In the Russian Orthodox Church, the Patriarchate was established in 1589. Who was the first patriarch and how many were there? The answers are in our article!
Patriarchs
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His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II:
Since the times of the apostles, a tradition has been established, in accordance with
with which large church associations were headed by the “first
bishop" and this is reflected in the 34th canon of the apostles
rules In the rules of the First Ecumenical Council, this bishop
is called “metropolitan”, and in the decrees of the Sixth Ecumenical
Council we already see the canonical fixation of the patriarchal rank.
Establishment of the Patriarchate in Russia
In the Russian Orthodox Church the Patriarchate was established in 1589
year, and after 3 years the act of establishment
Patriarchate and installation of the first Russian Patriarch - St.
Job - was confirmed by the charter of the Eastern Patriarchs. At that time
Russia was the only independent Orthodox state and
was recognized by Orthodox peoples as the defender of the Ecumenical
Orthodoxy.
The establishment of the Patriarchate had not only
ecclesiastical, but also national significance. As in XVI,
so in the 20th century, Russia’s acquisition of the Patriarch took place on the eve
grandiose social catastrophes, when the only unifying center
and the center of people's life was the High Hierarch.
All
Russian history of the 17th century testifies to the highest
authority of the Patriarchs. The most significant in this regard
are: Saint Hermogenes, whose pastoral firmness helped the people and
the state to overcome the temptations and temptations of the Troubles
time, as well as Patriarch Filaret, father of the young Tsar Michael
Fedorovich, whom he helped in managing
state and contributed to the implementation of necessary reforms,
strengthened the Fatherland.
It is significant that the very abolition of the Patriarchate
Tsar Peter I indirectly recognized the importance
primate ministry and national authority of the Primate
Churches. Striving for limitless domination in
in all spheres of life, the secular government wanted to be completely independent
and independent of the spiritual influence of the Patriarchate,
demanding from “those in power” strict moral responsibility for
all deeds.
A state that has grown from humble beginnings
borders of the Moscow principality to the endless borders of the Russian
empire, matured thanks to the care of the Church for its
"well-being" and moral health, starting with
end of the 17th century, strives to completely subjugate that
the most moral force - the Church, which provided the state with the highest,
sacred legitimacy and stood at his cradle.
Later, when the national elite finally fell under the influence
Western ideas and adopted an exclusively pragmatic view
on the Church as a social institution, by command
Peter I, a state-controlled Holy Church was established
Governing Synod. It is characteristic that, together with the Patriarchate,
The conciliar principle of church life was also abolished. Behind
two centuries of synodal rule we can only find
one or two examples of local meetings of several
bishops. History clearly demonstrates the inextricable connection between
Patriarchate and cathedral administration in Russian
Churches.
The Synodal era, however, was marked
in the history of the Russian Church with many gratifying phenomena: the creation
(for the first time in Russian history) systems of spiritual education,
the fruitful work of Russian missionaries, the flourishing of monastic work in
many monasteries, especially in Trinity-Sergius and
Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, on Valaam, in Sarov
and Optina Pustyn.
Attempts to restore the Patriarchal
ministries were undertaken throughout the synodal era. AND,
as we think, only the circumstances of the time did not allow
resolve this issue positively.
Therefore the first
The local council of the Russian Church, held after a two-hundred-year hiatus - in
1917 - restored the Patriarchate in Russia.
As is known, the restoration of the Patriarchate had
ardent supporters and staunch opponents. However, with
from the very beginning of the multi-day discussion, the members of the Council realized that
restoration of the Patriarchate is not a simple change in the system
church government, but an event that will radically change
structure of church life. “Now our devastation, the horrors of our life, the tragic
the experiences of the Russian people in their entirety are irresistible, amicable,
they say imperiously: let there be a Patriarch again in Rus'.” These
the words of one of the Council participants convey the mood
the majority of its members, who saw in the Patriarch “a living carrier
and exponent of the organic unity of the Church,” in which
“The Local Church recognizes itself as an organic part of the Universal Church.”
