Patriarch Alexius II of Russia

Infobox Patriarch
honorific-prefix =
name = Alexy II
patriarch_of =
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church = Russian Orthodox Church
see = Moscow
birthname = Aleksei Ridiger
enthroned = June 10, 1990
ended = Incumbent
predecessor = Patriarch Pimen I
successor =
birth_date = February 23, 1929
birth_place = Tallinn, Estonia
death_date =
death_place =
buried =
nationality =
religion =
residence =
parents =
spouse =
children =
ocupation =
profession =
alma_mater =

Patriarch Alexius II ( _ru. Патриарх Московский и всея Руси Алексий II; born February 23, 1929) is the 16th and current Patriarch of Moscow and of All-Russia and the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Early years

He was born as Aleksey Ridiger (Russian: "Aleksej Michajlovič Ridiger", "Алексей Михайлович Ридигер") in Tallinn, Estonia, to the family of Russian emigrants; he is a descendant of the German Baltic noble family of "von Rüdiger", a branch of which adopted Orthodoxy in the 18th century.

Career

He entered Leningrad Theological Seminary in 1947, and graduated in 1949, He then entered the Leningrad Theological Academy (now [http://www.spbda.ru/english/index.php Saint Petersburg Theological Seminary] ), and graduated in 1953. [http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?mid=99&lng=1 ALEXY II, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA, BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE] , Biography, on the Moscow Patriarchate Official website.] Encyclopedia Britannica Online, s.v. Alexis II, http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9005644/Alexis-II 1/19/2008]

On April 15, 1950, he was ordained a deacon by Metropolitan Gregory (Chukov) of Leningrad, and on April 17, 1950 he was ordained a priest and appointed rector of the Theophany church in city of Jõhvi, Estonia, in the Tallinn Diocese. On July 15, 1957 Fr. Alexius was appointed Rector of the Cathedral of the Dormition in Tallinn and Dean of the Tartu district. He was elevation to the rank of Archpriest on August 17, 1958, and on March 30, 1959 he was appointed Dean of the united Tartu-Viljandi deanery of the Tallinn diocese. On March 3, 1961 he was tonsured a monk in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.

On August 14, 1961, he was chosen to be the Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia. On June 23, 1964, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop; and, on February 25, 1968, at the age of 39, metropolitan.

From 1986 until his election as Patriarch, he was Metropolitan of Novgorod and Leningrad. After the death of Patriarch Pimen I in 1990 Alexius was chosen to become the new Patriarch of The Russian Orthodox Church. He was chosen on the basis of his administrative experience, and was considered "intelligent, energetic, hardworking, systematic, perceptive, and businesslike." [Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy, 2nd Edition.(Oxford: Westview Press, 2003),p 85.] He also "had a reputation as a conciliator, a person who could find common ground with various groups in the episcopate."Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy, 2nd Edition.(Oxford: Westview Press, 2003),p 86.] Archbishishop Chrysostom (Martyshkin) remarked "With his peaceful and tolerant disposition Patriarch Aleksi will be able to unite us all." [Zhurnal Moskovskoi Patriarkhii, No. 10 (October), 1990, p.16, quoted in Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy, 2nd Edition.(Oxford: Westview Press, 2003),p 284.]

Patriarch Alexius II was "the first patriarch in Soviet history to be chosen without government pressure; candidates were nominated from the floor, and the election was conducted by secret ballot."

Upon taking on the role of Patriarch, Patriarch Alexius became a vocal advocate of the rights of the church, calling for the Soviet government to allow religious education in the state schools and for a “freedom of conscience” law. During the attempted coup in August 1991, he denounced the arrest of Mikhail Gorbachev, and anathematized the plotters. He publicly questioned the junta's legitimacy, called for restraint by the military, and demanded that Gorbachev be allowed to address the people. [Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy, 2nd Edition.(Oxford: Westview Press, 2003),p 96.] He issued a second appeal against violence and fratricide, which was amplified over loudspeakers to the troops outside the Russian "White House" half an hour before they attacked. Ultimately, the coup failed, which eventually resulted in the break up of the Soviet Union. [Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy, 2nd Edition.(Oxford: Westview Press, 2003),p 97.]

