Patriarch Kirill celebrates his anniversary today. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church conducts the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The Metropolitan of Warsaw, the Patriarchs of Serbia and Alexandria, the Catholicos of Georgia, and the heads of other local churches also take part in the service - they arrived the day before to congratulate the Primate.

On the eve of the anniversary, Vladimir Putin signed a decree awarding Patriarch Kirill the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, first degree, as emphasized, for outstanding educational and peacemaking activities, preservation and development of spiritual traditions.

Kirill has headed the Russian Orthodox Church since 2009, during which time many important events related to his name have occurred. A historic meeting with the Pope for the protection of Christians, a large-scale celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', reforms have begun in the dioceses.

The first entry in the personal file of Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev is that he was accepted as an apprentice draftsman of the cartographic bureau from 12/01/1962.

This record from the personal file is still carefully kept in the Rosgeologiya branch in St. Petersburg. It was here that the future Patriarch Kirill came to work after eighth grade. Vladimir Gundyaev is his worldly name. But the son of a Leningrad priest did not dream of a career as a cartographer, but of serving God.

“We lived very poorly, and I wanted to help my parents. And so he practically left home and helped his parents financially as best he could. This is such a material part of this plan. On the other hand, I’ll be honest, I was a little bored at school, I felt great among adults. This was the time of my formation,” says Patriarch Kirill.

On this path of development, each new stage turned out to be more difficult than the previous one. It was not easy at the Theological Academy, where, at the request of Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad, the future priest took two courses in one year. And in the end he graduated from this educational institution with honors. Despite his age, he makes one of his main decisions: to renounce everything worldly and become a monk.

“At 22 years old it’s hard to choose. What happened to me, in a sense, is truly the finger of God, apparently it was meant to be, and I thank the Lord that he strengthened me at that time. Because after all, the age was quite young. And he helped me get through those years so that, as they say, I did not waste myself, but saved myself for future service,” notes Patriarch Kirill.

He wanted to devote himself to theology and work in a theological academy. And later he even became its rector. But in 1984, a sharp turn took place in the fate of His Holiness - he was removed from his post. As it turned out later, on the instructions of Soviet officials who oversaw the church, who did not like the excessive activity of the rector. And they sent him to head the Smolensk diocese, which at that time was in a deplorable state, like the Kaliningrad diocese, which was also transferred to his jurisdiction. They thought that this resignation would greatly break the monk, but it only made him stronger.

“Well, there would be no Patriarch Kirill today if it weren’t for that very Metropolitan of Smolensk, because my final formation took place there, and it did not take place in some cloudless space, I constantly had to overcome difficulties and bear the cross,” says Patriarch Kirill.

In 2009, Metropolitan Kirill became the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The primate is confident: the church must become more accessible. Therefore, new churches are opening all over the country, and with them the number of dioceses is increasing. In seven years - almost doubled. But His Holiness’s main emphasis is on ensuring that as many people as possible want to come to church and find their way to God.

“The expression is well known that God does not give a cross beyond one’s strength. And the difficulties we face, the problems we face, require overcoming. What is overcoming? This is a concentration of forces, this is a constant movement forward. I think it is necessary not only for the clergy to understand this, but for everyone to understand that bearing the cross is a movement forward and upward,” noted Patriarch Kirill.

On November 20, 2016, on the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost, in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', together with the Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, a host of bishops and clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, celebrated the Divine Liturgy. On this day, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church turned 70 years old.

The primates were served by:

heads of delegations of Local Orthodox Churches - Metropolitan Emmanuel of Gaul (); Metropolitan Niphon of Targovisht (); Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe (); Metropolitan Ignatius of Dimitriad ();

permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church -; ; ; , head ; , head ; , manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate; , Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; , Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate;

Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of Local Orthodox Churches under the Moscow Patriarchal Throne, heads of synodal institutions and foreign missions of the Moscow Patriarchate, governors and abbots of monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church, members of delegations of Local Orthodox Churches in holy orders, members of the city of Moscow, clergy of the Moscow Diocese .

Present at the service were: Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation V.V. Volodin, First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation S.V. Kiriyenko, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation - Chief of Staff of the Government of the Russian Federation S.E. Prikhodko, Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation V.R. Medinsky, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District A.D. Beglov, member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation A.A. Klishas, ​​Chairman of the State Duma Committee of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on International Affairs L.E. Slutsky, Mayor of Moscow S.S. Sobyanin, Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation V.I. Resin, representatives of state and public organizations.

The chairman, abbots and abbesses of monasteries, employees of synodal institutions, representatives of Orthodox youth organizations, and numerous believers prayed in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Singing during the Liturgy: Patriarchal Choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, regent I.B. Tolkachev; fraternal choir, regent Archimandrite Gleb (Kozhevnikov); combined children's choir of Sunday and church music schools in Moscow and the Moscow region under the direction of Varvara Volkova.

The service was broadcast live by the Information Agency of the Russian Orthodox Church on the TV channels Spas, Soyuz and Tsargrad, as well as on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarchia.ru. The broadcast was commented by an employee of the Moscow Patriarchate N.I. Derzhavin.

