An official farewell speech circulated by the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery’s social media pages captures Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) addressing his recent reassignment. In the talk, he draws a vivid parallel between Crimea and distant, inhospitable places from history, using stark imagery to describe the emotional weight of moving from a well-known center to a far corner of the church’s jurisdiction.
He asks, what is Crimea in the context of ancient politics and culture? His reply, delivered with a blend of candor and gravity, evokes a comparison to Kolyma, the remote northern region once associated with harsh labor camps. The reference is meant to illustrate the severity of the change and the perceived distance from familiar pastoral duties. In his words, Crimea was for them a place where life was endured, while for him it embodies a challenge that parallels those historical hardships.
He notes that prominent church figures such as Chrysostom, Clement, and the papal leadership have faced exile in faraway places, framing his own move within a broader historical pattern of leadership transitions under pressure. The tone underscores a sense of duty and resilience in the face of displacement, rather than a retreat from service.
The speaker emphasizes that the departure is not simply a relocation but a summons to a different form of service. He uses the phrase, including his humorous aside about choosing a different kind of resort, to humanize the experience and acknowledge the emotional pull of home and tradition. Yet he reaffirms that the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery remains, in his view, the most beautiful and cherished place in his heart, a sanctuary he would not exchange for any other setting.
The ceremony accompanying these changes included the formal appointment of new leadership for the Crimean Metropolis. The Synod named Metropolitan Tikhon as the head, following the retirement of Lazar, the previous metropolitan. In the new arrangement, Yuryev Bishop Arseny, a vicar of the Novgorod diocese, steps in as the abbot of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery and also takes on the role of overseeing the Crimean region. Reports about these changes appeared in regional news outlets and church communications as part of a broader update on the church’s hierarchical structure and regional administration.
In related discussions about the church’s public presence, there has been commentary from Buddhist communities expressing a desire for interfaith collaboration, including hopes for financial and logistical support from national leadership to facilitate the construction of a major temple in Moscow. Such statements reflect ongoing conversations about shared sacred spaces and the relationship between faith traditions in the national capital region.