Children of Patriarch Alexy 2. Patriarch Alexy II was married. Traveled with his father to the Nazi concentration camps

Years of life: February 23, 1929 - December 5, 2008.
His Holiness His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' is the fifteenth Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church since the introduction of the Patriarchate in Rus' (1589). Patriarch Alexy (in the world - Alexei Mikhailovich Ridiger) was born on February 23, 1929 in the city of Tallinn in a deeply religious family. Father of Patriarch Alexy, Mikhail Alexandrovich Ridiger († 1962), a native of St. Petersburg, studied at the School of Law, graduated from the gymnasium in exile in Estonia, in 1940 he graduated from the Theological three-year courses in Tallinn and was ordained a deacon, and then a priest; for 16 years he was the rector of the Tallinn Nativity of the Mother of God of the Kazan Church, was a member, and later the chairman of the diocesan council. Mother of His Holiness the Patriarch - Elena Iosifovna Pisareva († 1959), a native of Reval (Tallinn).
Every year, making a pilgrimage to the Pyukhtitsky Holy Assumption Monastery for women and the Pskov-Caves Holy Assumption Monastery for men, the parents took their son with them. In the late 1930s, the parents and their son made two pilgrimage trips to the Holy Transfiguration Valaam Monastery on Lake Ladoga, which largely determined the spiritual life path of the future Patriarch. From early childhood, Alexei Ridiger served in the church under the guidance of his spiritual father, Archpriest John the Epiphany, later Bishop Isidore of Tallinn and Estonia (†1949); from 1944 to 1947 he was a senior subdeacon of the Archbishop of Tallinn and Estonia Pavel (Dmitrovsky; †1946), and then of Bishop Isidor. He studied at a Russian high school in Tallinn. In 1945, subdeacon Alexy was instructed to prepare for the opening of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the city of Tallinn for the resumption of divine services in it (the cathedral was closed during the military occupation period). From May 1945 to October 1946 he was the altar boy and sacristan of the cathedral. Since 1946, he served as a psalmist in Simeonovskaya, and since 1947 - in the Kazan Church in Tallinn.
In 1947 he entered the St. Petersburg (at that time - Leningrad) Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in the first category in 1949. Being a freshman at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Alexei Ridiger was ordained a deacon on April 15, 1950, and a priest on April 17, 1950, and was appointed rector of the Epiphany Church in Jyhvi, Tallinn diocese. In 1953, Father Alexy graduated from the Theological Academy in the first category and was awarded the degree of Candidate of Theology.
07/15/1957 Father Alexy was appointed rector of the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Tartu and dean of the Tartu district. On August 17, 1958, he was elevated to the rank of archpriest. On March 30, 1959, he was appointed Dean of the United Tartu-Viljandi Deanery of the Diocese of Tallinn. On March 3, 1961, he was tonsured a monk at the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. On August 14, 1961, Hieromonk Alexy was appointed Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia, with the assignment of temporary administration of the Diocese of Riga. On August 21, 1961, Hieromonk Alexy was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. On September 3, 1961, Archimandrite Alexy was consecrated Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn.
On November 14, 1961, Bishop Alexy was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. On June 23, 1964, Bishop Alexy was elevated to the rank of archbishop. On December 22, 1964, Archbishop Alexy was appointed as the Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate, and became a Permanent Member of the Holy Synod. He remained at the post of Business Manager until 07/20/1986. 05/07/1965 Archbishop Alexy is appointed chairman of the Educational Committee. Released from this position, according to a personal request, 10/16/1986. From 10/17/1963 to 1979, Archbishop Alexy was a member of the Holy Synod Commission for Christian Unity and Interchurch Relations.
On February 25, 1968, Archbishop Alexy was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan. From 03/10/1970 to 09/1/1986, he carried out the general management of the Pension Committee, whose task was to provide pensions for the clergy, widows and orphans of clergy and people who worked in church organizations. On June 18, 1971, in consideration of the diligent efforts to hold the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1971, Metropolitan Alexy was awarded the right to wear a second panagia. Metropolitan Alexy performed responsible functions as a member of the Commission for the preparation and holding of the celebration of the 50th anniversary (1968) and 60th anniversary (1978) of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church; a member of the Commission of the Holy Synod for the preparation of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1971, as well as the chairman of the procedural and organizational group, the chairman of the secretariat of the Local Council; since December 23, 1980, he has been deputy chairman of the Commission for the preparation and holding of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' and chairman of the organizational group of this commission, and since September 1986 - the theological group. On May 25, 1983, he was appointed chairman of the Responsible Commission for the development of measures for the reception of the buildings of the Danilov Monastery ensemble, the organization and implementation of all restoration and construction work to create the Spiritual and Administrative Center of the Russian Orthodox Church on its territory. He stayed in this position until his appointment to the St. Petersburg (at that time - Leningrad) department. 06/29/1986 was appointed Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod with instructions to manage the Tallinn diocese.
On June 7, 1990, at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was elected to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne. The enthronement took place on 06/10/1990. The activities of Metropolitan Alexy in the international arena: as a member of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he participated in the work of the III Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in New Delhi (1961); was elected a member of the Central Committee of the WCC (1961-1968); was President of the World Conference "Church and Society" (Geneva, Switzerland, 1966); member of the commission "Faith and organization" of the WCC (1964 - 1968). As the head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he participated in theological interviews with the delegation of the Evangelical Church in Germany "Arnoldshain-II" (Germany, 1962), in theological interviews with the delegation of the Union of Evangelical Churches in the GDR "Zagorsk-V" (Trinity-Sergius Lavra, 1984 ), in theological interviews with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland in Leningrad and the Pyukhtitsky Monastery (1989). For more than a quarter of a century, Metropolitan Alexy devoted his works to the activities of the Conference of European Churches (CEC). Since 1964, Metropolitan Alexy has been one of the presidents (members of the presidium) of the CEC; was re-elected president at subsequent general assemblies. Since 1971, Metropolitan Alexy has been Vice-Chairman of the Presidium and Advisory Committee of the CEC. 03/26/1987 was elected chairman of the Presidium and Advisory Committee of the CEC. At the VIII General Assembly of the CEC in Crete in 1979, Metropolitan Alexy was the keynote speaker on the theme "In the power of the Holy Spirit - to serve the world." Since 1972, Metropolitan Alexy has been a member of the Joint Committee of the CEC and the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe of the Roman Catholic Church. 15-21.05.1989 in Basel, Switzerland, Metropolitan Alexy was co-chairman of the First European Ecumenical Assembly on the theme "Peace and Justice". In September 1992, at the 10th General Assembly of the CEC, the term of office of Patriarch Alexy II as chairman of the CEC expired. Metropolitan Alexy was the initiator and chairman of four seminars of the Churches of the Soviet Union - members of the CEC and the Churches that maintain cooperation with this regional Christian organization. Seminars were held at the Assumption Pyukhtitsky Convent in 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1989. Metropolitan Alexy took an active part in the work of international and domestic peacekeeping public organizations. Since 1963 - a member of the board of the Soviet Peace Fund, a member of the constituent assembly of the Rodina society, at which he was elected a member of the council of the society from the age of 15. 12.1975; re-elected on 05/27/1981 and 12/10/1987. 10/24/1980 at the V All-Union Conference of the Society of Soviet-Indian Friendship was elected vice-president of this Society. On March 11, 1989, he was elected a member of the board of the Foundation for Slavic Literature and Slavic Cultures. Delegate of the World Christian Conference "Life and Peace" (20-24.04.1983, Uppsala, Sweden). Elected at this conference as one of its presidents. From 01/24/1990 - Member of the Board of the Soviet Fund for Mercy and Health; from 02/08/1990 - member of the Presidium of the Leningrad Cultural Foundation. From the Charity and Health Foundation in 1989 he was elected a people's deputy of the USSR.
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy is an honorary member of the St. Petersburg and Moscow Theological Academies, the Cretan Orthodox Academy (Greece); Doctor of Theology, St. Petersburg Theological Academy (1984); doctor of theology honoris causa of the Theological Academy in Debrecen of the Reformed Church of Hungary and the Faculty of Theology of Jan Comenius in Prague; Doctor of Theology honoris causa from the General Seminary of the Episcopal Church in the USA (1991); Doctor of Theology honoris causa of the St. Vladimir Theological Seminary (Academy) in the USA (1991); doctor of theology honoris causa of the St. Tikhon Theological Seminary in the USA (1991). In 1992 he was elected a full member of the Russian Academy of Education. Doctor of Theology honoris causa from Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Alaska, USA (1993). Laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) named after A.E. Kulakovsky "For outstanding selfless activity to consolidate the peoples of the Russian Federation" (1993). In the same year, His Holiness was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of Omsk State University for outstanding achievements in the field of culture and education. In 1993 he was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of Moscow State University for outstanding services in the spiritual revival of Russia. 1994: Honorary Doctor of Philology from St. Petersburg University (January 24); Honorary Doctor of Theology from the Faculty of Theology of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade (May 15). Active member (academician) of the International Academy of Informatization (Moscow, January 1996); Honorary Doctor of Theology from the Tbilisi Theological Academy (Georgia, April 1996); Gold medal of the University of Kosice in the Faculty of Orthodox Theology (Slovakia, May 1996); honorary member of the International Foundation for Mercy and Health; Chairman of the Public Supervisory Board for the Reconstruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. He was awarded many orders of the Local Orthodox Churches and state orders of different countries.
During the years of his episcopal service, Metropolitan Alexy visited many dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church and countries of the world, and was a participant in many church events. More than 450 articles, speeches and works of His Holiness the Patriarch on theological, church history, peacemaking, ecumenical and other topics have been published in the ecclesiastical and secular press in Russia and abroad. As Patriarch of All Russia, he made over 110 visits, visiting more than 65 dioceses. The goals of such primatial visits are, first of all, pastoral care for remote communities, strengthening church unity and the testimony of the Church in society. Patriarch Alexy pays great attention to the training of clergy for the Russian Orthodox Church, the religious education of the laity, and the spiritual and moral education of the younger generation. To this end, with the blessing of His Holiness, theological seminaries, theological schools, parochial schools are opened; structures are being created for the development of religious education and catechesis. In 1995, the dispensation of church life made it possible to approach the reconstruction of the missionary structure. Patriarch Alexy pays great attention to the establishment in Russia of new relationships between the state and the Church. At the same time, he firmly adheres to the principle of separation between the mission of the Church and the functions of the state, non-interference in each other's internal affairs. At the same time, he believes that the soul-saving service of the Church and the service of the state to society require mutually free interaction between church, public and state institutions.
After many years of aspirations and restrictions, the Church was given back the opportunity to conduct not only catechism, religious, educational and educational activities in society, but also to carry out charity work for the poor and the ministry of mercy in hospitals, nursing homes and places of detention.
The pastoral approach of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy removes the tension between the institutions of the state system of museums and the protection of monuments of art in Russia and the Church, which is caused by unjustified fears, narrowly corporate or personal interests.
His Holiness, Patriarch Alexy signed a number of joint documents with the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the leadership of individual museum complexes located on the territory of church-historically and spiritually significant monasteries, which regulate these problems and give the monasteries a new life. Patriarch Alexy calls for close cooperation between representatives of all areas of secular and ecclesiastical culture. He constantly reminds of the need to revive morality and spiritual culture, to overcome artificial barriers between secular and religious culture, secular science and religion. A number of joint documents signed by Patriarch Alexy laid the foundation for the development of the spiritual care of the Church in the field of healthcare, military personnel and law enforcement officials. In the course of political, social and economic reforms, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II constantly reminds of the priority of moral goals over all others, of the advantage of serving the good of society and a particular person in political, financial and economic activities. Continuing the tradition of Christian peacemaking ministry, during the socio-political crisis in Russia in the autumn of 1993, fraught with the threat of civil war, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' took on the mission of appeasing political passions, inviting the parties to the conflict to negotiations and mediating these negotiations. The Patriarch came up with many peacekeeping initiatives in connection with the civil war in the lands of the former Yugoslavia, the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the Chechen Republic, and so on.
During the Patriarchal ministry of the current Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, a large number of new dioceses were formed. Thus, many centers of spiritual and administrative leadership, located closer to the parishes, arose, contributing to the revival of church life in remote regions. As the ruling bishop of the city of Moscow, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' pays a lot of attention to the revival and development of intradiocesan and parish life. These works are largely offered as a model for organizing diocesan and parish life elsewhere. Along with the tireless intra-Church organization, in which he constantly calls for more active and responsible participation of all members of the Church without exception on a truly conciliar basis, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church pays great attention to the issues of fraternal cooperation of all Orthodox Churches for joint witness to the Truth of Christ to the world. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy considers practical cooperation between different Christian denominations for the needs of the modern world to be a Christian duty and a path to the fulfillment of Christ's commandment of unity. Peace and harmony in society, to which Patriarch Alexy tirelessly calls, necessarily include benevolent human understanding and social cooperation between adherents of different religions and worldviews.

