Protopresbyter Leonid and Matushka Alexandra Kishkovsky

Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky (1943-2021)

and

Matushka Alexandra (Mimi) Kishkovsky (born Koulomzine) (1947 -20__)

Early life of Leonid Aleksandrovich Kishkovsky

On 24 March, 1943, Leonid Aleksandrovich Kishkovsky was born in Warsaw, Poland. His Russian-speaking parents were Aleksander Ivanovich and Sofia Grigoryevna Kishkovsky.

In 1944, the family moved westwards, away from the advancing Soviet Red Army, and they took up residence as refugees in West Germany. In such camps, there were Orthodox Christian clergy who were also refugees, and who led services for the people, sometimes in very makeshift situations. There were also some local clergy who visited the camps in order to provide spiritual sustenance to the displaced people.

After several years, his family emigrated as “Displaced Persons” to the USA in March, 1951, and they settled in Los Angeles, California, next door to Holy Virgin Mary Church.

Leonid Aleksandrovich received most of his primary and all his secondary education in California. In addition, after his father reposed in the Lord, his mother married Professor Vladimir Grigorievich Ulitin, who became his step-father. Since he taught the history of the Church, and Russian literature of the 18th and 19th centuries from the classical point of view of the Orthodox Christian Faith as the soul of Russian culture, his perspective would have influenced the academic formation of Leonid Aleksandrovich. It was also in harmony with the disposition of his future teachers.

Leonid Aleksandrovich grew up assisting the clergy in the Altar, particularly longtime rector, Archpriest Dimitri Gisetti, whose example eventually inspired him to go to seminary and become a priest. Moreover, his paternal grandfather had been a priest in the Russian Empire.

Higher education

From 1961 to 1964, Leonid Aleksandrovich studied political science and history at the University of Southern California. He had intended to enter the USA Foreign Service.

Although he had a change of heart later, and redirected the course of his studies, his formation thus far proved to be very helpful in his future. In addition to this somewhat “technical” element, it may be suggested that he had “caught” a rather more important quality from his mentors, namely the ability to see Christ in each person. Such a quality would explain in part how he could be an effective “bridge” presence in the midst of tensions, and how he could have the interior resources to be involved in an effective manner in many “projects” all at once.

Study at Saint Vladimir's Seminary

After completing studies and receiving a bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern California in 1964, he enrolled at Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York City, where he concluded his formal education in 1967.

During the next 2 years, Leonid held several positions in youth ministry on both the local (at his home parish) and inter-jurisdictional levels (for instance, the Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement (OISM)).

Saint Vladimir's Seminary, 1960s

It was at a Saint Vladimir’s Seminary student retreat that he met Alexandra Feodorovna Koulomzine from Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Born in February, 1947, and daughter of Theodore and Maria Koulomzine, Alexandra was a relative of Mrs. Sophie Koulomzin, one of the teachers at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, and also of Archpriest John Meyendorff, a professor at the same seminary. In typical Russian style, she had a nickname, or “pet-name”, which in her case was Mimi.

Marriage, 1969

On 31 August, 1969, Leonid Aleksandrovich Kishkovsky and Alexandra Feodorovna Koulomzine were crowned in marriage by Father John Meyendorff and Father Alexander Schmemann at Saint Sergius Chapel at Lac Labelle, Québec, Canada (north of Montréal).

With Father John Meyendorff, outside Saint Sergius Chapel

In due time, they received from the Lord 2 daughters, Sophia and Maria.

Ordinations, 1969

On 20 September, 1969, Leonid A Kishkovsky was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Dmitri (Royster) at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary.

On 2 November, 1969, Deacon Leonid Kishkovsky was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Archbishop John (Shahovskoy) at Holy Virgin Mary Church in Los Angeles.

Pastoral service

Priest Leonid Kishkovsky was assigned to serve at Saint Innocent Chapel in Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco where services were conducted in English. This enabled him to continue outreach to young people.

He and Mimi were actively engaged in Orthodox Christian Fellowship campus work with college students in the San Francisco area.

After nearly 5 years of service in San Francisco, Father Leonid was released from this responsibility, and he was transferred to New York.

Transfer to Sea Cliff, New York, 1974

On 1 July, 1974, Priest Leonid Kishkovsky was assigned to serve as parish rector of the parish of Our Lady of Kazan in Sea Cliff, New York. He moved there with his family, and he remained there for the rest of his life.

From the beginning of his parish service in Sea Cliff, Father Leonid was faced with the difficult task of nurturing peace within the community. The community had suffered during several years of controversy and turmoil when a group of parishioners left the parish at the 1970 granting of autocephaly to the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America (ROGCCNA) by the Moscow Patriarchate and the establishment of The Orthodox Church in America (OCA). In protest, that group joined the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), and they established another parish nearby. (There were other places in the USA and Canada where there were similar situations at that time.)