Under his leadership, the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia who suffered under Communism were glorified, beginning with the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, [http://orthodoxwiki.org/Vladimir_%28Bogoyavlensky%29_of_Kiev_and_Gallich Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev] , and Metropolitan Benjamin of Petrograd in 1992. [Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New Edition, (London: Penguin Books, 1997), p. 164, see also [http://www.allsaintsofamerica.org/martyrs/nmruss.html New Martyrs, Confessors, and Passion-Bearers of Russia] ] In 2000, the All-Russian Council glorified Tsar Nicholas II and his family, as well as many other New Martyrs. [Sophia Kishkovsky, [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/16/europe/16russ.php?page=2 Russian Orthodox Church is set to mend a bitter schism] , International Herald Tribune, May 16, 2007; [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0008f.html#31 Second day of bishops' council: Nicholas' canonization approved] , Communications Service, Department of External Church Relations, Moscow Patriarchate, 14 August 2000] More names continue to be added to list of New Martyrs, after the Synodal Canonization Commission completes its investigation of each case. [Maxim Massalitin, [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/enarticles/040106180408 The New Martyrs Unify Us: Interview with Archpriest Georgy Mitrofanov, participant of the All-Diaspora Pastoral Conference in Nyack (December 8-12, 2003)] , Pravoslavie.ru, December 13, 2003]

Patriarch Alexius has also issued statements condemning anti-Semitism.

On April 27, 2007, he was reported by some Russian media to be in grave condition and even dead, [ [http://newsru.com/religy/27apr2007/patriarh.html Патриархия: Алексий II жив, здоров и вернется к исполнению обязанностей уже на майские праздники.] NEWSru.com April 27, 2007.] [ [http://gazeta.ru/2007/04/27/oa_237890.shtml Патриарх между жизнью и смертью.] Gazeta.ru April 27, 2007.] , though this was later shown to have been a hoax. [ [http://www.stetson.edu/%7Epsteeves/relnews/0704a.html#04 MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE CONDEMNS MEDIA SPREADING RUMORS ON PATRIARCH'S HEALTH Interfax, 1 May 2007] ] [ [http://www.stetson.edu/%7Epsteeves/relnews/0704a.html#04 PATRIARCH ALEXY II PHILOSOPHIC ABOUT RUMORS OF HIS "DEATH" Interfax, 1 May 2007] ] [ [http://www.stetson.edu/%7Epsteeves/relnews/0705a.html#01 PATRIARCHAL PRESS SERVICE IDENTIFIES GUILTY IN SPREADING OF FALSE INFORMATION, Religiia v svetskom obshchestve, 3 May 2007] ] [ [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0705b.html WHO ORGANIZED THE PROVOCATIVE RUMORS ON EVE OF 17 MAY?, "Postscript" TV program, 12 May 2007] ] , and Patriarch Alexius has stated that the motivation behind these rumors were to scuttle the upcoming reconciliation between the Russian Church inside of Russia with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. [http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=9201 Russian Patriarch confounds rumors: 'I'm alive', Ecumenical New International, May 05, 2007] ] "As you can see, I'm healthy, I'm serving, I'm alive," he is quoted as saying. Despite his age, he appears healthy, and has been leading an active pastoral life. He's frequently seen on Russian TV, conducting Church services, and meeting with various government officials.

