THE LATE
BISHOP ALEXANDER OF ZILA

ASSISTANT BISHOP OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PARISHES IN WESTERN EUROPE

BIOGRAPHY :

The late Bishop Alexander of Zila (in the world Semenoff-Tian-Chansky) was an auxiliary bishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate serving in the Archdiocese of the Russian orthodox parishes in Western Europe.  Bishop Alexander was born on October 7, 1890, in St. Petersburg, Russia. He studied letters at the University of St. Petersburg. In 1921, he left his country for France, where he remained from 1925. At the age of 47 he started studying theology.

In 1953, he was ordained deacon and priest. On June 30, 1971 he was elected assistant bishop of Archbishop Georges (Tarassoff) of Syracuse, head of the Archdiocese of the Russian orthodox parishes in Western Europe, receiving the title of Bishop of Zila. He was consecrated to the episcopacy in Paris on September 5, 1971, at the age of 80. He died in Paris on May 16, 1979.