Patriarch Alexy I (Simansky) is a warrior and diplomat. Simansky family tree

Alexy I (Simansky)
(1877 - 1970), Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia In the world Sergei Vladimirovich Simansky, was born on October 27, 1877 in Moscow, in a house on Myasnitskaya Street, in St. At baptism he received the name Sergius in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. By origin he belonged to the ancient noble family of the Simanskys. Family estate on the banks of the Velikaya River, in the city of Ostrov. On their estate, the Simanskys built the Church of the Savior of the Image Not Made by Hands. The family strictly adhered to Orthodox traditions; the father strictly monitored the fulfillment of the household prayer rule and attendance at holiday services in the church.

The maternal grandmother, Abbess Leonida, the spiritual daughter of the Optina Elder Ambrose, was the abbot of the Moscow Novodevichy Convent. My grandfather’s brother, Pavel Vladimirovich, a once brilliant naval officer, took holy orders in his declining years and served on the Simansky family estate in Pskov. In 1896 Fr. Pavel and Vladimir Andreevich, the father of His Holiness, decided to establish a nunnery on their estate. For this purpose they donated part of the land, the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands, buildings, as well as capital of several tens of thousands of rubles. The consecration of the monastery, which was headed by Bishop Antonin (Derzhavin) of Pskov, took place on August 17, 1897. The celebration was attended by the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, numerous Pskov clergy, as well as the future Patriarch Alexy I.

In 1888, he entered the first gymnasium class of the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages, then moved to the Moscow Nikolaev Lyceum, from which he graduated with a silver medal. In 1896 he entered the Faculty of Law of Moscow University, which he graduated in three years. For some time he served in the Samogitsa Grenadier Regiment. On October 1, 1899 (autumn 1900?) he entered the Moscow Theological Academy, where he was tonsured a monk on February 9, 1902 by Bishop Arseny (Stadnitsky) and ordained a hierodeacon.

In 1903 he was ordained hieromonk.

In 1904 he graduated from the Academy with a candidate of theology degree and on August 16 was appointed inspector of the Pskov Theological Seminary.

On September 16, 1906, he was appointed rector of the Tula Theological Seminary with elevation to the rank of archimandrite.
5 years later, on the day of farewell to the rector, October 17, 1911, the inspector of the Tula Seminary, Pyotr Ivanovich Pavlushkov, said in his speech: “Your work in the new place of your ministry should be easy for you.
And this work is not new for you. For 5 years you carried it among us, for the local Tula region, in conditions that were at first not entirely ordinary, full of surprises, and sometimes considerable difficulties. You took over the management of the Tula Seminary at a time when our Theological School everywhere was just beginning to recover from the storm that had swept over it, which had disturbed much in it. Disturbed, moved from its place. In those days the school had to be reassembled almost all over again. And this required the work of a decisive and at the same time cautious, self-confident, but also ready to believe in others, a firm, but also peacefully minded leader. This is what your work here has been like over all these years. You did not enter the vast and complex field of teaching entrusted to you as an arrogant, domineering and cruel manager. You then treated your new employees with complete and open trust, and with true goodwill towards your new pets. From the first days of our joint service with you, we all felt like completely free members of our service family, each of us could contribute our share of understanding and construction to the common cause. Thus, the inner life of the disturbed school gradually accumulated with united forces, and with your happily united and therefore friendly work, there could be no room for gross blunders or irreparable mistakes. Your simple, heartfelt, alien and shadow of severity treatment of the youth studying with us has already found appreciation and response...”

[1]

On December 22, 1911, he was appointed rector of the Novgorod Theological Seminary and rector of the Anthony Monastery in Novgorod.

On April 28, 1913, he was consecrated Bishop of Tikhvin, vicar of the Novgorod diocese.
The consecration was performed in Novgorod by Patriarch Gregory IV in the concelebration of five Russian bishops: Archbishop of Novgorod Arseny (Stadnitsky), Bishop Nikon (Rozhdestvensky), Bishop of Pskov and Porkhov Eusebius (Grozdov), Bishop of Kirillov Ioannikiy (Dyachkov) and Bishop of Gdov Veniamin (Kazan). Since 1921 - Bishop of Yamburg, vicar of the Petrograd diocese with a stay in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

In 1926, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Khutyn and appointed administrator of the Novgorod diocese.