It was in these fateful days that Archimandrite Hilarion (Troitsky),
later - Archbishop of Vereya and Hieromartyr, - speaking
at one of the cathedral meetings, compared the empty
even at that time the Patriarchal seat in the Assumption Cathedral
The Moscow Kremlin is the heart of Russian Orthodoxy. And the bishop
Mitrofan of Astrakhan, who also later crowned his life with martyrdom
crown, regarding the need to restore the Patriarchate as urgent
the needs of the spiritual life of our entire Orthodox people, expressed
as follows: “We need the Patriarch as a spiritual leader and
a leader who would inspire the heart of the Russian people,
would call for the correction of life and for
feat, and he himself would be the first to go ahead...” And especially
noted that “the establishment of the Patriarchate would also achieve
completeness of the church structure."
In a providential way,
The Patriarchate was restored in the Russian Church in
the eve of state cataclysms: having lost the Tsar, Orthodox Rus' again
found the Father-Patriarch.
The final decision was made on 28
October. Over the next few days, the Council determined
procedure for electing the Patriarch, according to which three candidates were elected:
Archbishop of Kharkov Anthony (Khrapovitsky), Archbishop of Novgorod Arseny
(Stadnitsky) and Metropolitan of Moscow Tikhon (Belavin). A
On November 5 (18) in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior he was chosen by lot
Patriarch - this was St. Tikhon.
For two hundred years Russia lived in hope
for the restoration of the Patriarchate. And only in 1917
year, as if anticipating times of persecution, the Church was able
re-elect the High Priest.
Having learned about the election, the saint
Tikhon said to the envoys of the Council: “Your news about the election of me
in Patriarchs is for me the scroll on which
it is written “weeping, and groaning, and grief.” From now on I have to
care for all Russian churches and dying
for them all the days."
First
post-revolutionary years, the historical significance became especially clear
Council of 1917–1918, which decided on
restoration of the Patriarchate. Personality of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch
All-Russian, became a living reproach for those who, fanning the flames
fratricidal civil war, trampling on the commandments of God and
the rules of human society, sowing temptation, preached
permissiveness and merciless bloody terror as a method
state policy. Truly, Patriarch Tikhon has become a symbol of revival
ancient tradition of “sorrow” of the Primates of the Church for the needs
people. The authority of the Patriarch, both within the country and abroad,
He was recognized by everyone and even the Bolsheviks took him into account. It is known that
the issue of the execution of St. Tikhon was actively discussed by the authorities
during the period of mass repressions against bishops,
clergy and laity. However, even during the period of revelry
revolutionary terror, the government did not dare to
this step.
Patriarch Tikhon understood that the Church was
for many years she was captured by the atheistic
mode. His “Testament” provided for the establishment of an institute
Locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, which was necessary to preserve
unified management of the Church, in conditions of the impossibility of carrying out
Soborov.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that representatives of the godless
the authorities also perfectly understood the importance of the bearer of the highest hierarchical rank -
His Holiness the Patriarch - as a symbol of church unity. After the death of the Patriarch
Tikhon in 1925 they prevented the convening of the Local Council,
called to elect the Primate of the Russian Church. That's why the twelfth
Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Sergius until 1943
governed the Church first in the rank of Deputy
Patriarchal Locum Tenens, and then – Patriarchal Locum Tenens
Throne.
Carrying out his service in extremely difficult
conditions in that tragic era, he made every effort to
so that the unity of the Church is preserved. Now it's getting more and more
it is obvious that these actions saved the Russian Church, saving it from
marginalization. The steps he took prevented the final
transformation of the people of God into “people from the underground” living according to the laws
"besieged fortress"
We believe that the path outlined by the saint
Tikhon and continued by his successors, with all the complexity
political realities of the 20th century had, unlike
alternative “going to the catacombs” there is every chance for
so that the Russian Church takes its place in society.
WITH
The godless government was forced to consider Orthodoxy, especially in
the period of the Great Patriotic War and the first post-war
years. During this period, sincere and deeply rooted
in our historical tradition, a patriotic position,
presented in messages and official statements
Patriarchs Sergius and Alexy I, found a response in
hearts of archpastors, clergy and laity and
received deep support in the hearts of millions of us
compatriots, both in the country and abroad
outside.
The preservation of the institution of the Patriarchate helped the Russian
the Orthodox Church to withstand the period of new persecution that has befallen
on the Church at the turn of the 50s and 60s
century, to survive this persecution and, while maintaining their spiritual and moral
potential, to reach the boundaries of a new era, which is already contemporaries
called the “Second Baptism of Rus'”.