The year entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in the first category in the year.

Priesthood

Bishop of Tallinn

On November 14 of the same year, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

On December 22 of the same year, he was appointed Manager of the Moscow Patriarchy and a permanent member of the Holy Synod ex officio.

On May 7, he was appointed chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, which manages the spiritual and educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On August 26 of the same year he was elected an honorary member of the Moscow Theological Academy.

He was elected to the Commission of the Holy Synod for the preparation of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1971 and was appointed chairman of the procedural and organizational group, as well as chairman of the secretariat of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church of the year.

Instructed to lead the Theological Working Group of the Commission of the Holy Synod for the preparation and holding of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'

On May 17, with the First Hierarch of ROCOR, Metropolitan Laurus of Eastern America and New York, he signed the "Act of Canonical Communion", marking the reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Ecumenical and social activities

Delegate of the 3rd General Assembly of the World Council of the Church in New Delhi in 1961; member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches from 1961 to 1968; participant in the session of the Central Committee of the RCC in Paris (France) - 1962; Rochester (USA) - 1963; Onugu (Nigeria) - 1965; Geneva (Switzerland) - 1966; President of the World Conference "Church and Society" - 1966 in Geneva (Switzerland); member of the commission "Faith and order" of the WCC from 1964 to 1968. and participant of the session in Aarhus (Denmark) August 12-26, 1964.

Head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at theological interviews with the delegation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany, Germany, Arnoldshain II - October 20-25, 1962

Head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the theological interviews with the delegation of the Union of Evangelical Churches in the GDR - "Zagorsk-V", November 13-16, 1984 in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Zagorsk.

At the 8th General Assembly (October 1979) he was the keynote speaker on the theme "In the power of the Holy Spirit - to serve the world."

Since 1971 - Vice-Chairman of the Presidium and Advisory Committee of the Conference of European Churches. At the first meetings of the CEC Presidium and Advisory Committee, after the VII and VIII General Assemblies in 1974 and 1979. re-elected to the post of Vice-Chairman of the Presidium of the Advisory Committee.

He headed the delegations of the Russian Orthodox Church to the General Assemblies of the CEC: 1964 - Bornholm (Denmark); 1967 - Petschach (Austria); 1971 - Nyborg (Denmark); 1974 - Engelberg (Switzerland); 1979 - Crete (Greece).

Participant of the joint meetings of the Presidium and the CEC Advisory Committee:

Vienna, Austria - 1965; Falsterbo, Sweden - 1966;
Bucharest, Romania - 1967; Thun, Switzerland - 1968;
El Escorial, Spain - 1969; Out-Poolheist, Holland - 1970:
Marseille, France - 1971; Puchserg, Austria - 1972;
Liebfraunberg, France - 1975; Moscow, USSR - 1976;
Iasi, Romania - 1977; Trondheim, Norway - 1978;
Sigtuna, Sweden - 1979; Salzburg, Austria - 1980;
Curry le Roy, France - 1981; Athens, Greece - 1982;
Oxford, England - 1983; Les Avans, Switzerland - 1984;
Sofia, Bulgaria - 1985

Participant of sessions of the Presidium of the Conference of European Churches:

Bucharest, Romania - 1965; Naples, Italy - 1968;
Windsor, England - 1969; Poiana Brasov, Romania - 1970;
Geneva, Switzerland - 1971; Zagorsk, USSR - 1972;
Crete, Greece - 1974; Bad Gandersheim, Germany - 1976;
Geneva, Switzerland - 1976; Manchester, England - 1977;
Warsaw, Poland - 1978; Helsinki, Finland - 1980;
Prague, Czechoslovakia - 1981; Ernst Sillem Hove, Holland - 1982;
Geneva, Switzerland - 1983

At the meeting of the Presidium and Advisory Committee of the CEC in Les Avanets on May 4, 1984, he was elected a member of the committee for the election of the Secretary General of the CEC. March 1987 - Elected Chairman of the Presidium and Advisory Committee of the CEC.

At the commemorative meeting of the committee of the Churches' program on human rights in the light of the fulfillment of the terms of the Helsinki Final Act, June 12-16, 1985, in Arvepnia, Finland, represented the leadership of the Conference of European Churches.

Since 1972 - a member of the joint committee of the Conference of European Churches - the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Europe, the Roman Catholic Church and a participant in the meetings of this committee:

Geneva, Switzerland - 1972 Lokkum, Germany - 1977
Frankfurt am Main, Germany - 1973 Copenhagen, Denmark - 1979
Zurich, Switzerland - 1974 Bayenrode, Germany - 1981
Geneva, Switzerland - 1975 St. Gallen, Switzerland - 1982
Bad Gandersheim, Germany - 1976 Cartigny, Switzerland - 1983
Geneva, Switzerland - 1977 Luxembourg - 1984

Participant in the first broad meeting between the Conference of European Churches and the Council of Bishops' Conferences in Chantini, France, April 10-14, 1978.

Participant in the second broad meeting between the Conference of European Churches and the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe of the Roman Catholic Church, November 16-19, 1981, Legumkloster, Denmark.

Participant in the third broad meeting between CEC and SECE, 3-7 October 1984 in Riva del Garda, Northern Italy, on the theme: "Our Creed is a Source of Hope".

Initiator and chairman of the First Seminar of the Churches of the Soviet Union - members of the CEC and Churches maintaining fraternal cooperation with the European Ecumenical Organization, June 27-29, 1982 in the Dormition Convent in Pyukhtitsa and the Second Seminar - "Pyukhtitsa-2", May 15-17, 1984 .

Actively participated in the work of public organizations:

since 1962 - member of the Estonian Republican Peace Committee;
since 1963 - member of the Board of the Soviet Peace Fund, participant of All-Union conferences and meetings of the Bureau of the Board of the Peace Fund; member of the founding meeting of the Rodina society, at which he was elected a member of the society's Council on December 15, 1975;
delegate of the 2nd All-Union Conference of the Rodina society. Re-elected as a member of the Board of the Rodina Society on May 27, 1981;
On October 24, 1980, at the V All-Union Conference of the Soviet-Indian Friendship Society, he was elected vice-president of this Society;
delegate of the IV Estonian Republican Conference of the Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. On February 13, 1981, he was elected a member of the Board of the Estonian Republican Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries;
delegate to the Conference of Representatives of the Soviet Public for General Disarmament and Peace, May 29-30, 1962;
delegate to the All-Union Conference of Representatives of the Soviet Public for Peace, National Independence and Disarmament, June 17-18, 1965;
delegate to the Soviet Peace Conference, October 9-10, 1974;
delegate to the World Forum of Peace Forces, January 14-16, 1977;
delegate, World Congress for Peace and Peaceful Cooperation, New Delhi, India, November 1964;
chairman of the secretariat and delegate to the Conference of Representatives of All Religions in the USSR for cooperation and peace among peoples, 1969;
delegate of the World Conference "Religious Leaders for Lasting Peace, Disarmament and Just Relations among Nations", June 6-11, 1977 in Moscow;
participant of the All-Union Conference dedicated to the results of the 9th All-Christian Congress in Prague, Moscow, November 14-16, 1978
head of the ROC delegation at the CEC colloquium "Churches of Europe and Helsinki", Bukov, GDR, October 1975
delegate of the 2nd All-Christian Peace Congress in Prague - 1964;
Chairman of the "Peace and Ecumene" Commission of the Christian Peace Conference from 1964 to 1968;
delegate from the Russian Orthodox Church at the international interreligious meeting to convene the World Conference of Religious Figures in 1982, October 1-2, 1981;
honorary guest of the World Conference "Religious Figures for Saving the Sacred Gift of Life from Nuclear Catastrophe", May 10-14, 1982, Moscow;
delegate to the World Christian Conference "Life and Peace", April 20-24, 1983, Uppsala, Sweden. Elected at this conference as one of its presidents;
participant of the CEC Research Consultation "The Dynamics of Hope: Trust, Disarmament, Peace", May 26-31, 1983, Moscow;
from December 19, 1983 - member of the public commission of the Soviet Peace Committee for relations with religious circles advocating peace;
co-chairman of the meeting of religious leaders of the Soviet Union and India, dedicated to the current international situation and, in particular, in the Indian Ocean, October 1-2, 1984, Moscow;
delegate of the All-Union Peace Conference on January 23, 1985, Moscow.

During the years of his episcopal ministry, he visited many countries and was a participant in many church events:

participant in the first pan-Orthodox conference on Fr. Rhodes, 1961;
as part of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church visited from April 8 to April 15, 1964 the Church of Denmark;
headed the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the Uppsala Archbishop's See, Sweden, June 11-18, 1964;
led the pilgrimage group of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Holy Places of Jordan and Israel on Holy Week and the feast of Holy Pascha in 1965;
led the pilgrimage group of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Holy Places of Jerusalem and Israel from June 6 to 21, 1984 and from June 21 to 25, 1984 was as a guest of the Cypriot Orthodox Church in Cyprus;
led the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations of the Malabar Church, in connection with the 150th anniversary of the theological seminary, and was a guest of the Local Council of this Church in Katoyama, India, December 22, 1965-January 4, 1966;
member of the delegation of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations in connection with the 20th anniversary of the Lvov Cathedral in Lvov, April 21-28, 1966;
led the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations of the 450th anniversary of the founding of the monastery in Curtea de Arges, Romania, Aug. 1967;
participant in the celebrations on the occasion of the consecration of the World of the Armenian Apostolic Church, 1962;
head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations of the consecration of the World in Etchmiadzin, 1969;
head of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation at the enthronement of His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch David V, Tbilisi, 1972;
as part of a delegation of CEC leaders, visited CEC member churches in Portugal, November 26-December 1, 1976;
head of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation at the funeral of His Beatitude Patriarch Justinian of Romania, March 30-April 1, 1977;
led church celebrations in Smolensk in connection with the 300th anniversary of the Assumption Cathedral, August 8-11, 1977;
head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the funeral of His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia David V, November 9-12, 1977;
head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the Conference of the Lutheran Churches of Europe in Tallinn, September 7-13, 1980;
Chairman of the commission for the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo and participant in the celebrations dedicated to the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo in the city of Tula, on the field of Kulikovo and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, September 17-21, 1980

From 26 to 31 October 1980 he was on a visit to Finland as a guest of the Lutheran and Orthodox Church of Finland;

From June 4 to 12, he was in Finland at the invitation of the Head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Archbishop Wikstrom, and visited Helsinki, Lahti, Kuopio, Porvo, N.-Valaam and Lintul monasteries;

From November 11 to November 28, 1980, he led the pilgrimage group of the Russian Orthodox Church, which visited Mount Athos and the Shrines of the Greek Church.

Awards

Church

Secular

State Order of the USSR "Friendship of Peoples" 22/11-1979
certificate of honor of the Soviet Peace Fund 23/VII-1969
medal of the Soviet Peace Fund and a certificate of honor 13/XII-1971
commemorative desktop inscribed medal of the Soviet Peace Fund 1969
medal of the World Peace Council, in connection with the 25th anniversary of the peace movement in 1976
medal of the Soviet Committee for the Protection of Peace, in connection with the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Committee in 1974
certificate of honor of the Soviet Peace Committee 11.1979
an honorary diploma of the Soviet Peace Fund and a commemorative medal on 11.1979
commemorative medal of the World Peace Council, in connection with the 30th anniversary of the peace movement in 1981
badge of honor of the Board of the Soviet Peace Fund for active participation in the activities of the fund 15/XII-1982
Diploma of the Society of Soviet-Indian Friendship (ZHMP. 1986, No. 5, 7).

