Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky)

Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky) (1863-1936)

Alexei may be spelt Aleksy, Aleksey, Aleksios, Alexey, Alexios, Alexius, Alexis, Alexy.

Antony may be spelt Anthony, Antoniy, Antonii, Antonios, Antonius, Antoine.

Kyiv may be spelt Kiev.

Early life of Alexei Pavlovich Khrapovitsky

On 17 March, 1863, Alexei Pavlovich Khrapovitsky was born in the village of Vatagino, in the Kresteski County (region) of the Novgorod province (“gubernia”), (about 189 km/118 mi to the southeast of Saint Petersburg) in the Russian Empire.

The Khrapovitsky family was one of the oldest noble families in Russia. Alexei's grandfather, Pavel Alexandrovich Khrapovitsky lived permanently on his native estate in the village of Vatagino. He was famous for his education, and he had a rich library in his house. Alexei's father, Pavel Pavlovich, graduated from the course of the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of Saint Petersburg University. Alexei's mother, Natalia Petrovna, the daughter of a landowner of the Verigin family of Kharkov, received a broad education. She loved to travel to monasteries ; she prayed frequently and regularly at home, and she read the Gospel to her sons. Neighbours regarded her to be a holy woman.

There were 4 sons in this Khrapovitsky family, of which Alexei Pavlovich was the third.

It was especially from his mother, Natalia Petrovna, that he first learned to pray daily (by following her example) and to read. She read the Holy Scriptures daily, which showed him the way. This family had connexions with the Optina Monastery of the Entry of the Theotokos to the Temple, with the Optina Hermitage of Saint John the Forerunner, and with the Optina Elders. This monastery is near Kaluga, more than 200 km (124 mi) southwest of Moscow. In this traditional manner, Alexei Pavlovich was formed an Orthodox Christian, and thus he grew up in the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church.

As a child, he put into practice in himself the spiritual directions of the Optina Elders. He began at an early age to serve at the Altar, and he became resolved to become a monk and to enter a monastery as soon as he could. However, his parents recognised his exceptional intelligence, and they hoped that he would embrace a profession or career suitable to his intelligence and to his place in society. The family moved to Saint Petersburg in 1869. Again, he served in the Altar ; he encountered Saint Nicholas (Kasatkin), the Enlightener of Japan ; he organised his childhood friends to raise money for the Mission in Japan. Alexei Pavlovich also met Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky in this city, and the author subsequently used him as the model for the character "Alyosha" in "The Brothers Karamazov".

Higher education

Alexei Pavlovich was educated at Saint Petersburg, at that time in the Russian Empire, where he finished the 5th Classical Gymnasium with a gold medal. He owed the beginnings of his religious formation and education to his mother, and to the influence of the literature of F M Dostoevsky, the reading of the Church Fathers and the Lives of Saints as well as interest in the ideas of the Slavophile Movement. In his young years, he was attracted by and became interested in the work of Vladimir S Solovyev, whom he later criticised for pro-Roman Catholic leanings. Thus far, he had pursued a secular education in obedience to his parents.

In 1881, despite the opposition of his father, Alexei enrolled in the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy (one of the major academies of the Church of Russia), where he became friends with M M Gribanovsky, the future Bishop of Tauria (Crimea), who was the first of the academy students to become a monk after a 20-year hiatus in tonsurings. This friendship strengthened Alexei’s desire to serve the Church as a learned monk. In his third year, he worked on his master’s dissertation “Psychological Data in Favour of Free Will and Moral Responsibility” with the supervision of A E Svetilin.

Alexei Pavlovich's experience thus far in both the secular and ecclesiastical gymnasium (academy) systems laid the foundation for his future contributions to the movement for a reform in the system. Since the time of Tsar Peter I, the educational system had steadily become subject to the methods and teachings of western scholasticism (initiated by Anselm of Canterbury). It was a system in which (in Russia at that time) learning was by rote and regurgitation, and in which there was little or no personal interchange between teachers and students. It was a system which generally leant towards the western priority of philosophy rather than towards the teachings of the Fathers and authentic Orthodox Christian tradition with its priority in theology.

During his time in the Saint Petersburg Academy, Alexei Pavlovich was positively influenced by the rector, the Protopresbyter John L Yanishev, a Slavophile, who wished to restore the proper tradition and teaching of Orthodox Christian theology in the Orthodox manner. Other important influences were his teachers, including the historian D V Bolotov and Archimandrite Antoniy (Vadkovsky) (from 1887, a bishop). Archimandrite Antoniy (Vadkovsky) was described as having been a true monk, who was loving and generous. He was also one who wished to bring reform to the Church and to help to find ways to free the Church from state control.

In the spring of 1885, Alexei Pavlovich Khrapovitsky graduated from the Saint Peterburg Academy, at the top of his class, and he received his degree.

