Crimean fast: why Metropolitan Tikhon is not happy about his new appointment

The new appointment of Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov), the transfer from the Pskov to the Crimean see, received, to put it mildly, contradictory assessments from observers. The question of what it was, disgrace and exile or, on the contrary, a step, or even a leap, up the career ladder, remained without a clear, comprehensive answer. Due to the lack of solid knowledge about the nature of the personnel decision, the fire of discussion was already beginning to subside. But then the Metropolitan himself unexpectedly added some wood to the fire.

Tikhon’s words about a new place of service are a powerful argument in favor of the disgraced version. Well, if, of course, you take them seriously. There is no consensus here either. According to, for example, one of the state news agencies, the Metropolitan “joked about Crimea.” Perhaps his colleagues are much better aware of the bishop’s mood, but his statement bears little resemblance to humor. However, judge for yourself.

“Pray for me,” Tikhon said, addressing his farewell words to the brethren and parishioners of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery (video posted on the monastery’s pages on social networks). – There is another diocese there, a large one. It has its own difficulties… What is Crimea? What was Crimea in Ancient Greece and Byzantium? This is Kolyma! This is Crimea for us. Both Chrysostom and Clement, the Pope, were exiled there. So I should go to the resorts of Kolyma… No, it’s wonderful there, of course. It’s beautiful there, but it’s not Pechery. God bless you”.

For reference: John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (c. 347 – 407) was actually exiled not to Crimea, but to Armenia, and then to Pithiunt (present-day Pitsunda), but did not reach the final place of exile: he graduated his days in Comana Pontica (northeast of what is now Turkey). But in principle, this is also not far from Crimea.

As for Clement, the fourth pope (born presumably in the 30s of the 1st century, died, according to various sources, in 97, 99, or 101) – everything is correct: according to legend, he was sent to the Crimea, to the quarries near Tauride Chersonesos (present-day Sevastopol), where he met martyrdom.

It should also be noted that in the same speech, the Metropolitan expressed gratitude to the boss for transferring his work to another place. But not for this translation, but for the previous one. “I want to thank His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, who suddenly unexpectedly told me that you will be the Pskov bishop and abbot of the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery,” said Tikhon. “It was unexpected for me, I couldn’t even dream of such a height… But now, dreams come true and quickly pass.”

In this way, by the way, the Metropolitan partly confirmed the rumors that were circulating about his move to Pskov – in the part where it was a big surprise for him. For people who know a little more than ordinary mortals about the personnel kitchen of the patriarchy, this, I must say, also came as a surprise. Before this, the possibility of Tikhon occupying the St. Petersburg see was actively discussed, which would mean a sharp increase in status: according to the charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg is a permanent member of the Holy Synod.

Pskov was a much less prestigious option, so a number of experts regarded the move as an honorable removal from Moscow. However, Tikhon himself, all these years, called his return to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, where he began his church activities (he was a laborer and then a novice), happiness. He said the same thing in his farewell speech, adding: “Happiness did not last long. Just five years. The Lord ordered it this way. It’s also not good to be overly happy.”

In general, either Tikhon is such a good actor that Stanislavsky himself would believe him, or he really really doesn’t want to move. And the author of these lines is inclined to the latter option. Despite the fact that the Crimean appointment, although it removes Tikhon from the capital geographically, brings him much closer to it, by all indications, politically. It is quite possible to agree with the disgraced Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev (by the way, a friend of Tikhon): “In our time, geographical proximity means nothing… But the mention of Crimea additionally opens up all the offices in Moscow today.”

Why is the Metropolitan sad, why is he not happy about the prospects opening up to him? Someone else’s soul in the dark. It cannot be ruled out that Tikhon really wants to stay away from the bustle of the world. A completely natural desire for a monk. But perhaps it’s much more complicated.

Five years ago, commenting on Tikhon’s promotion to Metropolitan of Pskov, your humble servant – like many other commentators, there is no priority here – predicted that his career growth would not stop there, that much greater things lay ahead for Tikhon. Quite possibly, in the status of a patriarch. True, the Metropolitan himself then called on everyone to “calm down,” assuring that “there is not even a trace of anything serious in this topic.” But for some reason he added: “To become a patriarch, I must rule the diocese for five years.”

Five years have passed. And the next term of office of the president is about to expire, whose confessor, according to a well-known legend, is the new Metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimea (he himself, by the way, never refuted it). Coincidence? Maybe. But who knows, perhaps Tikhon knows something about the Kremlin’s plans to renew the ruling elite, including the leadership of a “supernatural monopoly,” which makes him already feel the full weight of his future mission today.