Compositions

"Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret (Drozdov) as a dogmatist" (Candidate essay. Typescript).
Speech at the naming of the bishop of the Tallinn ZhMP. 1961, no. 10, p. 10.
Speech at the Conference of the Soviet Public of the Estonian SSR. ZhMP. 1962, no. 6.
Speech at the opening of theological interviews with the delegation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the FRG "Arnoldshain-II" October 21, 1982. ZhMP. 1983, no. 12, p. 41.
"Russian Orthodox Church and Peace Fund" ZHMP. 1964, no. 6.
"Journey to Denmark". ZhMP. 1964, nos. 6 and 7.
"Meetings of the Commission" Faith and Church Order in Aarhus "JMP. 1964, No. 10.
To an assessment of the past activities of the Conference of European Churches and about the tasks ahead of it "JMP. 1964, No. 11.
"International Conference for Peace and Cooperation in New Delhi". ZhMP. 1965, no. 1.
"Meetings of the commission of the RCC "Vera" and church organization in Aarhus". ZhMP. 1965, no. 6.
Greeting address of the Chairman of the Educational Committee on behalf of the theological academies and seminaries of the Russian Orthodox Church Theological Seminary in Kottayamo on the day of its 150th anniversary. ZhMP. 1966, no. 2, p. 3.
"In Memory of Methodist Bishop Dr. F. Sigg". ZhMP. 1966, no. 2, p. 53-55.
Report at the solemn act on April 23, 1966, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Lvov Cathedral and the liquidation of the union. ZhMP. 1966, No. 6, p. 9-15.
Report at the meeting of the KMK commission for the study of ecumenical problems. Bucharest, May 1966
Christianity in the USSR. "Moscow News" 29/X-1966
"Jubilee of the Shepherd". ZhMP. 1968, no. 11, p. 31-32.
"Conference of the Soviet Peace Fund" (April 1, 1969). ZhMP. 1969, No. 5, p. 40-42.
"Speech at the 1st meeting of the 1st working group of the Conference of representatives of all religions in the USSR, July 2, 1969. ZhMP. 1969, No. 9, pp. 48-49.
Interview of M. Alexy with a radio correspondent of the FRG on October 27, 1970. ZhMP. 1970, no. 12, p. 6-7.
"In the high office of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens" ZHMP. 1971, no. 2, p. 6-11.
Answer to the question of the APN correspondent. ZhMP. 1971, no. 5, p. 3-5.
"On the peacekeeping activities of the Russian Orthodox Church" (Co-report at the Local Council on May 31, 1971) ZHMP. 1971, no. 7, p. 45-62.
Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, ed. 1972, p. 80.
Speech at the presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God on behalf of the Local Council to His Holiness Patriarch Pimen. ZhMP. 1971, no. 9, p. 22; Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, ed. 1972, p. 264.
"An important milestone on the path to European security" JMP. 1971, no. 9, p. 44-45.
"In the name of a common cause" (to the 10th anniversary of the Soviet Peace Fund). ZhMP. 1971, no. 12, p. 49-50.
Word on the day of the first anniversary of the patriarchal service of Patriarch Pimen. ZhMP. 1972, no. 7, p. 7-9.
Speech at a prayer service on the opening day of the CEC Presidium meeting at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra on April 18, 1972. ZhMP. 1972, no. 7, p. 50-52.
Speech to His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia David V after his enthronement in the Mtskheta Cathedral on July 2, 1972. ZhMP. 1972, no. 8, p. 49-51.
Speech at a reception on the occasion of the enthronement of His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia David V, July 2, 1972. JMP. 1972, no. 8, p. 51-62.
Speech at the presentation of the episcopal baton to Bishop Simon (Novikov) of Ryazan on October 14, 1972. ZHMP. 1972, no. 12, p. 9-11.
Speech at the presentation of the episcopal baton to Bishop Damaskin (Bodrom) of Tambov on October 18, 1972. ZHMP. 1972, no. 12, p. 14-16.
Christian view of the environmental problem "JMP. 1974, No. 3, pp. 43-48; No. 4, pp. 35-39.
Interview of M. Alexy to the correspondent of the All-Union Radio on November 6, 1974. ZhMP. 1975, no. 1, p. 46-47.
Speech at the plenum of the Soviet Committee for European Security and Cooperation 18 Feb. 1975 ZhMP. 1975, no. 4, p. 52.
Word of congratulations on the day of St. Easter Patriarch Pimen May 5, 1975 ZhMP. 1975, no. 7, p. 16-17.
Speech to Canon Raymond Goor after he was awarded the International Lenin Prize "For Strengthening Peace Among Nations" in the Sverdlovsk Hall of the Kremlin on November 26, 1975. ZhMP. 1976, 12, p. 38.
Speech at the founding conference of the Rodina Society on December 15, 1975. ZhMP. 1976, no. 2, p. 39.
Speech at the presentation of the rod to Bishop Seraphim of Alma-Ata (Gachkovsky). ZhMP. 1976, no. 3, p. 12.
Significance of the Local Council of 1971 ZhMP. 1976, no. 8, p. 7.
Interview to the All-Union Radio June 18, 1976 ZhMP. 1976, no. 8, p. 36.
"The Fifth Anniversary of the Patriarchal Enthronement" ZhMP. 1976, no. 8, p. 6.
Speech at the Plenum of the Soviet Peace Committee, August 17, 1976. ZhMP. 1976, no. 11, p. 36.
Speech in the discussion group of the World Forum of Peace Forces January 15, 1977. WMP. 1977, no. 4, p. 35.
Interview to the All-Union Radio February 26, 1977 ZhMP. 1977, no. 5, p. 7.
Speech at the tomb of His Beatitude Patriarch Justinian of Romania, March 31, 1977. ZhMP. No. 6, p. 34.
Statement on the draft of the new Constitution of the USSR. ZhMP. 1977, no. 10, p. 5.
Sermon on the day of the celebration of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God on the day of the 300th anniversary of the Smolensk Assumption Cathedral, August 10, 1977 ZhMP. 1977, no. 10, p. 26.
"Humanism and concern for man" Newspaper "Voice of the Motherland". 1977. No. 38 (Sept.).
Speech at a meeting of the Council of the Rodina Society, September 29, 1977. ZhMP. 1977, no. 12, p. 34.
Speech at the presentation of the baton to Bishop of Ivanovo and Kineshma Ambrose (Shchurov) October 18, 1977 ZhMP. 1978, no. 1, p. 34.
Word at the tomb of His Holiness and Beatitude Patriarch of All Georgia David V in the Sioni Cathedral on November 10, 1977. JMP. 1978, no. 3, p. 45.
Archbishop Alfred Tooming (obituary). ZhMP. 1978, no. 4, p. 61.
Speech at the All-Union Conference of the Soviet Peace Fund. ZhMP. 1978, no. 7, p. 43.
Sermon before the funeral prayer for the late Pope John Paul I at the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral. ZhMP. 1978, no. 12, p. 59.
Eighth Anniversary of the Patriarchal Enthronement, word from Metropolitan Alexy. ZhMP. 1979, no. 8, p. 14.
"Come and See" - about religious life in the USSR and the training of clergy. Newspaper "Voice of the Motherland". 1979. No. 33 (2177) (Aug.).
Name day of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, word of Metropolitan Alexy. ZhMP. 1979, no. 11, p. 10.
"In Service to the World". Newspaper "Neye Zeitung". 1979. No. 269, 14.11.
Interview with the newspaper Kodumaa (Rodina) (in Estonian), No. 50, December 12, 1979.
"In the power of the Holy Spirit - service to the world": Report at the VIII General Assembly of the CEC, Crete, Greece October 18-25, 1979 JMP. 1980, no. 1, p. 54; No. 2, p. 62; No. 3, p. 57.
Speech at a meeting of the Soviet public dedicated to the day of action against the deployment of medium-range missiles in the countries of Western Europe. ZhMP. 1980, no. 2, p. 41.
Greetings on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the newspaper "Voice of the Motherland". "Voice of the Motherland". 1980. No. 14 (2210) (April)
In the service of peace - a conversation recorded on the eve of the Olympics-80, Newspaper "Neues Zeit", GDR, July 19, 1980, p. 5.
Speech on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the Patriarchal enthronement. ZhMP. 1980, no. 8, p. 7.
Celebration of the 70th anniversary of Patriarch Pimen, introductory speech. ZhMP. 1980, no. 9, p. 16.
The legacy of the Conference on the Security and Disarmament of Europe is important for the world. Newspaper "Aamulehti", Finland, October 29, 1980
Word at the presentation of the rod to Bishop Athanasius (Kudyuk) 1 Sept. 1980 ZhMP. 1980, no. 11, p. eleven.
Sermon before a memorial service at the Church of St. John the Epiphany in the village of Kurkino, Bishop of Tula, in connection with the 600th anniversary of the Kulikovo Victory. ZhMP. 1980, no. 12, p. 13.
Speech at the opening ceremony at the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the Kulikovo Victory. ZhMP. 1980, no. 12, p. 15.
Message to the readers of the magazine "Our Life" on the feast of the Nativity of Christ. "Our Life" ed. Russian Cultural-Democratic Union of Finland No. 1(241), 1981, p. 6.
"For a Peaceful Europe", an interview with the newspaper "Voice of the Motherland". "Voice of the Motherland", No. 11 (2259) March, 1980, p. 13.
On the eve of the meeting at Legumkloster. (interview).
Speech on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Patriarchal enthronement at the Cathedral of the Epiphany on June 3, 1981. ZhMP. 1981, no. 8, p. 7.
Speech at the Second All-Union Conference of the Rodina Society on May 27, 1981. ZhMP. 1981, no. 9, p. 48.
Congratulations to the readers of the newspaper "Voice of the Motherland" on May 1 and Victory Day. "Voice of the Motherland", No. 19, May 1982, p. 10.
"Save the sacred gift of life" (article). "Voice of the Motherland" No. 23, June 1982, p. eleven.
Annotation to the records released on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. Moscow, 1981
Speech at a reception in honor of the delegation of the Council of Evangelical Churches in Germany (FRG) on June 24, 1982. JMP. 1982, no. 9, p. 61.
Message to the readers of the magazine "Our Life" for the Nativity of Christ and the New Year. "Our Life", No. 6, 1982, p. 35.
Speech to His Holiness Patriarch Pimen on the day of his namesake at the Pimenovsky Church in Moscow 9 Sep. 1982 ZhMP. 1982, no. 12, p. 36.
Word at the presentation of the baton to Bishop Alexander (Timofeev) of Dmitrovsky. Church of the Intercession MDA October 14, 1982 ZhMP. 1982, no. 12, p. 40.
Word to the participants of the "March of Peace-82" in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra on July 24, 1982 ZhMP. 1982, no. 12, p. 104.
"Stop the nuclear arms race, prevent war." Newspaper "Izvestia" 30 Apr. 1983, p. 4. Newspaper "Kodumaa" May 11, 1983, p. 7 (in Estonian).
"Choice in favor of life." Newspaper "Moscow News", 1983, No. 20, May 19, p. 6.
Speech at the presentation of the degree of doctor of theology honoris causa on November 12, 1983 in Prague. ZhMP. 1983, no. 4, p. 46.
Report "Philocalia in Russian ascetic thought". ZhMP. 1983, no. 4, p. 46.
"For the sake of life, we must work together." Novaya Gazeta, May 21, 1983, No. 119.
"A Call to Christians of the World". Consultative meeting of representatives of the Churches of Europe in Moscow. Newspaper "Voice of the Motherland", June 1983, No. 24, p. 12.
"For the salvation of the sacred gift of life" Magazine "Otchizna", No. 5, p. 29.
Interview "Putting an End to the Arms Race". Magazine "Soviet Country", June, 1983
Speech at the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral on the day of the celebration of the 12th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen. ZhMP. 1983, no. 8, p. 16-17
Word at the ecumenical service at the opening of the CEC Consultation "Dynamics of Hope: Trust, Disarmament, Peace", May 26, 1983, Moscow. ZhMP. 1983, no. 8, p. 66.
"The Danilovsky Monastery is being restored" (interview). Newspaper "Moscow News", No. 45, November 6, 1983, p. eleven.
Sermon on the feast day of the Icon of the Mother of God of Tikhvin. ZhMP. 1983, no. 10, p. 24.
Word on the name day of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen 9 Sept. 1983 ZhMP. 1983, no. 11, p. 7.
Article "Life and Peace". Uppsala World Christian Conference. ZhMP. 1983, no. 11, p. 36-39.
Message for the Nativity of Christ and the New Year to the readers of the magazine "Our Life". "Our Life", 1983, No. 6, p. 3-4.
"Essays on the History of Orthodoxy in Estonia". 806 p. (doctoral dissertation) (typescript).
Speech at the Soviet-French Colloquium "The Problem of Disarmament and the Strengthening of Peace" on January 24, 1984. ZhMP. 1984, no. 4, p. 38.
Speech at the All-Union Conference of the Soviet Peace Fund in the House of the Unions, January 31, 1984. ZhMP. 1984, no. 5, p. 54.
Speech at a meeting of the Council of the Rodina Society on February 16, 1984. ZhMP. 1984, no. 7, p. 51.
Speech at the presentation of the baton to Bishop Eusebius (Savin) of Alma-Ata on April 1, 1984 in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral. ZhMP. 1984, no. 6, p. 13.
Sermon on the day of the 13th anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Pimen at the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral on June 3, 1984. ZhMP. 1984, no. 8, p. eleven.
Sermon on the day of the 74th anniversary of the birth of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe in Moscow on July 23, 1984. ZhMP. 1984, no. 9, p. 9.
Message to the readers of the magazine "Our Life" of the Russian Cultural Democratic Union in Finland for Christmas and the New Year. "Our Life", 1984, No. 6.
Speech at the opening of the Fifth Theological Interview "Zagorsk-V", November 13, 1984 in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. ZhMP. 1985, no. 4, p. 64.
Interview to the newspaper "Uusi Suomi" "The Russian Church is preparing for the 1000th anniversary, the Metropolitan of Tallinn appeals to the spirit of Helsinki". "Uusi Suomi", June 7, 1985, p. 9.
Interview to the newspaper "Barkauden Lyakhti" "The trust of churches and peoples can prevent wars" Metropolitan Alexy on Valaam. "Barkauden Lyakhti", June 10, 1985
Interview to the newspaper "Helsinki Sanomat" "The Estonian Orthodox Church believes in its future." "Helsinki Sanomat" June 14, 1985, p. 20.
Speech at an official reception in honor of the participants in the Theological Interview "Zagorsk V", November 21, 1984. ZhMP. 1985, no. 5, p. 63.
"Protect the World" for the 10th anniversary of the signing of the final Helsinki Act // Newspaper "Voice of the Motherland" No. 51, 1985
The Difficult Path of the Dramatic Age // NG-Religions. 1997. No. 11 (Nov.).
I won't walk to Jerusalem // Kommersant-daily. 1998. No. 127.
Messages for the feast of the Nativity of Christ to the clergy, monastics and Orthodox believers of the Tallinn diocese, printed in a typographical way with parallel Estonian and Russian texts for 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 , 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
Letters for the feast of Holy Pascha to the clergy, monastics and Orthodox believers of the Tallinn diocese, printed in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1 976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985

