About the Archdiocese

The Archdiocese is an Orthodox ecclesial entity uniting the churches of Russian tradition in Western Europe, founded in 1921 by the Holy Patriarch Tikhon and entrusted to Metropolitan Euloge. Canonically attached to the Patriarchate of Moscow, the Archdiocese is headed by His Eminence the Metropolitan John of Doubna. Faithful to its spiritual and liturgical roots in the Russian tradition, it retains the specific features of its ecclesial and pastoral functioning as established by the Moscow Council of 1917-1918 as well as the heritage of its own tradition.

The head office is at 12 rue Daru, Paris 8th, near the Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Attached to it are: the Orthodox Theological Institute of Saint Serge, ten monasteries and skites, eighty parishes and communities, spread over seven European countries.

Pastoral ministry is provided by 102 priests and 40 deacons, together with 44 monks and nuns (figures as at 1 December 2025).