Saint Petersburg Theological Seminary and Academy

Monastic tonsure, 1885

Shortly before he graduated, after his family finally conceded that it was inevitable, Alexei Pavlovich was tonsured to be a monk in the Academy Chapel on 18 May, 1885, and he was given the name Antony (in honour of Saint Anthony the Roman of Novgorod).

Ordinations, 1885

On 12 June, 1885, he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate.

On 29 September, 1885, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service ; teaching responsibilities

The Hieromonk Antony (Khrapovitsky) was then assigned to remain at the Saint Petersburg Academy as part of the teaching staff. In this capacity, through his personal example, he began to implement the changes in the content and in the style of teaching.

In 1886-1887, he was assigned to teach homiletics, liturgics, and canon law at the Kholm (Chełm) Theological Seminary, Poland.

In 1887-1889, Hieromonk Antony was again assigned to serve as an instructor at the Saint Petersburg Academy in the department of Old Testament Studies. Then, beginning in 1889, he was assigned to serve as the academy’s inspector.

In 1888, as a result of reworking his dissertation, the Hieromonk Antony was awarded the degree of Master of Theology.

In 1888 and 1889, he taught a course on introduction to theological sciences. At about the same time, he became friends with Saint John of Kronstadt.

In 1890, Father Antony published his book, “An Exegesis of the Book of the Prophet Micah”.

In 1890, the Hieromonk Antony (Khrapovitsky) was appointed to serve as rector of the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy, and he was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

In 1891, he was assigned to serve as the rector of the Moscow Theological Academy. This time marked his blossoming as a theologian, and in his reforming method of teaching. At this time, he published his work, “The Moral Idea of the Dogma of the Holy Trinity” (at the festivities marking the 500th anniversary of the repose of Saint Sergius of Radonezh).

According to the memoirs of Archpriest Sergiy Chetverikov, who studied at Moscow Theological Academy at that time,

 Vladyka Antony was the heart of our academic world. [...] The doors of his chambers were open to students at all times.  
 He himself often came to our evening prayer in the academic Temple [...].  He knew how to approach each of us, and the 
 spirit of formalism and formality was removed from our relationship with him.  We lived warmed by his love and affection.  
 And at the same time, these relations were alien to all familiarity.  We felt his immeasurable superiority. [...] 
 For the first time, perhaps, he revealed to many of us the meaning of Orthodox pastoralism as a loving and selfless acceptance 
 into his soul of his flock, experiencing with her all sorrows and joys, all trials, temptations and falls of his spiritual 
 children and revival and restoration by the power of compassionate love and prayer.

In 1893-1894, Archimandrite Antony (Khrapovitsky) became friends with Archimandrite Sergiy (Stragorodsky) (the future Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia). Archimandrite Antony persuaded Archimandrite Sergiy to publish his master’s dissertation, “The Orthodox Teaching on Salvation”. He also met Lev N Tolstoy, whom he frequently attempted to bring back into the Church by critiquing his religious and philosophical ideas.

His position on supporting monastic tonsure for academy graduates put Archimandrite Antony into conflict with Metropolitan Sergiy (Lyapidevsky) of Moscow. The conflict resulted in Archimandrite Antony’s transfer to the responsibility of rector of the Kazan Theological Academy in 1895.

Episcopal ordination, 1897

On 7 September, 1897, Archimandrite Antony (Khrapovitsky) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in Kazan. The ordination was led by Archbishop Arseny (Bryantsev) of Riga and Mitava (as representative of the Holy Synod) ; Bishop Vladimir (Nikolsky) of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas ; Bishop Gury (Burtasovsky) of Samara ; Bishop Nikodim (Bokov) of Sarapul ; and Bishop Arkady (Karpinsky) of Balakhna.

Bishop Antony of Cheboksary

Episcopal service

On 7 September, 1897, Bishop Antony (Khrapovitsky) was assigned to serve as Bishop of Cheboksary and as a Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Kazan.

Vicar-Bishop of the Kazan Diocese

On 1 March, 1899, he was promoted and transferred and assigned to be the Bishop of Chistopol’, and also to be the First Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Kazan.

On 14 July, 1900, Bishop Antony (Khrapovitsky) was transferred to Ufa and he was assigned to be Bishop of Ufa and Menzelinsk (this was long before the establishment of the current republics in the East). Because many residents of the Ufa province were Muslim, Bishop Antony worked on supporting and developing missionary efforts in his diocese.

On 22 April, 1902, Bishop Antony was transferred and assigned to serve as the Bishop of Zhytomyr and Volyn (the largest diocese of the Russian Church at that time). The energetic bishop worked to restore canonical order in the diocese by ending simony and bribery, and by promoting liturgical order and love towards the flock of Christ.

