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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 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 delved deeper into social 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, being the chairman of the Department external relations ROC 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 Russian Federation. He has repeatedly been a member of various advisory bodies, took part in resolving issues related to 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. For the position Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Kirill was appointed. 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 has done 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 about 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.
Journalists believe that in this photo Vladimir Gundyaev is photographed with Lydia Leonova and their son
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. 
Patriarch of Russia - famous person. He always makes a great contribution to government affairs. The head of the Orthodox Church in our country is Kirill Gundyaev. It is he who is a prominent participant in many political processes V modern Russia. He owns many charitable projects.
Biography
Kirill Gundyaev became Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' in 2009, immediately after the death of his predecessor Alexy II. He was born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad and was named Vladimir by his parents at birth. His childhood passed through the difficult post-war years.
Family
According to the official biography, Kirill Gundyaev’s family was deeply religious, even though the church was persecuted at that time. His grandfather Vasily Stepanovich, born in 1879, was an ordinary machinist, but became interested in theological literature. Already in 1922, he was exiled to Solovki following a denunciation from his opponents. They were from the Renovationist movement - a religious movement in opposition to the Orthodox. After the war, he continued to be supported by the Soviets for some time. Vasily opposed them. In the camps, he continued to conduct religious services in secret; there is evidence that for this he was punished once - he lived in a punishment cell for a month. He stayed there until 1955.
The biography of Father Kirill Gundyaev is interesting. It was Mikhail Vasilyevich, dreaming with early years serve in the church. After graduating from school, he managed to work in a church, and in 1926 he already studied at the Higher Theological Courses in Leningrad.
He established himself as a diligent student. However, after 2 years the courses were closed, and he ended up in the army. After service, he studied at a technical school and then at an industrial university. Mikhail’s plans were to become a doctor, but due to the fact that he failed in theology courses, he was not admitted to this profession.
In 1934, Kirill Gundyaev’s father was arrested for serving in the church and singing in the choir. This happened a couple of days before the wedding. Mikhail was accused of attempting to assassinate Stalin. His bride, and later wife, Raisa Kuchina, born in 1909, was a German language teacher. She was also religious and participated in church hymns, during which she met Michael. They lived together for 3 years in Kolyma. Then they returned to Leningrad, where Mikhail went to work at a factory. In 1940, their first son, Nikolai, was born.
During the war, Mikhail strengthened the besieged city, and since 1943 he fought at the front. Since 1945, after the victory, the family lived in Leningrad, which was recovering from the blockade. Then Vladimir, the second son, appeared in her. During this period of time Soviet authority established relations with the church, and Mikhail, at the risk of his entire family, achieved ordination. Since 1947, he became a deacon and served in the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God.
According to some studies, Kirill Gundyaev’s nationality is Mordvin. The thing is that his last name comes from the name Gundyai. According to the official biography of Kirill Gundyaev, he is Russian by nationality.
Childhood
The childhood biography of Kirill Gundyaev unfolds against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between the state and the church. For serving, his father received an incredible fine of 120,000 rubles. For example, a new Pobeda car in those days cost 15,000, and the wealthiest people could save for it for several years. Some money was collected in the parishes, but by his actions Mikhail brought his entire large family to a state of extreme need, which continued until their death. In addition to 2 sons, by that time the couple had a daughter, Elena, born in 1949.
At that time, the family always depended heavily on the father. Both the children and Gundyaev’s wife lived in dire poverty and were forced to accept food from parishioners who took pity on them.
School years
The grandfather who returned after imprisonment in Solovki greatly influenced the worldview of the younger Gundyaevs. He told his grandchildren that no trials that claimed many lives caused fear in him. Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev himself emphasized in his biography that for him it was “the image of a man who knew what God’s love is.”
Vladimir started going to school as if it were torture. He was an opponent of communism and did not join either the pioneers or the Komsomol. The school director asked him to wear a pioneer tie, but he said that he would wear it to church. Despite the constant discussion at teacher councils, Vladimir studied well. Most of all he was interested in physics and other exact disciplines.
Education
With the end of eight years, Volodya decided not to study further, but to live independently. The future patriarch Kirill Gundyaev was filled with a desire not to burden his family living in extreme need, which was still raising their youngest daughter.
He got a job at the evening faculty, and since 1962 he worked in cartography of the Leningrad complex geological expedition. However, then the biography of Kirill Gundyaev turned towards his father. He went to the theological academy.
The true biography of Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev was that he completed his training there according to an accelerated program, thanks to the requirements of Metropolitan N. Rotov, whose secretary he later became. This happened in 1970.
Interestingly, his brother and sister also became clergy in the future, when he gained influence.
