Diocese

Diocese of Corsun The Diocese of Corsun is regrouping in France, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal Moscow Patriarchate parishes.

The diocese is the successor of Moscow’s Patriarchate in Western Europe which was formed in 1917 after the Russian revolution and is now leaded by Metropolitan Evloghie (Gheorghievski ).

In 1931, Metropolitan Evloghie left the Moscow Patriarchate for a period of time and entered the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The orthodox people who remained loyal to the Russian Orthodox Church have built in 1931 the parish of Three Holy Hierarchs  (Vasile cel Mare, Grigorie Teologul and Ioan Gură de Aur), which,  in 1946, became a new Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate based in France.

Among its founders can be mentioned Bishop Veniamin (Fedtcenkov), theologian Vladimir Lossky and Hiermonk Atanasie (Neciaev). Holy Fotius Brotherhood had an important role in founding the new exarchate which in 1931was led by Vladimir Lossky.

In January 1931, instead of Metropolitan Evloghie, Moscow Patriarchate had named Eleuferie (Bogoiavlenski) as Metropolitan of Vilnius. At that time Moscow Patriarchate was under soviet authority’s prosecution.  At least from March of the same year Veniamin (Fedtcenkov) became suffragan bishop of the diocese and vicar of the Holy Three Hierarchs church. In 1945, about a year before his death, Metropolitan Evloghie had returned with all the parishes within the Russian Orthodox Church and in this way regaining the title of Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate. At the same time, along with PS Evloghie’s death in 1946, Metropolitan Serafim (Lukianov) was named to be the next Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate. In this context a big number of parishes contested PS Serafim and therefore they broke again the connection with their mother church. These parishes led to the current Russian Exarchate of Parishes of Patriarchate of Constantinople in Western Europe.

Diocese of Corsun was founded at the end of 1980, as the heir of the Exarchate of Western Europe. By December 2006, the Exarchate also included the Russian Parishes in Italy, which now are under the canonical authority of the bishop Bogorodsk.

Corsun (Hersones) is an ancient city in Crimea, founded by Greek settlers in IVth century B. C.. According to ecclesiastical traditions, this is the city where Prince Vladimir decided to become a Christian, in this way, opening a new chapter in Russian history.

Contact the diocese administration at:

Tel.: + 33 1 48 28 99 90 ; fax: + 33 1 48 28 74 54

Communication service: tel.: + 33 9 75 37 46 96 ; fax: + 33 1 43 37 31 92;

For Moldovan parishes: Hiermonk Iosif: + 33 6 48 12 07 68

Address of Corsun Diocese and the offcie of Moldovan Orthodox communities: 26, rue Péclet – 75015 Paris Headquarters: + 33 1 48 28 99 90, fax: + 33 1 48 28 74 54

Hiermonk Iosif (Pavlinciuc): + 33 6 48 12 07 68 Email: [email protected]