Vienna and Austrian Diocese (ROCOR)

In August 1938, the ROCOR Council of Bishops of Archimandrite Vasily (Pavlovsky) as a vicar bishop for the Diocese of Berlin with the title "Potsdam", but at the request of the Bishop of Berlin and Germany, Seraphim (Lyade) changed his title to Vienna, since, firstly, Vienna at that time was the second most important city of the German state, and secondly, there, unlike Potsdam, many Russian emigrants lived. On January 1, 1939, the consecration of Archimandrite Vasily took place as Bishop of Vienna, Vicar of the Diocese of Berlin ^[1] .

In 1944-1945, a huge number of Russian immigrants fleeing the advancing Red Army arrived in Austria. In the first years after World War II , there were tens of thousands of people from Russian lands in the country, concentrated mainly in refugee camps. Separated from their homeland, finding themselves in local camps, they organized 33 communities after the war ^[2] .

On July 14, 1945, at the first meeting of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops held in Munich after the end of the war, it was decided to form an independent diocese on the territory of the Austrian diocese. Her ruling bishop was appointed Bishop Vasily (Pavlovsky) , who soon died ^[3] .. At the request of an already expanded community, Archbishop Stefan (Sevbo) was sent to Austria, in accordance with the decision of the Synod, in 1946. The solemn meeting of the Bishop took place on January 17, 1947. He was received by 16 archpriests, priests and protodeacon ^[2] . The Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin in the camp of Parsh became a cathedral ^[2] .

Soon, the mass departure of displaced persons from Austria, mainly to the USA, Canada and Australia, began. By 1953, about 90% of the refugees had already left ^[4] , and many of the remaining were hiding, fearing expulsion to the USSR ^[2] . The priests also left with the flock. Vladimir Golitsyn, who visited Austria in 1957, stated "a very difficult situation for the local clergy": "The refugee issue in Austria has not yet been resolved. I’m talking about Orthodox Russians and Serbs living in Austria for 12 years. Only healthy and able-bodied people were taken out to other countries, while the sick and old still sit in the camps, waiting for a decision of their fate. In addition, thousands of Serbs live in Austria, the number of which is increasing daily by new arrivals who are also served by our priests. There are currently 1,500 Russians scattered throughout Austria throughout Austria. <...> In the Austrian diocese there is 1 archbishop and 5 priests who should serve 5 large cities ( Graz , Klagenfurt , Salzburg , Innsbruck and Linz ), 15 camps, not all located near the railway, 2 old houses and 2 hospitals. It is clear to everyone with what tension our clergy must work in order to serve their flock. How much time and physical stress is spent on trips ‚in order to serve the liturgy, to make a burial, to baptize a child, to partake of a seriously ill person. This sacrificial work of our clergy could be half facilitated if there was a car in the Diocese, but money is needed to have it ” ^[5] .

At the end of 1960 - during 1961 the Parsh camp was completely disbanded. For the settlers, with the support of some charitable organizations, small apartments were equipped ^[2] .

In 1946-1948 and from 1962, the Vienna and Austrian diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate existed in parallel.

In 1965, Archbishop Stefan (Sevbo) died. Only in 1974 was a new ruling bishop appointed - Archbishop Nathanael (Lviv) , but he was sick and lived in Munich , not Austria.

When the elderly archpriest Vasily Ivanov died in 1985, only two priests remained in the Russian Orthodox Church abroad in Austria ^[4] .

In 1988, after the death of Archbishop Nathanael (Lviv) , the diocese became part of Berlin as a deanery ^[2] .

Vienna Vicariate of the Diocese of Berlin

• Vasily (Pavlovsky) (January 1, 1939 - July 14, 1945)

Vienna and Austrian Diocese

• Vasily (Pavlovsky) (July 14 - October 23, 1945)
• Dimitri (Magan) (December 27, 1945 - July 13, 1946)
• Athanasius (Martos) (July 13 - August 2, 1946)
• Nathanael (Lviv) (August 2 - August 13, 1946)
• Stefan (Sevbo) (August 13, 1946 - January 25, 1965)
• Anthony (Bartoshevich) (1965-1971) high school, archbishop Geneva
• Nathanael (Lviv) (September 24, 1974 - November 8, 1986)