At the small entrance of the Divine Liturgy, for his diligent service to the Church of God and in recognition of the 25th anniversary of his episcopal consecration, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

The following were elevated to the rank of archbishop:

• for his diligent service to the Church of God in;
• for his diligent service to the Church of God in;
• for diligent service to the Church of God, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate, manager of parishes in Southeast Asia;
• for his diligent service to the Church of God in;
• for his diligent service to the Church of God in.

The special litany included special petitions for the health of the Primate of the Russian Church.

After the special litany, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill offered prayers for peace in Ukraine. His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine read a prayer for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Onuphry read a reading to the members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

At the end of the congratulations, Metropolitan Onuphry said: “Your Holiness, on the day of your seventieth birthday, the Holy Synod asks you to bestow on yourself the signs of the highest award of the Russian Orthodox Church - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle.”

According to the Regulations on Awards of the Russian Orthodox Church, approved by the Council of Bishops in 2013, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', upon his accession to the Patriarchal Throne, “as the Supreme Commander of all orders, bestows upon himself the insignia of the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.” At the time of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Regulations on Awards were in force, in which there was no such clause. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill gratefully accepted the insignia of the order from His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.

Then the Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation V.V. greeted His Holiness. Volodin, who, in particular, said: “Your Holiness! We know that you are our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Today he is on a trip abroad. For our part, we ask you to allow us to congratulate you on a wonderful, special day of your life. You have been the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for more than 7 years. It is difficult to overestimate your activities. You are doing a lot in terms of preserving our traditions, our spiritual values. Today the Russian Orthodox Church, headed by you, is implementing a large number of projects in the field of culture and education. Your contribution to peacekeeping activities is invaluable. Speaking about your activities, it is very difficult to list all its facets... Let me wish you health in your service for the benefit of our country.”

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' addressed the participants of the service.

In the gallery of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was congratulated on his anniversary by members of the youth movement “Orthodox Volunteers” and the Orthodox youth of the capital.

Press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'

On November 20, 2017, Monday of the 25th week after Pentecost, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. On this day His Holiness turned 71 years old.

2017 marks the 170th anniversary of the founding of the official representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Holy Land - the Russian Spiritual Mission in the Holy City of Jerusalem, as well as the 200th anniversary of the birth of the head of the Russian Spiritual Mission, Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin). The solemn service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was attended by His Eminence archpastors and clergy who previously held the position of head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, as well as the current head of the Spiritual Mission.

During the Divine Liturgy, the consecration of Archimandrite Ignatius (Suranov) as Bishop of Mariinsko-Posad, vicar of the Cheboksary diocese (Chuvash Metropolis) was performed.

Concelebrating with His Holiness were: Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna, Patriarchal Vicar of the Moscow Diocese, head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem in 1963-1965; Metropolitan Valentin (Mishchuk); Metropolitan Varnava of Cheboksary and Chuvashia; Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church; Metropolitan of Voronezh and Liskinsky Sergius; Metropolitan of Yaroslavl and Rostov Panteleimon, head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem in 1982-1986; Metropolitan Arseny of Istra, first vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for Moscow; Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Barsanuphius, administrator of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavsky, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem in 1986-1988; Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye; Metropolitan of Rostov and Novocherkassk Mercury, Chairman of the Synodal Department of Religious Education and Catechesis; Metropolitan Feofan of Kazan and Tatarstan; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Feodosius of Tambov and Rasskazovsky, head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem in 1993-2002; Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Savvaty of Ulan-Ude and Buryat; Metropolitan Ignatius of Vologda and Kirillov; Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, manager of the affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy; Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk; Metropolitan of Saransk and Mordovian Zinovy; Metropolitan Pavel of Khanty-Mansiysk and Surgut; Metropolitan of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh Isidor; Archbishop of Vitebsk and Orsha Dimitry; Archbishop Eugene of Vereisky, Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church; Archbishop Savva of Tiraspol and Dubossary; Archbishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, Vicar of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius; Archbishop of Pyatigorsk and Circassia Theophylact; Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh, head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem in 2002-2006; Archbishop Sergius of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate; Archbishop of Yakutsk and Lensk Roman; Bishop Gury (Shalimov); Bishop Tikhon of Vidnovsky; Bishop Anthony of Zvenigorod, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions; Bishop Theophylact of Dmitrov, abbot of the St. Andrew's Stavropegic Monastery; Bishop of Serpukhov Roman; Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem in 2006-2009. ; Bishop of Krasnoslobodsky and Temnikovsky Clement; Bishop of Orekhovo-Zuevsky Panteleimon, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service; Bishop Savva of the Resurrection, first deputy administrator of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, abbot of the Novospassky stauropegic monastery; Bishop of Volgodonsk and Salsky Korniliy; Bishop Stefan of Kanash and Yantikov; Bishop Nikolai of Balashikha; Bishop of Neftekamsk and October Ambrose; Bishop of Tikhvin and Lodeynopol Mstislav; Bishop of Alatyr and Poretsk Theodore; Bishop of Shakhtinsky and Millerovsky Simon; Bishop of Vyazemsky and Gagarinsky Sergius; Bishop Tikhon of Yegoryevsk, Chairman of the Patriarchal Council for Culture, Abbot of the Sretensky Stavropegic Monastery; Bishop Paramon of Bronnitsky, abbot of the Donskoy stauropegial monastery; Bishop of Borisoglebsky and Buturlinovsky Sergius; Bishop of Pereslavl and Uglich Theodore; Bishop Peter of Lukhovitsky; Bishop Seraphim of Lyubertsy, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs; Bishop of Roslavl and Desnogorsk Meletius.

