of special respect, the Krasnodar clergy presented Vladyka Boris at the expense of the diocese, a mitre, worth 25,000 rubles, a gold Panagia decorated with precious stones, and a golden Cross with precious stones worth 150,000 rubles (total cost : 175,000 rubles as per prices before the 1961 reform), as well as a nearly new ZIM car.
Awards :
Cross on the Klobuk (27 December, 1954)
Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Vladimir, 1st degree (11 May, 1963)
Writings
• ‘Archpastoral Epistle, 25 November, 1951 in Berlin’ in “Bulletin of the Russian West European Patriarchal Exarchate”, no. 9 (Moscow, 1952), pp. 3-5.
• ‘Easter Message of 1952, Berlin’ in “Bulletin of the Russian West European Patriarchal Exarchate”, no. 10 (Moscow, 1952), pp. 3-4.
• ‘Easter Greeting’ in “Bulletin of the Russian West European Patriarchal Exarchate”, no. 14 (Moscow, 1953), pp. 71-72.
• ‘Christmas Appeal’ in “Bulletin of the Russian West European Patriarchal Exarchate”, no. 13 (Moscow, 1953), pp. 3-4.
• ‘Christmas Message’ in “Bulletin of the Russian West European Patriarchal Exarchate”, no. 13 (Moscow, 1953), pp. 5-6.
• ‘From a Letter in the Case of Archpriest E Kovalevsky, 17 January, 1953’ (in French) in “Bulletin of the Russian West European Patriarchal Exarchate”, no. 15 (Moscow, 1953), pp. 127-128.
• «О насильственном разлучении православной паствы в Америке со своим архипастырем», ЖМП, 1955, № 3, 13-14. [‘On the violent Separation of the Orthodox Flock in America with their Archpastor’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 3 (1955), pp. 13-14)].
• ‘Bishop Dosifei (Greeting on the Occasion of his Appointment as Bishop of New York)’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 6 (1959), p. 2.
• ‘His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia on the Case of St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 7 (1960), p. 3.
• «Поучение в день Пятидесятницы», ЖМП, 1961, № 6, 39-40. [‘Teaching on the Day of Pentecost’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 6 (1961), pp. 39-40)].
• Moscow Patriarchate congratulates Yuri Gagarin on the Victory of the Flight into Space’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 5 (1961), pp. 8-9.
• «Речь на приёме участников сессии в Одессе», ЖМП, 1964, № 4, 16-17. [‘Speech at the Reception of the Participants of the Session of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches in Odessa on 10 February, 1964’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 4 (1964), pp. 16-17)].
Articles about Metropolitan Boris in various sources :
• « Журнал Московского Патриархата » (ЖМП) ("Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate" (JMP)) :
...... 1944, no. 4, pp. 10, 11 ;
...... 1947, no. 1, p. 16 ;
...... 1949, no. 2, p. 22 ;
...... 1950, no. 10, p. 3 ;
...... 1951, no. 11, p. 4 ;
...... 1952, no. 2, p. 3 ;
...... 1954, no. 8, p. 3 ; no. 12, p. 6 ;
...... 1955, no. 1, p. 7 ; no. 3, pp. 13-14 ; no. 4, p. 15 ;
...... 1956, no. 6, p. 6 ; no. 7, p. 13 ;
...... 1957, no. 7, p. 12 ;
...... 1958, no. 11, p. 10 ; no. 12, pp. 7, 14-15 ;
...... 1959, no. 1, p. 12, 13 ; no. 2, pp. 37-39 ; no. 3, pp. 12, 13, 15 ; no. 4, pp. 14-16 ; no. 6, p. 28 ; no. 7, p. 30 ; no. 8, pp. 14, 16, 17 ; no. 9, pp. 17, 24, 45 ; no. 10, pp. 18, 20, 28, 30, 37, 38 ; no. 11, pp. 8, 9 ; no. 12, p. 20 ;
...... 1960, no. 1, pp. 12, 18, 44 ; no. 2, pp. 58, 59, no. 3, pp. 21-23 ; no. 4, pp. 12, 14, 26, 28-29 ; no. 6, p. 27 ; no. 7, p. 3 ; no. 11, pp. 4, 7, 8 ; no. 12, pp. 8, 9, 11-16, 17, 19, 20 ;
...... 1961, no. 1, pp. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 23 ; no. 3, p. 70 ; no. 4, pp. 56, 57 ; no. 5, pp. 8, 9 ; no. 6, pp. 39-40 ; no. 8, pp. 11, 12, 31, 33 ; no. 9, pp. 6, 13 ; no. 10, pp. 3, 4, 23 ;
...... 1962, no. pp. 7, 36 ; no. 12, p. 12 ;
...... 1963, no. 1, p. 28 ; no. 6, p. 10 ; no. 9, p. 8 ; no. 10, p. 20 ; no. 11, p. 7 ;
...... 1965, no. 3, p. 4 ; no. 5, p. 5.