He was the first laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation for the humaniatarian work (2005) [ [http://document.kremlin.ru/doc.asp?ID=034086 Президент России ] ]

Personal life

He married Vera Alekseeva, the daughter of a priest from Tallinn Georgi Alekseev, on April 11, 1950, [http://www.religio.ru/mediamirrow/165.html Wife of the Patriarch] , by Evgeniy Sidorenko, Moscow News, № 21 (2001-05-22)] [ [http://www.rusglobus.net/komar/index.htm?church/patriarh.htm&1 Евгений Сидоренко. "Замужем за Патриархом"] Same article, but with the original photographs of the printed article.] on the Tuesday of Bright Week when marriages are normally prohibited according to Church tradition; however, permission was granted by Metropolitan Gregory of Leningrad, at the request of Bishop Roman of Tallinn and the fathers of both the bride and groom (both of whom were priests, and who concelebrated the marriage together). Moskovskie Novosti has alleged that according to a denunciation written by a priest-inspector Pariysky to the Leningrad Council of Religious Affairs, the marriage had been expedited in order for Ridiger to become a deacon and avoid being drafted into the Soviet Military (marriage is impossible after ordination in Orthodoxy). Up until 1950, seminarians were given a deferment from the draft, but in 1950 this was changed, and only clergy were exempt. For reasons which have remained private, they divorced less than a year later.

The Patriarch's private residence is located in the village of Lukino (near Peredelkino), now a western suburb of Moscow; it includes a 17th century church, a museum, and a spacious three-storey house built in the late 1990s. According to the Patriarch's May, 2005, interview, [ [http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5642.html Интервью Святейшего Патриарха Алексия ежедневной газете «Газета». "«Загородную резиденцию в полной мере ощущаю своим домом»".] ] on the residence's compound there are nuns who are drawn from the Pühtitsa Convent who are in charge of all the household chores.

There is also a working residence in central Moscow - a 19th century town mansion, which was turned over to the Patriarchate by Stalin's order in September 1943. Both residences act as living quarters and Patriarch's office at the same time. He commutes in an armored car and has been under the protection of federal agents (FSO) since January 2000. [ [http://www.kommersant.ru/k-vlast/get_page.asp?page_id=20034420-6.htm "Колода Российской Федерации".] "Коммерсантъ Власть". №44 [547] 10.11.2003.] Being a monk, Patriarch Alexius II is not allowed to possess any property himself;Fact|date=January 2008 residences and cars are the property of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The formal residence (infrequently used for some official functions) is located in the Moscow Danilov monastery - a two-storey Soviet building erected in the 1980s.

Name

His name (secular 'Алексей, clerical Алексий) is transliterated from the Cyrillic alphabet into English in various forms, including Alexius, Aleksi, Alexis, Alexei, Alexey and Alexy. When he became a monk, his name was not changed; this departure from custom was common in the Russian Church in Soviet times.

Allegations and criticism

Alleged work for the KGB

Patriarch Alexius II is alleged to have been a KGB agent according to multiple sources, [ [http://www.krotov.info/spravki/persons/20person/ridiger.html Alexiy Ridiger] , by Yakov Krotov ] [http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=13868 Confirmed: Russian Patriarch Worked with KGB] , Catholic World News, retrieved 29-12-2007] [ [http://www.exorthodoxforchrist.com/secret_2.htm Russian Patriarch "was KGB spy"] ] [ [http://www.demokratizatsiya.org/Dem%20Archives/DEM%2001-04%20armes.pdf Chekists in Cassocks: The Orthodox Church and the KGB] - by Keith Armes, Demokratizatsiya ] [ [http://www.demokratizatsiya.org/Dem%20Archives/DEM%2007-01%20mcgann.pdf The Russian Orthodox Church under Patriarch Aleksii II and the Russian State: An Unholy Alliance?] - by Leslie L. McGann, Demokratizatsiya ] including Gleb Yakunin and Yevgenia Albats, who both were given access to the KGB archives. Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7 ] Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. "The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future". 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46.] Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy - [http://cicentre.com/Documents/putin_espionage_church.html Putin's Espionage Church] , an excerpt from a forthcoming book, "Russian Americans: A New KGB Asset" by Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy ] He was mentioned in the KGB archives by the code name "DROZDOV". It should be noted, however, that it was very unusual for any person to be referenced in KGB documents prior to 1980 without a code name, regardless of their affiliation with the KGB. It has been alleged that archival documents seen by Yevgenia Albats stated that Alexius was awarded an Honorary Citation by the KGB chairman in 1988. It has also been claimed, based on documents allegedly taken from the Estonian KGB archives that Alexius was a highly successful agent who "pacified" rebellious monks. [The Wall Street Journal, [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB118469533202469128-lMyQjAxMDE3ODE0NzYxOTc1Wj.html 'Cold War Lingers At Russian Church In New Jersey'] December 28, 2007] According to Oleg Gordievsky, Alexius had been working for the KGB for forty years, and his case officer was Nikolai Patrushev. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWagqQ5H4DI The Putin System] , video N4]