Also concelebrating with the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church were: Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, Secretary of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for Moscow; Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Deputy Chairman of the DECR MP; Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov), Deputy Chairman of the DECR MP; Archimandrite Savva (Tutunov), Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Archpriest Alexander Ageikin, rector of the Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow; Archimandrite Alexander (Elisov), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; Archimandrite Nikita (Latushko), rector of the Holy Trinity Church in Vsevolozhsk (St. Petersburg Metropolis), head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem in 1988-1993; Archimandrite Isidore (Minaev), rector of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (near the Warsaw Station) in St. Petersburg, head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem in 2009-2013; Hegumen Feofan (Lukyanov), head of the Protocol Sector of the DECR MP, acting Head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem in 2013-2015; priest Alexander Volkov, head of the Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'; clergy of Moscow and the Chuvash Metropolis.

Present at the service were: Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District A.D. Beglov; President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic V.N. Krasnoselsky; Chairman of the State Duma Committee of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on International Affairs L.E. Slutsky; Chairman of the State Duma Committee of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Affairs of Public Associations and Religious Organizations S.A. Gavrilov; Vice President of the Republic of Abkhazia V.V. Gabnia; Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Advisor to the Mayor of Moscow and Advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' on construction issues V.I. Resin; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Abkhazia to the Russian Federation I.M. Ahba; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to the Russian Federation Maris Riekstins; Chairman of the State Council of the Chuvash Republic V.N. Filimonov; Head of the Department of National Policy of Interregional Relations and Tourism of Moscow V.I. Suchkov; Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC PhosAgro A.N. Guryev; Chairman of the Board, General Director of PJSC PhosAgro A.A. Guryev.

Praying at the Liturgy were the Chairman of the Synodal Department for Relations of the Church with Society and the Media V.R. Legoyda, clergy, monastics and laity who came to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to pray with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the birthday of His Holiness.

Liturgical hymns were performed by the Patriarchal Choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (regent I.B. Tolkachev).

The service was broadcast live on the Soyuz TV channel.

The special litany included special petitions for the health of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. After the special litany, Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna read a prayer for the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Then His Holiness Patriarch Kirill offered a prayer for peace in Ukraine.

At the funeral litany, petitions were offered for the repose of the souls of the departed mentors and relatives of His Holiness, including the servants of God Metropolitan Nicodemus, Archpriest Michael, Raisa, Priest Vasily, Paraskeva.

The sermon before communion was delivered by Archpriest Maxim Kravchenko, rector of the Church of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Veshnyaki, Moscow.

At the end of the Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed a funeral litany for the deceased leaders of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.

Then His Holiness Patriarch Kirill admonished Bishop Ignatius of Mariinsko-Posad, vicar of the Cheboksary diocese, to the service and handed him the bishop’s staff:

“Reverend Bishop Ignatius!

Today, omnipotent grace from the Father emanating and the Comforter Spirit sent by the Son has sanctified your nature. Surrounded by a host of hierarchs, shepherds and laity, visible with bodily eyes, and overshadowed by the wings of the disembodied Heavenly Forces, visible with spiritual eyes, you received under the arches of this temple the gift of episcopacy, so that “to shepherd the Church of the Lord and God, which He purchased with His own blood”(Acts 20:28).

Having become the successor of the apostolic ministry, having clothed yourself in holy robes, you, like your predecessors - fellow archpastors, stand before us awaiting the parting words of the Primate. Heed the Patriarchal instruction and imprint it on your heart. May it help you to pass through the episcopal field properly, present yourself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth(2 Tim. 2:15).

Archpastoral service is as high as it is difficult. High because it is a continuation on earth of the great and glorious service of the disciples of Christ, those whose eyes were privileged to see, hands to touch, and ears to hear Him who became incarnate for the sake of the Son of the Father. The focus of the apostolic mission was the gospel of the Risen Jesus. Messengers on behalf of Christ(2 Cor. 5:20), they walked even to the ends of the earth(Acts 1:8), calling people make peace with God(2 Cor. 5:20), repent, turn your hearts to Him. From now on, you too must continue their work on earth, salt this world with saving gospel verbs, be his light(Matt. 5:13).

As I have already said, the episcopal service is not only high, but also difficult. It requires dedication and patience, devotion to duty and courage. Remember that the apostles gave their lives to their beloved Teacher without reserve. Remember that they did not seek peace, were not afraid of labor and trials, were not afraid of tormentors, or torment, or death itself. Remember and imitate them in your service.

