Amphilochius of Pechersk

Holy Hierarch Amphilochius of Pechersk, bishop of Vladimir in Volhynia, was placed on the throne in 1105 and shepherded for seventeen years, in a hard time of quarrels between the princes. He reposed in 1122, in the caves of the Kyiv Caves Lavra. He is commemorated on 28 March, on 10 September and on 23 October.

The diocese of Vladimir-⁠Volynsky is one of the oldest in Russia, founded by Saint Vladimir the Equal-⁠to-⁠the-⁠Apostles himself. Amphilochius was its third shepherd. The first bishop had been Stephen, appointed by Saint Vladimir himself, and after him came the venerable Stephen, abbot of the Caves Monastery (commemorated on 27 April), who had received the abbacy from Venerable Theodosius (3 May). Amphilochius was consecrated bishop on 27 August 1105 by Metropolitan Nicephorus of Kyiv (1103 to 1121) and shepherded the diocese for seventeen years. Only a few generations separated him from the Baptism of Rus, and he had much to do to turn the pagans to Christ, to root out pagan superstitions among the newly baptised and to pacify the quarrels of the princes.

After leaving the see he continued his service to God in the caves of the Kyiv Caves Monastery, where he reposed in 1122. His commemoration on 10 October, together with the other saints of Volhynia, was established in 1831, after the Pochaiv Lavra in Volhynia returned to Orthodoxy.