In conclusion, it should be said that
all the diverse revival of spiritual life in
our Fatherland, of which we are all witnesses
over the past decades, has had its solid foundation
truly a confessional feat of the Patriarchs of the 20th century - St.
Tikhon, Sergius, Alexy and Pimen.
I believe that through prayers
new martyrs and confessors of Russia, through the labors of our worthy
God will never abandon his predecessors to the Russian
earth with His unfailing mercy and will give Us grace and
spiritual power the right to rule the word of Christ's truth and message
church ship on a constant course - in accordance with
the commandments of the Gospel and the norms of church canons.
From the welcoming speech of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and
All Rus' Alexy IIparticipants of scientific
conference "Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church".
Have you read the article Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church (list). Read also :
Patriarch Kirill is the first person of the Russian Orthodox Church, its primate. His biography is not only about purely religious aspects. His Holiness is called a born diplomat, and public sermons are in some way political manifestos. However, there is no need to fear the merging of the state and the Church. This is the opinion of those who fear that religion will turn into an ideological tool.
“The Russian Church does not merge with anyone, including the state. She is responsible for the moral state of the people, for maintaining spiritual and material culture. And in this sense, it will be in dialogue with any government so that, through cooperation with the government, including serving these high goals that stand before it.”
Childhood and youth
Patriarch Kirill (in the world Gundyaev Vladimir Mikhailovich) was born in the cultural capital of Russia on November 20, 1946 in the family of a priest. The father of the future Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' was ordained priest of the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God at the time of his son’s birth.
Mother Raisa, who bore the surname Kuchina before her marriage, worked as a German language teacher at a local school. Vladimir Mikhailovich is the second child in the family, after his older brother Nikolai, whose life, like his younger sister Elena, is also closely connected with religion.
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Patriarch Kirill
Patriarch Kirill's childhood passed like that of ordinary children - he completed 8 classes of secondary school, after which he entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary, and upon graduation - the Theological Academy. In 1969 he was tonsured a monk, where he was given the name Kirill.
In 1970, the future head of the Orthodox Church graduated with honors from the Theological Academy and received a candidate of theology degree. From that moment, the church activity of the priest began, who reached the religious pinnacle and became the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' in history to be born in the Soviet Union.
Bishopric
The religious activity of Patriarch Kirill developed rapidly from its very beginnings. During the first year after graduating from the theological academy and taking monastic vows, the priest was elevated to the highest rank several times, and was also appointed as a representative of the Moscow Patriarchate at the World Council of Churches in Geneva. After 3 years, His Holiness was appointed to the post of rector of the Theological Seminary and Academy of Leningrad and headed the diocesan council of the Leningrad Metropolis.
Father Kirill
In March 1976, Father Kirill received ordination to the rank of bishop and became a member of the commission on inter-church relations and Christian unity in the Synod. In 1977, the Bishop of Vyborg was elevated to the rank of archbishop, and a year later he already ruled the patriarchal parishes in Finland. In 1978, Archbishop Kirill became deputy head of the department for external church relations and began teaching at the Moscow Theological Academy.
In 1984, the future head of the Orthodox Church was appointed Archbishop of Vyazemsk and Smolensk, and in 1986 he became the manager of Orthodox parishes in the Kaliningrad region. Having shown remarkable hard work and diligence in his service, Patriarch Kirill in 1989 was appointed a permanent member of the Synod, where he actively participated in the development of laws on religion and religious freedoms. In February 1991, Archbishop Kirill was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.
Patriarch Kirill during his episcopal service
During the period of the collapse of the USSR and political upheavals in Russia, the patriarch took a clear peacekeeping position, which gained trust and respect among the population. At the same time, the Metropolitan made a significant contribution to the preservation and strengthening of peace, for which he was awarded the honorary Loviya Prize three times.
In the mid-90s, the Moscow Patriarchate showed political activity, and the future head of the Orthodox Church became a kind of “Prime Minister of the Russian Church.” Thanks to him, the Russian Orthodox Church was reunited with parishes abroad, and relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican were stabilized.
Patriarchate
Metropolitan Kirill came to the patriarchal throne thanks to his active social and political position. Since 1995, he has carried out fruitful work with the government of the Russian Federation and widely covered spiritual and educational issues on television in the “Word of the Shepherd” program. Then he managed to create the concept of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of church-state relations, and already in 2000 the Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church were adopted.