This year, together with the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate by the Local Council, we remember the beginning of the sorrowful path of the Russian Church, which revealed a great host of witnesses of the Truth, martyrs and confessors. By the grace of God today we do not face open persecution, we are not persecuted for our faith. However, in any era, genuine confession of our Lord and Savior requires perseverance and fortitude, for it is often accompanied by various difficulties and oppression. This confession may be accompanied by troubles from false brethren, and temptations and temptations that rise up in the soul.

“In the world you will have tribulation; but take heart: I have overcome the world."(John 16:33), says Christ to His disciples. Fear nothing, for "the prince of this world is condemned"(John 16:11). Dare, do not be afraid, just believe, and your faith will save you(Luke 8:48-50). While performing episcopal labors, never forget these words of the Conqueror of death and Giver of life. May they encourage you in your upcoming ministry. So, take heart and, like the apostles, with boldness do not stop teaching and preaching about Jesus Christ(Acts 5:42). Be bold and diligently feed His verbal flock, supervising him not forcefully, but willingly and godly(1 Pet. 5:2). Be bold and with ardent faith, with immutable trust in the Lord, perform the responsible obedience entrusted to you.

Let Saint Ignatius, Bishop of the Caucasus, after whom you are named in monasticism, be an example of your episcopal service. This zealous man of prayer and strict abstinence also showed us a vivid image of a zealous archpastor and inspired preacher, an experienced counselor and an active temple builder. Due to physical weakness, he was not long the ruling bishop. However, during his time at the pulpit, this marvelous servant of the Lord managed, despite difficult external circumstances, to grow many fruits in the field of Christ. I urge you in your episcopal work to become like your heavenly patron, who was tirelessly zealous for the glory of God.

How can one show oneself to be a good shepherd - such as St. Ignatius was? Where to find strength, understanding, will? For this you need “to be the bishop of your heart and sacrifice to Christ thoughts and feelings sanctified by the Spirit”. These wonderful words were once spoken by the rector of the Sergius Hermitage, Archimandrite Ignatius, when he was named Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea, and he always tried to follow these words himself. Above all, be the bishop of your heart, the prudent steward of the house of your soul. Then you will be able to become a real bishop of human hearts, a wise steward of the church inheritance entrusted to your care.

The Holy Synod determined that you should serve in the land of Chuvashia, where you were born and raised, took holy orders and carried out various responsible obediences. I urge you to be a zealous and like-minded co-worker of His Grace Barnabas, Metropolitan of Cheboksary and Chuvashia, who has been taking care of the organization of church life in the region for many years. Help the ruling bishop in his work to develop educational and catechetical activities in the diocese, in work with youth, in the ministry of mercy, as well as in other good endeavors for the benefit of the church. Show yourself, according to the word of Scripture, good steward of the manifold grace of God(1 Pet. 4:10), who devotes all his strength and abilities to perfection of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edification of the Body of Christ(Eph. 4:12).

With such parting words, I present you with this episcopal staff - a symbol of archpastoral power and the great responsibility associated with it for human souls. Now bless the people ahead who have now prayerfully participated in your consecration. Amen".

According to tradition, the newly ordained bishop gave the first archpastoral blessing to the believers.

After the proclamation of many years to the Primate of the Russian Church, Metropolitan Yuvenaly turned to His Holiness: “Your Holiness! You have just commemorated the workers of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for the fact that a few days ago you blessed the former leaders and workers of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and celebrate there the 170th anniversary of the founding of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem. “I have the duty to convey to you the love and well-wishes of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who together with our delegation prayed both at the Holy Sepulcher and in our Russian spiritual mission in Jerusalem.”

Then Metropolitan Yuvenaly read a reading to the members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

Metropolitan Yuvenaly presented His Holiness with gifts from the Holy Synod - a copy of the enthronement doll and mantle of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of All-Russia, as well as a bouquet of roses. “This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate, and these days we remember the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon. Please accept an exact copy of the Patriarchal robes and robes, in which His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon was at that historical moment,” said Metropolitan Yuvenaly.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the believers with the Primate’s word:

“Your Eminence, Metropolitan Juvenaly! Your Eminences and Graces, dear rulers! All-honorable fathers! Brothers and sisters!

I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for gathering in such large numbers on this weekday to pray with me. I'm not celebrating any milestone today - just another milestone in life. But if it is accompanied by church-wide prayer, it becomes a very important spiritual moment for me personally. I am aware that my weak strength is strengthened by the prayer of many archpastors, shepherds, and the people of God.

