His Beatitude, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine, 79, fell asleep in the Lord on Saturday morning, July 5, 2014 after a lengthy illness.

Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev (1935-2014). Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. 1997.

Born Viktor Markiyanovich Sabodan in Ukraine’s Khmelnitsky region, on November 23, 1935, he studied at the Odessa Theological Seminary from 1954 until 1958, after which he enrolled at the Leningrad Theological Academy, from which he graduated in 1962. He went on to serve as an instructor at the Odessa Theological Seminary and held related positions. He was ordained to the diaconate on June 14, 1962 and to the priesthood the following day. On August 26 of the same year, he received monastic tonsure, receiving the name Vladimir in honor of Equal of the Apostles Great Prince Vladimir, in Holy Baptism Basil, the Enlightener of the Rus Land. After his graduation from the Moscow Theological Academy in 1965, he was named Rector of the Odessa Theological Seminary and elevated to the dignity of Archimandrite.

After a brief tenure as Deputy Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem in 1966, he was consecrated to the episcopacy on July 9, 1966, appointed Bishop of Zvenigorod, and named representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the World Council of Churches. He was transferred to Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky on November 28, 1968 until March 20, 1969, when he was appointed Bishop of Chernihiv and Nezhinskiy, while the appointment of temporary administrator of the Diocese of Sumy. From 1970 through 1973, he served as managing editor of “The Orthodox Herald”. In the early 1970s, Bishop Vladimir visited the Patriarchal parishes in Canada. He was appointed Bishop of Dmitrov and was elevated to the dignity of archbishop on September 9, 1973. On July 16, 1982, after his elevation to the dignity of metropolitan, he was transferred to the Diocese of Rostov and Novocherkassk. Two years later, he was appointed to serve as Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe. He also became the Administrative Director of the Moscow Patriarchate and a permanent member of its Holy Synod on December 30, 1987. On May 28, 1992, he was elected Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine.

In addition to his episcopal ministry, Metropolitan Vladimir was active in a variety of spheres. He was awarded honorary doctorates by several international universities and research institutes. He also was well known as a preacher, theologian and author. A six-volume edition of his writings was published in 1997-1998. June 22, 1997 in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the current Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada was ordained as bishop by Metropolitan Vladimir and a council of bishops.

May Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev memory be eternal!

His Eminence, Metropolitan Onufriy of Chernivtsi and Bukovina is serving as Locum Tenens until Metropolitan Vladimir’s successor is elected. 

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russ expressed His Condolences to Metropolitan Onufry of Chernovtsy and Bukovina, Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of Kiev, to archpastors, pastors, monastics, and to all the faithful of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. https://mospat.ru/en/2014/07/05/news105068/