Dmitry Medvedev and Patriarch Kirill
In 2008, after the death of Alexy II, Metropolitan Kirill became the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne, who in 2009 was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' in a local vote, gaining 507 votes and 677 possible. Metropolitan Kirill's enthronement took place on February 1, 2009.
The ceremony was attended by the first persons of the country's political elite - the then current Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his wife, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, the wife of the ex-president of the country and the head of Moldova Vladimir Voronin. The Russian leadership then expressed hope for further cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the state.
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Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin
Patriarch Kirill bears the patriarchal cross to this day. He regularly makes visits abroad, where he is considered a person of fundamental knowledge, broad erudition and high intelligence. The meetings of the high priest with Western religious and secular leaders significantly strengthened the position of the Russian Orthodox Church and expanded the boundaries of cooperation between Russia and foreign countries.
Scandals
Despite opinion polls confirming that Patriarch Kirill is supported by 73% of the population, he has repeatedly become involved in high-profile scandals that are widely discussed in society. He was criticized for his participation in organizing the import of tobacco and alcohol products into Russia and the illegal use of tax benefits. Then the majority of religious leaders called this action a provocation of the head of the Orthodox Church and an intention to tarnish the name of a religious person.
After this, they tried to convict him of material weaknesses, to which, according to church laws, he has no right. Foreign media have estimated that Patriarch Kirill’s fortune has reached $4 billion. At the same time, the possessions of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church included an expensive penthouse, a gold Breguet watch worth € 30 thousand, yachts, planes and expensive cars.
A relict forest was sacrificed for the construction of a residence in Gelendzhik. In addition, local residents now have no access to the sea and the road to the village cemetery. Appeals from citizens to the Department for Interaction between Church and Society of the Moscow Patriarchate and to the administration of the Russian President remained unanswered.
Patriarch Kirill in Sofia
To all the insinuations related to his person, Patriarch Kirill made categorical refutations and stated that the funds of the Moscow Patriarchate are used for the intended purpose and go to the development of churches and charity. The head of the Orthodox Church considers such statements to be attempts to humiliate and undermine his authority in the Russian Orthodox Church, and calls on people who “criticize the church” to spiritual healing.
In March 2018, a scandal occurred in Bulgaria. The bishop felt that President Rumen Radev belittled Russia's role in the liberation of the Balkan country from the Ottoman yoke. In response, the Bulgarian prime minister said that a person who served in the KGB in his youth does not have the right to tell people whether their actions are right or wrong. Protodeacon of the Russian Orthodox Church Andrei Kuraev fears that the patriarch’s manner of conducting dialogue has harmed relations between the two states, which are already experiencing a crisis, and now diplomats will have to make new efforts to restore their former trust.
Jap and Patriarch KirillAnother poignant moment, more like a cruel joke, is the comparison of Patriarch Kirill with the thief in law, nicknamed Yaponchik, who fell at the hands of a killer. Many collages comparing photographs of men have circulated on the Internet. Users note subtle similarities and wonder if it is a coincidence that the crime boss died in 2009, and six months later the Church found a new primate.
Personal life
The personal life of Patriarch Kirill consists of serving people and God. According to church laws, he does not have the opportunity to start a secular family. The children of Patriarch Kirill are his large flock. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church pays special attention to charity and care for children who have lost parental care.
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Patriarch Kirill
In addition, he deeply delves into the political processes of Russia, is active in foreign policy and boldly expresses his opinion, even if it runs counter to the ideology of the political elite of the Russian Federation.
There are a lot of detailed biographical articles about the Russian Patriarch, but we will focus only on the main moments of his life and the fact that today Orthodox Christians have a lot of questions and conflicting opinions related to his meeting with Of course, and before that, many tried to denigrate and accuse His Holiness of treason. However, first things first.
Patriarch of All Rus' Kirill. short biography
In the world, Vladimir Gundyaev was born in Leningrad in 1946, on November 20. His grandfather and father were priests, his mother was a German teacher. Love for the Orthodox faith also led Vladimir and his brother to the priesthood. Sister Elena became an Orthodox teacher.