With God’s help, Father Leonid was able to restore peace in the parish and to strengthen its liturgical life. For the sake of missionary outreach, the English language was gradually added to the services. In time, the parish adopted the “new” calendar (Revised Julian Calendar) for the same reason.

The measured prayerful and thoughtful manner in which he led the parish flock entrusted to him was the same manner in which he undertook all his responsibilities in the Church.

Assistant Chancellor of the OCA, 1974

At the same time as he began pastoral service in Sea Cliff, Father Leonid was assigned also to serve as Assistant to the Chancellor at the OCA Chancery, Oyster Bay Cove (not far from Sea Cliff). Likewise, he remained working there in various capacities for the rest of his life.

Together with his parish service, Father Leonid laboured with faith and devotion for the Church at large. Because of the particular talents given to him, Father Leonid was able to provide a strong, intelligent and faithful witness for the Orthodox Christian Faith both in the USA and in many countries around the world.

When he arrived at the OCA Chancery in 1974, Father Leonid’s work entailed assisting the Chancellor (Archpriest Daniel Hubiak) and providing support in many tasks. Many responsibilities both within the OCA and around the world had come together with being given autocephaly. As the newly-autocephalous OCA matured and became more visible, it was called to greater interaction with other Orthodox Churches, religious bodies of other faiths as well as inter-Christian, political and humanitarian organisations.

Delegated by the Metropolitan, the Holy Synod, and the Chancellor to represent the OCA in these interactions, Father Leonid’s service outside the parish soon became almost exclusively focussed on external witness, and he became identified with what became the Office of External Affairs and Inter-Church Relations. This work demanded more and more of his time, and constant travel for many years in order to attend meetings and consultations around the world.

During the course of his service in the Department of External and Inter-Church Relations, he served with 2 bishop-chairmen who were bishops in Canada.

In 1985, Father Leonid succeeded Father John Meyendorff as Editor of “The Orthodox Church” (TOC), the OCA’s main official periodical. He served as TOC editor from 1985 until 2012. In this responsibility, he produced an editorial for every issue of the newspaper (and for its successor, the “Orthodox Church Magazine”.

In 1989, he was elected as the first Orthodox Christian president of the National Council of Churches in the USA after decades of Protestant leadership. This inter-Christian body, while comprising both Protestant and Orthodox communions, was perceived as and accused of being a project of liberal Protestantism. Father Kishkovsky sought to bridge divides not only between and amongst denominations, but also between ideologies.

″There are people of deep Christian faith who hold liberal commitments and also those who hold conservative commitments”, he told The New York Times […]. “My dream is that the differing communities of religious discourse could be in fruitful conversation and debate with one another”.

He was decorated by the National Council of Churches in 2020 with its President’s Award for Excellence in Faithful Leadership. The council said in a statement that Father Kishkovsky “held fast to Orthodoxy, yet he was open to the faiths of others. He was their friend, and with them he enjoyed intense conversation, shared keen observations, and gave in to hearty laughter”.

Father Leonid also served in various roles with other inter-Christian and inter-faith groups, including the World Council of Churches, Church World Service, and Religions for Peace USA. He was a board member of International Orthodox Christian Charities and was involved in various other co-operative efforts amongst the various local Orthodox Churches.

In 1988, he was a participant of the Third International Scientific Church Conference "Liturgical Life and Church Art of the Russian Orthodox Church" in Leningrad, USSR.

In 1994, he was a participant of the "Unity of the Church" conference in Moscow, Russia.

In November 1996 , he was invited by the US State Department to serve on the Committee of Advisers on Religious Freedom Abroad. At various times, he served as Chairman of the Research Center on Religion and Human Rights in Closed Societies, Member of the Board of Directors of the International Orthodox Christian Charities, Trustee of the Appeal of Conscience, Member of the Standing Committee of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America (SCOBA).

In 1999, he was a participant in international negotiations that culminated in the release at the end of April 1999 of 3 American prisoners of war in Yugoslavia .

In the 2000s, he was a member of the administration and Assistant to the Chancellor for External Affairs and Inter-Church Relations of the Orthodox Church in America. He also served as vice-chairman of the Communications Department of the Orthodox Church in America and editor of the Church's main communication organ, “The Orthodox Church”.

On 9 October, 2001, following the disaster of 11 September, 2001, in New York City, Father Leonid gave a presentation at a special Vespers service in Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis) presided, and Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) was present. This service was served especially for the Orthodox Christian Community of the United Nations.

