Bishop Amphilokhy (Vakulsky)

Bishop Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) (1862-1933)

Amphilokhy may be spelt Amphilochy, Amfilochy, Amfilokhy.

Antoniy may be spelt Anton, Antony, Anthony.

Early life of Antoniy Vakulsky

On 12/24 September, 1862, Antoniy Vakulsky was born in the Lubelsky County of the Lublin Province (Voivodship) of Poland, to a peasant family.

The Lublin Province was part of the Kingdom of Poland, known as “Congress Poland”, which was given to the Russian Empire in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna. Originally a “sovereign state” within the Russian Empire and connected to Russia by a “personal union”, it was gradually integrated into the Empire, and it was officially made part of Russia in 1867.

Antoniy Vakulsky was raised as an Orthodox Christian, where such Christians were a small minority in the midst of the great Roman Catholic majority.

He completed his primary and secondary education in his home county.

Higher education

Antoniy Vakulsky was further educated at the Yablochinsky-Saint Onouphry Monastery of the Chełm (Kholm) and Warsaw Diocese. He took courses also at the Chełm Cathedral. His preparation was that for anyone who would become a “prichetnik” (that is, a “church worker” : anyone who laboured in/for the Church, from a janitor to a bishop).

Yablochinsky Monastery

The Yablochinsky-Saint Onouphry Monastery was established towards the end of the 15th century. The monks of the monastery refused to join the Union of Brest in 1596, which forced the Orthodox to go under the jurisdiction of the Pope of Rome, creating the “Unia” (union with and submission to the Pope of Rome). Labelled as “religious dissidents” by the Poles, the monks were persecuted for adhering to the Orthodox Christian Faith. The enforcement of the Union on the Orthodox caused significant revolts against the Poles, most notably the uprising of the Zaporozhian Cossacks under Bogdan Khmelnitsky, which severed the Left Bank (Western) Ukraine from Poland.

By 1914, the monastery was operating a school with courses for readers, parochial school teachers, and offering a 3-year agriculture programme.

Monastic tonsure, 1891

On 13 January, 1891, Antoniy Vakulsky was tonsured to be a monk at the Yablochinsky-Saint Onouphry Monastery, and he received the name “Amphilokhy” (Saint Amphilokhius of Iconium, 23 November).

Ordinations, 1891, 1893

On 3 March, 1891, the Monk Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Flavian (Gorodetsky) of Kholm (Chełm) and Warsaw (later, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galich).

On 21 November, 1893, the Hierodeacon Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Gideon (Pokrovsky) of Lublin, Vicar-Bishop of the Kholm and Warsaw Diocese (later, Bishop of Vladikavkaz and Mozdok).

Pastoral service

In 1897, the Hieromonk Amphilokhy was assigned to be the treasurer of the Yablochinsky-Saint Onouphry Monastery by Bishop Flavian. He was also assigned to be a travelling missionary in the Belsky Deanery, where there lived many Uniats (Eastern Catholics).

On 31 August, 1899, the Hieromonk Amphilokhy enrolled in a 2-year course at the Kazan Theological Academy, with the blessing of Bishop Tikhon (Belavin), Bishop of the Diocese of the Aleutians and Alaska. The Kazan Academy was the primary missionary school of the Russian Orthodox Church. Bishop Tikhon had been the Bishop of Lublin in 1897-1898, and he was undoubtedly acquainted with the Hieromonk Amphilokhy. There were 2 rectors of the Kazan Academy during the time while Hieromonk Amphilokhy studied at the academy. These were Bishop Antony (Khrapovitsky) of Chistopolsk and Vicar-Bishop of the Kazan Diocese ; and his successor, Bishop Alexei (Molchanov).

Kazan Orthodox Seminary

At the academy, Hieromonk Amphilokhy studied missionary work, and the Mongolian and Kalmyk languages. His thesis was on the missions of the Russian Church to the Mongols of Siberia.