Since July 1927 - permanent member of the Provisional Patriarchal Holy Synod.

On May 18, 1932, he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan of Starorussky with the right to wear a white hood and a cross on his miter.

Since August 11, 1933 - Metropolitan of Novgorod.

Since October 5, 1933 - Metropolitan of Leningrad.

In 1938 he was awarded the right to wear two panagias.

On July 4, 1943, he was awarded the presentation of a cross during a service.

Since 1943 - Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod.

Since September 1943 - permanent member of the Holy Synod.

Throughout the entire period of the blockade, he was constantly in Leningrad.

On September 8, 1943, he was a participant in the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On May 15, 1944, after the death of Patriarch Sergius, by virtue of his seniority among other bishops of the Russian Church and in accordance with the testamentary disposition of the deceased, he became locum tenens of the Moscow Patriarchal Throne. On November 21-23 of that year, he presided over the Council of Bishops, which prepared the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On February 2, 1945, the Local Council in Moscow unanimously elected Metropolitan Alexy as Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. On February 4 of the same year, his enthronement took place in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral.

During the period of his patriarchal service, he made a number of significant trips, in which his concern for the Russian Church was manifested, aimed, on the one hand, at close communication with the autocephalous Churches, and on the other hand, at its internal prosperity.
In June 1945, the High Hierarch made a trip to the East: he visited Jerusalem, Alexandria, Cairo, Beirut, Damascus and Lydda.

From October 1 to October 14, 1945, he was on a trip to Georgia.

In 1946, from May 20 to June 3, he traveled to Bulgaria.

In 1947, from June 1 to June 15, he stayed in Romania.

In May 1948, he traveled around Ukraine: he visited Kharkov, Poltava, Kyiv and Chernigov.

On February 24, 1949, he was awarded the title of Doctor of Theology.

In September 1956 he visited Chisinau.

In 1957, at the beginning of September, he visited Bulgaria, and in October, from 11 to 31, he visited Yugoslavia.

In November and December 1960, he made a pilgrimage to the countries of the Near and Middle East: he visited Alexandria, Cairo, Damascus, Lebanon and Jerusalem.

On April 28 (old/old) 1963, the Russian Church celebrated the glorious anniversary of Patriarch Alexy - the 50th anniversary of his service as a bishop.

In September 1964, the patriarch undertook a trip to Athens, Geneva and London.

Died on April 17, 1970. He was buried in the crypt of the Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Proceedings

• “Combatants and non-combatants during the war” (1899) (PhD thesis at the Faculty of Law).
• “The dominant concepts in modern moral and legal consciousness before the court of Metropolitan Philaret.” (PhD essay 1903); Metropolitan Philaret on the dominant concepts in modern moral and legal consciousness. Moscow, 1905. Reprint from the magazine “Faith and Church”. 1905. […]
• From a review of I.A.’s candidate’s essay. Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy A. Vvedensky:
• “The essay should be praised with great praise. It everywhere reveals a maturity of thought quite capable of rising to the heights of issues that concern modern society and understanding them from a Christian-Orthodox point of view... The merits of the presentation, everywhere corresponding to the importance of the subject - it should be noted that the work bears the stamp of artistic measure and grace both in plan and both in style and even in epigraphs, always very appropriate and expressive”... // “Theological Bulletin”. 1905, Jan., Journal of the Academy Council of April 19, 1904, p. 74-75.
• Words and speeches of His Holiness the Patriarch, when he was rector of the Tula and Novgorod spirit. seminaries:
• A) Word from the rector of Novgorod Spirit. Seminary of Archimandrite Alexy, said during the last service in the Temple of the Tula Spirit. seminary, October 16, 1911 // “Tula EVs”. 1911.
• B) Word from the rector of Novgorod Spirit. Seminary of Archimandrite Alexy during the first priestly service in the Anthony Monastery on the day of the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on October 22, 1911. // "Novgorod EVs". 1911. No. 43.
• C) Speech by Archimandrite Alexy upon his naming as Bishop of Tikhvin. // "Novgorod EVs". 1913. No. 18.