Religious activities
In 1969, Kirill Gundyaev took monastic vows. It was at this moment that Vladimir received the name Kirill, became a hierodeacon, and then a hieromonk. A year later, he was graduated from the academy with honors and received the degree of candidate of theological sciences.
At the same time, he was Rotov’s secretary and a teacher at the same academy from which he was graduated. In 1971 he became an archimandrite, and from October he was rector of Orthodox church in Geneva, Switzerland. From that moment on, he began to rise up the career ladder. It took him only 20 years to go from archimandrite to metropolitan. Metropolitan Kirill Gundyaev became chairman of the commission in the Holy Synod. It was she who solved all the problems facing the Russian Orthodox Church.
Social activity
In the 1990s, the biography of Kirill Gundyaev takes a turn towards active social activities. In 1994, the program “The Word of the Shepherd” was broadcast on television, the main actor which he was. In addition, he developed the social concept of the Russian Orthodox Church. He chaired the Department of External Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church MP. Kirill was an active participant in relations between the state and the church.
In 2000, he achieved the adoption of the “Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church.” It was there that the position of Orthodoxy in relation to the state was set out.
The joint work of the Government of the Russian Federation and Kirill Gundyaev began in 1995. He acted as a consultant on many issues. With his input, many decisions related to Chechen war. Kirill Gundyaev organized numerous cultural events in his youth.
So, it was he who organized a holiday in honor of the 2000th anniversary of Christianity on behalf of Russia in several countries. He was an active public figure before his enthronement.
Among other things, Kirill Gundyaev is the author of a number of articles and books. He is actively involved in scientific and educational activities, proclaiming the unity of Christians everywhere. He became one of the honorary members of domestic and foreign theological academies, and became a member of the Commission on State Prizes for Achievements in Literature.
Patriarchate
When Alexy II died in 2008, Metropolitan Kirill was elected Patriarch. In 2009, he became one, receiving 75% of the vote. His most active activity was noted in establishing relations with foreign Orthodox churches. He also held many meetings with leaders of other faiths. All this contributed to strengthening the position of the Church and allowed the Russian Federation to cooperate with a large number of countries.
Being passionate and dedicated to the cause, he repeatedly noted that radical preachers should be treated with caution. He made similar statements several times. As the Patriarch said, there are more and more false teachers in Russia, and they are plunging parishioners into confusion. Behind their beautiful ideal slogans there are weapons that destroy the Church. The Patriarch was seen more than once at meetings with Vladimir Putin. His activities greatly helped the president’s policies.
Scandals
Kirill became a participant in a number of scandals that thundered throughout the country. The first such story in which his name was highlighted was the case of the application of tax breaks on the import of alcohol and tobacco products in the 1990s.
According to Novaya Gazeta, he was personally interested in completing a transaction related to the import of these goods. But many religious leaders made statements that all this was just a provocation of enemies. This campaign was allegedly planned by ill-wishers, wanting to tarnish the name of a religious person.
In addition, it is noted that Kirill Gundyaev was photographed more than once and was convicted of interacting with the KGB. In 2003, V. Putin read a letter from a priest of the Moscow Helsinki Group that the Patriarch was a KGB agent. But this action was considered in society as a provocation directed against him. This action did not result in any result.
Since 2010, the Patriarch again became a participant in a high-profile scandal. According to the biography of Kirill Gundyaev, the patriarch’s cohabitant and comrade-in-arms found a large layer of dust in his apartment. She called a commission, which determined that the substances ended up in the apartment due to renovations being carried out below. Priest Yuri Shevchenko lived there. But the scandal was that the examination revealed the presence of carcinogenic substances in the dust. As a result, the damage caused to the Patriarch’s property was estimated at 20 million rubles. According to the biography of Kirill Gundyaev, the cohabitant sued this amount from the neighbor below, and the press was interested in its presence with the Patriarch. Everyone began to find out the status of the woman who apparently lived in the same apartment with him. Then, much later, the owner of the apartment said that it was presented by Yu. Luzhkov’s deputy by order of B. Yeltsin, but the Patriarch did not live in it for more than a week, but gave it to his second cousin, who discovered a layer of dust.
The next scandal in the biography of Kirill Gundyaev is about his condition. In 2012, a photograph of him was published on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church, where Kirill was wearing an expensive Brequet watch. The clock was then removed from this photo, but remained reflected on the table. The press service of the Russian Orthodox Church called this case an absurdity due to an editor's mistake.
The essence of the scandal was that this watch cost 30,000 euros, and the Patriarch himself first stated in the media that the presence of the watch was drawn in Photoshop, and then called it a gift. All this caused heated discussions in society about the role of the Church and about the money of taxpayers and parishioners. Kirill himself in his sermons calls not to strive for a good, prosperous life.
