First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad
Bishopric
Russian Orthodox Church
Incumbent: Metropolitan Nicholas (Olhovsky) since 18 September 2022
Information
First holder	Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky)
Established	19 November 1920
Parent church	Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
Patriarch	Patriarch Kirill of Moscow
Website
synod.com

The First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, or Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, is the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, a semi-autonomous Church under the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). ^[1]

The position of First Hierarch is currently occupied by Nicholas (Olhovsky). ^{[2] [3]} The see of the First Hierarch is currently the Russian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America and New York.

List of holders

No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign
1	Anthony Aleksey Khrapovitsky (1863–1936)		19 November 1920	10 August 1936	15 years, 8 months and 22 days
2	Anastasius Alexander Gribanovsky (1873–1965)		10 August 1936	27 May 1964	27 years, 9 months and 17 days
3	Philaret Georgy Voznesensky (1903–1985)		27 May 1964	21 November 1985	21 years, 5 months and 25 days
4	Vitaly Rostislav Ustinov (1910–2006)		22 January 1986	10 August 2001	15 years, 6 months and 19 days
5	Laurus Vasily Shkurla (1928–2008)		28 October 2001	16 March 2008	6 years, 4 months and 17 days
6	Hilarion Igor Kapral (1948–2022)		18 May 2008	16 May 2022	13 years, 11 months and 28 days
7	Nicholas Nikolay Olhovsky (born 1974)		18 September 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 11 months and 10 days (as of 28 August 2025)

Timeline

See also

• List of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
• Eastern Orthodox Church
• White émigré

References

1. "History of the Church Abroad | ROCOR Europe". Русская Православная Епархия Великобритании и Западной Европы | Russian Orthodox Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe. 2019-03-26. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
2. "The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia - Official Website". www.synod.com. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
3. "Archbishop Elpidophoros Congratulates Metropolitan Nicholas, Newly-Elected First Hierarch of the ROCOR - From the Archdiocese - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America". www.goarch.org. Retrieved 2022-09-14.