Literature

Nikitin V.A. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. Life and deeds for the glory of God. M .: Astrel: Rus-Olympus, 2009
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- "-, 1966, No. 2, p. 34; No. 5, p. 4; No. 10, p. 17, 18.
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- "-, 1968, No. 2, p. 15, No. 3, p. 3, 14; No. 7, p. 23; No. 9, p. 12; No. 11, p. 32; No. 12, p. 17, 37.
- "-, 1969, No. 4, p. 6; No. 8, p. 1; No. 9, p. 5; No. 11, p. 22.
- "-, 1970, No. 1, p. 18; No. 2, p. 43; No. 3, p. 26; No. 6, p. 11-32; No. 7, p. 11; No. 10, p. 16, 55-59; No. 11, p. 4.5; No. 12, p. 30.
- "-, 1971, No. 2, p. 16; No. 3, p. 16; No. 4, p. 3; No. 6, p. 1; No. 7, p. 1; No. 8, p. 46; No. 9 , p. 35; No. 10, p. 28; No. 11, p. 2, 13, 15; No. 12, p. 40.
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- "-, 1973, No. 1, p. 35, 65; No. 3, p. 25; No. 5, p. 5; No. 11, p. 9.
- "-, 1974, No. 1, p. 27; No. 2, p. 11, 40; No. 5, p. 4, No. 9, p. 9; No. 11, p. 9, 23.
- "-, 1975, No. 1, p. 30, 34; No. 2, p. 3; No. 3, p. 20; No. 6, p. 13; No. 10, p. 22; No. 12, p. 9.
- "-, 1976, No. 1, p. 16; No. 2, p. 12; No. 3, p. 12, 20; No. 9, p. 5; No. 12, p. 10.
- "-, 1977, No. 2, p. 23, 67; No. 3, p. 7; No. 4, p. 22; No. 5, p. 4; No. 10, p. 9; No. 11, p. 3; No. 12, page 3.
- "-, 1978, No. 1, p. 28, 34, 36; No. 2, p. 7; No. 6, p. 23; No. 7, p. 62; No. 10, p. 7; No. 11, p. 4, No. 12, pp. 10, 22.
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- "-, 1980, No. 1, p. 8, 45; No. 3, p. 4; No. 5, p. 7, 17; No. 8, p. 24-25; No. 9, p. 9-10, 12 , 34, 42; No. 10, pp. 2-3, 21-22; No. 11, pp. 8, 12, 56; No. 12, pp. 8, 28, 58.
- "-, 1981, No. 1, p. 59-60; No. 2, p. 4, 8, 13; No. 3, p. 3; No. 4, p. 55; No. 5, p. 6, 15, 33 ; No. 7, p. 63; No. 8, p. 36; No. 9, p. 6, 48; No. 11, p. 62; No. 12, p. 3, 6.
- "-, 1982, No. 1, p. 9, 59, 61; No. 2, p. 5, 7, 55; No. 3, p. 3, 17; No. 5, p. 6, 59; No. 7, p. 10, 33, 51, 59; No. 8, pp. 11, 45, 46, 53; No. 9, pp. 3; No. 10, pp. 35; No. 12, pp. 4, 7, 39, 109,124,129.
- "-, 1983, No. 1, p. 9, 11, 68; No. 2, p. 5, 44, 47; No. 3, p. 26; No. 4, p. 9, 45, 58; No. 5, p. 7, 24, 27, 68; No. 7, pp. 14, 57-58; No. 8, pp. 5, 31; No. 9, pp. 5, 17, 21; No. 10, pp. 17, 22; No. 11, pp. 18, 21; No. 12, pp. 8-11.
- "-, 1984, No. 2, p. 4; No. 3, p. 49; No. 4, p. 5, 14, 53; No. 5, p. 7-8, 11, 54; No. 6, p. 3 , 6; No. 7, pp. 49, 52; No. 8, pp. 6, 19, 61, 63; No. 9, pp. 6, 8, 62; No. 10, pp. 4, 10, 13, 17, 42 ; No. 11, pp. 5, 51; No. 12, pp. 3.
- "-, 1985, No. 1, p. 46, 58; No. 2, p. 8; No. 3, p. 60; No. 4, p. 5-6, 20; No. 5, p. 6, 24, 58 No. 6, pp. 65; No. 8, pp. 2, 7, 64; No. 9, pp. 9, 91; No. 10, pp. 9, 12-13, 52; No. 11, pp. 28, 85; No. 12, pp. 41, 43, 10.
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- "-, 1989, No. 6, p. 5.

Date of publication or update 04/01/2017

To the table of contents: Patriarchs of All Rus'

Since 1917, when the patriarchate was restored in Russia, each of the four predecessors of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II carried his own heavy cross. In the service of each Primate, there were hardships due to the uniqueness of that particular historical period in the life of Russia and the whole world, when the Lord judged him to be the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. The primatial ministry of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' began with the advent of a new era, when deliverance from the oppression of godless power came.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II (in the world Alexei Mikhailovich Ridiger) was born on February 23, 1929. His father, Mikhail Alexandrovich, came from an old St. Petersburg family, whose representatives had served Russia worthily in the military and state fields for decades. According to the genealogy of the Ridigers, during the reign of Catherine II, the Courland nobleman Friedrich Wilhelm von Ridiger converted to Orthodoxy and, with the name Fedor Ivanovich, became the founder of one of the lines of the noble family, the most famous representative of which was Count Fedor Vasilyevich Ridiger - a cavalry general and adjutant general, an outstanding commander and a statesman, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. The grandfather of Patriarch Alexy, Alexander Alexandrovich, had a large family, which in difficult revolutionary times he managed to take to Estonia from Petrograd, which was engulfed in unrest. The father of Patriarch Alexy, Mikhail Alexandrovich Ridiger (1902-1964), was the youngest, the fourth child in the family.

The Ridigers brothers studied at one of the most privileged educational institutions in the capital, the Imperial School of Jurisprudence - a first-class closed institution, the pupils of which could only be children of hereditary nobles. The seven-year education included gymnasium and special legal education. However, due to the 1917 revolution, Mikhail completed his education at a gymnasium in Estonia. In Haapsalu, where the hastily emigrated family of A.A. Ridiger, there was no work for the Russians, except for the most difficult and dirty, and Mikhail Alexandrovich earned his living by digging ditches. Then the family moved to Tallinn, and already there he entered the Luther plywood factory, where he served as the chief accountant of the department until he took holy orders in 1940.

Church life in post-revolutionary Estonia was very lively and active, primarily due to the activities of the clergy of the Estonian Orthodox Church. According to the memoirs of Patriarch Alexy, "these were real Russian priests, with a high sense of pastoral duty, taking care of their flock." An exceptional place in the life of Orthodoxy in Estonia was occupied by monasteries: the male Pskov-Pechersk Monastery of the Assumption of the Mother of God, the female Pyukhtitsky Monastery of the Assumption of the Mother of God, the Iberian women's community in Narva. Many clergy and laity of the Estonian Church visited the monasteries located in the dioceses of the western part of the former Russian Empire: the Sergius Convent in the name of the Holy Trinity in Riga, the Holy Spirit Monastery in Vilna, and the Pochaev Dormition Lavra. The largest gathering of pilgrims from Estonia annually visited the Valaam Transfiguration Monastery, which was then in Finland, on the day of memory of its founders, St. Sergius and Herman. In the early 20s. With the blessing of the hierarchy, student religious circles appeared in Riga, which laid the foundation for the Russian Student Christian Movement (RSDH) in the Baltics. The versatile activities of the RSHD, whose members were Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov, Hieromonk John (Shakhovskoy), N.A. Berdyaev, A.V. Kartashev, V.V. Zenkovsky, G.V. Florovsky, B.P. Vysheslavtsev, S.L. Frank, attracted Orthodox youth who wanted to find a solid religious foundation for independent living in the difficult conditions of emigration. Recalling the 1920s and his participation in the RSHD in the Baltics, Archbishop John (Shakhovskoy) of San Francisco later wrote that that unforgettable period for him was “the religious spring of the Russian emigration,” her best response to everything that happened at that time with Church in Russia. The Church for the Russian exiles ceased to be something external, only a reminder of the past, it became the meaning and purpose of everything, the center of being.

Both Mikhail Alexandrovich and his future wife Elena Iosifovna (nee Pisareva) were active participants in the Orthodox church and social and religious life of Tallinn, participated in the RSHD. Elena Iosifovna Pisareva was born in Revel (modern Tallinn), her father was a colonel in the White Army, shot by the Bolsheviks near Petrograd; relatives on the maternal side were ktitors of the Tallinn Alexander Nevsky cemetery church. Even before the wedding, which took place in 1926, it was known that Mikhail Alexandrovich wanted to become a priest from a young age. But only after completing the theological courses (opened in Reval in 1938) was he ordained a deacon, and then a priest (in 1942). For 16 years, Father Michael was the rector of the Nativity of the Virgin of Kazan Church in Tallinn, and was the chairman of the Diocesan Council. In the family of the future Primate, the spirit of Russian Orthodox Churchness reigned, when life is inseparable from the temple of God and the family is truly a home church. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy recalled: “I was the only son of my parents, we lived very friendly. We were bound by strong love ... ”For Alyosha Ridiger, there was no question of choosing a life path. His first conscious steps were taken in the church, when he, as a six-year-old boy, performed his first obedience - he poured baptismal water. Even then, he firmly knew that he would become only a priest. According to his recollections, being a 10-year-old boy, he knew the service well and loved to “serve” very much, he had a “church” in the room in the barn, there were “vestments”. Parents were embarrassed by this and even turned to the Valaam elders, but they were told that if everything is done seriously by a boy, then there is no need to interfere. It was a family tradition to make pilgrimages during the summer holidays: they went either to the Pyukhtitsky Monastery, or to the Pskov-Caves Monastery. In the late 1930s, the parents and their son made two pilgrimage trips to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery on Lake Ladoga. The boy for the rest of his life remembered his meetings with the inhabitants of the monastery - the spirit-bearing elders Sheikhumen John (Alekseev, f 1958), Hieroschemamonk Ephraim (Khrobostov, f 1947) and especially with the monk Iuvian (Krasnoperov, 11957), with whom he began a correspondence.

By Divine Providence, the fate of the future High Hierarch was such that life in Soviet Russia was preceded by childhood and adolescence in old Russia (he began his studies at a private school, moved to a private gymnasium, then studied at an ordinary school), and he met with Soviet reality, although at a young age, but already mature in spirit. His spiritual father was Archpriest John the Epiphany, later Bishop Isidor of Tallinn and Estonia. From the age of fifteen, Alexei was a subdeacon of the Archbishop of Tallinn and Estonia, Pavel, and then of Bishop Isidore. Prior to entering the Theological Seminary, he served as a psalmist, altar boy and sacristan in the churches of Tallinn.