In addition, the foreign press estimated the Patriarch’s fortune at $4 billion. He owns more than one of the most expensive cars, a yacht, an airplane and expensive watches. But Kirill himself fights off media attacks, emphasizing that all funds received by the church are used for their intended purpose. Thus, the Russian Orthodox Church opened Orthodox schools and charitable foundations. According to the Patriarch himself, all accusers only seek to humiliate the Russian Orthodox Church and criticize Orthodoxy in our country.
However, according to opinion polls, Kirill is supported by 99% of the population, but the World Wide Web shows a high degree of dissatisfaction with him against the backdrop of many scandals, which even years later are the subject of people’s indignation.
For the most part, what people care about is that he was not entitled to all the luxuries that he had. After all, according to church laws, which he actively promotes, he has no right to acquire all this. It is curious that the heads of a number of European states, obviously having the opportunity to live luxuriously, live much more simply and modestly than the Russian Patriarch, although they do not have a law prohibiting luxury. This is often noticed in connection with the name Kirill. Who really dedicates themselves entirely to their work?
Personal life
In the biography of Kirill Gundyaev, the family and children were never mentioned. But after that scandal with dusty property, the press learned that Lydia Leonova was registered in his personal apartment, about whom little is known, despite the hype raised in all the media. Journalists managed to find out that she was the daughter of a cook in the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU.
The press caught the priest in cohabitation with a representative of the fair sex, and he himself called her his second cousin. Moreover, the media dubbed him a family man, having found a photograph of him with this woman from 1988. But the Patriarch himself claims that, since he serves God, he has renounced love affairs and devotes himself entirely to service. Therefore, he does not have any cohabitants.
Children
Kirill himself considers his children the parishioners who listen to him as a preacher. According to Christian laws, he cannot have his own biological children. He often helps orphanages where orphans live, like many people who occupy a high position in society. He created several charitable foundations to help disabled people.
Activity details
Since February 1991, by decree of Patriarch Alexy II, Kirill became metropolitan.
In 1993, he was co-chairman, and already in 1995, deputy head of the World Russian People's Council. In 1994, he became honorary president of the World Conference on Religion and Peace. In February 1994 he became a member of the Synodal Theological Commission.
In 1995-2000, Kirill became the head of the Synodal working group on developing the concept of the Russian Orthodox Church on issues of church-state relations and problems of Russian society.
In December 2008, he announced to the media that he was categorically against reforming Orthodoxy in any form.
Then, having met with students at the Sretensky Theological Seminary, he stated that the main task of the church before the revolution was the creation of a believing intelligentsia, which was the dream of Anthony Khrapovitsky (who was banned by the Moscow Patriarchate). But this was not done, which resulted in subsequent troubles for Orthodoxy.
He was the first in modern history to perform the rite of washing feet in April 2009.
He also stated that Kyiv is Constantinople for the Orthodox and has its own Hagia Sophia, and is also considered the spiritual center and southern capital of Orthodoxy.
In 2009, he announced that the main criterion in assessing the work of the Russian Orthodox Church is not how full the churches are, but the spiritual state of society.
This manifested itself in 2005 in the ban on holding a parade of sexual minorities in Moscow. Kirill supported Yuri Luzhkov in this decision. Since 2008, the Patriarch has fiercely condemned homosexuality, but at the same time noted that people with an innate orientation can live as they see fit.
The Patriarch also made his contribution to the cause of the punk group Pussy Riot, which danced in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Largely thanks to him, in August 2012, 3 young girls were sentenced under the article of hooliganism, after which they were imprisoned for 2 years and served their sentences in general regime colonies.
All this also caused a wave of indignation in World Wide Web both in Russia and abroad. But the Moscow Patriarchate itself stated that the whole point is that there is an entire campaign seeking to discredit the name of Kirill. Even he himself announced in the television program “The Word of the Shepherd” that people “who criticize the church” “demand spiritual healing.”
His first foreign visit as Patriarch was a trip to Istanbul to the Patriarch of Constantinople. As a result, it was stated that relations with foreign colleagues began to warm up.
According to the results of a sociological survey conducted in June 2012 by VTsIOM, 46% of respondents treated the Patriarch with respect, 27% arouse hope, trust - 19%, sympathy - 17% of respondents; distrust is caused by 4% of respondents, disappointment by 2%, indifference by 13%, antipathy by 1% of survey participants, 1% condemn it or perceive it with skepticism.
In August 2012, Kirill appeared in social network Facebook with account PatriarhKirill, but back in May of the same year, the deputy head of the press service of the Moscow Patriarchate indicated that the account was not Gundyaev’s personal page, but it would be an official resource of the patriarchate. He noted that there would be no way to contact Kirill directly.
In September 2012, he was invited by the primate of the Polish Orthodox Church to Poland, where the main religion is Catholicism. This meeting pursued more political goals, becoming a serious step towards establishing contact with the Holy See. These events caused a positive reaction in the Vatican.