Just think, his grandfather spent 30 years of his life in prisons on Solovki for his church activities and the fight against renovationism in the 20-40s. Be that as it may, with all this, Patriarch of All Rus' Kirill does not reproach the Soviet government, because he approaches everything with intelligence, deep analysis and wisdom. He believes that during this period there was a lot of both good and bad, and all this must be understood, and not made hasty conclusions.
The future Patriarch of All Rus' graduated from the Leningrad Theological Seminary and Academy with honors. In 1969, he became a monk with the name Kirill. And so, step by step, as a result of gradual conscientious work and sincere faith in what is important that he brings and preaches to people, by the will of God he reaches the highest level of the priesthood.
Now he is the most holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. A more worthy candidate was not found, and in 2009, on January 27, the Local Council elected him to this post. Without a doubt, it was a very good choice.
Patriarch and Pope
Serious difficulties in relations between Catholics and Orthodox Christians have continued for several centuries since the very moment that Catholicism broke away from the main and main Orthodox Christian branch in 1054. Today, confrontations have moved to a new, modern, more cunning and embittered level, and if we don’t start dialogues now, something irreparable can happen.
Christian churches must learn to face the new challenges of our time together. Churches have indeed begun to strive for unity, but this does not at all mean that they are going to unite their efforts and argue on controversial issues of theology. Not at all, through a unified and new Christian view of events in the modern world, they must learn to resist violence and lies and make every effort to defend their traditional values.
Meeting
And for the first time, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill met with the primate in Havana and, following a closed meeting, they signed a mutual declaration consisting of 30 points. This signing marked a new stage in the development of relations between the two largest religions.
This document, in addition to a call for interreligious dialogue and religious tolerance, stipulated the issues of persecution of Christian believers in the Middle East and Syria, where today a lot of innocent blood is shed in military conflicts, including on religious grounds. This is the main point of the declaration. Before the war, almost two million Christians of different faiths lived in Syria, but the Islamists of ISIS, the Islamic State, a terrorist movement banned in Russia, are persecuting these poor people, and they are forced to flee to Europe and neighboring Lebanon.
Declaration
Patriarch of All Rus' Kirill and Pope Francis also touched upon the topic of the forceful annexation of churches and the confrontation in Ukraine between Greek Catholics, schismatics of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Orthodox Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. This very painful topic was an obstacle to meeting for a long time in the 90s. The chapters also discussed the issues of euthanasia, abortion, and same-sex marriage, which are legal in Europe and the United States. Although Catholics and Orthodox churches have different approaches to this problem. The Vatican does not support but tolerantly refrains from commenting on this topic, while the Russian Orthodox Church MP has a clearer position. The topic of peace and religious freedom in long-suffering Ukraine was touched upon.
Smart dialogue
Patriarch of All Rus' Kirill and His Holiness Pope Francis, understanding the history of the schism between them, make a respectful appeal to the entire suffering world as preachers of Christ. It is also important that the European sanctions directed against Russia did not receive the Catholic blessing. The Kremlin did not hide its interest in this meeting both as an important component of interreligious dialogue and as a tool for establishing foreign policy and overcoming Russia’s economic isolation, while taking into account the influence and authority of the Pope in Western political circles.
This meeting became an example for politicians, because today, more than ever, the threat of the outbreak of the Third World War is palpable. Orthodox and Catholics must understand that they are brothers, not rivals, and simply must live in peace and harmony.
We all need to love God and our neighbor, as Jesus Christ himself preached to people. And it doesn’t matter what views this person adheres to, what nationality and faith he is.
Patriarch Kirill is a popular religious figure in Russia with a large fortune. For some reason, he decided to devote his life to serving in the temple. He is a patriarch who has become one of the most recognizable religious people in the Russian Federation, which can inspire both admiration and condemnation.
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Many people know that Patriarch Kirill has been involved in many scandals, some of them real, and some not. Where do all these scandalous events begin? How did Patriarch Kirill become a priest and why did he choose the path of the temple? As far as his ecclesiastical views fair and does he perform his duties well? We will tell all this in this article, so that those who want to know all the details about the life and work of Patriarch Kirill can do this without difficulty.
Detailed biography of Patriarch Kirill
Below is a detailed biography of the famous Russian church minister Patriarch Kirill.
What age is Patriarch Kirill?