The Moscow Patriarchate has, however, consistently denied that Patriarch Alexius was in fact a KGB Agent. ["Official spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchy Father Vsevolod Chaplin labeled such reports as "absolutely unsubstantiated" in a Wednesday interview with Interfax. "There is no data indicating that Patriarch Alexy II was an associate of the special services, and no classified documents bear his signature," he said. "I do not think that direct dialogue between the current patriarch and KGB took place," Father Vsevolod continued. However, "all bishops communicated with representatives of the council for religious matters in the Soviet government, which was inevitable, since any issue, even the most insignificant one, had to be resolved through this body. It is quite another matter that the council forwarded all its materials to the KGB," he said." [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0009b.html Moscow Patriarchate Rejects Times Repor of Alexy II'S Collaboration with KGB, Sept 20, 2000 (Interfax)] "Chaplin, the church spokesman, said in March, "Nobody has ever seen a single real document that would confirm the patriarch used his contacts with Soviet authorities to make harm to the church or to any people in the church." [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0205e.html Russia's Well-Connected Patriarch, Washington Post Foreign Service , 23 May 2002] ; "Father Chaplin said: 'In recent times many anonymous photocopies of all sorts of pieces of paper have been circulated. In none of them is there the slightest evidence that the individuals we are talking about knew that these documents were being drawn up, or gave their consent. So I don't think any reasonably authoritative clerical or secular commission could see these papers as proof of anything.'", Russian Patriarch 'was KGB spy', The Guardian (London) , February 12, 1999] Konstanin Khrachev, former chairman of Soviet Council on Religious Affairs, explained: "Not a single candidate for the office of bishop or any other high-ranking office, much less a member of Holy Synod, went through without confirmation by the Central Committee of the CPSU and the KGB". [ Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. "The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future". 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46. ] Professor Nathaniel Davis points out: "If the bishops wished to defend their people and survive in office, they had to collaborate to some degree with the KGB, with the commissioners of the Council for Religious Affairs, and with other party and governmental authorities." [ Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy,(Oxford: Westview Press, 1995),p .96 Davis quotes one bishop as saying: "Yes, we -- I, at least, and I say this first about myself -- I worked together with the KGB. I cooperated, I made signed statements, I had regular meetings, I made reports. I was given a pseudonym -- a code name as they say there... I knowingly cooperated with them -- but in such a way that I undeviatingly tried to maintain the position of my Church, and, yes, also to act as a patriot, insofar as I understood, in collaboration with these organs. I was never a stool pigeon, nor an informer."]

Patriarch Alexius has, acknowledged that compromises were made with the Soviet government by bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate, himself included, and publicly repented of these compromises:

:"Defending one thing, it was necessary to give somewhere else. Were there any other organizations, or any other people among those who had to carry responsibility not only for themselves but for thousands of other fates, who in those years in the Soviet Union were not compelled to act likewise? Before those people, however, to whom the compromises, silence, forced passivity or expressions of loyalty permitted by the leaders of the church in those years caused pain, before these people, and not only before God, I ask forgiveness, understanding and prayers." [From an interview of Patriarch Alexius II, given to "Izvestia" No 137, June 10, 1991, entitled "Patriarch Alexius II: -- I Take upon Myself Responsibility for All that Happened", English translation from Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy,(Oxford: Westview Press, 1995),p 89. [http://www.pravos.org/docs/doc191.htm Text of the interview in Russian "Из интервью Святейшего Патриарха Алексия II: Принимаю ответственность за все, что было"] ; See also [http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/roca_history.aspx History of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad] , by St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco, December 31, 2007]