...... 1965, no. 6, 8 «указа на дата рождения 27 августа». [‘Decree on the Birthday, 27 August’ in “JMP”, no. 6 (1965), p. 8.]
• «Журнал Заседаний Священного Синода», no. 1 от 13.I.1947 ; no. 24 от 18.XI.48 ; no. 10 от 29.VII.54 ; no. 16 от 11.XI.1954 ; no. 5 от 25.IV.1956. ["Journal of the Sessions of the Holy Synod", no. 1 (13 January, 1947) ; no. 24 (18 November, 1948) ; no. 10 (29 July, 1954) ; no. 16 (11 November, 1954) ; no. 5 (25 April, 1956).]
• «Русская Православная Церковь», 153, 156, 208. ["Russian Orthodox Church", pp. 153, 156, 208.]
• «Состав Русской Православной Церкви Иерархии году», 18. [“Journal of the Russian Orthodox Church Hierarchy in 1965”, p. 18]
• «ФСП» 1, no. 305, 13. [“FSP”, no. 305, p. 13.]
• Михайлина Коцюбинська Книга Споминів: пам'яті друга — Романа Корогодського присвячую [Mikhaylina Kotsyubynska's Book of Memories : dedicated to the memory of a friend - Roman Korogodsky]
• Николай Жуков 'Почему запретили крестный ход' // «Литовский курьер» № 4 (674) [Zhukov, Nikolai 'Why the Procession was banned' in the "Lithuanian Courier", no. 4, p. 674]
• «Андреевский вестник», № 12, 2005 ["Andreevskiy Bulletin", no. 12 (2005)]
50th Anniversary Panikhida on 16 April, 2015, in Odessa, Ukraine, led by Metropolitan Agafangel (Savvin)
References
“Drevo” Russian Orthodox Encyclopaedia biography
Orthodox Encyclopedia biography
Russian Academic Dictionary biography
Biography by the Diocese of Chkalov and Buzuluk (Orenburg)
Russian Academic Dictionary biography (in Russian)
Russian Orthodox parish administration in the USA, biography
Lugansk Diocese biography of Metropolitan Boris (Vik) by Archpriest Alexander Avdyugin
Russian Wikipedia biography (in Russian)
Drevo Russian Orthodox Encyclopaedia biography (in Russian)
Orthodox Encyclopedia biography (in Russian)
Wikiwand biography (in Russian)
Additional information :
Avdyugin, Archpriest Alexander, 'Meeting with the Shrine' in “Pravmir”
Авдюгин, А, «Встреча со святыней» [Avdyugin, Archpriest Alexander, 'Meeting with the Shrine' in “Pravmir”]. (in Russian)
Babich, Alexander, "Archbishop Boris Vik in the Kuban, 1954-1956"
...... “Priests of the Krasnodar Diocese”
Firsov, Sergey Lvovich, "Time as Judge : Orthodox Churches of Russia and Constantinople in the 20th Century" (Moscow : Department of External Church Relations, 12 December 2018).
(Golovan), Hieromonk Anthony, “Activities of Archbishop Boris (Vik) during the Years of Administration of the Berlin and Germany Diocese (1950-1954)”
Pospielovsky, Dmitri, “The Russian Church Under the Soviet Regime 1917-1982”, 2 volumes (Crestwood, NY : Saint Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1984), vol. 1. ISBN : 0-88141-015-2.
Суханова, Н А, «Цветущая ветка сакуры. История Православной Церкви в Японии», Москва, Изд-во храма св. мц. Татианы, 2003, 49. [Sukhanova, N A, "History of the Orthodox Church in Japan" (Moscow : Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate, 2003), p. 49.]
Ottawamatters.com article about the visit to Canada and the USA in 1955
Владимир (Сабодан), иером. 'Митр. Херсонский и Одесский Борис (Вик) : Некролог' // «Там же». 1965. № 6. С. 7-11. [(Sabodan), Hieromonk Vladimir, 'In Memoriam : Metropolitan Boris (Vik) of Kherson and Odessa' in "JMP", no. 6 (1965), pp. 7-11.]
Wikipedia article about communist persecution of Christians
Recollections of Vladyka Boris (Vik)
"The heart believes in the truth" : Life and Books of Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) by Natalia Gorenok
Visit of Archbishop Boris (Vik) to Ottawa, Canada (December, 1955)
Patriarch Sergiy (Stragorodsky)
Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan)
Metropolitan Anthony (Melnikov)
Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk)
Archbishop Benjamin (Basalyga)
Archbishop Dionisius (Diachenko)