Transfer to North America, 1900

At the request of Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) of the Aleutians and Alaska, Hieromonk Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was transferred by the Most Holy Synod on 20 October, 1900, to serve as a missionary priest for the Diocese of the Aleutians and Alaska.

On 12 November, 1900, he was assigned to serve in the Kwikpak Mission in Alaska (at the Yukon River delta). However, he first served temporarily as the rector of the Holy Trinity Church in Chicago, Illinois (January to May, 1901).

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois

He arrived in Alaska in June, 1901. Upon arrival in Alaska, he soon mastered local languages, because his knowledge of the Mongolian and Kalmyk languages (from his time in Kazan) had prepared him for learning them.

Service in Alaska, 1901

From 1901 to 1912, he supervised the Kwikpak Mission, with its 5 associated parishes. Hieromonk Amphilokhy was a tireless mission labourer, and he travelled far afield throughout the Northern Alaska wilderness. In the summer, he travelled by kayak, and in the winter he travelled by dog-sled. He organised small groups of converts in the indigenous ("Eskimo") villages. He taught Holy Scripture, Church history and singing, and he prepared his students to be teachers.

On 6 May, 1908, the Hieromonk Amphilokhy was elevated to the dignity of igumen.

On 1 August, 1908, Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky) of Alaska assigned the Hieromonk Amphilokhy to be rector of the Saint Michael’s Mission on the Chukotka Peninsula (in eastern Siberian North Asia, west of the Seward Peninsula, across the Bering Strait, with the Diomede Islands between). He stayed in Chukotka from June, 1909, to June, 1910. Living and preaching the Orthodox Christian Faith amongst the inhabitants, he also founded a parish school for 20 pupils. During his 11 years of missionary service in Alaska, Father Amphilokhy baptised some 1,500 persons.

Father Amphilokhy in winter

Dean of Canadian parishes, 1912-1916

In April, 1912, Igumen Amphilokhy was assigned by Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of the Aleutians and North America to serve as the dean of the parishes in Canada. He was assigned to serve as the Rector of Saint Barbara's Church in Edmonton, Alberta, and he kept a residence at the Nativity of the Theotokos Parish at Rabbit Hill (Nisku), Alberta.

In May, 1914, Igumen Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

On 20 April, 1915, Bishop Alexander (Nemolovsky) assigned Archimandrite Amphilokhy to be the rector of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Sitka, Alaska. He was also assigned to be the dean of the Alaskan Missions, in addition to those he supervised in Canada.

Therefore, he was transferred from Edmonton, Alberta, to Sitka, Alaska (although he continued for a time in his responsibility as dean of the Canadian parishes.

Spiritual Court of Alaska ; Head of the Alaskan mission, 1916

In September, 1916, Bishop Philip (Stavitsky) of Alaska assigned Archimandrite Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) to serve as a member of the Spiritual Court of Alaska.

During this year, Archimandrite Amphilokhy was released from his responsibilities in Canada.

With the blessing of Archbishop Evdokim (Meschersky) of the Aleutians and North America, and in answer to his own petition, from June, 1916, he was assigned serve as the head of the Northern Alaska Mission.

The principal reason for this was to make an attempt to counter the Presbyterian missionaries who were attempting to entice the Orthodox flock away from the Orthodox Christian Faith.

In the autumn of 1916, Archimandrite Amphilokhy settled at the Kwikpak Mission (later called "Russian Mission") camp along the Yukon River. Serving at the Holy Cross Temple of the Mission, he resumed the school for catechists and he established a shelter for orphans.

Holy Cross Temple, Kwikpak

While Archimandrite Amphilokhy was immersed in missionary work, a colleague in the diocese, Archimandrite Antoniy (Dashkevich), was primarily engaged in administrative work, and interactions with the American authorities. While there is nothing indicating any sort of close relationship between the 2 priests, they were, undoubtedly, aware of each other, and of the work that they each did.