Bishop[edit]

On March 28, 1913, the Highest decree was issued on the existence of Archimandrite Alexy as Bishop of Tikhvin, 2nd vicar of the Novgorod diocese.

His Beatitude Patriarch Gregory IV of Antioch took part in the naming and consecration on April 28, 1913.

After the October Revolution, in January 1920, together with Metropolitan Arseny, he was arrested by Novgorod, but both bishops were soon released. In November 1920, he appeared in court on charges of unauthorized examination of the relics of saints on the eve of their opening by the authorities and was sentenced to a suspended sentence.

From February 21, 1921 - Bishop of Yamburg, first vicar of the Petrograd diocese. In May 1922, after the arrest of Metropolitan Veniamin, he took over the administration of the diocese. Under strong pressure from the authorities, he lifted the excommunication of one of the leaders of the Renovationism, Archpriest Alexander Vvedensky (the decision to excommunicate was made by Metropolitan Veniamin), but refused to submit to the Renovationist VCU. In view of the latter’s ultimatum to either recognize his power or leave Petrograd, on June 24, 1922, he resigned from his duties as temporary administrator of the diocese.

In October 1922, he was arrested on charges of “counter-revolutionary activities, convicted” and at the end of the same year he was exiled for three years to the city of Karkaralinsk (now in the Karaganda region), where he had the opportunity to serve in the city church; was in correspondence with Patriarch Tikhon and Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky). I became very close ideologically with the latter.

In March 1926 he was allowed to return to Leningrad. In September 1926, Metropolitan Sergius appointed him administrator of the Novgorod diocese with the title of Archbishop of Tikhvin, later of Khutyn (the diocesan bishop, Metropolitan Arseny, was in exile in Central Asia and could not manage the diocese). Since 1927 - member of the Provisional Patriarchal Synod, created by the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky). He fully supported the latter’s church-political course.

Since May 19, 1932 - Metropolitan of Starorussky. In August 1933, he was appointed Metropolitan of Novgorod (after the official transfer of Bishop Arseny to the Tashkent See).

On October 5, 1933, upon the retirement of Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov), he became Metropolitan of Leningrad, retaining control of the Novgorod diocese.

During the war, during the blockade of Leningrad (1941-1943), he remained in the city, performed liturgies and prayer services, preached, encouraged and consoled believers. On weekdays, often without a deacon, he himself administered communion and read the memorials. He constantly addressed patriotic messages to his flock.

On September 4, 1943, he was together with Metropolitans Sergius and Nikolai (Yarushevich) at a meeting with I.V. Stalin in the Kremlin[1]. On September 8, 1943, he participated in the council of bishops that elected Metropolitan Sergius to the Patriarchal Throne. He was a permanent member of the Holy Synod formed under Patriarch Sergius.

https://sovdoc.rusarchives.ru/sections/personality/cards/47840/images Letter of Metropolitan Sergius and others. https://sovdoc.rusarchives.ru/sections/personality/cards/47840/images Letter of Metropolitan Sergius and others.

