Did Alexander Usatov defame Metropolitan Mercury (Ivanov)?

Mercury (Ivanov)
(born 1964), Metropolitan of Rostov and Novocherkassk, head of the Don Metropolis, temporary administrator of the Volgodonsk diocese, general director of the Sofrino art and production enterprise, holy archimandrite of the Starocherkassk Don Ephraim Monastery, member of the presidium of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the World Ivanov Igor Vladimirovich, born on January 21, 1964 in the city of Porkhov, Pskov region, into a family of workers.

In 1981 he graduated from high school. In 1981-1982 he worked as a nurse in a regional hospital. In 1982 he entered the Leningrad Pediatric Medical Institute, from which he graduated in 1989, receiving a diploma as a pediatrician.

On March 12, 1988, he was tonsured a monk and named in honor of the Great Martyr. Mercury of Caesarea [1].

On January 15, 1989, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on August 6, a hieromonk with the appointment of a full-time priest of the St. Nicholas Cathedral in the city of Kaliningrad.

Since April 3, 1990 - rector of the Kazan Church in the village of Yantarny, Kaliningrad region.

Since January 13, 1991 - rector of the Seraphim Church in the city of Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad region.

On November 17, 1992, he was elevated to the rank of abbot.

Since May 5, 1993 - rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Kaliningrad.

In 1994, he graduated from the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary as an external student, and then was a student at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy (externship).

On May 5, 1996, he was appointed rector of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior under construction in the city of Kaliningrad.

On December 29, 1999, he was elected Bishop of Zaraisk, vicar of the Moscow diocese, administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA [2].

On January 9, 2000, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

On February 6, 2000, he was consecrated Bishop of Zaraisk, vicar of the Moscow diocese.
The consecration was performed by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'; Metropolitans of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret (Vakhromeev), Krutitsky and Kolomna Yuvenaly (Poyarkov), Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill (Gundyaev), Solnechnogorsk Sergius (Fomin), Volokolamsk and Yuryev Pitirim (Nechaev); Archbishops of Pskov and Velikoluksky Eusebius (Savvin), Tver and Kashinsky Viktor (Oleynik); Bishops of Bronnitsky Tikhon (Emelyanov), Baltic Panteleimon (Kutovoy), Orekhovo-Zuevsky Alexy (Frolov), Krasnogorsky Savva (Volkov). On June 7, 2007, he was awarded the degree of candidate of theology for his work “The Works of Blessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, as a Liturgical Source.”

On March 31, 2009, he was relieved of his duties as manager of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA and appointed chairman of the Synodal Department for Religious Education and Catechesis [3].

On April 9 of the same year, he was appointed rector of the churches of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery in Moscow [4].

On June 26, 2009, he headed the Commission on Spiritual and Moral Education in a secondary school, organized under the Synodal Department of Religious Education and Catechesis.

On June 29 of the same year, he was added to the Editorial Council for writing a textbook and teaching materials for the educational course “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” for high school.

On July 9, 2009, he was introduced to the Council of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation for federal state educational standards.

On July 27 of the same year he became a member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church, and on March 5, 2010 - a member of its presidium [5]. From January 29, 2010 - co-chairman of the Commission on Spiritual Education and Religious Enlightenment, member of the Commission on Interaction between the Church, State and Society (until December 16, 2010 [6]), member of the Commission on Divine Worship and Church Art (until December 16 2010 [6]), member of the Commission on the Organization of the Life of Monasteries and Monasticism of the Inter-Council Presence [7].

On September 25, 2009, at a meeting of the Specialized Academic Council of the Uzhgorod Ukrainian Theological Academy named after Saints Cyril and Methodius, a decision was made to nostrify the diploma of the candidate of theology of the St. Petersburg Pedagogical Academy of Bishop Mercury of Zaraisk into the diploma of Doctor of Theology.

On October 10, 2009, he was appointed abbot of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery in connection with the resumption of monastic life in this monastery [8]. He remained in this position until July 26, 2012 [9], and was approved as a member of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church for the period 2010-2012 [10].

On December 25 of the same year, he was approved as a member of the working group for the preparation of the modern catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On March 5, 2010, he was appointed chairman of the Commission on Church Orphanages and Issues of Church Care for Children, created under the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Since December of the same year, he has been a member of the Coordination Committee for the promotion of social, educational, informational, cultural and other initiatives under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church, co-chairman of the direction “Education and spiritual development of the individual.”

From December 2010 to July 2011, he cared for parish churches in the Northern Administrative District of Moscow (All Saints Deanery).

From March 22, 2011 to August 25, 2021 - as part of the newly formed Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church [11] ex officio.

