Amphilochius of Vladimir

Holy Hierarch Amphilochius of Vladimir was bishop of Vladimir in Volhynia, in Kievan Rus, and he died in the year 1122 at the Kiev Caves Lavra.

He was the third bishop of one of the oldest Russian dioceses, founded in the time of Saint Vladimir. The first bishop had been Stephen, elected under Saint Vladimir himself, and the next was Stephen, abbot of the Kiev Caves after Saint Theodosius. Amphilochius was consecrated bishop on 27 August 1105 by Nikephoros, Metropolitan of Kiev (1103-1121). For seventeen years he guided the flock of Vladimir-⁠Volhynia. His time was only a couple of generations after the Baptism of Kievan Rus, and he laboured tirelessly to bring pagans to Christ and to root out the pagan superstitions remaining among the newly baptized, while calming strife among the princes. He then resigned his see and continued his service to God in the Kiev Caves monastery, where he fell asleep.

His commemoration on 10 October, together with the other holy hierarchs of Volhynia, was established in 1831, after the Pochaev Lavra in Volhynia was restored to Orthodoxy.