Semyon Wielikanow

Siemion Grigoriewicz Wielikanow, Russian Семен Григорьевич Великанов (born 5 April 1869 in Saint Petersburg, died December 15, 1948 in Noisy-le-Grand) - Russian state official, emigre Orthodox cleric, religious

He graduated from the University of St. Petersburg. He was a state official during Tsarist Russia. After the outbreak of World War I he was mobilized to the Russian army. He then took part in the civil war in the White Army. He emigrated to Poland where he was ordained as an Orthodox priest. He took the name Simeon. He wrote the "Living Word". In 1924 he moved to France. He lived in Knutange, where he initially worked as a worker at local metallurgical plants. He participated in the construction of the local Orthodox Holy Trinity Church, where he became a parish priest. In Paris in 1927 he participated in the eparchial congress of the Western European Orthodox Church. In 1930 he was awarded the title of protojereja. He founded Knutange School for them. Metropolitan of Eulogius (Gieorgijewskiego). He then took part in the organization of cultural and religious life in Homécourt, Algrange, Nilvange and other French cities, serving in their spiritual ministry. He called the choir of the church, which later transformed into the chorus "Guslar". In 1937, he received a pallium from the Metropolitan of Yevgenyi. He actively participated in the activities of the Russian Student Christian Movement. After the liberation of France by the Allied troops, he chaired the Russian Patriotic Association in Algrange. He went under the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate. He served as pastor of the Orthodox Church. Nicholas the Witcher. At the end of his life he was in charge of orchard farming. He intended to come to the USSR, but prevented him from dying on December 15, 1948. Bibliography

Lew A. Mnuchin, Marie Avril, Russian Abroad in France, 1919-2000, 2008

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