Bishop Antony was very firmly opposed to the "pogroms" (mob attacks, particularly against Jewish people) which were occurring during his time. He therefore preached in Zhytomyr a well-known sermon against these pogroms (particularly against that in Kishinev on 20 April, 1903, just after the Feast of Pascha. On another occasion, when a mob of pogromists was marching against a local synagogue. Metropolitan Antony drove his carriage into the path of the surging mob. Placing himself between the mob and the synagogue, he censured the crowd for their intended crime. Because of his active intervention, such pogroms virtually ceased in this region.

With seminary teachers, 1904

In 1905, Archpriest Jerome Turkevich fell asleep in the Lord in Kremenets, where he was the rector. His son, Leonid Turkevich was at that time a student at the Kyiv Theological Academy. When Bishop Antony learned of this development, he took the young Leonid Ieronimovich "under his wing". Because of Vladyka Antony's paternal disposition, Leonid regarded him as a second father.

In 1906, Bishop Antony was elevated to the dignity of archbishop.

In 1907, Archbishop Antony headed a committee that had the responsibility of examining the Kyiv Theological Academy. The committee’s findings were unpopular with academy staff. Bishop Antony then published “The Truth about the Kyiv Theological Academy”. This was followed by the resignation of its rector, Bishop Platon (Rozhdestvesky) (the future head of the North American “Metropolia”). Many believe that this incident led to a subsequent antagonism amongst the émigré bishops, and that it also contributed to the split between the future Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) and the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America (ROGCCNA, or “The Metropolia”). This, however, is not yet substantiated.

In 1906-1907, Archbishop Antony was also assigned to serve as a member of the Imperial State Council.

In 1912-1916, he was assigned to serve as a member of the Holy Synod. He was given the responsibility to work on preparing for a Local Council of the Russian Church. In this context, he responded to the 1905 questionnaire of Russian bishops by calling for the restoration of the patriarchate, the reform of theological education, and other reforms in Church administration.

By the “ukase” of the Holy Synod on 19 May, 1914, Archbishop Antony (Khrapovitsky) was transferred and assigned to serve as the Bishop of Kharkiv and Akhtyrka.

Forced retirement because of the Soviets, 1917

After the revolution in February, 1917, Archbishop Antony was forced to ask for retirement because of poor relations with the new authorities in his area and because of the discontent of certain members of the clergy in his diocese. On 1 May, 1917, he was retired by the Holy Synod, and he was assigned to the Valaam Monastery.

In the Valaam Monastery, Vladyka Antony wrote his book “The Doctrine of Redemption”. This book later produced many arguments amongst Orthodox theologians.

Return to the Diocese of Kharkiv and Akhtyr, 1917

In August, 1917, he was again elected to be Archbishop of Kharkiv and Akhtyr by the Diocesan council of Kharkiv, and he was thus assigned to serve.

All-Russian Local Council, 1917-1918

In 1917-1918, he was a member of the Local Council of the Russian Church, in which he was a staunch supporter of restoring the patriarchy. His candidacy to become the patriarch received the largest number of votes (159). However, it had been decided instead to choose by lot amongst the 3 who had received the most nominations. The lot which was drawn from a chalice (by a holy, blind, aged monk) on 5 November, 1918, was that of Metropolitan Tikhon (Belavin) of Moscow.

On 28 November, 1918, Archbishop Antony was elevated to the dignity of metropolitan.

On 7 December, Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky) was elected to be a member of the Holy Synod headed by Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin).

All-Russian Sobor session

Kyiv ; displacement, 1918

In January, 1918, Metropolitan Antony had been present at the “All-Ukrainian Church Council” in Kyiv. He then fled the city before the Bolshevik invasion. Following the killing of the New Hieromartyr Metropolitan Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) of Kyiv, Metropolitan Antony was elected to become the Metropolitan of Kyiv, and he returned when the city was occupied by the Germans. Ukraine at that time was controlled by Ukrainian nationalists and by the Germans. The nationalist-separatists created a schism. The Germans on the other hand had great respect for the metropolitan, who spoke excellent German. At once when he arrived in Kyiv, the new metropolitan began giving talks and making clear what were his pastoral concerns.

Arrest by Ukrainian Nationalists, 1918 ; move to Poland, 1919

However, in December, 1918, together with Archbishop Evlogiy (Georgievsky) of Volyn, Metropolitan Antony was arrested by Ukrainian separatist authorities of the Symon Petliura government, because of his opposition to Ukrainian autocephaly. The 2 hierarchs were held at the Uniat monastery in Buchach (near Ternopil). In captivity, for 5 months he composed services and wrote on theological topics.

In the spring of 1919, when Buchach was taken by Polish forces, they were transferred to the vicinity of Kraków in Poland. There, when he was interviewed by a Polish Cardinal, the Metropolitan conversed fluently with him in Latin. The metropolitan accused the Poles of treating him as a criminal. He was escorted back to the monastery. In the summer of 1919, the 2 bishops were freed through the work of the French diplomatic mission. Then Metropolitan Antony lived in L’viv (at that time, the centre of the failed "West Ukrainian People's Republic" and also part of Poland). In September, 1919, he left for Kuban in the south, and he then returned to Kyiv, which was at that time held by “White” forces of General Anton Denikin.

