A priest, born René François Guettée, he later in his life converted to Orthodoxy and took the name Father Vladimir. Born in the town of Blois, on the Loire River in central France, René-Francois, as he was called, received an upbringing typical for a boy from a wealthy and respected family of that time. Ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1839, he was first an assistant pastor in a small country town, and later had his own flock elsewhere, where he organized a school for children. His scholarship, his work in the libraries, and his love for reading and textual analysis drew the attention of the local bishop. It was at this time that he came out with his 12-volume History of the Church in France (1847-1856). His examination of the papacy opened his eyes to a whole system of errors, which, under his scrutiny, "collapsed like the walls of Jericho at Joshua's trumpets." Increasingly disaffected by Roman Catholicism, he would no doubt have wandered about in limbo for some time were it not for a providential encounter with Fr. Joseph Vassiliev, who served the chapel in the Russian embassy on rue Grenelle, and who assisted him in his move towards Orthodoxy. He went to Russia, where he found himself immersed in a thoroughly Orthodox milieu. At the recommendation of the professors of the Moscow Academy, Fr. Vladimir was awarded the rank of Doctor of Theology, and he was given a diploma written up by Metropolitan Philaret himself. He also had the honor of being received by Tsar Alexander II.
A priest, born René François Guettée, he later in his life converted to Orthodoxy and took the name Father Vladimir. Born in the town of Blois, on the Loire River in central France, René-Francois, as he was called, received an upbringing typical for a boy from a wealthy and respected family of that time. Ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1839, he was first an assistant pastor in a small country town, and later had his own flock elsewhere, where he organized a school for children. His scholarship, his work in the libraries, and his love for reading and textual analysis drew the attention of the local bishop. It was at this time that he came out with his 12-volume History of the Church in France (1847-1856). His examination of the papacy opened his eyes to a whole system of errors, which, under his scrutiny, "collapsed like the walls of Jericho at Joshua's trumpets." Increasingly disaffected by Roman Catholicism, he would no doubt have wandered about in limbo for some time were it not for a providential encounter with Fr. Joseph Vassiliev, who served the chapel in the Russian embassy on rue Grenelle, and who assisted him in his move towards Orthodoxy. He went to Russia, where he found himself immersed in a thoroughly Orthodox milieu. At the recommendation of the professors of the Moscow Academy, Fr. Vladimir was awarded the rank of Doctor of Theology, and he was given a diploma written up by Metropolitan Philaret himself. He also had the honor of being received by Tsar Alexander II.
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