Literature

• “Church. Ved." 1913, No. 18-19, p. 821-822.
• "ZhMP" 1932, No. 7-8, p. 5, No. 11-12, p. 1, 2, 1933, No. 14-15, p. 4, 1943 to 1965.
• Metropolitan Nikolai. Article “On the Patriarchal Locum Tenens.” "ZhMP" 1944, No. 7, p. 31-33.
• Shapovalova A. “On the trip of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens to Tula.” "ZhMP" 1944, No. 12, p. 62-64.
• Shapovalova A. “Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy.” "ZhMP" 1945, No. 2, p. 93-99 (Portrait).
• Georgievskaya E. “Solemn patriarchal service in the Moscow Nikolo-Kuznetsk Church on 7.II.1945 “ZhMP” 1945, No. 2, p. 101-104.
• Georgievskaya E. “The namesake of Patriarch Alexy.” "ZhMP" 1945, No. 3, p. 11-14.
• “On the journey of Patriarch Alexy to the Middle East.” "ZhMP" 1945, No. 7, p. 9-10.
• “Anniversary of the enthronement of St. Patr. Alexia". "ZhMP" 1946, No. 2, p. 3-6.
• N.V. “Name Day Holy. Patriarch Alexy." "ZhMP" 1946, No. 3, p. 8-11.
• Chepurin Prot. “Christmas reception at St. Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'." "ZhMP" 1947, No. 1, p. 6-8.
• Shilov A.V. “Patriarchal service in the Trinity-Svergius Lavra 27.IV. 1947." "ZhMP" 1947, No. 5, p. 10-13.
• Minoransky M. Prot. “On vacation in Sochi (5.IX-2.X.1947).” "ZhMP" 1948, No. 1, p. 58-60.
• "Day of the Angel of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy." "ZhMP" 1948, No. 3, p. 8-13.
• Teplov Vas. “On the 35th anniversary of serving as a bishop, St. Patr. Alexia" 28.IV.1913 - 28.IV.1948 "JMP" 1948, No. 5, p. 10-16.
• Nikonov V. “St. Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy" (on the 50th anniversary of service in the priesthood). "ZhMP" 1952, No. 3, p. 5.
• “High Hierarch of the Russian Church” (to the 80th anniversary of the birth of Holy Patriarch Alexy). "ZhMP" 1957, No. 11, p. 25.
• "To the 150th anniversary of the Patriarchate of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy." "ZhMP" 1960, No. 2, p. 28.
• Filaret (Denisenko) Archimandrite. “The pilgrimage of Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Rus' to the shrines of the East.” "ZhMP" 1961, No. 3, p. 10-64.
• Dobrynin M. associate professor “In the name of unity and peace (Fraternal meetings of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy with Eastern Christians.” “JMP” 1961, No. 4, pp. 8-29.
• Ivanov N. “Celebrating the 85th anniversary of St. Patr. Alexia". "ZhMP" 1963, No. 1, p. 5-18.
• Ruzhitsky K.I. Prof.-Prot. “His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Rus' (report at the solemn meeting of the MDA dedicated to the 85th anniversary of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy”). "ZhMP" 1963, No. 1, p. 62-72.
• “Materials about the anniversary celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the episcopal ministry of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy.” "ZhMP" 1963, anniversary issue.
• Ostapov A. prot. “Day of the episcopal consecration of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy.” "ZhMP" 1963, No. 4, p. 68-78.
• Dobrynin M. “50th anniversary of the episcopal ministry of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy.” "ZhMP" 1963, No. 5, p. 52-74, No. 6, p. 60-73, No. 7, p. 55-74.
• “Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the episcopal ministry of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy in foreign parishes - in Damascus and Belgrade.” "ZhMP" 1963, No. 8, p. eleven.
• Ivanov N. “To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the episcopal ministry of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. About the stay of guests from the Roman Catholic Church." "ZhMP" 1963, No. 9, p. 52.
• Ostapov A. prof.-prot. "Journey of St. Patr. Alexia to Athens, Geneva and London (September 1964)." "ZhMP" 1964, No. 12, p. 9.
• Vedernikov A. “Under the sign of love and peace.” "ZhMP" 1964, No. 12, p. 19.
• Tikhon Associate Professor Archim. “Pastoral feat” (to the 20th anniversary of the Patriarchal ministry.” “ZhMP” 1965, No. 2, p. 68.
• Georgievsky A. prof. “Serving peace and love (to the 20th anniversary of the patriarchal activity).” "ZhMP" 1965, No. 2, p. 45.