On March 22 of the same year, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Commission on Church Orphanages and Issues of Church Care for Children under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

On July 27, 2011, he was appointed Bishop of Rostov and Novocherkassk [12].

From October 5, 2011 to May 29, 2013, he temporarily served as rector of the Don Theological Seminary [13].

On October 6, 2011, he was appointed head of the Don Metropolis [14].

On October 8 of the same year, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in the Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra [15].

On December 25, 2012, he became a member of the Interdepartmental Coordination Group for the Teaching of Theology in Universities [16].

On March 12, 2013, he headed an interdepartmental working group to coordinate work on the opening of educational centers for training specialists in the field of catechetical, missionary, youth and social activities.

From July 17, 2013 to December 31, 2021 - rector of the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God in Veshnyaki, Moscow.

On October 23, 2014, in addition to previous obediences in the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was appointed Chairman of the Commission on Spiritual Education and Religious Enlightenment [17].

From December 31, 2021 to September 3, 2021 - rector of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Tushino, Moscow.

On July 9, 2021, he was confirmed as the holy archimandrite of the Starocherkassk Donskoy Efremov Monastery [18].

On August 30 of the same year, he was also entrusted with temporary management of the Volgodonsk diocese [19].

On August 25, 2021, he was relieved of his post as Chairman of the Synodal Department of Religious Education and Catechesis and appointed General Director of the Sofrino art and production enterprise.

Essays

• Speech by Archimandrite Mercury (Ivanov) upon his naming as Bishop of Zaraisk. M., 2000. No. 03. 23-30.
• Works of the blessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, as a liturgical source (PhD thesis). Department of Church-Practical Disciplines of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.
• Literary collection of spiritual stories “Field of Life”. St. Petersburg, Janus, 2007.
• In the future, we want to create a system of continuous Orthodox education - from kindergarten to university. Interview with Interfax news agency, 07/23/2009.
• Religion in school: how to unite those who care. Interview to the Internet portal “Tatiana’s Day”, 08/07/2009.
• Go and speak to people from your heart. Interview with the newspaper “Church Bulletin”, 08/22/2009.
• We need to think about one thing: what should we do today so that future generations of Russian residents will preserve our country as the great heritage of our ancestors. How to cultivate, for example, a feeling of love for the Motherland? Based on the best examples of the history of the past, which is inextricably linked with Orthodoxy, its significance for the preservation of statehood, repelling numerous attacks by foreign invaders, and defending the national faith as the core of national culture. Interview to the magazine "Region-Center", No. VII-IX (58) 2009, pp. 16-23.
• Historical memory will help us maintain unity. Interview to the magazine "Russian Federation today", No. 20, October 2009, p. 46.
• Only with faith does life gain meaning. Interview with the magazine “Orthodox Conversation”. M., 2010. No. 1, pp. 18-25.
• Addressing the heart of a child. Interview with Foma magazine. M., 2010. No. 2 (82) February. pp. 61-66.
• Become an adornment of the Mother See of the City. Interview to the magazine “Russian Monk”. M., 2010. January-March. pp. 6-10.
• We are doing a common cause. Interview with Bishop Mercury of Zaraisk and Director of the State Literary Museum M.S. Gomozkova information portal of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis March 3, 2010
• Parents should be closer to the Church. Interview to the magazine "Pokrov". M., 2010. No. 6.
• Among equals - but still first. Interview with the newspaper "NG-Religions" about the testing of the course "Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics", 08/18/2010.
• We are at the beginning of a long journey. Interview with the “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate” about the interim results of teaching “Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics.” M., ZhMP, 2010, No. 9 (September). pp. 56-62.
• Fort Ross is very dear to us. Interview with the religious information agency “Blagovest-info”, 10/21/2009.
• The monastery is an island of salvation. Interview to the Internet portal “Tatiana’s Day”, 10/23/2009.
• Breath of love (memories of Father John (Peasant)) // Journal “Orthodox Conversation”. M., 2010. No. 4. P. 36-38.
• We need to teach a person to think // Journal “Orthodox Education”. M., summer 2011. pp. 10-19.
• Fundamentals of Orthodox culture // Scientific and theoretical journal of the Russian Academy of Education “Pedagogy”. No. 1, 2011. P. 34-40 (co-authored with T.P. Dovgy).
• The Russian Orthodox Church interacts with the Ministry of Education and Science on behalf of traditional associations of the Russian Federation // Interview with the newspaper “NG-Religions”, 05.05.2011.
• Interview with the Rostov News Agency, 08/22/2011.
• We need to teach a person to think // Interview with the information agency “Orthodox Education” for the column “Frank Conversation”, 07.07.2011.
• On the results of testing the OPK within the framework of the ORKSE course // Interview with the Blagovest radio station of the Yoshkar-Ola diocese, 09/19/2011.
• Live interview with Radio Sofia, 01/04/2012.
• The Church defends the position of equal rights for educational organizations // Interview with the information agency “Orthodox Education”, 02/10/2012.
• The country is paying for the 1990s // Article in the newspaper “Culture”, No. 5 (7804) dated 02/17/2012.
• About the new format of the Readings // Interview with the magazine “Orthodox Education”, winter 2012.
• Press conference for media journalists in the Southern region, 03/01/2012.
• There is no need to invent anything // Interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, 03/28/12.
• “Religious organizations should have the right to examine textbooks and accredit teachers on religious cultures” // Interview for Interfax-Religion, 04/04/2012.
• “Business breakfast” in the editorial office of “Rossiyskaya Gazeta”, 04/16/2012.
• Education must be continuous // Interview with the portal Bogoslov.ru, 05/19/2012.
• Answers to questions from visitors to the website of the Synodal Information Department as part of the online project “Current Interview”, 07/10/2012.
• It is impossible to study the basics of religious culture in 30 teaching hours // Interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta (federal issue No. 5840 (167) dated July 24, 2012).
• Introduction of the ORKSE course - a matter of national security // Interview with the newspaper "Culture", 08/31/2012.
• On the state of the system of grant support for educational projects in Russia // Interview for the electronic information digest (No. 4) of the Executive Directorate of the Coordination Committee for the promotion of social, educational, informational, cultural and other initiatives under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church, “Education and Upbringing”, 20.09. 2012.
• “Orthodox culture at school - so far only in 4th grade” // Interview with the magazine “Orthodox Education”, autumn 2012.
• On the documents adopted by the Holy Synod on the activities of Sunday schools // Interview for the website “Iliinsky Parish”, 12/28/2012.
• A holy person is characterized by a deep sense of his own sinfulness and imperfection // Interview with “Nation” magazine, 02.12.13.

