The Shepherd, October 2009
NICOLAS, BISHOP OF LONDON
AT THIS TIME, we celebrate the 77th Year’s Mind of the first Orthodox Bishop consecrated for a see in Britain since the Great Schism, Bishop Nicolas (Karpoff) of London. In commemoration of this, we are publishing below a (slightly amended) typescript, reminiscences of persons who knew this remarkable hierarch, whose faith we should strive to follow, considering the end of his conversation.
1. The arrival of Archimandrite Nicolas.
The state of uncertainty [within the congregation in London] did not last for long. Later in 1928, at the request of some of the parishioners, Archimandrite Nicolas (Karpoff) was sent from Yugoslavia as rector; he was one of the most remarkable clergymen of the Russian dispersion & he immediately brought peace and new life to the parish.
Father Nicolas was 38 year old when he arrived. He had graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy in 1915, and had been a teacher in theological schools in Russia and a preacher in the monastery in Oboyan in the Kursk province. After leaving Russia he served in various Serbian parishes in Yugoslavia (then officially known as the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes). Later he taught at the seminary in Bytol, where he was greatly loved by the staff and pupils. He was appointed to London at a time when the parish was still reeling from the effects of the Church schism [the split between the Russian Church in Exile and what became known as the Paris Exarchate - ed.]. He dealt remarkably well with the immense problems that he faced. Through his piety and religious fervour he quickly won the hearts of his parishioners and brought peace to parish life.
Within a short period Archimandrite Nicolas had the honour of becoming the first [post-Schism] Orthodox Bishop of London. This see was considered particularly important, both due to the political importance of London, which would provide opportunities to mitigate the persecution of the faithful in Russia, and also due to the great interest in Orthodoxy which then existed in England.
For the consecration, Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky) came to London - his second and last visit. While in London, he stayed for two weeks with the family of Vsevolod Ampenoff. Here we shall pause to consider the impression left by Metropolitan Antony on a young daughter of the family, subsequently Abbess Elisabeth (+ 1999) of the Convent of the Annunciation in London.
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