• Borozdinov A., Osipov A., Prosvirin A. “Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Patriarchate.” "ZhMP" 1965, No. 3, p. 17.
• "The truth about religion in Russia." MP 1942, p. 53, 98-104, 256-261, 414-418.
• "Sibirsk. Church." 1922, No. 2, p. 15.
• “Russian. Pilgrim." 1913, No. 29, p. 459.
• “Russian. Orthodox Church and led. domestic war", p. 14-16, etc.
• FMP No. 7, p. 3.
• FPS I, no. 50, p. 3, II, p. 1, IV, p. 1, V, No. 17.
• FAM I, no. 10, p. 2.
• “Composition of the Holy Rules. All R. Syn. and Ros. Church Hierarchies for 1917,” p. 76-77.
• BES vol. II, ed. 2nd, p. 131.
• On the appointment of the rector of the Novgorod Theological Seminary, Archimandrite Alexy (Simansky), as Bishop of Tikhvin. // “Additions to the Church Gazette” 1913. No. 14.
• Manuel, Archbishop of Kuibyshev. Catalog of Russian bishops. Part 1. Cheboksary, 1959.
• Komarov K.M., associate professor of the Moscow Theological Academy. Bibliographic material about His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. The collection, with exhaustive completeness and thoroughness, collects in chronological order rich literary material about His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, as it is covered in the “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate” from 1944 to 1963, as well as in the church and public press of foreign countries: Armenia, America, Bulgaria , Hungary, Germany, France, Egypt, China, Lebanon, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia.
• 9 November 1967 year - 90-lrtie Svjatejsego Patriarcha Moskovskogo i vseja Rusi Aleksija (A. Ostapov), in: ZMP 1967, 12, 4-9.
• 25 let Patriarsego sluzenija. Prazdnovanie Jubilejnoj daty (V. Ovsjannikov), in: ZMP 1970, 2, 4-6.
• Svjatejsij Patriarch Moskovskij i vseja Rusi Aleksij. Biograficeskij obzor dopatriarsego perioda zizni i sluzenija (A. Ostapov), in: ZMP 1970, 2, 7-16.
• Filaret (Vachromeev), Moskovskie Duchovnye Skoly pod rukovodstvom Sv. Patriarcha Aleksija, in: ZMP 1970, 2, 17-22.
• AI Georgievskij, Vospominanija o Sobore 1945, in: ZMP 1970, 2, 23-24.
• Pitirim (Necaev) Etot den' prinadlezit Cerkvi, in: ZMP 1970, 2, 25-29.
• 20 let Pervosvjatitel'stva Sv. Patriarcha Aleksija (IN Sabatin), in: ZMP 1970, 2, 29-35.
• P. Sokolovskij, Sluzenie delu mira, in: ZMP 1970, 2, 36-40.
• Koncina i pochorony Sv. Patriarcha Aleksija, in: ZMP 1970, 5, 1-3.
• D. Ostapov, Poslednaja vesna Patriarcha Aleksija, in: ZMP 1970, 6, 5-12.
• Blazennyj put' v nadezde Voskresenija (V. Ovsjannikov), in: ZMP 1970, 6, 12-58.
• Sv. Patriatch Moskovskij i vseja Rusi Aleksij. Biograficeskaja spravka, in: ZMP 1970, 6, 59-63.
• Stimme der Orthodoxie 1963, Heft 10: Festansprache des Moskauer Patriarchen (S. 6-11); E. B. Nikodim (Rotov), ​​Leben und Wirken des Hochhl. Patriarchen Aleksij, S. 12-25; Erzpr. A. Ostapov, Auf Boden des Hl. Sergius, S. 26-27; G. Troicki, Das goldene Bischofsjubilaum des Oberhirten der Russischen Kirche, S. 28-88.
• E. Chr. Suttner, Die Jubelfeier fur Patriarch Aleksij, in: Ostkirchliche Studien 13(1964)208-220.
• Lettre de SS le Patriarche de Moscou, Alexis, a tous les eveques de son Eglise (11.8.1965), in: Istina 11(1965/66)466-468.
• A. Ostapov, Patriarch Alexius - Ein Leben fur die Kirche, in: Std0 1967, 11, 15-33.
• The 50th Anniversary of the 1917 Revolution. Encyclical of Patriarch Alexei and the Holy Synod, in: Diakonia 3(1968)77-80.
• Sa Saintete le Patriarche Alexis +, in: Vestnik Eksarchata 70/71(1970)83-89.
• Antoine (Blum), Le Patriarche Alexis. Souvenirs personels, in: Vestnik Eksarchata 70/71(1970)89-92.
• K. Komarov, Erinnerugen an die Inthronisation des hochhl. Patriarchen Alexius, in: Std0 1970, 2, 11-17.
• A. Ostapov, Die Residenzen des hochhl. Patriarchen Alexius von Moskau und ganz Ru?land, in: Std0 1970, 2, 18-27.
• Koncina Patriarcha Aleksija, in: Posev 1970, 5, 7.
• Der Lebensweg des hochhl. Patriarch Alexius. Nekrolog, in: Std0 1970, 6, 17-22.
• K. Komarov, Dem hochhl. Patriarchen Alexius gilt unser ewiges, dankbares Gedenken, in: Std0 1970, 6, 22-60.
• M. Pimen (Izvekov), Grabrede des Patriarchatsverwesers, in: Std0 1970, 6, 61-63.

