On Jan. 22, at the age of 90, His Grace, Bishop Tikhon Fitzgerald, retired "Bishop of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the West," passed away at LA County-USC Medical Center. 

Early Days of His Life

His Grace was the Diocese of the West's presiding hierarch from 1987 to 2006. Bishop Tikhon was hospitalized several days before his repose and received the Sacraments of Unction and Holy Communion on Friday. On Saturday evening, the Canon for the Parting of the Soul of one who has suffered was sung at his bedside, according to Orthodox Church in America. 

On Nov. 14, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, Lee Roy Howard Fitzgerald was born to parents LeRoy and Dorothy Fitzgerald. His Lutheran baptism took place a month after his conversion. 

After graduating high school, he attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota from 1952 to 1954. After serving in the US Army from that year to 1957, he enrolled at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he earned his degree in 1958.

In September 1960, while stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, he was received into the Orthodox Church by Chrismation. He named Stephen by Father Peter Zolnerowich at the Base Chapel. 

After taking a year off during the 1965–1966 school year to attend Saint Vladimir's Seminary in New York, he stayed as an Air Force intelligence officer until 1971.

As per the report, Deacon Stephen was relocated to the Los Angeles church of the Holy Virgin Mary on Sep. 15, 1972. Father Stephen first approached the Cathedral's Rector, Archpriest Dimitry Gisetti, to become a priest in 1978.

On July 9, 1978, after his petition to become a priest in the Cathedral was granted, he was ordained by Bishop Gregory (Afonsky) of Alaska, who served as interim administrator of the Diocese of the West.

Experienced Significant Growth Under His Leadership

With Bishop Tikhon at the helm, the Diocese expanded significantly by founding several new mission churches. 

Through "archpastoral" letters of direction and his methodical example, His Grace directed the attention of the clergy in his Diocese to problems of correct liturgical order, demonstrating a deep devotion to the divine services.

The Orthodox Church of America also revealed that historically, San Francisco has served as the see of the reigning hierarch of the Diocese of the West, but under Bishop Tikhon, the Diocese of the West was briefly expanded to include Los Angeles. 

Bishop Tikhon asked the Holy Synod to change his title to "Bishop of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the West," They granted his request in March 2005.

In retirement, Bishop Tikhon remained in Los Angeles, where he had served as a deacon at Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral since 1972. 

When he was able, his Grace attended the Cathedral's divine services in quiet devotion. He was much regarded by the congregation, especially the longtime members who had known him throughout the years.

About Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral

It was in 1971 that the Russian Orthodox Church granted autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), making the Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles a parish of the Diocese of San Francisco and the West. 

Tsarist Russian immigrant communities to Southern California established this church in 1923, making it the region's pioneer Russian parish.