Tikhon (Shevkunov)

Tikhon in 2008

Bishop Tikhon (Russian: Тихон), secular name Georgiy Alexandrovich Shevkunov, Russian: Георгий Александрович Шевкунов (born 2 July 1958 in Moscow) is a bishop of Russian Orthodox Church and a popular writer.[1] He is the bishop of Yegoryevsk, vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus'[2] and the head of the Western Vicariat of Moscow city.[3] Bishop Tikhon is often referred as the personal confessor of Russian President Vladimir Putin.[1]

Biography

In 1982 Georgy Shevkunov graduated from the Screenwriter school of the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. The same year he accepted Christianity, baptized[4] and moved to the Pskov-Caves Monastery first as a toiler ten as a novitiate.[2] His confessor was Archimandrite John Krestiankin.[4]

In 1986 he was transferred to the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, where he worked under Metropolitan Pitirim (Nechayev). His first appointment was connected with commemoration of the millennium anniversary Baptizing of Rus.[4]

In the first Perestroika years he published a few polemic articles including "Ne uchastvuyte v delakh t'my" (Do not participate in the business of the darkness) originally published in the Zhurnal Moskovskoy Patrirakhii and republished more than one hundred times by different publishers. The work criticized then emerged practice of occult healing. His article "The Church and the State" was published by Literaturnaya Rossiya in November 1990. In the article Shevkunov argued that emerging Russian democracy would definitely act against Russian Orthodox Church.[4]

On 2 July 1991 in Donskoy Monastery Georgiy Shevkunov took monastic vows assuming the name Tikhon after Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow. At the same time he was ordained into a Hierodeacon and in a month he was ordained into a Hieromonk.[4]

In 1993 Tikhon was appointed the head of the newly created Moscow Metochion of the Pskov-Caves Monastery. The building of the Metochion was previously occupied by the collective of Orthodox Christian thinker and missionary Georgy Kochetkov. Tikhon later criticized Kochetkov and his followers for their "modernism".[4]

In 1995 the Metochion was reformed into the restored Sretensky Stauropegic Monastery and on 8 September 1995 Patriarch Alexy II ordained Tikhon into a Hegumen.[4][5]

On 8 September 1998 Tikhon was elevated to Archimandrite status.[6]

In 1999 he was appointed the Rector of the Sretensky Spiritual Seminary, He graduated (by correspondence) the same seminary in 2004.[2]

On 5 March 2010 he was appointed the Responsible Secretary of the Patriarch's Council for Culture and on 31 March 2010 a member of the Council for Culture at President of Russia.[2]

Since 22 March 2011 he is a member of the Supreme Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.[2]

22 October 2015 the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church appoints Tikhon to be a Vicar of Moscow Eparchy. The next day is announced the Bishop of Yegoryevsk and on 24 October 2015 Patriarch Kirill of Moscow Chirotonized him as the Bishop. On 29 October 2015 he was appointed the head of the Western Vicariat of Moscow city[2]

Church building

Tikhon organized construction of a huge Cathedral to New Martyrs and Confessors of Russian Church in the historical centre of Moscow, Lubyanka. The construction is considered controversial as the newly build cathedral (55 meters high) would by much higher than Dormition Cathedral in Moscow Kremlin (45 meters high). Building of churches higher than Dormition Cathedral was traditionally forbidden in Moscow.[1]

Books

Tikhon's book "Everyday Saint and the Other Stories" was the best selling Russian book of 2012, competing only with Fifty Shades of Grey.

Tikhon is the author of the following books:

Movies

Exhibitions

Tikhon organized a number of historical exhibitions in Moscow Manege. The last one "My History. 20th Century" was devoted to the 1930-1940s in Russia and often talked about supposed positive contributions by Joseph Stalin. The critics considered the exhibition as an "apology of the Orthodox Christian Stalinism".[1]

Internet

Tikhon is a prolific internet writer. He is the editor-in-chief of the internet-portal Pravolslavie.ru and the author of many publications there.[18]

Ideology

Tikhon is considered to be an ultra-conservative, still he never published anything openly xenophobic.[4]

Tikhon supports the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and he is a member of Crimean Exxpert-Consultative Council.[19]

Relations with Vladimir Putin

Tikhon is rumoured to be the personal confessor of Russian president Vladimir Putin although both men neither confirm nor denied it.[1][20] Once asked about his relations with Putin, Tikhon answered: "“You can believe those rumours if you want, but they certainly aren’t spread by me,” adding “I am no Cardinal Richelieu!”."[20] Still the men are very close, with Putin often taking Tikhon on his international trips.[20] Their acquaintance goes back to late '90s. According to controversial Russian banker Sergei Pugachev, it was he who introduced Shevkunov to Putin.[21]

Awards

Tikhon is awarded Order of Friendship (2008) and a number of other church and state awards.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Zhegulev, Ilya (26 November 2015). "Самые влиятельные в РПЦ". Meduza.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Тихон, епископ Егорьевский, викарий Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси (Шевкунов Георгий Александрович)
  3. ↑ "Распоряжение № Р-02/6 от 29 октября 2015 года" (in Russian). official site of Moscow city eparchy».
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Тихон (Шевкунов)".
  5. ↑ "Журнал Московской патриархии". 1995. p. 11.
  6. ↑ "РУССКАЯ ПРАВОСЛАВНАЯ ЦЕРКОВЬ XX ВЕК 8 СЕНТЯБРЯ". Pravoslaviye.ru.
  7. ↑ Shevkunov, Tikhon. "Батюшка Серафим. Архимандрит Тихон (Шевкунов)".
  8. ↑ Shevkunov, Tikhon (2008). Гибель империи. Византийский урок. Eksmo. ISBN 978-5-699-30886-6.
  9. ↑ Shevkunov, Tikhon (2012). Everyday Saints and Other Stories. Pokrov Publications. ISBN 9780984284832.
  10. ↑ Lomykina, Natalya (12 December 2012). "Книжные итоги года: духовника Путина читают больше, чем Акунина". Forbes.
  11. ↑ Архимандрит Шевкунов (2014). С Божьей помощью возможно все! О Вере и Отечестве. Moskow: Книжный мир. ISBN 978-5-8041-0696-7.
  12. ↑ DVD — Сказы матушки Фроси — О Дивеевском монастыре — Фильм Архимандрита Тихона (Шевкунова)
  13. ↑ "Лауреаты премии «Золотой Орел» за 2008 год".
  14. ↑ DVD — Чижик-пыжик — где ты был?. — Фильм о взрослых проблемах наших детей — Проект «Общее дело»
  15. ↑ DVD — Береги себя. Короткие фильмы антиалкогольной рекламы — Проект «Общее дело»
  16. ↑ DVD — Давайте выпьем! Проект «Общее дело»
  17. ↑ DVD — Женский день. Проект «Общее дело»
  18. ↑ "ЕПИСКОП ЕГОРЬЕВСКИЙ ТИХОН (ШЕВКУНОВ)".
  19. ↑ "РАСПОРЯЖЕНИЕ ГЛАВЫ РЕСПУБЛИКИ КРЫМ О создании Экспертно-консультативного совета при Главе Республики Крым" (PDF).
  20. 1 2 3 "Putin and the monk". FT Magazine. 25 January 2013.
  21. ↑ "Ошибка президента" (1). Forbes. 2015.
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