In November, 1919, after Kyiv was retaken by Bolsheviks, he left for Yekaterinodar, now Krasnodar, in the south. There, he was elected to be the president of the "Temporary Higher Church Authority of South-East Russia".

Flight to Greece ; return to Crimea ; last exit into exile

After the defeat of the Denikin army, Metropolitan Antony left for Greece, where he received the support of Archbishop Meletius (Metaxakis) of Athens. After this, he went to Mount Athos and he spent 5 months at Saint Panteleimon’s Russian Monastery. In September, 1920, Metropolitan Antony returned to Crimea, which was controlled by General Pyotr N Wrangel. However, after the latter’s defeat in November, Metropolitan Antony left Russia for the last time.

Difficulties faced by refugees, 1920

Between November, 1920, and February, 1921, Metropolitan Antony was in Constantinople (Istanbul). At first, he decided that the Temporary Higher Church Authority should be abolished, and the pastoral care for displaced Russians be handed over to other local churches. However, after learning of the decision of General Wrangel to retain his army for further battle with the Bolsheviks, Metropolitan Antony decided to keep intact the Church organisation abroad. The Temporary Authority met on 19 November, 1920, aboard the ship, “Great Prince Alexander Mikhailovich”. The meeting was presided over by Metropolitan Antony. He and Bishop Benjamin (Fedchenkov) were appointed to examine the canonicity of the organisation. Canon 39 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council was understood to be a precedent for such a situation.

On 2 December, 1920, they received permission from Metropolitan Dorotheos of Prusa, Locum Tenens of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to establish

 for the purpose of the service of the population [...] and to oversee the ecclesiastic life of 
 Russian colonies in Orthodox countries a temporary committee (epitropia) under the authority 
 of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The committee was called the “Temporary Higher Church Administration Abroad” (THCAA). It is asserted that one of the reasons for the co-operation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was fear of the spread of communism.

Metropolitan Antony 1920

Metropolitan Antony at Mount Athos, Saint Panteleimon Monastery

Metropolitan Antony and believers, 1920

In February, 1921, at the invitation of Patriarch Dimitije (Pavlović) of Serbia, the THCAA relocated to Serbia, where, on 31 August, 1921, the Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church decided to take the organisation under its protection as an independent jurisdiction for displaced Russians.

With the agreement of Patriarch Dimitrije (Pavlović), the “General Assembly of Representatives of the Russian Church Abroad” took place between 21 November and 2 December, 1921, in Sremski Karlovtsi, Serbia. It was later renamed the “First All-Diaspora Council”, and it was presided over by Metropolitan Antony. The council established the “Supreme Ecclesiastical Administration Abroad” (SEAA), which was composed of a patriarchal Locum Tenens, a Synod of Bishops, and a Church Council. The council decided to appoint Metropolitan Antony to be the Locum Tenens, but he declined to accept the position without permission from Moscow. Instead, he called himself the President of the SEAA. With the view and hope of an early return to a liberated homeland, the council, influenced by Metropolitan Antony, also passed a resolution calling for the restoration of the monarchy under the Romanov dynasty.

Establishment of the "Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, 1922

Nevertheless, an “Ukase” of Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin) of Moscow, dated 5 May, 1922, abolished the SEAA and it declared the political decisions of the Karlovtsy Council as not reflecting the position of the Russian Orthodox Church. Meeting in Sremski Karlovtsy on 2 September, 1922, the Council of Bishops agreed to abolish the SEAA. In its place, they formed the “Temporary Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia” with Metropolitan Antony as its head by virtue of seniority. He came to be known by the title that succeeded him, “First Hierarch”. The Synod of Bishops exercised direct authority over the Russian parishes in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the Far East.

In North America, however, a conflict erupted with those who did not recognise the authority of this Synod, led by Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) ; this group formed the North American Metropolia (the descendant of the "Russian Mission", and predecessor to The Orthodox Church in America). Likewise, in Western Europe, Metropolitan Evlogiy (Georgievsky) also did not recognise anything more than “a moral authority” of the Synod of Bishops. Metropolitan Evlogiy later broke away, and he and his diocese joined the Ecumenical Patriarchate, thus forming the Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe. It became popularly known by the street address of the Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris, the "Rue Daru".

Metropolitan Antony and Belgrade students

1925 visits to England and Romania

In 1925, at the invitation of Randell Davidson, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan Antony participated in festivities in London marking the 1600th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. In October of 1925, at the invitation of Romanian hierarchs, Metropolitan Antony participated in the enthronement of Patriarch Miron (Cristea) of Romania.