According to Nathaniel Davis, when asked by the Russian press about claims that he was a "compliant" bishop, "Aleksi defended his record, noting that while he was bishop of Tallinn in 1961, he resisted the communist authorities' efforts to make the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the city a planetarium (which, in truth, they did do elsewhere in the Baltic states) and to convert the Pyukhtitsa Dormition nunnery to a rest home for miners." [ Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy,(Oxford: Westview Press, 1995),p. 89f ] Official records show that the Tallinn diocese had a lower number of forced Church closings than was typical in the rest of the USSR during Patriarch Alexius' tenure as bishop there. [ Nathaniel Davis, A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy,(Oxford: Westview Press, 1995), fn. 115, p. 272 ] Timothy Ware notes, "Opinions differ over the past collaboration or otherwise between the Communist authorities, but on the whole he is thought to have shown firmness and independence in his dealings as a diocesan bishop with the Soviet State." [Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, New Edition, (London: Penguin Books, 1997), p. 164]

Opposition to homosexuality

Patriarch Alexius II has consistently supported the traditional stand that the Orthodox Church has always taken* and opposed the display of homosexuality in Russia, and in particular, has opposed gay parades in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Church, according to the Patriarch, "has invariably supported the institution of the family and condemns untraditional relations, seeing them as a vicious deviation from God-given human nature". He also said, "I am convinced that gays' desire to organize a parade in Moscow will not help strengthen the family as the foundation of a strong state". [ [http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=1164 Patriarch backs decision to ban Moscow gay parade] Interfax 16 March 2006.] Alexius sparked further controversy in October 2007 when he called homosexuality an illness and a distortion of the human personality like kleptomania. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/02/africa/church.php Patriarch Alexy of Russia assails gays in speech at Council of Europe] , "International Herald Tribune", 2 October 2007] [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=RFBLLGOXBYBQNQFIQMGCFFWAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2007/10/03/wgay103.xml Gay people are ill, says Russian patriarch - Telegraph] ] The Orthodox Church in America explains the Orthodox Church's position thus: people who suffer from same-sex desire should be treated in precisely the same way as all other people, all of whom are sinners according to the Orthodox Church. It is not the inclination itself, but giving into the inclination that is wrong and not acceptable to the Orthodox Church. [ [http://www.oca.org/DOCmarriage.asp?SID=12&ID=26< On Marriage, Family, Sexuality, and the Sanctity of Life: Homosexuality (Orthodox Church of America's website)] ] [The Orthodox Church "believes homosexuality to be a sinful distortion of human nature, which is overcome by spiritual effort leading to the healing and personal growth of the individual. Homosexual desires, just as other passions torturing fallen man, are healed by the Sacraments, prayer, fasting, repentance, reading of Holy Scriptures and patristic writings, as well as Christian fellowship with believers who are ready to give spiritual support. While treating people with homosexual inclinations with pastoral responsibility, the Church is resolutely against the attempts to present this sinful tendency as a "norm" and even something to be proud of and emulate. This is why the Church denounces any propaganda of homosexuality. Without denying anybody the fundamental rights to life, respect for personal dignity and participation in public affairs, the Church, however, believes that those who propagate the homosexual way of life should not be admitted to educational and other work with children and youth, nor to occupy superior posts in the army and reformatories." [http://orthodoxeurope.org/page/3/14.aspx Bases of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church, Section XII. 9.] Official Document adopted by the August 2000 All-Russian Church Council.]

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?mid=99&lng=0 His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia]
* [http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?mid=99&lng=1 His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia]
* [http://www.rusnat.org/news/in/index.php?id=107 photo gallery]
*
* [http://www.pravmir.com/article_246.html The Address of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia to the PACE]
* [http://www.oca.org/DOCmarriage.asp?SID=12&ID=26 position of the Orthodox Church on homosexuality]