Архиерейство

In the 1919–20 academic year, the vice-rector of the academy still continued to give his lectures to students, and on April 21, 1920, Archimandrite Hilarion was relieved of his vice-rector position in connection with the news of his appointment as Bishop of Verei. On May 11/24, 1920, on the day of remembrance of Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, teachers of Slovenia, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Tikhon named the 33-year-old Archimandrite Hilarion (Troitsky) bishop. The appointed bishop in his speech expresses the consciousness of unworthiness for such a high church service: “I was a sinful layman, became a sinful monk, became a sinful priest, but to be a sinful bishop - I tremble: “Why has the Church of God sinned so much, how has it angered its Master so much that it should be given over to me, the most despised of all, and subjected to such to shame? This is what John Chrysostom exclaims (On the priesthood. 6, 12). What words will I say, sinner and damned above all?” Father Hilarion did not strive for the bishopric and avoided it: “I was afraid of the bishopric and always spoke a lot against my bishopric.” But he was accustomed to obedience to the Church and cutting off his will in front of her: “From the days of childhood, I determined myself to serve the Church and served her alone until now, as long as my laziness allowed me. I considered all my academic and professorial activities to be service to the Church, and in this service I saw the highest and only meaning of all our academic work.” And therefore, despite his reluctance, he responds to this call of the Church with the words of Holy Scripture: The will of the Lord be done (Acts 21:14)” 307. Archimandrite Hilarion was consecrated Bishop of Vereisky, vicar of the Moscow diocese on May 12/25, 1920. Quote by: Damascene (Orlovsky), Hierom. Biography of Archbishop Hilarion (Troitsky) // Hilarion (Troitsky), Archbishop. The Church as a union of love. pp. 30–31.