Diocese of Vladimir (Russian Orthodox Church)

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The Diocese of Vladimir is an eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church based in Vladimir Oblast, Russia. Its main cathedral is the Assumption Cathedral in Cathedral Square, Vladimir. Historically, liturgical language used in the diocese has been Old Church Slavonic.

As of 2006, the diocese included about 28 monasteries (13 male and 15 female), 13 metochions and sketes, and around 300 parishes. Eulogius (Smirnov) served as bishop from 1990 to 2018; he died on 22 July 2020.

History in brief:
- The Christian faith reached the Rostov-Suzdal region around 990.
- The Vladimir diocese was created in 1214 when Vladimir was separated from the Rostov diocese; the first bishop was Simon.
- During the Mongol invasion (1237–1238), Vladimir suffered great destruction; Bishop Mitrofan and his family were killed in the Assumption Cathedral.
- The diocese’ territory once included Vladimir and several nearby principalities. Over time it came under different church administrations, including the Moscow metropolitan system and, later, the Russian Orthodox Church’s Synodal governance.
- In 1744 Moscow recognized the diocese as Vladimir and Yaropolskoy; the Vladimir and Suzdal dioceses were merged in 1786–1788. Serapion of Vladimir is listed as bishop around 1274–1275.

Today the diocese continues to serve Orthodox Christians in Vladimir and the surrounding area.