In 1940, Soviet troops entered Estonia. In Tallinn, arrests and deportations to Siberia and the northern regions of Russia began among the local population and Russian emigrants. Such a fate was prepared for the Ridiger family, but the Providence of God preserved them. Patriarch Alexy later recalled this as follows: “Before the war, like the sword of Damocles, we were threatened with deportation to Siberia. Only chance and a miracle of God saved us. After the arrival of the Soviet troops, relatives from my father’s side came to us in the suburbs of Tallinn, and we provided them with our house, and we ourselves moved to live in a barn, where we had a room where we lived, we had two dogs with us. At night, they came for us, searched the house, walked around the site, but the dogs, which usually behaved very sensitively, never even barked once. We were not found. After this incident, until the very German occupation, we no longer lived in the house.

During the war years, priest Mikhail Ridiger spiritually nourished the Russian people, who were taken to work in Germany through occupied Estonia. Thousands of people were kept in camps for displaced persons in very difficult conditions, mainly from the central regions of Russia. Communication with these people, who had experienced and suffered a lot, endured persecution in their homeland and remained faithful to Orthodoxy, struck Fr. Mikhail and later, in 1944, strengthened his decision to stay in his homeland. Military operations approached the borders of Estonia. On the night of May 9-10, 1944, Tallinn was subjected to a brutal bombardment, which damaged many buildings, including those in the suburbs where the Ridigers' house was located. The woman who was in their house died, but Fr. The Lord saved Michael and his family - it was on that terrible night that they were not at home. The next day, thousands of Tallinners left the city. The Ridigers remained, although they perfectly understood that with the arrival of Soviet troops, the family would be in constant danger of being exiled.

In 1946, Alexei Ridiger passed the exams to the Leningrad Theological Seminary, but was not accepted by age - he was only 17 years old, and minors were not allowed to be admitted to theological schools. The following year, he was enrolled immediately in the 3rd year of the seminary, from which he graduated in the first category. Being a freshman at the Leningrad Theological Academy, in 1950 he was ordained a priest and appointed rector of the Church of the Epiphany in the city of Jyhvi, Tallinn diocese. For more than three years he combined the service of a parish priest with his studies at the Academy (in absentia). He especially remembered this first coming in the life of the future Primate: here he came into contact with many human tragedies - they often happened in the mining town. At the first service, Fr. Alexy, on the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, only a few women came to the temple. However, the parish gradually came to life, rallied, and the repair of the temple began. “The flock there was not easy,” His Holiness the Patriarch later recalled, “after the war, people came to the mining town from various regions for special assignments for hard work in the mines; many died: the accident rate was high, therefore, as a shepherd, I had to deal with difficult destinies, family dramas, various social vices, and above all, drunkenness and the cruelty engendered by drunkenness. For a long time about Alexy served in the parish alone / so he went to all the necessities. He recalled that they did not think about the danger in those post-war years - whether it was close, how far, one had to go to the funeral, to baptize. In 1953, Father Alexy graduated from the Theological Academy in the first category and was awarded the degree of Candidate of Theology for his term paper “Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret (Drozdov) as a dogmatist.” In 1957, he was appointed rector of the Dormition Cathedral in Tartu, and during the year he combined ministry in two churches. In the university city, he found a completely different environment than in Jõhvi. “I found,” he said, “both in the parish and in the parish council, the old Yuryev university intelligentsia. Communication with them left me with very vivid memories. The Assumption Cathedral was in a deplorable state, it required urgent and major repairs - the fungus corroded the wooden parts of the building, in the aisle in the name of St. Nicholas, the floor collapsed during the service. There were no funds for repairs, and then Fr. Alexy decided to go to Moscow, to the Patriarchate, and ask for financial help. Secretary of Patriarch Alexy I D.A. Ostapov, after asking about. Alexy, introduced him to the Patriarch and reported on the request. His Holiness ordered to help the initiative priest.

In 1961, Archpriest Alexy Ridiger accepted the monastic rank. On March 3, at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, he was tonsured a monk with a name in honor of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow. The monastic name was drawn by lot from the shrine of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Continuing to serve in Tartu and remaining a dean, Father Alexy did not advertise his acceptance of monasticism and, in his words, “simply began to serve in a black kamilavka.” Soon, by the decision of the Holy Synod, Hieromonk Alexy was determined to become the bishop of Tallinn and Estonia with the assignment of temporary administration of the Riga diocese. It was a difficult time - the height of Khrushchev's persecution. The Soviet leader, trying to revive the revolutionary spirit of the twenties, demanded the literal implementation of the anti-religious legislation of 1929. It seemed that the pre-war times had returned with their "five-year plan of godlessness." True, the new persecution of Orthodoxy was not bloody - the ministers of the Church and Orthodox laity were not exterminated, as before, but newspapers, radio and television spewed streams of blasphemy and slander against the faith and the Church, and the authorities and the "public" persecuted and persecuted Christians. Across the country, there was a massive closure of churches, and the already small number of religious educational institutions was sharply reduced. Recalling those years, His Holiness the Patriarch said that he “had a chance to begin his church service at a time when people were no longer shot for their faith, but how much they had to endure defending the interests of the Church, God and history will judge.”

In those difficult years for the Russian Church, the older generation of bishops left this world, who began their ministry in pre-revolutionary Russia - confessors who went through Solovki and the hellish circles of the Gulag, archpastors who went into exile abroad and returned to their homeland after the war. They were replaced by a galaxy of young archpastors who did not see the Russian Church in power and glory, but chose the path of serving the persecuted Church, which was under the yoke of a godless state.

On September 3, 1961, Archimandrite Alexy was consecrated Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia. In the very first days, Vladyka was placed in an extremely difficult situation: Ya.S. Kanter informed him that in the summer of 1961 a decision had been made to close the Pyukhtitsky Monastery and 36 "unprofitable" parishes ("unprofitable" churches were a common excuse for their abolition during the years of Khrushchev's persecution). Later, Patriarch Alexy recalled that before his consecration, he could not even imagine the scale of the impending disaster. There was almost no time left, because the closure of churches was to begin in the coming days, and the time for the transfer of the Pyukhtitsky monastery to a rest home for miners was determined - October 1, 1961. Realizing that Orthodoxy in Estonia should not be allowed to suffer such a blow, the bishop Alexy begged the commissioner to postpone the implementation of the tough decision for a while, since the closure of churches at the very beginning of the young bishop's hierarchal ministry would make a negative impression on the flock. But the main thing was ahead - it was necessary to protect the monastery and temples from encroachment. At that time, the atheistic authorities took into account only political arguments, and positive mentions of this or that monastery or temple in the foreign press usually turned out to be effective. In May 1962, taking advantage of his position as Deputy Chairman of the DECR, Bishop Alexy organized a visit to the Pyukhtitsky Monastery by a delegation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the GDR, which published an article with photographs of the monastery in the Neue Zeit newspaper. Soon, along with Bishop Alexy, a Protestant delegation from France, representatives of the Christian Peace Conference and the World Council of Churches (WCC) arrived in Pukhtitsa. After a year of active visits to the monastery by foreign delegations, the issue of closing the monastery was no longer raised. Bishop Alexy also defended the Tallinn Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which, it seemed, was doomed in connection with the decision to convert it into a planetarium. It was also possible to save all 36 "unprofitable" parishes.

In 1964, Bishop Alexy was elevated to the rank of archbishop and appointed as the Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate and a permanent member of the Holy Synod. He recalled: “For nine years I was close to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I, whose personality left a deep impression on my soul. At that time, I held the post of Executive Director of the Moscow Patriarchate, and His Holiness the Patriarch fully entrusted me with the solution of many internal issues. The most difficult trials fell to his lot: revolution, persecution, repressions, then, under Khrushchev, new administrative persecutions and the closure of churches. The modesty of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, his nobility, high spirituality - all this had a huge impact on me. The last divine service that he performed shortly before his death was in 1970 at the Candlemas. In the Patriarchal residence in Chisty Lane, after his departure, the Gospel was left, revealed in the words: "Now let Thy servant go, Lord, according to Thy word in peace."

Under His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, it became more difficult to fulfill the obedience of the manager of affairs. Patriarch Pimen, a man of monastic stock, a reverent performer of divine services and a prayer book, was often weighed down by the endless variety of administrative duties. This gave rise to complications with the diocesan hierarchs, who did not always find the effective support from the Primate that they hoped for when turning to the Patriarchate, contributed to the strengthening of the influence of the Council for Religious Affairs, and often gave rise to such negative phenomena as intrigues and favoritism. Nevertheless, Metropolitan Alexy was convinced that in every period the Lord sends the necessary figures, and in stagnant times such a Primate was needed: “After all, if someone else were in his place, how much firewood he could chop. And His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, with his inherent caution, conservatism, and even fear of any innovations, managed to preserve a lot in our Church.”

In the 1980s, through all the variety of events that filled this period, preparations for the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' passed like a red thread. For Metropolitan Alexy, this period became one of the most important stages in his life. In December 1980, Bishop Alexy was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Commission for the preparation and holding of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', Chairman of the organizational group of this Commission. At that time, the power of the Soviet system was still unshakable, and its attitude towards the Russian Orthodox Church was still hostile. The formation of a special commission of the Central Committee of the CPSU, which was tasked with belittling the significance of the Baptism of Rus' in the perception of the people, limiting the celebration to a church fence, and erecting a propaganda barrier between the Church and the people, testifies to the degree of concern of the authorities with the approach of the unwanted anniversary. The efforts of many historians and journalists were aimed at suppressing and distorting the truth about the Russian Church and the history of Russia. At the same time, the entire Western cultural world was unanimous in recognizing the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' as one of the greatest events of the 20th century. The Soviet government involuntarily had to reckon with this and measure its actions within the country with the possible reaction to them in the world. In May 1983, by decision of the Government of the USSR, in order to create the Spiritual and Administrative Center of the Moscow Patriarchate for the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Danilov Monastery, the first Moscow monastery founded by St. blg. Prince Daniel in the 13th century Soviet propaganda broadcast about the generous "transfer of an architectural monument-ensemble." In reality, the Church received a pile of ruins and industrial waste. Metropolitan Alexy was appointed chairman of the Responsible Commission for organizing and carrying out all restoration and construction work. Before the walls were erected, monastic work was resumed in the ruined place. Prayers and voluntary selfless labor of the Orthodox in the shortest possible time raised the Moscow shrine from the ruins.

In the mid-1980s, with the coming to power in the country of M.S. Gorbachev, there were changes in the policy of the leadership, public opinion began to change. This process was very slow, the power of the Council for Religious Affairs, although in fact weakened, still formed the basis of state-church relations. Metropolitan Alexy, as the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, felt the urgent need for fundamental changes in this area, perhaps more sharply than other bishops. Then he committed an act that became a turning point in his fate - in December 1985 he sent a letter to Gorbachev, in which he first raised the question of restructuring state-church relations. The essence of Vladyka Alexy's position is outlined by him in the book Orthodoxy in Estonia: “My position both then and today is that the Church should be really separated from the state. I believe that in the days of the Council of 1917-^ 1918. the clergy were not yet ready for a real separation of the Church from the state, which was reflected in the documents adopted at the Council. The main issue that was raised in negotiations with the secular authorities was the question of not separating the Church from the state, because the centuries-old close relationship between the Church and the state created a very strong inertia. And in the Soviet period, the Church was also not separated from the state, but was crushed by it, and the state’s interference in the internal life of the Church was complete, even in such sacred areas as, say, it is possible or not to be baptized, it is possible or not to get married, outrageous restrictions in the performance of the Sacraments and divine services. National terror was often exacerbated by simply ugly, extremist antics and prohibitions by authorized "local level". All this required immediate change. But I realized that the Church and the state also have common tasks, for historically the Russian Church has always been with its people in joys and trials. Issues of morality and morality, health and culture of the nation, family and upbringing require the unification of the efforts of the state and the Church, an equal union, and not subordination of one to the other. And in this regard, I raised the most urgent and cardinal issue of revising the outdated legislation on religious associations.” Gorbachev then did not understand and did not accept the position of the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, a letter from Metropolitan Alexy was sent to all members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, at the same time the Council for Religious Affairs indicated that such issues should not be raised. The response of the authorities to the letter, in full accordance with the old traditions, was the order to remove Bishop Alexy from the key position of the manager of affairs at that time, which was carried out by the Synod. After the death of Metropolitan Anthony (Melnikov) of Leningrad, by the decision of the Holy Synod of July 29, 1986, Metropolitan Alexy was appointed to the Leningrad and Novgorod cathedra, leaving him to manage the Tallinn diocese. On September 1, 1986, Bishop Alexy was removed from the leadership of the Pension Fund, and on October 16, the duties of chairman of the Educational Committee were removed from him.