Patriarch Kirill is not one of the pop stars, so he has absolutely no need to look young or be slim. For a temple servant, on the contrary, it will be better if he looks impressive and important. When answering questions about how old he is, what his weight and height are, you can say that:
- His height is 178 cm;
- Weight - 92 kilograms;
- Today his age is 70 years.
- Patriarch Kirill celebrates his birthday on November 20.
Despite the listed prerequisites, the patriarch takes special care of his appearance. Likes to swim, skiing and hiking. So, in addition to serving God, he does not forget that he also needs to take care of himself. Throughout his life, Patriarch Kirill managed to see almost everything, managed to walk a long road on which he encountered both good and bad. Let's look at all this more carefully.
Biography
The biography of Patriarch Kirill begins on November 20, 1946. A fascinating fact is that when he was a child, his mother attended church with him. Then, by a childish mistake, he passed through the Royal Gates. After which the frightened mother dragged him to the clergyman for absolution. However, he only waved his hand and said: “He will be a bishop.”
Whether it was a coincidence or a prophecy, on this day a child named Kirill really took the first step towards walking the long church path. However, this was still extremely far away, since everything that happened in his life, naturally, happened gradually, and as it was destined by fate. True name of Kirill, what was given to him at birth - Vladimir. Then he was still far from his future activities as Patriarch Kirill.
The mother of the future patriarch worked as a teacher, teaching children the German language. My father was a clergyman, which, perhaps, also influenced the choice of his future path. In general, the boy’s entire family was connected with religion in one way or another. His grandfather was often exiled due to his connection with the church, his elder brother was a rector in one of the many cathedrals of St. Petersburg, and his sister worked as a leader in an Orthodox gymnasium.
Before starting his activities related to the church, the future patriarch completed 8 years of high school. Tried to make progress in geology, however, three years later he decided to enter the theological seminary. After graduating from theological seminary, he moved to the theological academy, which at that time was located in Leningrad.
Middle name Kirill, young Vladimir received after becoming a monk. From this time his religious path began - then he rose to the rank of metropolitan.
More than once he participated in the development of the capital’s patriarchy, and everywhere he strove to achieve the greatest success. Already in the 90s, Kirill began to pay a huge amount of attention to public relations, continuing to develop this activity. During the first half of the 90s A program in which he participates starts airing on television. The program was called “The Word of the Shepherd”, it was dedicated to spiritual issues and was able to achieve significant ratings both among ordinary residents and among politicians.
Also next year, Patriarch Kirill begins active work and interaction with the Russian government:
The patriarch also started maintaining his own Facebook page.. The Patriarch communicated there directly with those who visited his page and asked questions. He often answered the most important and pressing questions asked by other users. The clergyman has more than 500 publications and is the author of several books on religion and spirituality.
In 2000, Patriarch Alexy II died. Metropolitan Kirill is appointed to his post. The very next year he is appointed to the post of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', because he managed to collect the largest number of votes in the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. It must be emphasized that the patriarch has done an extraordinary amount to unite the Russian Orthodox Church abroad. He visited other states. The purpose of these visits was to meet with local religious ministers and other church representatives. All this significantly contributes to strengthening the position of the temple in the Russian Federation and expands the boundaries of interaction between churches between countries.
However, despite the fact that Kirill is unusually devoted to his own cause, more than once one could hear expressions from him regarding radical groups. He stated that such preachers should be feared, since nothing good should be expected from them. They say that quite often there are charlatans among the people, who teach bad things, thus exposing people to anxiety, which is rapidly crushing the foundations of the church.
Below is a photo of Patriarch Kirill in his youth.
Personal life
The personal life of Patriarch Kirill, at least formally, is absent. Since he is a person who dedicated his life to serving in the temple, and not to someone else. Therefore, there is nothing unusual in the fact that the patriarch Kirill is single and has no family. In general, for him, personal life is the state, because he has admitted more than once that it is extremely important for him to bring light and truth to people. How this corresponds to the truth, no one can say for sure, but all the same, it is necessary to take into account the fact that he is a person who was recognized as a religious figure and formally he cannot have a personal life, he has a completely different path, which belongs to the temple.
Family
For Patriarch Kirill, family is his religious activity, since he dedicated his life to God. Therefore, it is not strange that he is not married and also has no children, because his first priority is to do everything so that interaction between church houses in Russia and other countries develops.