Metropolitan Antony presided over another meeting of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia in June, 1926. The bishops decided to accept Peter (Polyansky) of Krutitsa as the lawful Locum Tenens, following the repose of Saint Tikhon in 1925. The Council once again called for Metropolitans Platon and Evlogiy to accept its jurisdiction.

With General Wrangel in Belgrade, 1927

On 9 September, 1927, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR, presided over by Metropolitan Antony, decreed a break of communion with ecclesiastical authorities in Moscow. This occurred after the bishops had categorically rejected a demand by Metropolitan Sergiy (Stragorodsky) of Nizhny Novgorod, who was acting as Locum Tenens, to declare loyalty to the Soviet authorities.

Metropolitan Sergiy responded in 1928 by decreeing that Metropolitan Evlogiy had canonical authority in Western Europe, and that all actions of the Karlovtsy Synod were uncanonical.

Metropolitan Antony, teachers, students of the Kharkov Girls’ Institute in Novi Bečej 1930

During the course of his time abroad, Metropolitan Antony continued to retain the title of Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia, an action recognised by Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky) of Krutitsa, who refused the pressure from Soviet authorities to fill the vacant Kyiv see.

In his "Appeal to the Orthodox Russian people" on 13 September, 1929, Metropolitan Antony recognised Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich as having been emperor since 1924, although earlier he had recognised Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich as the "Supreme Leader".

In March, 1931, the Synod of Bishops awarded him the title of “Beatitude”.

In August, 1932, Metropolitan Antony proposed the election of a deputy president. The Bishops elected Archbishop Anastasy (Gribanovsky) of Kishinev, who was elevated to the rank of metropolitan in 1935.

From the spring of 1934, Metropolitan Evlogiy (Georgievsky) began to receive requests (Serbia amongst them) to take the initiative in the matter of ecclesiastical reconciliation. In May, 1934, Metropolitan Evlogiy visited Metropolitan Antony in Belgrade. Metropolitan Antony, with the other hierarchs of the ROCOR, as a sign of love and peace, asked each other for forgiveness and they mutually read the forgiveness prayer over one another.

On 22 June, 1934, Metropolitan Sergiy (Stragorodsky) and his Synod passed judgement on Metropolitan Antony and his Synod, and they declared them to be under suspension. Metropolitan Antony refused to recognise this decision. He claimed that it was made under political pressure from Soviet authorities and that Metropolitan Sergiy had illegally usurped the position of Locum Tenens. In this, he received the support of Patriarch Varnava (Nastić) of Serbia, who continued to maintain communion with the ROCOR Synod.

Metropolitan Antony and Synod members, 1934

In 1935, the Synod of Bishops of the ROCOR, under the leadership of Metropolitan Antony, condemned as heretical the teaching of Archpriest Sergius Bulgakov about Sophia, the Wisdom of God. This furthered the antagonism between the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and the Western European Exarchate. Father Sergiy was teaching at the Saint Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris, France, which was a part of the exarchate.

50 years of presbyteral service, 1925

Metropolitan Antony, about 1935

He treated warmly King Alexander I Karadjordievich of Yugoslavia. King Alexander had been brought up at the Russian imperial court, and at one time he was considered by the ROCOR as a possible contender for the Russian throne.

Metropolitan Antony welcomed the return to the throne in 1935 of the formerly exiled King George II of Greece. He wrote that he saw in this “the second and third step towards the return of the glorious past and great future of the Orthodox Empire”, the creation of which he dreamed of.

On 2 August, 1936, Metropolitan Antony was present for the last time at the Divine Liturgy. He gave no homily ; and at the end, having a high fever, he retired to his cell. He was then regularly visited by many bishops, clergy and people.

On 9 August, Patriarch Varnava also visited him. Vladyka Antony received the Holy Mysteries.

Repose, 1936

On 10 August, 1936, Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky) reposed in Christ, in Sremski Karlovtsi, Serbia.

Patriarch Varnava (Nastić) led the services of the Memorial Divine Liturgy, the Panikhida, and the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Hierarch. He was assisted by 7 bishops and 20 priests.

After the conclusion of the funeral services, the body of Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky) was entombed in the crypt of the "Russian" Iveron Chapel in the "New Cemetery" in Belgrade.

The funeral burial procession

Grave-marker of Metropolitan Antony

— Bishop of Cheboksary 1897-1899. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.

— Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Kazan. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.

— Bishop of Chistopol’ 1899-1900. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.

— First Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Kazan. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.

— Bishop of Ufa and Menzelinsk 1900-1902. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.

— Bishop of Volyn’ and Zhytomyr 1902-1906. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.

— Archbishop of Volyn’ and Zhytomyr 1906-1914.

— Archbishop of Kharkiv and Akhtyrka 1914-1918. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.

— Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia 1918-1919. Preceded by : Saint Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky). Succeeded by : Bishop Michael (Yermakov) (administrator).