The reign of the new bishop became a turning point for the church life of the northern capital. At first, he was faced with a complete disregard for the Church by the city authorities, he was not even allowed to pay a visit to the chairman of the Leningrad City Council - the representative of the Council for Religious Affairs stated harshly: "This has never happened in Leningrad and cannot be." But a year later, the chairman of the Leningrad City Council, at a meeting with Metropolitan Alexy, said: "The doors of the Leningrad Council are open for you day and night." Soon, representatives of the authorities themselves began to come to see the ruling bishop - this was how the Soviet stereotype was broken.

During the administration of the St. Petersburg diocese, Bishop Alexy managed to do a lot: the chapel of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg at the Smolensk cemetery, and the St. John Monastery on Karpovka were restored and consecrated. During the tenure of His Holiness the Patriarch as Metropolitan of Leningrad, the canonization of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg took place, the churches of shrines, temples and monasteries began to return, in particular, the holy relics of the Right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky, St. Zosima, Savvaty and Herman of Solovetsky were returned.

In the jubilee year 1988 - the year of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' - there was a radical shift in the relationship between Church and state, Church and society. In April, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen and the permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church had a conversation with Gorbachev, and Metropolitan Alexy of Leningrad also participated in the meeting. The hierarchs raised a number of specific questions related to ensuring the normal activity of the Orthodox Church. After this meeting, the way was opened for a broad nationwide celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', which became a true triumph for the Church.

On May 3, 1990, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen reposed. The last years of his presidency, when he was seriously ill, were difficult and sometimes very difficult for general church administration. Metropolitan Alexy, who headed the Department of Affairs for 22 years, perhaps had a better idea of the real state of the Church in the late 1980s than many. He was sure that the scope of the Church's activity was narrowed, limited, and he saw this as the main source of discord. To elect a successor to the deceased Patriarch, a Local Council was convened, preceded by a Council of Bishops, which elected three candidates for the Patriarchal Throne, of which Metropolitan Alexy of Leningrad received the largest number of votes. On the eve of the Local Council, His Holiness the Patriarch wrote about his inner state: “I went to Moscow for the Council, having before my eyes great tasks that had finally opened up for archpastoral and church activities in general in St. Petersburg. I did not conduct any, speaking in secular language, "pre-election campaign". Only after the Council of Bishops, ... where I received the most votes of the bishops, did I feel that there was a danger that this cup might not pass me by. I say “danger” because, having been the administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate under His Holiness Patriarchs Alexy I and Pimen for twenty-two years, I knew perfectly well how heavy the cross of Patriarchal ministry is. But I relied on the will of God: if it is the will of the Lord for my Patriarchate, then, apparently, He will give strength.” According to memoirs, the Local Council of 1990 was the first Council in the post-war period, which was held without the intervention of the Council for Religious Affairs. Patriarch Alexy spoke about the voting during the election of the Primate of the Russian Church: “I felt the confusion of many, I saw confusion on some faces - where is the pointing finger? But it wasn’t, we had to decide for ourselves.” On June 7, 1990, the bell of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra announced the election of the fifteenth All-Russian Patriarch. In a sermon at the closing of the Local Council, the newly elected Patriarch said: “By the election of the Council, through which, we believe, the will of God was manifested in the Russian Church, the burden of primatial service was placed on my unworthiness. Great is the responsibility of this ministry. Accepting it, I am aware of my infirmities, my weakness, but I find reinforcement in the fact that my election took place by a Council of archpastors, pastors and laity who were not constrained in any way in expressing their will. I find reinforcement in my forthcoming ministry also in the fact that my accession to the throne of Moscow hierarchs was combined in time with a great church celebration - the glorification of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, the miracle worker, revered by the entire Orthodox world, by all Holy Russia, whose burial place is in the city that until now it has been my cathedral city. .."

The enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy took place at the Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow. The word of the new Primate of the Russian Church was dedicated to the tasks facing him in this difficult field: “We see our primary task, first of all, in strengthening the inner, spiritual life of the Church. Our Church - and we clearly see this - is embarking on the path of broad public service. All of our society looks with hope at it as the custodian of eternal spiritual and moral values, historical memory and cultural heritage. To give a worthy answer to these hopes is our historical task.” The entire primatial service of Patriarch Alexy was devoted to the solution of this most important task. Shortly after his enthronement, His Holiness said: “The ongoing changes could not but happen, for 1000 years of Christianity on the Russian land could not disappear completely, for God could not leave His people, who loved Him so much in their previous history. Seeing no light for decades, we did not leave prayers and hope - "beyond the hope of hope," as the apostle Paul said. We know the history of mankind and we know God's love for His sons. And from this knowledge we drew confidence that the times of trials and the reign of darkness would end.

The new Primate was to open a new era in the life of the Russian Church, to revive church life in all its manifestations, and to resolve many problems that had accumulated over decades. With courage and humility, he took on this burden, and God's blessing clearly accompanied his tireless labors. Truly providential events followed one after another: the acquisition of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov and their transfer by procession to Diveevo, the acquisition of the relics of St. Joasaph of Belgorod and their return to Belgorod, finding the relics of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon and solemnly transferring them to the Great Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery, finding the relics of St. Sergius in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Moscow Filaret and St. Maximus the Greek, finding the incorruptible relics of St. Alexander Svirsky.

After the collapse of the USSR, Patriarch Alexy II managed to keep under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church most of its canonical territories in the former Soviet republics, despite the opposition of local nationalists. Only a small part of the parishes (mainly in Ukraine and Estonia) broke away from the ROC.

The 18 years of the stay of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy on the throne of the Moscow First Hierarchs became a time of revival and flourishing of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Thousands of churches were rebuilt from the ruins and rebuilt, hundreds of monasteries were opened, a host of new martyrs and ascetics of faith and piety were glorified (more than one thousand seven hundred saints were canonized). The Law on Freedom of Conscience of 1990 returned to the Church the opportunity not only to develop catechism, religious education and upbringing activities in society, but also to carry out charity work, help the poor, serve others in hospitals, nursing homes and places of detention. The sign of the revival of the Russian Church in the 1990s was undoubtedly the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, which was destroyed by atheists precisely as a symbol of Russia's ecclesiastical and state power.

The statistics of these years are amazing. On the eve of the Local Council in 1988 there were 76 dioceses and 74 bishops, at the end of 2008 in the Russian Orthodox Church there were 157 dioceses, 203 bishops, of which 149 were ruling and 54 vicars (14 are retired). The number of parishes increased from 6,893 to 29,263, priests from 6,674 to 27,216, and deacons from 723 to 3,454. During his primacy, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II performed 88 episcopal consecrations and personally ordained many priests and deacons. Dozens of new churches were consecrated by the Patriarch himself. Among them were majestic cathedrals in diocesan centers, and simple rural churches, temples in large industrial cities, and in places as remote from the centers of civilization as Yamburg, a gas workers' settlement on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Today there are 804 monasteries in the ROC (there were only 22). In Moscow, the number of operating churches increased 22 times - from 40 to 872, until 1990 there was one monastery, now there are 8, there are also 16 monastic farmsteads, 3 seminaries and 2 Orthodox universities operate within the city (before there was not a single church educational institutions).

Spiritual education has always been in the center of attention of His Holiness. By the time of his patriarchate, there were three seminaries and two theological academies. The Council of Bishops in 1994 set the task for the seminaries to provide higher theological education, and for the academies to become scientific and theological centers. In this regard, the terms of study in theological schools have changed. In 2003, the first graduation of five-year seminaries took place, and in 2006 - the reformed academies. Church higher educational institutions of the open type appeared and actively developed, focused mainly on the training of the laity - theological institutes and universities. Now the Russian Orthodox Church runs 5 theological academies, 3 Orthodox universities, 2 theological institutes, 38 theological seminaries, 39 theological schools, and pastoral courses. Several academies and seminaries have regency and icon-painting schools, more than 11,000 Sunday schools operate at churches. New church publishing houses were created, a huge amount of spiritual literature appeared, and Orthodox mass media appeared in a multitude.

The most important part of the ministry of Patriarch Alexy was trips to the dioceses, which he made more than 170, visiting 80 dioceses. Divine services on trips often lasted 4-5 hours - there were so many who wanted to receive Holy Communion from the hands of the Primate, to receive his blessing. Sometimes the entire population of the cities to which the Primate visited took part in the divine services performed by him, in the laying and consecration of churches and chapels. Despite his advanced age, His Holiness usually performed up to 120-150 liturgies a year.

In the troubled years of 1991 and 1993, His Holiness the Patriarch did everything possible to prevent a civil war in Russia. Similarly, during the hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya, Transnistria, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, he invariably called for an end to the bloodshed, to restore the dialogue of the parties, to return to peaceful life. All international problems that pose a threat to peace and people's lives also invariably became the subject of his negotiations with statesmen of various countries during his visits there (and His Holiness made more than forty such trips). He made a lot of efforts for the peaceful solution of problems in the former Yugoslavia, which was associated with considerable difficulties. For example, when visiting the Serbian Church in 1994, His Holiness covered part of the way in Sarajevo in an armored personnel carrier, and in 1999 his visit to Belgrade came at a time when another NATO bombardment could begin at any moment. The great merit of Patriarch Alexy II is undoubtedly the restoration of the communion of the Church in the Fatherland and abroad. Ascension Day on May 17, 2007, when the Act of Canonical Communion was signed in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and then the unity of the Local Russian Church was sealed by the joint celebration of the Divine Liturgy, truly became a historic day of the triumph of Russian Orthodoxy, the spiritual overcoming of those wounds that were inflicted on the Russian people by revolution and civil war. The Lord sent His faithful servant a righteous end. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy died on December 5, 2008, at the age of 80, having served the day before, on the Feast of the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, a liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. His Holiness has repeatedly said that the main content of the work of the Church is the revival of faith, the transformation of human souls and hearts, the union of man with the Creator. His whole life was devoted to serving this good cause, and his death also served him. About 100 thousand people came to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to say goodbye to the deceased Primate. For many, this sad event became a kind of spiritual impulse, aroused interest in church life, a desire for faith. "And beholding the end of their life, imitate their faith..."

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II was married. But this fact is not in any of his official biography.

In the picturesque suburb of Tallinn, Nõmme, a woman lives in a modest rural house. She looks much younger than her years (and she is almost 72), friends call her an exceptionally worthy person. She raised three children from her second marriage, buried her second husband. And few people know that in her first marriage she was the wife of the current Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II (then a student of the Leningrad Theological Academy Alexei Mikhailovich Ridiger).

Of course, the patriarch, like any bishop, is not married: since the 7th century, the church has demanded celibacy from its bishops. But this does not mean that he did not have the right to be married before he became a monk. Today, among the episcopate of the Russian Church, there are many who were once widowed or divorced for some reason. So, from the widowed archpriests, Archbishop Sophrony (Budko) of Kemerovo, the recently deceased Archbishops Meliton (Soloviev) of Tikhvin and Mikhail (Mudyugin) of Vologda became bishops. The marriage between the Archbishop of Tambov Yevgeny (Zhdan) and the Metropolitan of Kursk Yuvenaly (Tarasov) did not work out, the latter raised his two children himself. Even one new martyr came out of the widowed archpriests - Metropolitan of Kazan and Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, recently canonized Kirill (Smirnov).

Such a fate is not considered something reprehensible among the Orthodox. The fact of marriage often finds its place in the official biographies of Russian bishops. However, there is not a single word in any official text about the life of Patriarch Alexy that he was also married. You can read that after the first visit to the Valaam Monastery in 1938, the future patriarch dreamed of becoming a monk at the age of 11.

The wife of the Patriarch Vera Georgievna Alekseeva (Myannik by her second husband) was born in the same year 1929 as Alexei Mikhailovich (he - 23.02, she - 2.12), in the family of Georgy Mikhailovich Alekseev. The father-in-law of the patriarch, a Petersburger by birth (01/20/1892), a technologist by education, graduated from the Petrograd Theological Academy in 1918 and ended up in exile in Estonia. In 1931, he became a priest and for a long time served as rector of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn, where the future patriarch once served as an altar boy.

The wedding took place on April 11, 1950, when the future patriarch was still a first-year student at the academy. There is a record of the marriage in the Tallinn archives, but we do not present it, since according to Estonian laws it can be made public only by a court decision or with the consent of relatives. On the same day, the young were married by their fathers - Mikhail Ridiger (also a priest) and Georgy Alekseev. By the way, some Orthodox think that parents should not marry their children: it is supposedly a bad omen and the marriage will be unhappy. But in this case, something else is much more interesting: the date of the wedding. Easter in 1950 fell on April 9, April 11 is Bright Tuesday, and according to church rules, they don’t get married during the entire Easter week: you have to wait for the so-called Antipascha or Krasnaya Gorka (the Sunday following Easter; in 1950 - April 16).