In 2003, he was a participant of the International Conference "Orthodox Teaching about the Church" in Moscow, Russia.

In 2004, as part of the World Council of Churches (WCC), he was a member of the executive and central committees. For 8 years, he participated in the preparation of a document on the “common understanding and perspective of the WCC”.

On 1 February, 2009, as part of the delegation of the Orthodox Church in America, he attended the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

Matushka Alexandra

During all these years, and on into the future, Matushka Alexandra (Mimi) Kishkovsky was a close co-worker with her husband in the parish, and in other activities.

She was active in various pastoral care activities supported by the central office of The Orthodox Church in America at Syosset, New York ; and in 1983, she wrote in "Parish Ministry Resources" (formerly known as the "Resource Hand-book"), the important article "The Parish : A Helper for the Aging".

Like many other truly humble women and men, Matushka Alexandra generally escaped public notice ; but when she became known, she was always appreciated for her intelligence, her hospitality, and for her genuine personal care for others as an exemplary Orthodox Christian.

40 years of pastoral service ; 35 years of service at the OCA Chancery, 2009

On 22 October, 2009, the Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Theotokos, Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) celebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Sea Cliff, New York. At that time, the 40th anniversary of the pastoral service of Father Leonid was marked, as well as his 35th anniversary of service on the staff of the OCA Chancery. Also, that same year marked the 40th anniversary of their marriage.

On behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops, Metropolitan Jonah bestowed upon him the Order of Saint Innocent, Silver Medal, as a token of the gratitude of the Church for his faithful service.

Presentation of the Order of Saint Innocent by Metropolitan Jonah, 2009

Father Leonid's wife, Matushka Alexandra (Mimi), was a devoted partner in life, and indeed, she served as mother to the parish. Together, they revelled in their children and grandchildren, even if for extended periods the revelling was done from a distance ; for his family, like many families today, was spread across the globe. When Father Leonid travelled (before his illness he did so very frequently), Mimi attended to the concerns of their parishioners.

In 2010, Father Leonid was a participant in the meetings of the OCA and ROCOR commissions which, in December, produced a statement about their renewed mutual co-operation. Following this, these meetings continued to be convened.

ROCOR-OCA Commissions

At a meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church of America on 7-10 May, 2012, Bishop Alexander (Golitsyn) of Toledo was assigned to serve as chairman of the Department of External Relations of the Church, under whom Father Leonid retained the responsibility of Director of External Affairs.

His many activities for the Church world-wide entailed numerous absences from his family and parish. Nevertheless, Father Leonid was able to keep his parish flock spiritually nourished and parish and family life in harmony.

Amongst the many organisations and initiatives, too numerous to list, with which he was involved in his witness for the Church include :

• SCOBA (Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Churches in the Americas) – member of the Study and Planning Commission

• IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) - Board Member

• Commission of the Orthodox Church in America for dialogue with ROCOR, 2010 – Member

• WCC (World Council of Churches) – Executive Committee and Central Committee

• NCC (National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA) First Orthodox President, 1989-90

• CWS (Church World Service)

• Appeal of Conscience Foundation – Trustee

• Action by Churches Together (ACT) – Moderator 2000-03

• Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT) – Steering Committee

• Religions for Peace International (RFP) – Co-Moderator, Co-President, Honorary President

• Religions for Peace USA (RFP) – Moderator

• Research Centre for Religion and Human Rights in Closed Societies, formerly Religion in Communist Dominated Areas (RCDA) – President

• He was a trustee of the Biblical and Theological Institute of Saint Andrew the Apostle in Moscow.

Father Leonid maintained regular and frequent communication on behalf of The Orthodox Church in America with all the Orthodox Churches throughout the world (often directly with the head of each) and he facilitated many meetings and dialogues. Particularly important were his personal contacts with the patriarchal administrations of the largest Churches – Constantinople, and Moscow.

The “undercurrent” in all his responsibilities, including his parish pastoral responsibility, was the blessing of the Metropolitans of The Orthodox Church in America at the time (from 1974 until 2021). Not only was it the responsibility of Father Leonid to keep the metropolitan aware of all inter-Orthodox, international, and inter-Christian events, but also he did this with care and diligence. In this context, he gave full and detailed reports at every meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops, and also to the meetings of the Metropolitan Council. He answered questions forthrightly, and he received critical comments with humility.

Furthermore, the relationships that Father Leonid had with the leadership of the various Orthodox Christian Churches was not merely official. He demonstrated a sincere care for the very persons who were the leaders of these Churches. He was a man who lived out the ideal way of balance as an Orthodox Christian. He did not get trapped by empty, useless politics and counterproductive polemics ; but rather, he affirmed what was good and right in others, and he tried to live in accordance with the Holy Gospels, and with Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Light.