In the ordinary Gospel reading (Luke 12:42-48), which we heard today, there are wonderful words: from the one who has been given much, much will be required. These words directly relate, among other things, to the ministry of the Patriarch. The Patriarch has been given a lot by the Church. By electing a Patriarch, the Church hopes that he, having become the head of the episcopate, clergy, and laity, will not make mistakes that would cause irreparable damage to church life; that he will unshakably and unchangeably preserve the Orthodox faith; that he will unite the episcopate, the clergy, and the believing people; that he will see through the problems of the current time and, relying on the Church, formulate a church-wide response to these problems. Today I can say with complete confidence: it is thanks to the support of the episcopate - the Council of Bishops, the Holy Synod - thanks to the powerful support of the people, which I feel in prayers, and in your letters, and in your kind views, that our Church, going through very difficult historical conditions are strengthened today by the grace of God. New dioceses, churches, monasteries, many Sunday schools, and various educational institutions are opening. Significant work is being done both with young people and with socially vulnerable people - the needy, the disabled. A lot of educational work is being done; missionaries are working all over our Church. All this, of course, fills my soul with joy, but at the same time it increases the level of responsibility. When the Church had practically no opportunities other than performing divine services in churches and monasteries, then the demand was different. And today the possibilities of exerting a real spiritual influence on our entire people are open to us, and therefore they will ask us, according to the word of today’s Gospel, to the maximum: what in these new historical conditions, conditions of freedom for the Church, despite the dark forces constantly hindering the work of the Church, each of us has done and is doing. The level of responsibility today is very high. And the first thing we all need is to realize the height of this bar and measure our labors not only by the number of services performed and sermons delivered, not by how the believers gathered in churches respond to our words, but by what is happening in our people and with our people.

As opportunities for church preaching increase, the temptations with which the souls of our people are tempted increase exponentially. Today sin is not just obvious, although throughout history people have tried to hide sins, considering them something obscene and wrong. Today, sin is demonstrated in the most attractive way through cinema, through theater, through other forms of art. Art, which is designed to cultivate the human personality, enrich it, raise it to the sky, becomes a weight that does not allow a person to soar. Of course, I do not mean all art, but that which in recent years has declared its special role and its right to bring temptation and sin to the people, confusing people. Unfortunately, a significant part of our intelligentsia is repeating the disastrous mistake of their predecessors, who brought the country to disastrous revolutionary events, the centenary of which we remember this year.

Today is not the time to rock the boat of human passions, because already there is too much negative impact on a person, destroying his spiritual life. Today is the time to unite all healthy forces. The Church, art, culture, our writers, scientists, all those who love the Motherland must be together today, because we are entering a critical period in the development of human civilization. This is visible to the naked eye, and one would have to be blind not to see the approaching menacing moments of history, which the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian spoke about in the Book of Revelation. No one knows about that time (Matthew 24:36), but the approach or removal of this time depends on us - on the Church of God and on each person. The one who lives in truth, who fights sin, is on the side of light and truth; with his life, his creativity, especially if this person is public and capable of influencing others, he can slow down this slide of all humanity into the abyss of the end of history.

Our abuse is real not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this world, the spirits of wickedness in high places(Eph. 6:12). And therefore today, when I hear kind words addressed to me, I rejoice at your kindness, your fraternal support, but at the same time I ask each of you, brother archpastors and clergy, to realize our common historical responsibility for our people, for our country, if you want, for the human race. Because in the Russian Church, as in every Church, as in every parish, the entire fullness of the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church is reflected. We believe that the Lord will be with us. But in order not to succumb to temptation, we must be strong, we must be united as never before. The unity of our Church, overcoming divisions and schisms, including in Ukraine, is an important task that faces us all.

The Orthodox Church, tormented from the outside at the most dangerous time of post-revolutionary existence, suffered unbearable torment from internal divisions. But we know that the Lord, having led our people through many sufferings, our Church through Calvary, by His power gave unity to the Church, and revived faith among the people. We believe that today our Lord, the Savior and Provider of the world, will keep us in unity, restore unity where it was destroyed, strengthen us all in faith, our people in piety, and give us the opportunity to lead a peaceful life in faith, hope, love , through their labors affirming God’s truth in history, and therefore stopping the action of the dark force that turns human history into a movement towards the abyss. And may the Lord help us in all this. Thank you all for your holy prayers."

At the end of the service, a reception was held in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in honor of the birthday of His Holiness. President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic V.N. delivered words of congratulations. Krasnoselsky, a greeting from the President of the Republic of Belarus A.G. was read out. Lukashenko.

In the Patriarchal chambers of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church received congratulations from the episcopate, the capital's clergy, monasticism and laity. Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation V.V. also arrived to congratulate His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation O.A. Golodets, First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation S.V. Kiriyenko, Mayor of Moscow S.S. Sobyanin and others.

Press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates his birthday.

“The Lord always sends to man some difficulties and joys, so that man does not forget the Creator. When church service was established, the Lord, through Moses and the prophets, indicated how everything should be. And nothing changed in the New Testament. In the Old there were patriarchs, prophets - and in our Holy Ecumenical Orthodox Church there are high priests who are equal to everyone in honor, but the first is elected from among the bishops,” noted the rector of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, Vladyka Pavel.

According to him, the Lord supplies his people in due time. “This is what happened to our High Hierarch, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, who came into the world on November 20, 1946, in the post-war years, years of hardship, hunger, and cold. He was raised in a pious family, in a family of confessors and martyrs,” said Bishop Paul.