What made a student of the Theological Academy and two respected priest-fathers violate the canon? Apparently, Alexei Mikhailovich was in a hurry to receive a priesthood, which cannot be accepted before the wedding. Indeed, four days later, on April 15, the future patriarch is ordained a deacon, and on April 17, a priest. Why such a hurry, why not wait a few days and do everything according to the rules? The deceased inspector of the Leningrad Theological Academy Lev Pariysky (1892 - 1972) believed that he knew the truth. In the archives of the Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, his letter (in other words, a denunciation) has been preserved "To the Commissioner of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Council of Ministers of the USSR for Leningrad and the Leningrad Region A.I. Kushnarev":

"In L.D.A. (Leningrad Theological Academy. - Approx. Aut.) There was a case of consecration to the priesthood in order to evade serving in the Soviet army. Ridiger A.M., born in 1929, was subject to conscription for military service in 1950. Being the fiancé of the daughter of Archpriest G. Alekseev of Tallinn, Ridiger A. wanted to get rid of military service.Having learned for sure a few days about the draft into the army, Ridiger, Archpriest Alekseev and Bishop Roman of Tallinn begged Metropolitan Gregory to agree to marry Ridiger on Tuesday during the Easter week, when marriage is forbidden according to the Church Charter.

Ridiger was married in the Academic Church on Tuesday of Easter week 1950, was hastily promoted to deacon, then to the priesthood by Bishop Roman, and appointed to the Estonian parish of St. Johva, Balt. railway, Narvskaya st., E 102.

Indeed, until 1950, students of theological educational institutions were granted a deferment from the army. In 1950, it was canceled and they did not begin to call only persons in holy orders. Let's not forget that the future patriarch Alexei Ridiger was born in bourgeois Estonia, did not go to a Soviet school, literally just found himself in the country of victorious socialism, and in this sense he was hardly mentally ready to go to serve in the Soviet army.

What made the inspector of the Theological Academy write a denunciation of the future patriarch and his own student, and even a few months after the wedding? Does the stated version correspond to reality? We will probably never know for sure. But the document puts forward a humanly understandable version of the reasons for the haste with marriage and ordination. It is worth adding that the official biographies of Alexy II known to us contain the phrase: "He was recognized as not liable for military service due to heart disease."

The marriage of Alexei Mikhailovich and Vera Georgievna did not last long: the young couple broke up in the same 1950. The reasons for the divorce are shrouded in mystery. If the marriage really was concluded under the pressure of external circumstances, then it is clear that it could not be lasting.

The collapse of the young family caused a serious discord between the Alekseevs and the Ridigers, as evidenced by the recollections of eyewitnesses.

It is worth adding that marriage was not the result of a youthful impulse, this choice was a family affair. The diary entries of one of the late professors of the Leningrad Theological Academy, preserved in the archives, testify that Elena Iosifovna, the mother of the future patriarch, considered another girl, Irina Ponomareva, to be the “best bride” for her son. The piquancy of the situation lies in the fact that this same Irina in 1951 became the second wife of the inspector of the Leningrad Theological Academy, Archpriest Alexei Osipov. Subsequently, Osipov defiantly broke with the church (those were the times of "scientific" atheism and "Khrushchev's persecution") and moved to the position of militant atheism. He became the most famous apostate of the Soviet era, wrote several atheistic books. The trusting relationship between Irina Ponomareva and Alexei Mikhailovich Ridiger is evidenced by Irina's letters to friends, where she calls him Lesha even after he became a priest.

The former father-in-law of the patriarch, Archpriest Georgy Alekseev, was widowed in 1952, which sealed his fate. At the end of 1955, the Synod appointed him Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia. On December 17, 1955, he takes monastic vows with the name John, and on December 25, his episcopal consecration takes place. All this time, from 1950 to 1957, Priest Alexei, the future patriarch, was rector of a small parish in the Estonian town of Johvi. However, in 1957, his former father-in-law promoted him: he elevated him to the rank of archpriest and appointed rector and dean in the large city of Tartu. The fears of the Ridiger family regarding a possible bad attitude from former relatives were not confirmed.

However, in August - September 1961 the following occurs. The former father-in-law, Bishop John (Alekseev), is appointed to Gorky, and his place is taken by ... the former son-in-law - the future patriarch! This family continuity could have made a touching impression, if not for one circumstance. The appointment of bishops from widowed or divorced priests, as we have already said, is a common thing. However, most often candidates for the position of bishop accept monasticism after the decision of the Synod: immediately before episcopal consecration. Here it happened before. On August 14, 1961, Hieromonk Alexy (Ridiger) was appointed Bishop of Tallinn by the Synod. But he accepted monasticism on March 3 at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

The ordination of the future patriarch to the bishopric took place in Tallinn on September 3, 1961. The service was headed by Bishop Nikodim (Rotov), who is officially considered the "founder" of Alexy's career, and, as if by an irony of fate, the former father-in-law, Archbishop John, also participated in the ordination. It can be assumed that at this service in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the ex-wife Vera also stood in her favorite place at the left kliros.

The transfer of John (Alekseev) to the Volga had a detrimental effect on his health. In 1963, a year and a half after the transfer, he fell ill, retired in 1965, and died on June 16, 1966. On June 21, he was buried in Tallinn, and this was done by the former son-in-law, Bishop Alexy (Ridiger). The daughter of one and the ex-wife of the other, probably, again stood somewhere nearby ...

It is difficult to imagine what made the patriarch delete the episode of his married life with this woman from his official biography. Purely humanly, such a fact cannot harm the image of any normal person. Not in society, not in church.

Job(in the world John) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. On the initiative of St. Job, transformations were carried out in the Russian Church, as a result of which 4 metropolias were included in the Moscow Patriarchate: Novgorod, Kazan, Rostov and Krutitsy; new dioceses were established, more than a dozen monasteries were founded.
Patriarch Job was the first to put book printing on a broad basis. With the blessing of St. Job, the Lenten Triodion, the Colored Triodion, the Octoechos, the Common Menaion, the Official of the Hierarchal Service, and the Missal were published for the first time.
During the Time of Troubles, St. Job was actually the first to lead the opposition of the Russians to the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. On April 13, 1605, Patriarch Job, who refused to swear allegiance to False Dmitry I, was deposed and, having endured many reproaches, was exiled to the Staritsky Monastery. After the overthrow of False Dmitry I, St. Job could not to return to the First Hierarchal Throne, he blessed the Metropolitan of Kazan Hermogenes in his place. Patriarch Job died peacefully on June 19, 1607. In 1652, under Patriarch Joseph, the incorruptible and fragrant relics of Saint Job were transferred to Moscow and laid next to the tomb of Patriarch Joasaph (1634-1640). Many healings took place from the relics of St. Job.
His memory is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on April 5/18 and June 19/July 2.

Hermogenes(in the world Yermolai) (1530-1612) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The patriarchate of Saint Hermogenes coincided with the difficult times of the Time of Troubles. With special inspiration, His Holiness the Patriarch opposed the traitors and enemies of the Fatherland, who wanted to enslave the Russian people, introduce Uniateism and Catholicism in Russia, and eradicate Orthodoxy.
Muscovites, under the leadership of Kozma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, raised an uprising, in response to which the Poles set fire to the city, while they themselves took refuge in the Kremlin. Together with the Russian traitors, they forcibly removed the holy Patriarch Hermogenes from the Patriarchal Throne and imprisoned him in the Miracle Monastery.” Patriarch Hermogenes blessed the Russian people for the feat of liberation.
For more than nine months St. Hermogenes languished in severe imprisonment. On February 17, 1612, he died a martyr of hunger and thirst. The liberation of Russia, for which St. Hermogenes stood with such unshakable courage, was successfully completed by the Russian people through his intercession.
The body of Hieromartyr Hermogenes was buried with due honor in the Miracle Monastery. The holiness of the Patriarchal feat, as well as his personality as a whole, was illuminated from above later - during the opening in 1652 of the shrine with the relics of the saint. 40 years after his death, Patriarch Hermogenes lay as if alive.
With the blessing of St. Hermogenes, the service to the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was translated from Greek into Russian and the celebration of his memory was restored in the Dormition Cathedral. Under the supervision of the Primate, new machines for printing liturgical books were made and a new printing house building was built, which was damaged during the fire of 1611, when Moscow was set on fire by the Poles.
In 1913, the Russian Orthodox Church glorified Patriarch Hermogenes as a saint. His memory is celebrated on May 12/25 and February 17/March 1.

Filaret(Romanov Fedor Nikitich) (1554-1633) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', father of the first tsar from the Romanov dynasty. Under Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, he was a noble boyar, under Boris Godunov he fell into disgrace, was exiled to a monastery and tonsured a monk. In 1611, while with the embassy in Poland, he was taken prisoner. In 1619 he returned to Russia and until his death was the de facto ruler of the country with his sickly son, Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich.

Joasaph I- Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, notifying the four Ecumenical Patriarchs of the death of his father, also wrote that “the Great Russian Church Patriarch Joasaph of Pskov, a prudent, truthful, reverent man and taught every virtue.” Patriarch Joasaph I was elevated to the chair of the Moscow Patriarch by the blessing of Patriarch Filaret, who himself chose a successor.
He continued the publishing work of his predecessors, doing a great job of collating and correcting liturgical books. During the relatively short reign of Patriarch Ioasaph, 3 monasteries were founded and 5 former ones were restored.

Joseph- Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Strict observance of church statutes and legalizations became a characteristic feature of the ministry of Patriarch Joseph. In 1646, before the onset of Great Lent, Patriarch Joseph sent out a district order to all spiritual ranks and all Orthodox Christians to observe the coming fast in purity. This district message of Patriarch Joseph, as well as the decree of the king in 1647 on the prohibition of work on Sundays and holidays and on the restriction of trade on these days, contributed to the strengthening of faith among the people.
Patriarch Joseph paid great attention to the matter of spiritual enlightenment. With his blessing, in 1648, a religious school was founded in Moscow at the Andreevsky Monastery. Under Patriarch Joseph, as well as under his predecessors, liturgical and church teaching books were published throughout Russia. In total, during the 10 years under Patriarch Joseph, 36 titles of books were published, of which 14 had not been published in Rus' before.
The name of Patriarch Joseph will forever remain on the tablets of history due to the fact that it was this archpastor who managed to take the first steps towards the reunification of Ukraine (Little Russia) with Russia, although the reunification itself took place in 1654 after the death of Joseph under Patriarch Nikon.

Nikon(in the world Nikita Minich Minin) (1605-1681) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' since 1652. Nikon's patriarchate constituted a whole era in the history of the Russian Church. Like Patriarch Philaret, he had the title of "Great Sovereign", which he received in the first years of his Patriarchate in view of the Tsar's special disposition towards him. He took part in solving almost all national affairs. In particular, with the active assistance of Patriarch Nikon in 1654, the historical reunification of Ukraine with Russia took place. The lands of Kievan Rus, once torn away by the Polish-Lithuanian magnates, became part of the Muscovite state. This soon led to the return of the primordially Orthodox dioceses of Southwestern Rus' to the bosom of the Mother Russian Church. Belarus soon reunited with Russia. The title of Patriarch of All Great and Small and White Russia was added to the title of the Patriarch of Moscow "Great Sovereign".
But Patriarch Nikon showed himself especially zealously as a church reformer. In addition to streamlining the liturgy, he replaced the sign of the cross with a two-fingered one with a three-fingered one, corrected the liturgical books according to Greek models, in which lies his immortal, great merit before the Russian Church. However, the church reforms of Patriarch Nikon gave rise to the Old Believer schism, the consequences of which overshadowed the life of the Russian Church for several centuries.
The Primate encouraged church building in every possible way; he himself was one of the best architects of his time. Under Patriarch Nikon, the richest monasteries of Orthodox Rus' were built: Voskresensky near Moscow, called "New Jerusalem", Iversky Svyatoozersky in Valdai and Krestny Kiyostrovsky in Onega Bay. But Patriarch Nikon considered the height of the personal life of the clergy and monasticism to be the main foundation of the earthly Church. Throughout his life, Patriarch Nikon did not stop reaching out for knowledge and learning something. He collected the richest library. Patriarch Nikon was engaged in Greek, studied medicine, painted icons, mastered the art of making tiles ... Patriarch Nikon sought to build Holy Rus' - the new Israel. Keeping alive, creative Orthodoxy, he wished to create an enlightened Orthodox culture and learned it from the Orthodox East. But some of the measures taken by Patriarch Nikon infringed upon the interests of the boyars and they slandered the Patriarch before the tsar. By the decision of the Council, he was deprived of the Patriarchate and sent to prison: first to Ferapontov, and then, in 1676, to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. At the same time, however, the church reforms carried out by him were not only not canceled, but received approval.
The deposed Patriarch Nikon spent 15 years in exile. Before his death, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich asked Patriarch Nikon for forgiveness in his will. The new Tsar Theodore Alekseevich decided to return Patriarch Nikon to his rank and asked him to return to the Resurrection Monastery he had founded. On the way to this monastery, Patriarch Nikon peacefully reposed in the Lord, surrounded by manifestations of the great love of the people and his disciples. Patriarch Nikon was buried with due honors in the Resurrection Cathedral of the New Jerusalem Monastery. In September 1682, letters of all four Eastern Patriarchs were delivered to Moscow, resolving Nikon from all prohibitions and restoring him to the rank of Patriarch of All Rus'.

