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His Eminence the Most Reverend '''Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York''' was the first hierarch of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] from 1986 to 2001. His Eminence retired as First Hierarch in 2001, and lived at Holy Transfiguration Skete in Mansonville, QuebecQuébec. His Eminence reposed in the Lord at the age of 97 in Mansonville on [[September 25]], 2006. [http://www.synod.com/synod/2006/9metvitaly.html {{ref|1] [[Image:MetropolitanVitaly}}.jpg|left|frame|Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York and Eastern America]]

 Metropolitan Vitaly, born Rostislav Petrovich Oustinow in St . Petersburg, Russia, in 1910, was the son of an officer of the Black Sea Fleet, Peter Oustinow , and Lydia Andreevna, nee née Stopchansky, daughter of a gendarme general who served his whole life in the Caucasus.

In 1934, he was called upon to fulfill his military obligations, which he did by joining the 9th Cavalry Regiment, but the young Oustinow had no wish to remain in the world - —his only desire was to withdraw to a [[monastery]].

In 1939, trudnik {{ref|2}} Rostislav was [[tonsure]]d to the rassophore with the name 'Vitaly, ' and a year later, he was tonsured to the minor schema.

In 1941, in the city of Bratislava, Fr . Vitaly was [[ordination|ordained]] by [[Metropolitan]] Seraphim of Berlin and Germany to the rank of [[hieromonk]] and assigned to minister to two towns on the Polish border.

World War II forced the [[monasticism|monastic]] brotherhood to flee from the approaching Red Army. Fr . Vitaly found himself in Berlin, where, together with [[Archimandrite]] Nathaniel, he developed a broad mission among the Russian refugees and prisoners of war. The second onslaught of the Reds forced the two young [[clergy]]men to move to Hamburg, where another field of activity opened up for them: to save thousands of refugees from forced repatriation to the USSR. A good knowledge of various languages, especially of English, along with tireless energy, allowed Fr . Vitaly and Fr . Nathaniel to save the lives of many Russians.

Settling in Hamburg, Hegumen Vitaly began to establish church life at the Displaced Persons camp Fischbeck. A barracks [[church]] was immediately set up there with a daily round of services, [[psalm]]-reading courses and even a year-long theological course for 12 youths. At the same time, Hegumen Vitaly gathered together a small monastic group, which began to publish church service books and even a newsletter, ''Pochaevskije listki ''.

From 1947 to 1951, Archimandrite Vitaly was the [[rector]] of the London [[parish]]; in 1951, on the [[feast day ]] of SS Ss. [[Apostle Peter |Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]], he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated ]] [[bishop]] and sent to Brazil. Soon the young bishop opened his own print shop and established a small orphanage for boys, where they were taught them the [[daily cycle ]] of services.

As Bishop of Montreal and Canada, Vladyka established a [[skete ]] in Mansonville.

In Montreal, Vladyka acquired and refurbished the large St . Nicholas Cathedral. Not far from the Cathedral is the Synodal [[podvorie]].

In 2001, the Russian Church Abroad celebrated the 50 th 50th anniversary of His Eminence's service as bishop. That year, Vladyka Vitaly announced his retirement.