Metropolitan Mercury appointed general director of the factory

Interfax reports this decision of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, citing a source in the Patriarchate.

Today it became known about a strange intra-church appointment for the average person: Metropolitan of Rostov and Novocherkassk Mercury was appointed general director of the Sofrino art and production enterprise.

The Sofrino factory produces vestments for the clergy of various religions, icons and church utensils. In July last year, the patriarch dismissed the head of this enterprise, Evgeny Parkhaev, who headed Sofrino for more than 30 years, after which Grigory Antyufeev was appointed to this post, and then businessman Nikolai Shutov, Interfax writes.

There is no news about this appointment on the website of the Patriarchate, as well as on the website of the Sofrino factory itself.

However, it became known from various sources that already last Saturday, October 19, Mercury was presented to the enterprise team (Wikipedia).

According to other sources, the meeting with the team took place yesterday. October 21, at 16:00.

The Achilles website even provides a transcript of Metropolitan Mercury’s speech. Here is a fragment:

“(...) These are not the easiest times, you understand that some restructuring of the enterprise structure is taking place. Because the enterprise must be competitive in a very difficult market. For this we need to do a lot. I will not hide from you that our main goals with the management are to re-equip the enterprise with new good equipment where it is lacking. We will fight for product quality. And this is also task number one. The ratio of price and quality is also a task that will allow the many thousands of Sofrino enterprise staff to receive a decent salary and be calm and confident in the future.

Well, the most important thing is that the Sofrino brand will not be vilified, as is happening now. This is very offensive to me, because when I was a young priest, just starting my ministry, we looked at Sofrino with lust and awe, knowing that the best things were produced here. Time passes, people and circumstances change. Maybe we will have to rebuild in some ways. I won’t tell you all the plans, what we will do, how everything will happen. But I would like to assure you of the most important thing, what you all want to be sure of, that you will receive your salary regularly. And this seems to me the most important thing.

The second thing I would like to ask from you: clarity in the execution of your tasks. And this is not a threat from the Metropolitan or some scarecrows and horror stories. I don't want to scare anyone. But I want to say that marriage will not be welcomed at the enterprise! Irresponsibility will not be welcomed at the enterprise! Sloppiness will not be welcomed at the enterprise! Simple pastime, hence, will not be welcome in the workplace! Being entrenched in your development as an experienced specialist without advanced training will not be welcomed!

And finally, I must say the last thing, although I am saying this to a wide audience: of course, there can be no thought of any theft!

These, in fact, are the tasks that you and I must solve, and I hope that next to me is a large, capable team of like-minded people. Those people who can, maybe where they need to tighten their belts. They can show their Russian endurance and assertiveness. But those who will be ready to give their strength, knowledge, skills, talents so that the Russian Church, the name of God in Rus' and not only in the Russian land, is glorified. (...)"