— First Hierarch of the ROCOR 1922-1936. Preceded by : See created. Succeeded by : Metropolitan Anastasy (Gribanovsky).

Reflections

At the funeral, Patriarch Varnava (Nastić) gave a homily, in which he said :

Before us are the earthly remains of that great man who tirelessly laboured in Christ's vineyard all of
his life. The name of Metropolitan Antony is inseparably linked to the vast period of development and
spiritual recovery in the Russian Church and amongst the Russian people. It is linked also to the
development of Russian theological thought and spiritual literature.

I have already had occasion to say, and I now say it again, that Metropolitan Antony must be held as an
equal with the great hierarchs of the first centuries of Christianity. [...] He was like a book open to
everyone, a teacher who spoke for the sake of his brethren and neighbours. The treasury of his heart was
even more amazing than the wealth of his mind. He was truly a good shepherd whose heart was enlarged for
everyone ; who comforted and consoled multitudes of people by the warmth of his love. As one who truly
loves, as the Apostle said, he never exalted himself or became agitated, nor envied. He did not think
evil, but endured all things with long-suffering. He never despaired of anyone, but was ready to forgive
seventy-seven time seven. He wept for those who were weeping and rejoiced with those who were rejoicing,
counting their blessings as his own. He was a true ascetic with a fervent spirit, who made us understand
the true meaning and beauty of monasticism. He raised a whole company of monastics. He was a strong
defender of Holy Rus', which he always carried in his heart, and for which he was willing to lay down his
own soul. With his ceaseless self-denying pastoral and teaching activity he left a profound and
indelible imprint on the history of our Church and opened up a new, creative epoch of theological thought
that will forever preserve his name.

While he was in Yugoslavia in 1945, Patriarch Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow and All Russia served a panikhida for Metropolitan Antony.

Some saw Caeseropapism in his views. Pavel Florensky wrote in his work, compiled in 1908-1918 that

 In Church circles that consider themselves the rules of piety and the pillars of canonical correctness, for some time now, 
 through the efforts of mainly Archbishop Antony (Khrapovitsky), the idea of the unconditional need for unlimited Church power 
 began to be cultivated and the inclination to secular power in one way or another, collective, for example, limited by 
 a collectively worked out constitution or decisions of one or another representative body.

Archimandrite Cyprian (Kern), who was in close contact with Metropolitan Anthony in Serbia, recalled about his views :

 First of all, he was an exclusively ecclesiastical person, that is, he had exclusively ecclesiastical axiology and 
 criterionology.  He viewed everything from the point of view of the primacy of the Church.  Churches, not states ; 
 Church, not progress ; Church, and not secular prejudices, etc. [...]  He stood on the absolutely correct and only 
 possible understanding of the unity of the Church.  The Church is one.  There are no other churches and cannot be. 
 Anything that does not agree with this one Church, whether in the doctrinal sense, in the unity of dogmatic tradition, 
 or in the canonical sense, in the unity of the divinely established hierarchy – all this is heresy, schism, an unauthorised 
 gathering. [...] For him, Rome was a heretic and nothing else.  He denied everything among Catholics except the right 
 to be called heretics. [...] His aphorism is known that dad is a simple man. [...] The metropolitan had his own Orthodox 
 faith in the kingdom and the tsar, a purely Byzantine, theocratic faith.  The tsar was not a political formula for him, 
 as for all bureaucrats, politicians or simply 'allies'.  The king was a dogma of faith.  It was part of his religious symbolism.

Controversy and criticism was caused (mainly in emigration) by his theology and especially soteriological views. Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), heading the ROCOR, preached a doctrine of atonement, which was accomplished not through the torment of the Cross, the sacrifice and death of Christ, but through moral torture in the Garden of Gethsemane, and a doctrine of original sin, which some authors characterised as heretical. Archpriest John Meyendorff considered Metropolitan Antony's doctrine of atonement as "clearly incompatible with Orthodox understanding". Archpriest Georges Florovsky called the general direction of his theological thought "moralistic psychologism", and he noted that the metropolitan was not interested in the ontological foundations of his teaching, his correspondence to the dogmas of the Council of Chalcedon about the two natures of Christ and the Sixth Council about two wills.

On 15 November, 2014, in Sremski Karlovtsy, at the gates of the Patriarchal Palace, which served as the residence of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops in 1941-1945, a memorial plaque to Metropolitan Anthony was blessed. The blessing of the memorial plaque was led by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk. The service was attended by Archbishop Mikhail (Donskov) of Geneva and Western Europe, and by clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church : Bishop Chrysostom (Yevich) of Zvornichko-Tuzlansky and Bishop Vasily (Vadich) of Srem, as well as the rector of the Russian Church in the Belgrade, and the Secretary of the Department for External Church Relations for Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Church of Russia, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk.