He does it great, because from his very youth he successfully went through the “work activity” of a church minister, step by step, in order to achieve something in it. It is difficult to say for sure whether he is suffering because he does not have his own family with children. After all, in reality, he doesn’t have time for this. Apart from this, he is absolutely not alone; many ordinary people turn to him for his advice.
Children
For Kirill, children are all his parishioners and people who need his support and practical advice. That's what he says himself, at least. More than once he said that he was ready to help to any person who needs his help. For this reason, he even registered on social networks so that he could answer the most important and pressing questions. He does not have his own legitimate children, perhaps he would even like to have them, but his rank forced him to renounce such ordinary, family joys as a wife and children. However, having chosen the path of a monk, and then a metropolitan and patriarch, he gave preference to spiritual growth over ordinary earthly values.
Wife of Patriarch Kirill
The patriarch's wife is a completely closed topic, since he once took monastic vows and voluntarily renounced any personal life. And although you can often hear that Kirill “indulged in sin”, that he was seen more than once in the company of long-legged and beautiful models, in fact, all this is not confirmed. Most people think that all this is fiction, that Patriarch Kirill is still a faithful clergyman who is not going to deviate from his intended path. Be that as it may, formally a religious figure has neither a spouse nor his own children. The church serves as his home, his children are his parishioners, and women do not exist for him.
Activities of a clergyman
Being a well-known religious figure Naturally, there is a lot of gossip around Patriarch Kirill. Below we will list some of them, and also discuss the most famous manifestations of his activities.
Patriarch Kirill on a ship with women
It should be noted that, as usual with public figures, gossip often swirls around him and conflicts break out. He was often accused of various sins, it is difficult to communicate which ones are actually true and which ones are not real. Quite often one could hear accusations that Patriarch Kirill was having fun with girls on the ship, that he was wasting church income on making his life better.
The patriarch himself denies or simply ignores such accusations, saying that all these are the machinations of his opponents and the enemies of the temple. Naturally, all people are vicious, but it is difficult to say whether there are reasons to accuse Kirill, but whatever it is, he still remains a person who first of all serves God.
Patriarch Kirill and Yaponchik
Kirill is also connected with completely ridiculous rumors. For example, on the Internet you can often find accusations that Yaponchik and Patriarch Kirill are one and the same person. We are talking about a popular thief buried in the 2000s. Almost all parishioners saw the undeniable similarity of these people. It’s as if the patriarch has a dark past, and has now successfully hidden himself in order not to end up in prison. Again, whether this is true or not is unknown., but the majority of Russian religious people think that all this is the machinations of other religious campaigns, whose task is to spoil the reputation of a conscientious religious figure.
Shepherd's word
As mentioned above, the church leader more than once had interaction with the public in order to bring the word of God to the people. One example of these projects is the program “The Word of the Shepherd,” where the face of Patriarch Kirill flickered on the screens to be watched and listened to by millions of people who wanted to find answers to pressing questions posed. This religious and educational program was aimed specifically at ensuring that everyone who wants to reconsider their life, or simply needs help, has the opportunity to try to do this together with Patriarch Kirill.
Kirill gladly helped those who wanted to help themselves and live with dignity. Naturally, there were evil tongues here too, as if the priest is doing all this for advertising. It is quite difficult to say who is right here, and to what extent Cyril is who he claims to be, but in one way or another, it is necessary to show respect for his rank and active work, which is entirely related to religion, as well as the church.
There have been, are and will be many rumors about him, which may even seem like complete nonsense. However, unfortunately, it turns out that public people are exposed to the presence of many opponents every day, including those whom they accidentally crossed the path of. Therefore, people can only choose the side of the person they consider to be right.
Patriarch against abortion
Regardless of the age of Patriarch Kirill, he does not stop his dynamic work. With the arrival of autumn of this year, Kirill signed an appeal calling for a ban on abortion in the Russian Federation. More than 300 thousand people signed this petition.
In his own appeal, which was agreed upon with the Patriarchate commission, the church leader calls on everyone to ensure that the health and well-being of families with newborn children should be protected by law. In this document he calls The country's power to prohibit interventions that terminate pregnancy, such as:
- Medication;
- Surgical.