Allegedly for the position of acting The director of the Sofrino cultural enterprise, Metropolitan Mercury (Ivanov), was introduced on October 18.

What this means for the Don Metropolitanate and how the metropolitan will combine the ecclesiastical and secular is still unknown. In addition, the factory is located in the Moscow region. Of course, with the current transport communications system, combining two positions in different regions is not a problem. However, this is all a bit strange...

Prepared by Vladimir Sidashev

Awards

Church:

• Order of St. Innocent of Moscow II Art. (2003).
• Order of St. Innocent of Moscow II Art. (2003, OCA)
• Order of St. equal to book Vladimir I class. (2003, UOC);
• diploma of the Synod of the Orthodox Church in America (2005)
• Order of St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow II Art. (2006)
• Order “1020th Anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'” (2008, UOC)
• medal "1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'" (2008)
• diploma of the Synod of Bishops (2009, ROCOR)
• Order of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco (2009, ROCOR)
• medal of St. equal to app. Cyril and Methodius I Art. (2009, UOC)
• Order of St. Innocent of Moscow II Art. (2009, OCA)
• medal of St. equal to app. Cyril and Methodius, 1st degree (2009, UOC)
• Order of honor Nicholas, Metropolitan of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan (2013, Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan)
• letter of thanks from the chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church
• patriarchal charter (2014; 2020)
• I degree diploma of the IX open competition of publications “Enlightenment through the book” in the category “Best illustrated book” (2014)
• Patriarchal sign "700th anniversary of St. Sergius of Radonezh" (2015)
• Medal of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh, 1st class. (2015)
• Order of the Venerable Confessor Sebastian of Karaganda (2015)
• medal of St. blgv. book Georgy Vsevolodovich II class. (Nizhny Novgorod diocese (2018))
• sign of the Hieromartyr Seraphim of Petrograd (SPbDA (2018))
• Order of St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow III Art. (2019)
• Patriarchal sign of the temple builder (2019)

Secular:

• Certificate of honor from the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for special services in providing assistance in fulfilling the tasks assigned to the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (2013)
• Certificate of honor from the governor of the Rostov region for great and active work in reviving the traditional spirituality and culture of the peoples of the Don (2013)
• Certificate of honor from the Legislative Assembly of the Rostov region (2013)
• diploma of the winner of the award named after. Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna in the category “Unselfish service to the cause of mercy, charity and humanitarian education of the young generation” under the motto “Kind Heart” IOPS Certificate of honor from the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for special merits in providing assistance in fulfilling the tasks assigned to the Federal Penitentiary Service Russia (2013)
• honorary doctor of Don State Technical University (2013 [20])
• Honorary Professor of Rostov State University of Civil Engineering (2014)

• Medal of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia “For contribution to the development of the penal system of Russia” (silver medal of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia) (2014)
• Certificate of Honor of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District Medal of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia “For contribution to the development of the penal system of Russia” (silver medal of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia) (2014)
• Certificate of Honor of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District (2014)
• honorary diploma of the laureate of the prize named after. Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich in the nomination “Military-patriotic education of the younger generation” under the motto “Patriots of Russia”” IOPS (2014)
• gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation for his contribution to the socio-economic development of the state, active social activities and many years of conscientious work (2015)
• Letter of gratitude from the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (2015)
• title “Honorary Citizen of the City of Novocherkassk” (2015)
• insignia “For services to the city of Rostov-on-Don” (2016)
• Order of Friendship (2016)
• honorary medal “For the protection of family and childhood” of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights under the President of the Russian Federation (2016)
• letter of gratitude from the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (2016)
• Certificate of honor from the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (2018)
• Certificate of Honor from the Governor of the Rostov Region (2018)
• Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Rostov Region" (2019)
• Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV class. (2019)

education

In 1982 he entered the Leningrad Pediatric Medical Institute[1]. In 1989 he graduated from the Leningrad Pediatric Medical Institute with a specialty as a pediatrician.

In the period from 1992 to 1994, he graduated from St. Petersburg Theological Seminary as an external student. He graduated from the St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy as an external student.

On June 7, 2007, at a meeting of the Academic Council of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, he was awarded the degree of candidate of theology for the work “The Works of Blessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, as a liturgical source”[2].

On September 25, 2009, at a meeting of the Specialized Academic Council of the Uzhgorod Ukrainian Theological Academy named after Saints Cyril and Methodius, “a decision was made to nostrify the diploma of the candidate of theology of the St. Petersburg PDA Bishop of Zaraisk Mercury for the diploma of Doctor of Theology.”

Rector of the Don Theological Seminary (October 5, 2011 - May 29, 2013).

Since 2014 - head, and since 2015 - professor of the Department of Orthodox Culture and Theology at Don State Technical University.