Hieromonk Evtikhiy (Dovganyuk), a cleric of the Russian Church Abroad, noted :

 Rector of three academies, one of the most famous Russian bishops, who received the largest number of votes in the election 
 of the patriarch, Metropolitan Antony was by vocation more a pastor than a theologian.  But despite this, and largely due 
 to this (that is, his pastoral talent), he had a significant influence on young theologians, including their choice of topics 
 for scientific development.  One of the 1894 Moscow Theological Academy graduates recalled : 'It's amazing, when I read N or 
 talk to Z, I always catch myself thinking : yes, I've already heard about it somewhere.  I begin to remember and acquire the 
 primary source - our former rector of the Academy, His Grace Anthony.  Vladyka was the inspiration for the master's theses 
 of Archpriest Pavel Svetlov and Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky), as well as candidate dissertations of anti-legal orientation 
 of Hieromonk Tarasiy (Kurgan) and Hierodeacon (later Archbishop and Hieromartyr) Andronik (Nikolsky).  It is not difficult 
 to detect his influence on the development of certain theological themes and ideas by Saint Hilarion (Troitsky).

Theological views

Metropolitan Antony was a remarkable writer, author of many works in apologetics, dogmatic, pastoral and moral theology, hermeneutics, canon law and other disciplines. His ecclesiological opinions were influenced by A S Khomiakov. From Mr. Khomiakov’s view of the dogma of the One Church, Metropolitan Antony concluded that all heterodox churches were not part of the Church. He allowed the reception of converts through confession and chrismation strictly on the grounds of economy. On the other hand, he taught that Orthodox bishops could receive Anglican clergy of that time merely by penance “in existing orders”.

He was opposed to any Latin influence on the Church, and he opined that the Greater and Lesser Catechisms of the seventeenth century “only by an incomprehension are called Orthodox”.

In his soteriological conceptions, Metropolitan Antony held that Orthodox dogmatic views must be entirely rid of the idea of substitutionary atonement held by Anselm of Canterbury, which was popular in theological schools. Metropolitan Antony wrote :

 We must think that during that night at Gethsemane, the thoughts and feelings of the God-man 
 encompassed all fallen men in their many billions, and wept with loving grief for all of them 
 individually, which, of course, was only possible to the Divine, all-knowing heart.  This was 
 our atonement. [...] We are sure that the terrible sufferings of the Saviour at Gethsemane took 
 place while beholding the sinful life and sinful nature of all human generations and that the 
 words of the Lord ‘Let this cup pass from me’ are not pointed to his upcoming Crucifixion and 
 death, but to this, completely depressing to Him, feeling of profound grief for the sinful 
 human race so beloved by Him.

Thus, Metropolitan Antony considered not Golgotha, but the sufferings in Gethsemane, as central to the Saviour’s feat of redemption. The bodily sufferings and death on the Cross were necessary so that the faithful would acknowledge the degree of His suffering. This view received criticism from some theologians, including the Archpriests John Meyendorff and Georges Florovsky, with some going as far as to accuse Metropolitan Antony of Pelagianism. Metropolitan Antony wrote these views in prison, and when they were criticised, he withdrew them. It is important to note that Metropolitan Antony did not pioneer this theological view : it appeared in Russian theology in the 19th century as an attempt to counteract Anselmian atonement. Later theologians claimed that Metropolitan Antony’s views were completely Orthodox, but that the way in which he expressed them led “some” to misinterpret his teaching.

Writings

Partial bibliography of writings by Metropolitan Antony :

“Confession: A Series of Lectures on the Mystery of Repentance”, trans. Christopher Birchall (Jordanville, NY : Holy Trinity Publications, 1975)

“The Dogma of Redemption: Atonement or Theosis: Refutation of Juridical Justification” (Scotts Valley, CA : CreateSpace-self publishing (owned by Amazon), 2017).

“Dostoevsky's Concept of Spiritual Re-birth” (Scotts Valley, CA : CreateSpace Independent Publishing (owned by Amazon), 2018).

"Essay on the Orthodox Christian Catechism" (1924).

“Moral Idea of the Main Dogmas of the Faith” (Dewdney, BC : Synaxis Press, 1984). ISBN-13 : 978-1517671198. ISBN-10 : 1517671191.

“Selected Theological Works of Blessed Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky)”, Part I and Part II, translated by Tatiana Pavlova.

‘Why Anglican Clergy Could be Received in their Orders’, in “The Christian East” (March, 1927), pp. 60-69.