Instead of carrying out abortions, a proposal was made to increase financial assistance to expectant mothers and mothers with children to the level of the subsistence level. Naturally, the reaction of residents to such an appeal was varied. One half of the people considers this call to be correct and supports it, while the other half protests.
Social activists expressed their negative opinion regarding the introduction of a ban on abortion, explaining that in current conditions it could lead to a significant increase in clandestine abortions. As for increasing benefits for expectant mothers, given the current state of the economy, this simply cannot happen.
In addition, the opinion was expressed that in order to reduce the number of artificial abortions, no prohibitions should be introduced; this should be done through the work of the temple.
Patriarch Kirill
Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev Vladimir) is the bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, and also after the elections in 2009 by the Local Council - the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', chairman of the DECR and permanent member of the Holy Synod. Before his enthronement, he held the position of Metropolitan of the Smolensk and Kaliningrad churches.
Born in the fall of 1946 in Leningrad. In high school I combined study with work. After completing his studies, he entered the clergy seminary.
At the end of the 60s he took monastic vows, and a year later he graduated with honors from the Academy of the Clergy. Two years later he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and during the same period became a representative of the capital Patriarchate in Geneva.
In the mid-70s, he was elevated to the rank of bishop of the Vyborg diocese and subsequently assumed the office of archbishop. Since the early 90s, he has been chairman of the commission of the Holy Synod, and a year later he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.
At the beginning of 2009, he became a candidate for the post of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and two days later he won the vote with 75% of the votes.
A significant event in 2016 was his meeting with Pope Francis, which took place on neutral territory in Havana.
Family
His mother worked as a foreign language teacher, and his father as a chief mechanic at a factory, but in the end he decided to take the rank of clergy. My grandfather was also close to the Orthodox faith and fought against the destruction of churches during Soviet times.
The elder brother, Nikolai, holds the position of archpriest and is the rector of one of the cathedrals, worked as a professor at the academy of the clergy. The younger sister, Irina, works as a director in a gymnasium with Orthodox education.
Where does Patriarch Kirill live?
The main residence is considered to be an estate located in the village of Peredelkino. On a plot of two and a half hectares there is a main three-story building and adjacent separate buildings, including: personal apartments, reception rooms, a house church, a hotel, household premises and a health complex, as well as a parking lot and a food storage box.
In addition, on the territory there is a pond and a park area with sculptures and household items. buildings for domestic purposes.
The estate itself is furnished with luxury interior items brought from Italy, and the facade of the building is reminiscent of the Terem Palace in the Kremlin.
The DECR chairman travels a lot around Russian cities and conducts educational activities, so he does not have a permanent place of residence. The main places where he stops are considered to be: the St. Daniel Monastery, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, residences on Valaam and in Chisty Lane for work meetings, as well as several mansions: on Solovki, in Trinity-Lykovo and on Rublyovka.
Several years ago in Gelendzhik, in the village of Praskoveevka, on an area of just over 16 hectares, construction began on the Spiritual Educational Center at the Russian Orthodox Church. This construction was covered differently by different media.
According to some reports, meetings and sessions of the Holy Synod will be held here, for whose members living quarters are also being built. In addition, this center will conduct educational work with young people and receive Primates and delegations from other churches.
According to other reports, this estate will largely serve as a summer residence and is being built primarily for the patriarch’s summer vacation.
Apartment of Patriarch Kirill
While still a metropolitan, he lived for a long time in Serebryany Bor in a small wooden house. The area of the land is about seven thousand square meters. On the territory there are outbuildings and buildings for educational and church activities, but the main house is small and already quite dilapidated.
During this period, President Boris Yeltsin and his entourage decided to improve living conditions and presented the clergyman with a five-room apartment measuring 140 square meters. meters. The living space is located in the famous “House on the Embankment” at 2 Serafimovicha Street.
He does not live here and never has lived. Initially, the donated property was in very poor condition and unsuitable for habitation. Over time, the apartment was put in order and a collection of rare books, which Kirill’s father began collecting back in Soviet times, was moved here for storage.
The apartment is located on the top floor of the building and has a magnificent view of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. This is the only real estate officially owned by Vladimir Gundyaev.
According to CIAN, the apartments at Serafimovicha, 2 are more than 100 square meters in size. meters cost from 95 to 300 million rubles.