Archimandrite Amphilokhy in Alaska

In 1921, Archimandrite Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was still serving as head of the Northern Alaska Mission. During that year, Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin) had heard of the many troubles that had arisen within the Russian Diocese of North America. Many of them were the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution. He attempted to have Metropolitan Evlogiy (Georgievsky) of Paris, France, travel to America, and audit the North American Diocese. However, Metropolitan Evlogiy pointedly refused to go. Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) had assured Metropolitan Evlogiy that there was absolutely no need for any audit ; but if he were to come he should bring money. With the audit stalled due to Metropolitan Evlogiy’s refusal, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) in Yugoslavia, named Bishop Antoniy (Dashkevich) to carry out the audit.

Alaska named a distinct diocese, 1921

At the same time, the Synod of Bishops assigned Bishop Antoniy (Dashkevich) to serve as the Bishop of Alaska, and they set Alaska apart as a distinct diocese. Both propositions were approved by Patriarch Tikhon, who had also known Bishop Antoniy when he served in Alaska. Thus, Alaska was detached from the North American Diocese (although they would remain together within the Synod of Bishops). Bishop Antoniy (Dashkevich) travelled to the USA, but he never arrived in Alaska to take over the new diocese. Instead, he retired due to illness, and he departed from North America by 1924.

During the previous tenure of Archbishop Evdokim (Meschersky), financial difficulties had arisen. As the bishop tried to cope with the financial difficulties of the diocese, he demanded the transfer of the church property of Serbian parishes into the hands of the diocesan administration. This provoked a sharply negative reaction.

In his book, P G Protsenko writes that Archbishop Evdokim was accused by some of his contemporaries of wasting church property in North America. The concerns about the alleged misuse of funds was pointed also at others in the reports of Bishop Antoniy (Dashkevich).

Metropolitan Evlogiy (Georgievsky) and Archimandrite Amphilokhy both engaged in a seemingly voluminous correspondence with Archbishop John (Pommers) of Riga and Latvia (who was later killed and glorified as a martyr), that catalogued the “dastardly deeds” committed by Bishop Antoniy when he was in America. The apparent intent of the correspondence was for the purpose of countering Bishop Antoniy’s audit, which apparently did not paint Archbishop Platon or Archimandrite Amphilokhy in a good light. The audit compiled by Bishop Antoniy was also sent to Archbishop John in Latvia, so that he could have it forwarded to Patriarch Tikhon. (After the Bolshevik Revolution, correspondence between the Church in Russia and any of its missions abroad was very difficult. Moreover, along with the whole of society in the new USSR, all the Church of Russia was in turmoil : the Russian Civil War was still in progress, and the atheists were attacking the Church.)

In 1923, Archimandrite Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was elected by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to become Vicar-Bishop of Alaska.

He was therefore sent by the diocesan authorities to Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin) in Moscow for ordination. However, because of the circumstances, he was unable to travel farther than Riga, Latvia. He could not enter the USSR.

Under these circumstances, Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin) gave the blessing that the formal Confession of Faith, the naming and the ordination take place in the USA.

On 28 June, 1924, Archimandrite Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) made his Confession of Faith in New York, and he was then named "Bishop-elect".

Archimandrite Amphilokhy (Vakulsky)

Episcopal ordination, 1924

On 28 July, 1924, Archimandrite Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in New York City. He was ordained by Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky), Bishop Theophilus (Pashkovsky), and Bishop Apollinary (Koshevoy).

Episcopal service

Disregarding the ROCOR’s directive to make Alaska a Diocese, Bishop Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) was assigned to be the Bishop of Sitka and Alaska, and Vicar-Bishop of the North American Diocese.

Bishop Amphilokhy devoted all his energy and he focussed all his activities on Alaska. He rarely visited New York on business, although he went somewhat more often to Seattle, Washington.

Vladyka Amphilokhy had great authority with the Alaskan flock. Many eyewitnesses attest to how Bishop Amphilokhy instructed the Faithful and how he protected them from the encroachments of Protestant missionaries in the villages on the mainland of Alaska.

Bishop Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) served as Bishop of Alaska until 1930.

Retirement, 1930

By October, 1930, because of illness, Bishop Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) retired to Saint Tikhon’s Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania.