"Psychological Data in Favour of Free Will and moral Responsibility", 2nd ed. (St Petersburg, 1887, Ib., 1888, mag. Dissertation)

“The Supremacy of Orthodoxy over the Teaching of Papism in its Presentation by V Solovyov” (St Petersburg, 1890)

"Conversations about the Superiority of the Orthodox Understanding of the Gospel compared with the Teachings of L Tolstoy", 2nd ed. (St. Petersburg, 1891)

“Some Readings on pastoral Theology" (Kazan, 1896)

"Is a moral Life possible without the Christian Religion" (Kazan, 1897)

"The value of Prayer for the Pastor of the Church" (1897)

"The moral Idea of the Dogma of the Most Holy Trinity", 2nd ed. (Kazan, 1898)

"Lectures on pastoral Theology" (1900)

“Complete Works”, 3 volumes (Kazan, 1900)

“Service to Job of Pochaev and the Pochaev Icon”

“Service to the Holy Martyr Infant Gabriel, tortured in Belostok …” (1908)

“Dictionary to the works of Dostoevsky” (Sofia, 1921), 184 pages

Paschal Epistle, 1922

“Thoughts of Metropolitan Anthony expressed by him in the sermons of 1935-1936”, recorded by P S Lopukhin (New York, 1961), 60 pages

“The Dogma of Redemption: Atonement or Theosis: Refutation of Juridical Justification” (Scotts Valley, CA : CreateSpace-self publishing (owned by Amazon), 2017).

“Dostoevsky's Concept of Spiritual Re-birth” (Scotts Valley, CA : CreateSpace Independent Publishing (owned by Amazon), 2018).

"Essay on the Orthodox Christian Catechism" (1924).

“Moral Idea of the Main Dogmas of the Faith” (Dewdney, BC : Synaxis Press, 1984).

“Selected Theological Works of Blessed Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky)”, Part I and Part II, translated by Tatiana Pavlova.

‘Why Anglican Clergy Could be Received in their Orders’, in “The Christian East” (March, 1927), pp. 60-69.

Final Nativity Epistle 1935

The following writings can be found at this web-site :

“Word on the Day of Saint Nicholas”

“Word in Honour of the Holy Great Martyr Varvara”

“I remain loving invariably …”

“Letter of K B Pobedonostsev”

“About the Householder : Wrong Explanation of the Lord’s Parable”

“Iudino Kissing from Interpretations to the Gospel”

“From Pastoral Conversations”

“Take Care of National Treasures …”

“Pastoral Study of People and Life based on the Works of F M Dostoevsky”

“Pushkin as a moral Person and an Orthodox Christian, Parts 1 & 2”

“About the Persecutions of the Russian Orthodox Church …”

“Distinctive Properties of Father John of Kronstadt …”

“About Russia : Patriarch Nikon and Russia”

“About Russia : Russian People and Monarchy”

“Whose should be Constantinople ?”

“Ecumenical or Greek, Arab or Russian ?”

“About the Pastoral Vocation”

“Church as Guardian and Interpreter of Divine Revelation”

“Militant Church”

“Frequently defined Church Definitions”

“Church and Person”

“The Main Idea in the Dogma of the Church”

“The Value of the Dogma of the Church in History and in Modern Science”

“What is the Significance in moral Life of Faith in Jesus Christ as God”

“About the Book by Ilyin”

References

Puhalo, Lazar, “Vladika : The Life of Antony Khrapovitsky Metropolitan of Kiev” (Dewdney, British Columbia : Synaxis Press, 2009). ISBN : 978-1719111140.

(Rklitsky), Bishop Nikon, ”Biography of His Beatitude Anthony, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galich”, 7 volumes (New York, 1956–1961).

Orthodoxwiki biography

Wikipedia biography

Russian Wikipedia biography (in English)

Drevo Encyclopaedia biography

Alphabetical Dictionary of the Orthodox Faith biography

Russian Academic Dictionary biography

Encylopaedia Britannica biography

A short biography

ROCOR web-site biography

Chronos biography

Russian World biography

Additional information :

Firsov, Sergey Lvovich, “Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), an Orthodox Publicist and Polemicist of the late 19th – early 20th Century”

......, "Time as Judge : Orthodox Churches of Russia and Constantinople in the 20th Century" (Moscow : Department of External Church Relations, 12 December 2018).

Prokurat, Michael ; Golitzin, Alexander & Petersen, Michael, eds., “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), p. 184. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.

Solzhenitsyn Centre of Russian Emigré Studies, “Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky) : Archpastor of the Russian Diaspora”

“A talk delivered by Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky on 5 September, 1899”

Pravoslavie.ru Online articles by Metropolitan Antony

Orthodox England article

All Russian Church Council of 1917-1918

Orthodoxwiki on ROCOR and OCA

‘Mitropolit Antonii (Khrapovitsky)’ in “Pravoslavnaya Entsiklopediya” (in Russian, in the “Orthodox Encyclopedia”, 35 volumes (Moscow, Russian Orthodox Church Research Centre, 2017). ISBN : 978-5-85270-373-6.

“The Ideal of Love and the Tragedy of Power : Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky

Saint Tikhon (Belavin)

New Hieromartyr Metropolitan Vladimir (Bogoyavlesky)

“In Memory of Metropolitan Antony” by Saint Justin Popovic

Saint John of Kronstadt