Joasaph II- Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The Great Moscow Council of 1666-1667, which condemned and deposed Patriarch Nikon and anathematized the Old Believers as heretics, elected a new Primate of the Russian Church. Archimandrite Joasaph of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra became Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
Patriarch Joasaph devoted considerable attention to missionary activity, especially in the outskirts of the Russian state, which were just beginning to be developed: in the Far North and Eastern Siberia, especially in Transbaikalia and the Amur basin, along the border with China. In particular, with the blessing of Joasaph II, the Spassky Monastery was founded in 1671 near the Chinese border.
The great merit of Patriarch Joasaph in the field of healing and revitalizing the pastoral activity of the Russian clergy should be recognized as decisive actions taken by him aimed at restoring the tradition of delivering a sermon at divine services, which by that time had almost died out in Rus'.
During the patriarchate of Joasaph II, extensive publishing activities continued in the Russian Church. During the short period of primatial service of Patriarch Joasaph, not only numerous liturgical books were printed, but also many editions of doctrinal content. Already in 1667, the “Legend of the Cathedral Acts” and the “Rod of Government”, written by Simeon of Polotsk to denounce the Old Believer schism, were published, then the “Large Catechism” and “Small Catechism” were published.

Pitirim- Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Patriarch Pitirim accepted the primatial rank already at a very advanced age and ruled the Russian Church for only about 10 months, until his death in 1673. He was close to Patriarch Nikon and after his deposition became one of the contenders for the Throne, but he was elected only after the death of Patriarch Joasaph II.
On July 7, 1672, in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, Metropolitan Pitirim of Novgorod was elevated to the Patriarchal Throne, being already very ill, Metropolitan Joachim was called to administration.
After a ten-month unremarkable patriarchate, he died on April 19, 1673.

Joachim(Savelov-First Ivan Petrovich) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. In view of the illness of Patriarch Pitirim, Metropolitan Joachim was involved in the affairs of the Patriarchal Administration, and on July 26, 1674, he was elevated to the First Hierarchal See.
His efforts were aimed at fighting against foreign influence on Russian society.
The primate was distinguished by zeal for the strict fulfillment of church canons. He revised the orders of the liturgy of the saints and eliminated some inconsistencies in liturgical practice. In addition, Patriarch Joachim corrected and published the Typicon, which is still used in the Russian Orthodox Church almost unchanged.
In 1678, Patriarch Joachim expanded the number of almshouses in Moscow, which were supported by church funds.
With the blessing of Patriarch Joachim, a theological school was founded in Moscow, which marked the beginning of the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, which in 1814 was transformed into the Moscow Theological Academy.
In the field of public administration, Patriarch Joachim also proved to be an energetic and consistent politician, actively supporting Peter I after the death of Tsar Theodore Alekseevich.

Adrian(in the world? Andrei) (1627-1700) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' since 1690. On August 24, 1690, Metropolitan Adrian was elevated to the All-Russian Patriarchal Throne. In his speech during his enthronement, Patriarch Adrian called on the Orthodox to keep the canons intact, observe peace, and protect the Church from heresies. In the "District Epistle" and "Exhortation" to the flock, consisting of 24 points, Patriarch Adrian gave spiritually useful instructions to each of the estates. He did not like barbering, smoking, the abolition of Russian national clothes and other similar everyday innovations of Peter I. The useful and really important undertakings of the tsar, aimed at the good dispensation of the Fatherland (building a fleet, military and socio-economic transformations), Patriarch Adrian understood and supported.

(Yavorsky Simeon Ivanovich) - Metropolitan of Ryazan and Murom, Patriarchal locum tenens of the Moscow throne.
He studied at the famous Kiev-Mohyla collegium - the center of the then South Russian education.
In which he studied until 1684. To enter the Jesuit school, Yavorsky, like his other contemporaries, converted to Catholicism. In the southwest of Russia, this was commonplace.
Stefan studied philosophy in Lvov and Lublin, and then theology in Vilna and Poznań. In Polish schools, he became thoroughly acquainted with Catholic theology and adopted a hostile attitude towards Protestantism.
In 1689, Stefan returned to Kyiv, repented for his renunciation of the Orthodox Church, and was accepted back into its bosom.
In the same year he accepted monasticism and underwent monastic obedience in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
In the Kyiv Collegium, he went from teacher to professor of theology.
Stefan became a famous preacher and in 1697 he was appointed abbot of the St. Nicholas Desert Monastery, which was then outside Kyiv.
After a sermon delivered on the occasion of the death of the tsarist voivode A. S. Shein, which was noted by Peter I, he was consecrated to the bishopric and appointed Metropolitan of Ryazan and Murom.
On December 16, 1701, after the death of Patriarch Adrian, at the direction of the king, Stefan was appointed locum tenens of the patriarchal throne.
Stephen's church-administrative activity was insignificant, the power of the locum tenens, in comparison with the patriarch, was limited by Peter I. In spiritual matters, in most cases, Stephen had to confer with the council of bishops.
Peter I kept him with him until his death, carrying out under his sometimes forced blessing all the reforms that were unpleasant for Stephen. Metropolitan Stephen did not have the strength to openly break with the tsar, and at the same time he could not come to terms with what was happening.
In 1718, during the trial of Tsarevich Alexei, Tsar Peter I instructed Metropolitan Stefan to come to St. Petersburg and did not allow him to leave until his death, depriving him of even the insignificant power that he partially enjoyed.
In 1721 the Synod was opened. The tsar appointed Metropolitan Stefan as the President of the Synod, who was the least sympathetic to this institution. Stefan refused to sign the minutes of the Synod, did not attend its meetings and had no influence on synodal affairs. The tsar apparently kept him only in order to use his name to give a certain sanction to the new institution. Throughout his stay in the Synod, Metropolitan Stefan was under investigation for political affairs as a result of constant slander against him.
Metropolitan Stefan died on November 27, 1722 in Moscow, on the Lubyanka, in the Ryazan courtyard. On the same day, his body was taken to the Trinity Church at the Ryazan Compound, where it stood until December 19, that is, until the arrival in Moscow of Emperor Peter I and members of the Holy Synod. On December 20, in the Church of the Assumption of the Most Pure Theotokos, called Grebnevskaya, the funeral of Metropolitan Stefan took place.

Tikhon(Belavin Vasily Ivanovich) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. In 1917 the All-Russian Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church restored the Patriarchate. A most important event in the history of the Russian Church has taken place: after two centuries of forced headlessness, she again found her Primate and High Hierarch.
Metropolitan Tikhon of Moscow and Kolomna (1865-1925) was elected to the Patriarchal Throne.
Patriarch Tikhon was a true defender of Orthodoxy. Despite all his gentleness, benevolence and complacency, he became unshakably firm and adamant in church matters, where necessary, and above all in protecting the Church from her enemies. True Orthodoxy and the firmness of Patriarch Tikhon's character at the time of the "renovationist" schism came to light especially clearly. He stood as an insurmountable obstacle in the way of the Bolsheviks before their plans to corrupt the Church from within.
His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon has taken the most important steps towards the normalization of relations with the state. The epistles of Patriarch Tikhon proclaim: “The Russian Orthodox Church ... must be and will be the One Catholic Apostolic Church, and all attempts, from whomever they come, to plunge the Church into a political struggle must be rejected and condemned” (from the Appeal of July 1, 1923 G.)
Patriarch Tikhon aroused the hatred of the representatives of the new government, which constantly persecuted him. He was either imprisoned or kept under "house arrest" in the Moscow Donskoy Monastery. The life of His Holiness was always under threat: there was an attempt on his life three times, but he fearlessly traveled to perform services in various churches in Moscow and beyond. The entire Patriarchate of His Holiness Tikhon was a continuous feat of martyrdom. When the authorities made him an offer to go abroad for permanent residence, Patriarch Tikhon said: “I will not go anywhere, I will suffer here together with all the people and fulfill my duty to the limit set by God.” All these years he actually lived in prison and died in struggle and sorrow. His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon died on March 25, 1925, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, and was buried in the Moscow Donskoy Monastery.

Peter(Polyansky, in the world Pyotr Fedorovich Polyansky) - Bishop, Metropolitan Patriarchal Locum Tenens of Krutitsy from 1925 until the false announcement of his death (end of 1936).
According to the will of Patriarch Tikhon, Metropolitans Kirill, Agafangel or Peter were to become locum tenens. Since Metropolitans Kirill and Agafangel were in exile, Metropolitan Peter Krutitsky became the locum tenens. As a locum tenens, he provided great assistance to prisoners and exiles, especially to clergy. Vladyko Peter resolutely spoke out against renovation. He refused to make a call for loyalty to the Soviet regime. Endless prisons and concentration camps began. During interrogation in December 1925, he said that the church could not approve of the revolution: “The social revolution is built on blood and fratricide, which the Church cannot recognize.”
He refused to remove himself from the title of patriarchal locum tenens, despite threats to extend his prison sentence. In 1931, he rejected the offer of Chekist Tuchkov to give a signature on cooperation with the authorities as an informer.
At the end of 1936, the patriarchate received false information about the death of the patriarchal locum tenens Peter, as a result of which, on December 27, 1936, Metropolitan Sergius assumed the title of patriarchal locum tenens. In 1937, a new criminal case was initiated against Metropolitan Peter. On October 2, 1937, the NKVD troika in the Chelyabinsk region was sentenced to death. On October 10 at 4 p.m. he was shot. The place of burial remains unknown. Glorified as New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia by the Council of Bishops in 1997.

Sergius(in the world Ivan Nikolaevich Stragorodsky) (1867-1944) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Renowned theologian and spiritual writer. Bishop since 1901. After the death of the holy Patriarch Tikhon - patriarchal locum tenens, that is, the actual primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1927, at a difficult time both for the Church and for the entire people, he addressed the clergy and laity with a message in which he called on the Orthodox to be loyal to the Soviet regime. This message caused ambiguous assessments both in Russia and in the emigrant environment. In 1943, at the turning point of the Great Patriotic War, the government decided to restore the patriarchate, and Sergius was elected Patriarch at the Local Council. He took an active patriotic position, urged all Orthodox to tirelessly pray for victory, organized fundraising to help the army.

Alexy I(Simansky Sergey Vladimirovich) (1877-1970) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Born in Moscow, graduated from the Faculty of Law of Moscow University and the Moscow Theological Academy. Bishop since 1913, served in Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War, in 1945 he was elected Patriarch at the Local Council.

Pimen(Izvekov Sergey Mikhailovich) (1910-1990) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' since 1971. Member of the Great Patriotic War. He was persecuted for confessing the Orthodox faith. Twice (before the war and after the war) was imprisoned. Bishop since 1957. He was buried in the crypt (underground chapel) of the Assumption Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra.

Alexy II(Ridiger Alexei Mikhailovich) (1929-2008) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Graduated from the Leningrad Theological Academy. Bishop since 1961, since 1986 - Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod, in 1990 he was elected Patriarch at the Local Council. Honorary member of many foreign theological academies.

Kirill(Gundyaev Vladimir Mikhailovich) (born 1946) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Graduated from the Leningrad Theological Academy. In 1974 he was appointed rector of the Leningrad Theological Academy and Seminary. Bishop since 1976. In 1991, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan. In January 2009, at the Local Council, he was elected Patriarch.

Children of Patriarch Alexy 2. Patriarch Alexy II was married. Traveled with his father to the Nazi concentration camps

Priesthood

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Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'

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Children of Patriarch Alexy 2. Patriarch Alexy II was married. Traveled with his father to the Nazi concentration camps

Priesthood

Bishop of Tallinn

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'

Ecumenical and social activities

Awards

Compositions

Literature

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