More than once in his later years, Father Leonid suffered a health crisis which sometimes caused him to be hospitalised for various treatments. Regardless, he forged on in fulfilling his responsibilities for the sake of love for Christ, and for His Church.

At the Divine Liturgy in Sea Cliff

Repose, 2021

On Tuesday, 3 August, 2021, after a heart infarction, Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky fell asleep in the Lord at Glen Cove Hospital in Glen Cove, New York.

On Wednesday morning, 4 August, 2021, Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) served a Panikhida (Memorial Service) for the newly-departed Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky at the Sergius Chapel at the Chancery.

On Wednesday, 11 August, 2021, at 12 noon, the coffin with the body of Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky arrived at Our Lady of Kazan Orthodox Church at 2, Willow Shore Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York. Archbishop Michael (Dahulich), Archbishop of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, met the coffin at the door, and with prayer, he preceded the coffin into the Temple.

On Wednesday, 11 August, 2021, at 7:00 p.m., Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) presided at the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Priest at Our Lady of Kazan Temple in Sea Cliff, New York. He was assisted by Archbishop Michael (Dahulich) of New York, Bishop John (Abdalah) of Worcester and New England of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, and many other clergy. At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Tikhon preached a homily. Afterwards, some of the many letters of condolence received were read aloud.

On Thursday, 12 August, 2021, at 9:30 a.m., Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) presided at the serving of the Hierarchical Memorial Divine Liturgy at Our Lad of Kazan Temple in Sea Cliff, New York. He was assisted by Archbishop Michael (Dahulich) of New York and Bishop Irinej (Dobrijević) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA, and by many other clergy. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a final Litya for the Departed was served at the coffin. Then Archbishop Michael and Bishop Irenej each spoke. After the the giving of the Last Kiss, the coffin was closed, and taken in procession around the Temple.

After this, the body of Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky was taken to the Roslyn Cemetery at Roslyn, Nassau County, New York, where another Litya for the Departed was served, and his body was interred.

Reflections

Father Leonid is survived by his beloved Matushka Alexandra (Mimi), and his daughters, Sophia and her husband NIcholas Sluchevsky ; and Maria and her husband Nicolas Megrelis ; and 5 grandchildren : Theodore, Sophie, Alexander, Nicholas, and Helena.

On 4 August, 2021, after the conclusion of the Panikhida (Memorial Service) which was served by Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard), Vladyka Metropolitan offered thanks to God for Father Leonid’s many years of faithful service to The Orthodox Church in America. He reflected further that Father Leonid, as a true priest of the Church, beautifully combined his own personality with those gifts given to him by God “He was definitely a giant in the church”, said the Archpriest Alexander Rentel, chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America. “As gifted as he was as a diplomat and administrator, he was a caring and loving pastor”,

Father Leonid Kishkovsky was keenly interested in the life and fate of the Russian Church. He maintained active contacts with Church and public persons in Russia.

“Father Leonid was a prominent church figure, and given the position of the American Orthodox Church both in the United States and in the world, this imposed a great responsibility on him”, said Dmitry Gasak, First Vice-Rector of the Saint Philaret Institute. “He was a very experienced and intelligent man, perceptive. As a descendant of Russian emigrants, he understood more than others the spiritual underpinnings of what was happening in Russia in Soviet times, in the 90s, and today -- and had his own unique view of the church history of the 20th century”.

“In personal communication, Father Leonid was a rather sincere person and very disposed to himself”, recalled Dmitry Gasak. “After Father Alexander Schmemann and Father John Meyendorff, he was perhaps one of the most significant figures in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). He was associated with the Russian Church not only because of the special position of the OCA, but also simply because of his origin and his love for Russia and Russian culture. Meetings with him have always been of great importance”.

“Father Leonid was one of my most cherished mentors, especially in church diplomacy, where he embodied both zeal and sobriety, and also realism, respect for the other, and love for the Church”, said Saint Vladimir's Professor Dr. Peter Bouteneff. “His unflagging commitment and hope (often in the face of deep disappointment), his knowledge, and his connectedness to the movers and shakers of the church and the political world made him into one of the giants of our time -- all the while, grounded in his beloved little parish in Sea Cliff. In making the Orthodox Church known, understood, and respected throughout the world, his impact was incalculable”.

“Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky will be remembered as one of the building blocks of what would become the OCA. His global contacts and influence in both Orthodox and inter-Christian spheres had no rivals”, said Archpriest Chad Hatfield, president of St. Vladimir's Seminary. “His legacy will be studied and interpreted for many years to come. May God grant him Paradise”.