Faith saved the family from starvation

The Gundyaev family on a pilgrimage in the Assumption Pyukhtitsa Monastery

To understand the personality of the patriarch, I would like to dwell in more detail on his family and friends, on the environment in which he grew up. His grandfather, Vasily Stepanovich, worked as a mechanic driver at the railway depot in the city of Lukoyanov. He married Paraskeva Ivanovna, a native of the village of Lada, and they raised eight children - seven relatives and one adopted daughter.

Vasily Stepanovich was a deeply religious man and sent almost all his earnings to Holy Mount Athos, where his family is registered for eternal remembrance in the monasteries.

Their family had a huge library that all the villagers could use. From childhood, children were instilled with piety and love of prayer.

When the Bolsheviks came to power, Vasily Stepanovich became an active fighter against renovationism, for which he was arrested in 1921. For more than twenty years, with interruptions, he went through 47 prisons and 7 exiles.

In the 30s, when famine was raging, according to the memoirs of Paraskeva Ivanovna, she realized that with the remaining handful of flour they would not have long to live. But she remembered her husband’s words that as long as he carries his cross in the name of Christ, they will live. That night there was a knock on the window, and a voice outside the window: “Mistress, take the load.” She goes out, and on the threshold is a bag of flour, which saved a large family from hunger.

In the 1950s, Vasily Stepanovich was ordained as a priest and served in a parish in Bashkiria for several years. Father Vasily passed away in 1969, at the age of 90, and the funeral service was performed by his son, Archpriest Mikhail, and two grandsons - Priest Nikolai and Hieromonk Kirill, a student at the theological seminary, now His Holiness the Patriarch.

Father's arrest and "attempt" on Stalin

“It must be said that the first priest in their family was Mikhail, the father of the future Patriarch. After graduating from high school, Mikhail undergoes obedience with the local bishop in Lukoyanov, and then goes to study at the Higher Theological Courses in Leningrad, where excellent specialists taught, professors who had lost work in secular universities due to rejection of the new government,” said the rector of the monastery.

Children of the Gundyaev family

While studying at the courses, he also sang in the choir at the courtyard of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in Leningrad. So he came to the attention of the NKVD, they searched his place and found his lecture notes. “And even the very mention of God already gave rise to accusations of political disloyalty,” Metropolitan Pavel added with regret.

He was arrested in 1934 for his active activities in the parish. Moreover, the arrest occurred a few days before Mikhail’s wedding with Raisa Vladimirovna Kuchina, whom he met at the Kiev courtyard in the church choir; she was a student at the Institute of Foreign Languages.

“There was even an attempt to accuse him of preparing an assassination attempt on Stalin,” said Vladyka Pavel. “But his categorical refusal to incriminate himself and others led to the fact that he received three years in camps in Kolyma.”

Upon his release, Mikhail worked at enterprises in Leningrad, rising from a turner to a shop manager. During the days of the siege, he built defensive fortifications around the city.

In 1947, a petition for ordination was submitted to the Metropolitan of Leningrad. He was ordained, first as a deacon, then as a priest, and he served in the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God on Vasilyevsky Island.

The state imposed excessive taxes on clergy, and in 1949 an anti-religious course began to emerge clearly. Paying such sums with great difficulty, the family lived very modestly, sometimes even suffering from poverty.

Father Mikhail was very popular among the population, which the secular authorities did not like. In 1951 he was transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral, and in 1957 he was elevated to the rank of archpriest. Then there were 10 years of serving as rector of the Church of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in Krasnoye Selo, after which Father Mikhail returned to Leningrad again, where he was rector of the Seraphim Church.

The parishioners loved him very much and spoke of him as a modest and sympathetic priest and an excellent preacher. Archpriest Mikhail reposed in 1974. And just as many people surrounded him during his life, so a large number of people came to see him off on his final journey.

Choosing a life path

“The spiritual atmosphere that was in their home, family, left an imprint and thus determined the choice of life path of the sons of Archpriest Michael - Nikolai and Vladimir (future Patriarch Kirill). At that time, every person entering the seminary signed his own death sentence. Godless “The meat grinder is the Soviet government, and even today’s godless world has always put some obstacles and obstacles in people’s way. But the Lord leads his people,” Bishop Pavel is confident.

The future patriarch in his student years with his mentor, Metropolitan Nikodim

Vladimir graduated from school, having met on his life’s path a man who did a lot for the Church - the now deceased Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), ​​who said: “You should be in the Church.”

“To have obedience in this world to your mentor is great and glorious. The future holy hierarch Patriarch Kirill followed the will of Bishop Nicodemus and is guided to this day by his covenants and instructions,” said Metropolitan Pavel.

Therefore, the most important thing is not what people will say, but what God will say about you.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill passed from the lowest level, subdeacon, reader, and reached, by the will of the Lord and by the election of the episcopate, lay people, monastics, to the High Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch of the largest Church in the world."

