View source for Tikhon (Fitzgerald) of San Francisco and Los Angeles

His Grace '''Tikhon (Fitzgerald)''' Bishop of San Francisco, Los Angeles and the West, was the [[bishop]] of the [[Diocese of the West (OCA)|Diocese of the West]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]] from 1987 to 2007.  He is presently retired and living in Los Angeles.

He was born Stephen Fitzgerald in Detroit, Michigan, on [[November 14]], 1932. He was raised in the Lutheran church and was accepted into the Orthodox Church through [[chrismation]] in 1960.

Bishop [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas|Dmitri]] [[ordination|ordained]] him to the Holy [[Diaconate]] in December 1971 at [[St. Nicholas Cathedral (Washington, D.C.)|St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, Washington, D.C.]] Bishop [[Gregory (Afonsky) of Sitka|Gregory of Alaska]] ordained him to the Holy [[Priest]]hood in 1978. The Holy Synod elevated him to the rank of Archpriest in 1982. He was a clergyman of vast pastoral experience, serving in a number of parishes.

After nomination as Bishop of San Francisco at the Extraordinary Diocesan Assembly held in San Francisco's Holy Trinity Cathedral on [[March 12]], 1987, Fr. Stephen was elected Bishop of San Francisco by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America on [[March 17]], 1987. On the eve of the Feast of the [[Annunciation]] he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name of Tikhon at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Monastery, Pennsylvania]], and elevated to the rank of [[Archimandrite]] on [[Lazarus Saturday]] at Christ the Saviour Church in San Francisco by Bishop [[Job (Osacky) of Chicago|Job]], the Temporary Administrator of the Diocese of the West.

{{stub}}

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Basil (Rodzianko) of San Francisco|Basil (Rodzianko)]]|
title=Bishop of San Francisco and the West|
years=1987-2007|
after=[[Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco|Benjamin (Peterson)]]}}
{{end box}}