“With sorrow I received the news of the death of Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky, whom I personally knew, and with whom I interacted at various interchurch forums for fifty years”, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said in his condolence letter to Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada. Patriarch Kirill also expressed his condolences to the widow of the deceased – Presbytera Alexandra, his children and grandchildren.

Awards

Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky received many awards from organisations and Churches around the world. Most notably, the Holy Synod of the OCA awarded him the Order of Saint Innocent, Silver Medal, in 2009 ; the rarely-given dignity of the title protopresbyter in 2014 ; and the right to wear a mitre in 2017.

In November, 2014, Father Leonid and Matushka Mimi received gramotas from Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey on the same day that he was elevated to the rank of Protopresbyter.

Writings

• “Orthodox Christians in North America 1794-1994” (with Stokoe, Mark) (New York : Orthodox Christian Publications Centre, 1995).

• “Orthodoxy in America : Diaspora or Church ?” (Russia, 17-20 November, 2003)).

• “Following Christ with Great Joy : Christians Called to Reconciliation” (JSTOR, January, 2010, pp. 55-62).

• “Response to Miroslav Volf” (Sage Journals, vol. 1, issue 1, January, 1996).

• ‘Canonization of the Royal Family : Pros and Cons’ in “Church and Time”, no. 4 (1998), pp. 197-199. (“Church and Time” is a Russian journal.)

• ‘We are Members of the same Church’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 6 (1989), pp. 48-49.

• ‘Interview : Continuing the Traditions of Orthodoxy’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 6 (1990), pp. 27-28.

• "Building Orthodox unity in the midst of pluralism : A step forward" (4 February , 2011).

• "The Quest to be truly Orthodox and truly American" (1 March, 2010).

• "Pope addresses challenges to Christian faith" (30 April, 2008).

• "Anticipation : An All-American Council of repentance, healing, renewed life, and reinvigorated mission" (1 March, 2008).

• "Primacy theme of Catholic-Orthodox dialogue" (25 December, 2007).

• "The renewed mission of St. Vladimir's Seminary : An example for the entire Church" (31 August, 2007).

• "After 80-plus Years, the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia Reconcile" (30 June, 2007).

• "9/11 in New York City" (31 August, 2006).

• "Seeing the “other” as a fellow human being : A reflection on the Middle East crisis" (30 June, 2006).

• "UK diocesan crisis tests Church's mission to all" (31 May, 2006).

• "Treasure in Earthen Vessels" (1 April, 2006).

• “Orthodoxy Today : Tradition or Traditionalism ?” (30 January, 2005).

• ‘On the Path to Church Unity in North America’ in “Russian Thought”, no. 4195 (1997).

• ‘Continuing the traditions of Orthodoxy’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 6 (1990), pp. 27-28.

• ‘All-American Ecclesiastical Council’ in “Yearbook of the Orthodox Church in America”, (1976), pp. 8-15.

Writings by other authors about Father Leonid Kishkovsky

• Alexandrov, E A, “Russians in North America : A Biographical Dictionary” (Hamden ; San Francisco ; St. Petersburg : Congress of Russian Americans, 2005).

• Matusiak, Father John, ‘Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky’ in “The Orthodox Church” (June, 1999), p. 16.

• Schmemann, Protopresbyter Alexander, “The Journals of Father Alexander Schmemann 1973-1983” (2005). [Praise for the diplomatic skills of Fr Kishkovsky.]

• Steinfels, Peter, ‘Orthodox Priest Leads Protestant Group’ in “The New York Times” (19 November, 1989).

References

Parish Biography

Russian Wikipedia biography

Drevo Encyclopaedia biography

Russian Religious Persons Abroad biography

Additional information :

Prokurat Michael, Golitzin Alexander, Peterson, Michael D. "Historical Dictionary of the Orthodox Church" (Lanham, Maryland : Scarecrow Press, 1996) ISBN : 0-8108-3081-7.

In Memoriam : Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky (3 August, 2021).

National Council of Churches : In Memoriam (5 August, 2021)

Saint Philaret University In Memoriam : "Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky has departed to the Lord"

Diocese of New York and New Jersey : Memory Eternal – Mitred Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky

"Orthodox Christianity" : In Memoriam (4 August, 2021).

“Associated Press” : Obituary (6 August, 2021).

Patriarch Kirill mourns over the Death of a prominent Shepherd, Protopresbyter Leonid Kishkovsky (6 August, 2021)

Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America (OCA)

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Russia

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Constantinople

patriarch Pimen (Izvekov)

Patriarch Aleksey II (Ridiger)