Death and burial[edit]

On April 17, 1970, on the eve of Lazarus Saturday, the Patriarch died in Peredelkino from “heart failure” at the age of 93; Not long before he suffered a myocardial infarction.

From April 18 to 14:00 on April 20, the coffin with the body of the newly deceased was in the Epiphany Elokhovsky Cathedral. After carrying the coffin around the cathedral, the funeral procession headed to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, where on April 21, after the Liturgy of the Preconsecrated Gifts, a funeral service according to the priestly rite was held in the Assumption Cathedral.

He was buried near the grave of Metropolitan Macarius (Nevsky), deeply revered by him, in the crypt of the Dormition Cathedral of the Lavra.

Notes[edit]

1. NOTE BY G. G. KARPOV ON THE RECEPTION OF I.V. STALIN OF THE HIERARCHES OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
2. Izvestia
   , May 21, 1944, No. 120;
   ZhMP
   , 1944. No. 6. P. 48.
3. ZhMP
   . 1944. No. 6. P. 54.
4. Odintsov M.I. Patriarch of Victory. Series: History of Stalinism. M.: ROSSPEN, 2015. P. 308, 461.
5. Odintsov M.I. Patriarch of Victory. P. 287.
6. Odintsov M.I. Patriarch of Victory. pp. 288, 461.
7. Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate
   . 1949, № 12
8. JMP. 1960. No. 2, p. 27
9. ZhMP
   . 1960, No. 3. P. 34.
10. Shkarovsky M.V. Russian Orthodox Church under Stalin and Khrushchev
    . M., 2005. P. 320.
11. Konstantinov Dm. Persecuted Church
    . New York, 1967. pp. 246, 314.
12. Archbishop Vasily Krivoshein. Memoirs: Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov)
13. Levitin-Krasnov A.E. The heat of Your hands
    (1941-1956). Tel Aviv: Circle, 1979, pp. 197 - 198.
14. TsGA SPb., f. 9324, op. 2, D. 37. L. 62-84. Script.
15. The opening of a memorial plaque took place on the house in which Patriarch Alexy I was born official website of the MP on December 5, 2007.
16. The memory of Patriarch Alexy the First (Simansky) is immortalized in Moscow religio.ru December 5, 2007

pathological speech

Master of pathological speech.

Genres: modernist sermon.

Patriarch Alexy (Simansky) removes the question of the compatibility or incompatibility of Christianity and communism:

The Christian religion and communism are completely different categories; The Christian religion was established by Christ the Savior, Who created the Church, not the state. By the power of the internal law of grace, the Christian religion improves the internal and external lives of people. The state has its own rules, and by the force of external law it protects the social life of the state in order. Therefore, talking about the compatibility or incompatibility of the Christian religion with one or another form of government means comparing and confusing incompatible concepts[5].

stamps

spiritual values

The relations of Orthodox Christians with all Christians, including Catholics, as well as with believers professing non-Christian religions, in our country are friendly. All believers in our country are united by joint participation in the creation of spiritual values ​​for humanity

[6].

understanding

• The book (“Russian Orthodox Church”, 1958) “will serve the great cause of bringing peoples closer together in the spirit of peace and mutual understanding
  ”[7].

responsibility

We will awaken in people the consciousness of responsibility for the fate of the world[8].

Joseph Stalin
Supreme Leader[9] • Supreme Leader of the Russian people[10] • Wise Leader[11] • Brilliant Leader[12] • Great Leader[13] • Great and wise Leader[14] • Great Head of our state[15] • Wise builder of our good[16] • Great builder of people's happiness[17].

pathological speech techniques

outright lie
About the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God in the MDA, renovated in 1913 and destroyed in 1919 by the Bolsheviks[18]:

Like everything temporary on earth, this temple suffered the fate of destruction. And along with the destruction of the temple, the building itself, which contained this temple, gradually began to collapse[19].

