Centenary commemoration of Patriarch Tikhon’s demise is held at St. Tikhon’s church in Lippstadt

DECR Communications Service, 08.04.2025.

On April 6, the 5th Sunday of Lent and forefeast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, Archbishop Tikhon of Ruza, the ruling hierarch of the Diocese of Berlin and Germany, celebrated the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great in the church of St. Tikhon in Lippstadt, Germany. Centenary commemoration of the demise of Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and All Russia was moved to this day.

The day before, Archbishop Tikhon of Ruza celebrated the All-night Vigil with polyeleos, the Diocesan website reports.

The archpastor was assisted at the Divine Liturgy by archpriest Vladimir Neumann, acting rector of the church; archpriest Sergy Baburin, dean of the Hamburg District, priest Mikhail Kholmetsky from Düsseldorf, deputy dean of the Western District; priest Alexei Tereshchenko from Hannover; priest Alexander Ilyin from Bad Lippspringe; protodeacon Archil Chkhikvadze and deacon Sergy Ivanov from Mönchengladbach.

The service was celebrated in the Church Slavonic and German languages.

The liturgical hymns were sung by the choir of the Church of the Intercession in Düsseldorf.

A prayer for peace was offered after the Litany of Fervent Supplication. At the funeral litany, the participants in the service prayed for the repose of the soul of the servant of God Iakov Polozov, the cell attendant of the holy Patriarch Tikhon.

After the communion verse, archpriest Sergy Baburin read out the Address of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the centenary of the demise of Patriarch Tikhon.

After the Liturgy, Archbishop Tikhon celebrated the glorification and read the prayer to Patriarch Tikhon. Many Years was proclaimed on the occasion of the patronal feast.

Archbishop Tikhon addressed the worshippers, saying, in particular: “Today we celebrate the centenary of the demise in the Lord of Patriarch Tikhon of All Russia, who has given an example of a true servant of Christ. He headed the Russian Church in hard times for the Fatherland and the people. In one of his first addresses to his flock, he called these years ‘the time of God’s wrath.’

He worried with all his heart and soul that in the conscience of people “Christian principles have been clouded, faith is weakening, and the godless spirit of this world is raving.” Patriarch Tikhon stood against the persecutors and courageously protected the Church against the infringements of godless authorities, fought against schisms within the Church, supported the spirits of the people with his messages. ...When the Church was shattered by trials, such as churches and monasteries closing, desecration of shrines, the renovationists, exiles, prisons, betrayals, executions, you cannot list them all, the holy Patriarch Tikhon, standing at the helm of the Russian Church, managed to save it. His faithfulness to primatial ministry and duty cost him imprisonment, numerous interrogations, threats and attempts on his life, but Patriarch Tikhon remained staunch and steadfast for the rest of his life. He loved his people and saved for them the most precious spiritual treasure - the Russian Church.”

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The future Patriarch Tikhon visited Germany on his way to America as Bishop of the Aleutian Islands and North America. Accompanying him was Iakov Polozov, his cell attendant.

On 30 December 1903, archpriest Alexei Maltsev, rector of the Embassy church of St. Vladimir in Berlin, and priest Vasily Hekken met the guests at the Berlin railway station. On December 31, Bishop Tikhon celebrated a prayer service at the church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Potsdam and prayed at the grave of its late rector, archpriest Ioann Chudnovsky. That same day he officiated at the All-night Vigil at the Embassy church in Berlin, and at the Liturgy and the New Year's prayer service on 1 January 1904. After a reception given in his honour, he departed for Hamburg.

On January 2, Bishop Tikhon celebrated the Liturgy and a prayer service on the commemoration day of St. Seraphim of Sarov at the home church of the Brotherhood of St. Prince Vladimir in Hamburg. After the service, Bishop Tikhon signed the distinguished visitors’ book. He wrote: "May the Lord strengthen this small community and enlarge it into a big tree with many leaves giving a deep shadow.”

In the evening, Bishop Tikhon departed for Cuxhaven and sailed to North America.