Repose, 1933

Bishop Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) fell asleep in the Lord at Saint Tikhon's Monastery on 25 January, 1933.

His body was interred in the cemetery of the monastery.

— Bishop of Alaska 1924-1930. Preceded by : Bishop Anthony (Dashkevich). Succeeded by : Bishop Antoniy (Vasiliev).

— Vicar-Bishop of North America 1924-1930.

— Former Bishop of Alaska 1930-1933.

Reflections

Following is an eyewitness account about Vladyka Amphilokhy's pastoral care for the flock in Alaska in the face of marauding Protestant missionaries (published in the "Jubilee Collection in Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Church in North America", Part 2, (New York, 1945), p. 50).

This very old man, the bishop, arrived and stayed in the same house at the beginning
of the village. I waited to see what would happen. [...] Soon this old man came out,
dressed in priestly clothes, with a staff in his hands, and went to the church.
He walked slowly, solemnly. He took a step and threateningly struck his staff down
against the frozen ground. Again, he stepped and again, threateningly, he hit the
ground with his staff. One by one, the villagers timidly began to leave their houses
and to go after the bishop, without hats, until the whole village, young and old,
joined this procession. At the church, the bells began to ring, and it was so beautiful.

A young [Protestant] missionary minister had a meeting in a house in the neighbourhood,
and he had gathered a group. – What was this ? [...] In front of the astonished missionary,
this old bishop led the entire population to the church. For three days (morning and evening)
there was a long service. As they told me, the bishop in the Temple turned his face
to the people. The Bishop loudly knocked on the wooden floor with his staff, and
he ordered everyone to kneel. His great spirit was outraged : did he not live amongst
them ? Was it not he who, together with them, in the years of famine, ate non-cattle meat,
travelled by dog-sled in storms and bad weather to get to them – the sick ? Was it not
he who prayed for them, and was it not through him that God gave them mercy : forgiveness
of sins, healing, rescue in adversity ?

He spoke a lot and convincingly to them in the local native dialect. [...] Then everyone
asked for forgiveness from him, confessed, and received Communion.

After living there for a few more days, he left, and not one more person went to the
missionary meetings of the young minister. They even refused his flour and potatoes.
The missionary had no choice but to board up the windows of his place and to drive away.

Awards :

• Gold Pectoral Cross (from the office of His Imperial Majesty Tsar Nicholas II, 20 October, 1900)

• Nabedrennik (14 April, 1902)

• Gramota (certificate of blessing) (25 February, 1904)

Writings

Bishop Amphilokhy (Vakulsky) wrote many ethnographic notes about the Kwikpak (Quikpah) Mission and the life of the Orthodox Church in Alaska, including travel journals on missionary trips. Extracts from these were published in the "Russian Orthodox American Messenger". Some of the materials are kept in the Archives of The Orthodox Church in America.

In the indigenous Alaskan languages, he wrote short but expressive sermons about the basic truths of the Orthodox Christian Faith and about morality.

References

“The Russian Mission in North America”

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

ROCOR Studies article by Michael Woerl

OCA History of the Russian Mission, Chapter 2 : 1870-1920

Russian Wikipedia biography

Drevo Encyclopaedia biography

Orthodox Encyclopaedia biography

Additional information :

(Afonsky), Bp Gregory, "A History of the Orthodox Church in Alaska (1794-1917)" (Kodiak, 1977).

Alexandrov, E A, "Russians in North America : A Biographical Dictionary" (Hamden ; San Francisco ; St Petersburg, 2005), p.23.

Archdiocese of Canada — Orthodox Church in America, “The Orthodox Church in Canada : A Chronology” (Ottawa : Archdiocese of Canada, 1988).

Bensin, B M, "Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska, 1794-1967" (Sitka, 1967?)].

Lickwar, V, 'The Diocese of Alaska in the 20th Century' in "Orthodox America, 1794-1976" (NY, 1975).

Okuntsov, I K, "Russian emigration in North and South America" (Buenos Aires : Seyatel, 1967), p. 486.