On support for Soviet foreign policy:

The Russian Orthodox Church “fully supports the peace-loving foreign policy of our Government, not because, as our enemies say, it is allegedly not free, but because this policy is fair and corresponds to the Christian ideals preached by the teachings of the Church”[20].

inversion

• The great, moral, social power has been abolished; the power in which our people felt their own strength, by which they (Stalin. - Ed.) were guided in their creative works and enterprises, with which they consoled themselves for many years[21].

uppercase instead of lowercase

• The Great Leader
  of our people, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, passed away[21].

pathological vocabulary

Blessed world, Brotherhood, Great, Mutual understanding, Leader, Universal, Universal peace, Everything, Zeitgeist, International relations, Peace, World peace, Peace-loving forces, Tension, People, Responsibility, Path, Creative, Coexistence, Cohesion, Strengthening peace , Values, Humanity

Contemporary assessments[edit]

Patriarch Alexy I was not a controversial figure, and most observers evoked similar impressions, albeit with slightly different assessments. The most harsh review, known to us from the memoirs of Archbishop Vasily Krivoshein, belongs to Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov):

Another review of the Patriarch was left by the famous dissident and memoirist Levitin-Krasnov, who knew him “long before his accession to the patriarchal throne”:

Report from A. Osipov, professor of the Leningrad Theological Academy, to the commissioner of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church for the Leningrad Region in June 1951: “The Patriarch himself as a person is a mixture of aristocratic sybaritism with hidden fanaticism <...> in love with the piety of the 16th century.”

[14].

events

• Reception I.V. Stalin to the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church (September 4, 1943)
• Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1945 (January 31, 1945)
• Celebrating the seventieth birthday of J.V. Stalin (December 21, 1949)
• III All-Union Conference of Peace Supporters (November 27, 1951)
• The first conference of all Churches and religious associations in the USSR (May 9, 1952)
• Conference of Representatives of All Religions in the USSR for Cooperation and Peace among Nations (July 1, 1969)

Life of a priest

But A. Ridiger spends most of his studies at the academy as an external student. Metropolitan Gregory of Leningrad invited the young man to be ordained before completing his studies. He was offered several options for service, and he chose the position of rector in the Epiphany Church in the town of Jõhvi. From there he could often visit his parents and go to the academy. In 1953 he graduated from the academy, becoming a candidate of theology. In 1957 he was transferred from the difficult parish of Jõhvi to the university Tartu. Thus, the future Patriarch Alexy II, whose years of life would be associated with religious service, entered upon his path as a priest.

Difficult times fell upon him again. The Assumption Cathedral, to which Alexy was appointed, was in a deplorable state, the authorities did not support church initiatives, I had to work a lot, talk with people, attend services, go to services. The novice priest decided to seek help from Patriarch Alexy the First, who assisted in the repairs and blessed the namesake. In 1958, Alexy became archpriest and dean of the Tartu-Viljandi district. In 1959, the priest’s mother died, and this prompted him to accept monasticism. He had thought about such an act before, but now he was finally confirmed in his intention.

Origin

Patriarch Alexy II, whose biography is connected with the Russian Orthodox Church for several generations, was born on February 23, 1929 in a very unusual family in the city of Tallinn. The ancestor of the future priest during the reign of Catherine the Second converted to Orthodoxy with the name Fedor Vasilyevich. He was a general, an outstanding public figure and commander. From this hero of the War of 1812 came the Russian family of Riedigers.

The grandfather of the future patriarch was able to take his family out of St. Petersburg to Estonia during the hot times of the revolution. Alexy's father studied at the prestigious Imperial School of Law, but completed his studies in Estonia. Then he worked as a forensic investigator in Tallinn and married the daughter of a colonel in the tsarist army. An Orthodox atmosphere reigned in the family; Alexy's parents were members of the progressive movement RSHD (Russian Student Christian Movement). They participated in religious debates, visited monasteries, and went to church services. When Alexy was very young, his father began studying at pastoral courses, where he met Father John, who later became the boy’s confessor.

The family had a tradition of spending the summer holidays on pilgrimages to various monasteries. It was then that Alexy fell in love with the Pukhtitsa monastery for the rest of his life. In 1940, Father Alexy was ordained a deacon. Since 1942, he served in the Kazan Church of Tallinn and for 20 years helped people find God.