“We often think, due to our sinfulness, that we bribed, agitated, someone else would be better... Remember, my friends, if Heaven does not want, the earth will never bear fruit. Man is only an instrument in the hands of God, who brings to life will of the Lord. Therefore, we thank God today for the worthy choice of Patriarch Kirill - a man who has done a lot for the Church and the people. And as a person, he also has weaknesses, but we must help him on the path of life. With what? With our prayers, with our love, with our obedience,” praised the abbot of the monastery.

In 2013, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill bowed. He was accompanied by the governor of the monastery, Metropolitan Pavel.

“Your Holiness! First of all, we thank God for giving you to your parents. We thank God for putting you to shepherd the flock of the Russian Orthodox Church. And the patriarch of any Local Church is obedient not only to the people of God, he is obedient to God, he preaches and lives his life, strengthening those truths that we need. Let us look at the history of the Ecumenical Councils. When making decisions there were pros and cons, but the episcopate, the primates of the local Churches, they approved and wrote, led by the Holy Spirit, to us immutable truth. And without the will of God nothing would have happened. Therefore, Your Holiness, our saint and father, I, together with the brethren of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and many flocks, heartily thank you for your zeal for God, for your fidelity to the Church, for your obedience to the Church, for service to us and to God. May the Lord strengthen your strength, grant you wisdom, without fear of the world, to testify to the love of God,” Vladyka Pavel noted in conclusion.

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill (secular name - Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev) headed the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) on February 1, 2009 after the death of his predecessor Alexy II.

Childhood and family

Vladimir Gundyaev was born in Leningrad on November 20, 1946 into a religious family, despite the anti-church sentiment that reigned in those years.

His grandfather Vasily Stepanovich (b. 1879), a native of Lukoyanovsky district, was a machinist by training, and he himself began to study theological literature. In 1922, he ended up in Solovki following a denunciation by the Renovationists (a religious movement that stood in opposition to the Orthodox Church after the revolution and for some time was supported by the Bolsheviks), of whom he was an opponent. But even in the camp, Vasily did not abandon his faith, he held secret services, for which he once spent a month in a punishment cell. The Christian remained in exile until 1955.

The father of the future patriarch, Mikhail Vasilyevich Gundyaev (b. 1907), dreamed of becoming a clergyman from a young age. After leaving school, he worked for some time as an assistant in Lukoyanov’s church, and in 1926 he moved to Leningrad, where he entered the Higher Theological Courses. He regularly attended all lectures and wrote them down verbatim.

Two years later the courses were closed, Mikhail went into the army. After serving, he entered a technical school, then an industrial university. Initially, he planned to go to study to become a doctor, but because of the mark on theological courses in his personal file, he was turned away. In 1934, he was arrested in the “Kirov case” for serving in church and singing in the choir - just a few days before the wedding. Mikhail was accused of attempting to kill Joseph Stalin.

His wife, Raisa Vladimirovna Kuchina (born 1909), taught German at school. Also being a religious person, she enjoyed singing in the church choir, where she met her future husband.

Together with his wife, Mikhail spent three years in Kolyma, then returned to Leningrad and worked at a factory. In 1940, the first-born Nikolai was born. During the war years, Mikhail helped strengthen the city during the siege, and in 1943 he went to the front. After the victory, the family began to live in the city, which was recovering from the blockade, and soon their second son, Vladimir, was born. At this time, the state began to establish a dialogue with the church, and therefore Gundyaev, risking losing his high position in society, nevertheless asked for ordination. In 1947, Mikhail was elevated to the rank of deacon and assigned to the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God.

Two years later, relations between church and state that had been warming began to deteriorate again. For his service, Mikhail was imposed an unimaginable fine at that time - 120 thousand rubles (for comparison, for the Pobeda car, which cost about 15 thousand, even wealthy people saved for years). Part of the money was collected from Leningrad parishes, but until Mikhail’s death, the large family (besides Nikolai and Vladimir, the couple had a daughter, Elena, born in 1949), was constantly in debt and suffered terrible poverty. Saved by grateful parishioners who helped out with food.

The formation of Vladimir’s views was greatly influenced by his grandfather, who returned home in the mid-50s. He told his grandson that even during the most severe camp trials, which claimed the lives of most people, he never felt fear. “For me it was a living experience and a living image of a person who knew what God’s love is,” the patriarch later recalled.

Every school day was a test for Vladimir. An opponent of the communist regime, he became neither a pioneer nor a Komsomol member. When the school director convinced Gundyaev to wear a pioneer tie, he replied: “Okay. If you don't mind me wearing a red tie to church. Because I will." Constant teacher councils and beatings from the director did not prevent Vova from studying well. The soul of the future patriarch lay in physics and other exact disciplines.

Education

After graduating from eight years of school, Vladimir did not continue his school education. He decided to live an independent life, without burdening his needy parents, who still had his younger sister in their care. Having settled into the “evening”, in 1962 Vladimir began working as a cartographer in the Leningrad complex geological expedition.

In 1965, Gundyaev entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary, and in 1967 continued his studies at the Theological Academy. According to information found in some sources, he completed the program in an accelerated mode at the request of Metropolitan Nikodim Rotov, whose cell attendant (i.e. secretary) Vladimir became later, in 1970.

Religious activities

In April 1969, Vladimir Gundyaev was tonsured a monk and named Kirill, ordained a hierodeacon, and then a hieromonk. A year later, he graduated from the academy with honors and a candidate of theological sciences degree.

He combined his activities as Nikodim's secretary with teaching at his alma mater. In 1971, Kirill was elevated to the rank of archimandrite, and in October of the same year he became rector of an Orthodox church in Geneva, Switzerland.

From this moment on, Kirill begins to move up the career ladder, so to speak. In 20 years he went from archimandrite to metropolitan; was the chairman of the Holy Synod commission, which deals with current issues of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Interview with the future patriarch (1989)

Social activity

In the 90s, Patriarch Kirill became increasingly involved in public activities. In 1994, the television program “The Word of the Shepherd” was released with his participation, which covered spiritual and educational issues in a language understandable to the common viewer.

“The Word of the Shepherd” with Metropolitan Kirill (1997)

At the same time, Kirill, as chairman of the Department of External Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, organized work on the creation of the concept of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of church-state relations. The result of his work was the “Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church” adopted in 2000 at the bishops’ council - a document outlining the official position of the Orthodox Church in interaction with the state.

Since 1995, the fruitful work of Patriarch Kirill began together with the Government of the Russian Federation. He was repeatedly a member of various advisory bodies, took part in resolving issues related to the Chechen Republic during military campaigns; was involved in organizing various cultural events: celebrating the 2000th anniversary of Christianity, holding the Year of the Russian Federation in a number of countries.

Patriarchate

Patriarch Alexy II died in 2008. Metropolitan Kirill was appointed to the post of Patriarchal Locum Tenens. In 2009, he was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', gaining about 75% of the votes in the voting of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Kirill did a lot to unite the Russian Orthodox Church abroad. Regular visits to neighboring countries and meetings with religious leaders and representatives of other faiths have significantly strengthened the position of the church, and also expanded the boundaries of cooperation between states.

Despite his dedication to the cause, the Patriarch has repeatedly spoken out against radical groups, saying that such preachers must be feared. According to him, false teachers are increasingly appearing among the people and plunging people into confusion, because beautifully designed slogans hide a powerful weapon for destroying the church.

Scandals

One of the first scandals that arose with the mention of the name of then Metropolitan Kirill was the case of the use of tax breaks on the import of alcohol and tobacco products in the early 90s. The Novaya Gazeta publication published an article that spoke about the metropolitan’s personal interest in transactions for the import of excisable goods. However, the vast majority of religious leaders said that this was nothing more than a provocation; a planned campaign that aims to tarnish the name of an honest man.

Metropolitan Kirill was also accused of having connections with the KGB. In 2003, President Vladimir Putin received a letter that directly stated that Kirill was a KGB agent. The author of the letter was a priest of the Moscow Helsinki Group, but his actions, regarded by society as a provocation, did not bring any results.

In 2010, a new scandal erupted around the name of the patriarch. Kirill’s colleague Lydia Leonova discovered a thick layer of dust in his apartment. The arriving commission decided that the substance came from the apartment below - its owner, academician and clergyman of the UOC-MP Yuriy Shevchenko was doing renovations. The examination showed that the dust contains carcinogenic substances. The damage caused to the property amounted to more than 20 million rubles, which Lydia Leonova eventually sued from Shevchenko.

Patriarch Kirill: “Don’t strive to live better”

However, the press was interested not so much in the damage caused to the patriarch’s property as in the status of Lydia Leonova, who apparently lived in Vladimir Gundyaev’s apartment. Later, on Vladimir Solovyov’s radio program, the owner of the property explained that the apartment was given to him by Yuri Luzhkov’s deputy by order of Boris Yeltsin, while the patriarch himself “did not live in it for even a week,” but gave it to his second cousin, Lydia Leonova, for use.

In 2012, a photograph of the patriarch with an expensive Breguet watch on his wrist was posted on the Russian Orthodox Church website. Later, the clock disappeared from the photo, but remained in the reflection on the table. The press service of the Russian Orthodox Church called this incident “a ridiculous mistake by the photo editor.” Soon the original version of the photo – with a clock – returned to the site.

Personal life of Patriarch Kirill

When, after a scandal involving property damaged by dust, it became clear that in the ill-fated apartment of Patriarch Kirill on the street. Serafimovich was registered by a certain Lidia Mikhailovna Leonova, and as expected, there was a fuss in the press. From her biography, journalists only found out that she is the daughter of a cook at the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU.

Despite the fact that the patriarch personally called her his second cousin, in the press she was called “Kirill Gundyaev’s partner,” and he himself was called “an exemplary family man,” and even cited as an example a photograph of them together in 1988. However, the statement about any love affair between them does not stand up to criticism, because Patriarch Kirill completely abandoned his personal life in the name of serving the Lord. Accordingly, he cannot have a wife (let alone a cohabitant) and children.

Patriarch Kirill now

In February 2016, for the first time in history, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church met with the Pope. Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis kissed, took photographs and, having escorted the journalists out of the conference room, began a conversation that lasted more than two hours.