In June 2013, Kirill visited Greece, meeting with the Pontic Greeks. Then I visited Transnistria.
It is interesting that with the collapse of the USSR, the Commission of the Presidium of the Russian Armed Forces to investigate the causes and circumstances of the State Emergency Committee concluded that the KGB used the church to recruit and send their agents into it. Thus, a number of church leaders were indeed agents of this structure.
Having compared the known foreign trips of agent “Mikhailov” and Kirill, the commission developed the point of view that these persons are identical. It was then that the famous letter was sent to V. Putin stating that the Patriarch was an employee of the KGB.
Kirill's trip to Ukraine after receiving an invitation from the Ukrainian Synod Orthodox Church in 2009 was accompanied by riots and protests by a number of church associations.
At his speech at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, he criticized " influence on Western Christian theology of the ideas of the Enlightenment and the philosophical ideas of liberalism."
In August, the Patriarch made a statement that he would not refuse to spend 6 months in Kyiv and 6 months in Moscow, and could become a Ukrainian citizen. But a day later, Archbishop Mitrofan called these words a joke.
In the end, according to newspaper reports, the circle of security officials did not like Kirill’s actions during his visit to Ukraine.
During his visit to Belarus, Kirill addressed the people from the porch of the church and announced that he considered himself the Patriarch of the people who emerged from the Kyiv baptismal font. He thereby emphasized that the Patriarchate will not reduce the boundaries of its activities in accordance with the border that arose after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
These words essentially cast doubt on his recognition of the sovereignty of a number of states. He himself stated that some countries have recognized their sovereignty, but are not able to make decisions in accordance with their own interests. This caused a strong negative reaction in society.
Conclusion
At the moment, Patriarch Kirill is active in religious and social activities. He makes a great contribution to politics, establishes relations between the Russian Federation and other states.
Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (2009-), former Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad,Head of the World Russian People's Council
Born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), in the family of a priest. Grandfather - Vasily Gundyaev- by profession a railway mechanic, one of the active fighters against renovationism in the Nizhny Novgorod region under the leadership of Metropolitan Sergius (Stargorodsky, later Patriarch), was arrested in 1922, served time in Solovki; Having returned from prison, he became a priest in the mid-50s. Father, Archpriest Mikhail Vasilievich Gundyaev- in the 30s he was repressed, in the 40s he was a leading engineer at one of the military factories besieged Leningrad, ordained a priest in 1947, served in the Leningrad diocese. Brother, Archpriest Nikolai Mikhailovich Gundyaev, since 1977, rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg, professor of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Sister - Elena, an Orthodox teacher. At school, due to religious convictions, she did not join the Pioneers or the Komsomol; became the hero of an anti-religious publication in a city newspaper. In 1961 he left his parents’ home (the family had lived in Krasnoe Selo near Leningrad since 1959) and went to work at the cartographic bureau of the Leningrad Complex Geological Expedition. At the same time, he studied at evening school, which he graduated from in 1964. In 1965-67, with the blessing of the Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod Nicodemus (Rotova) studied at the Leningrad Theological Seminary (LDS). In 1967-69 he studied at the Leningrad Theological Academy (LDA), which he graduated with honors. On June 1, 1970 he received the degree of candidate of theology for the essay “Formation and Development church hierarchy and the teaching of the Orthodox Church about its gracious character." During his student years, in March-April 1968, he participated in the 3rd All-Christian Peace Congress (VMC) in Prague; in July 1968 - in the IV Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Uppsala. Was participated in the annual meetings of the Central Committee of the WCC as a young adviser, and was vice-chairman of the youth commission of the Christian Peace Congress (CPC).
On April 3, 1969, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod was tonsured a monk, on April 7, 1969 he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on June 1, 1969 - a hieromonk. After graduating from the academy, he remained at the LDA as a professorial fellow, a teacher of dogmatic theology and an assistant inspector of the LDAiS.S. August 30, 1970 - personal secretary of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR). September 12, 1971 elevated to the rank of archimandrite, then appointed representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the WCC in Geneva, rector of the parish of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1971 represented theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church at the General Assembly of the world Orthodox youth organization SINDESMOS (at this assembly the theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church became members of SINDESMOS) and was elected a member of its executive committee. In 1972, he accompanied Patriarch Pimen on his trip to the countries of the Middle East, as well as to Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece and Romania. On December 26, 1974, he was appointed rector of the LDA and S with the release of the representative of the MP at the WCC. On June 7, 1975, he was chairman of the diocesan council of the Leningrad diocese. From December 1975, he was a member of the Central Committee and the Executive Committee of the WCC. On September 9, 1976, he was appointed permanent representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in the plenary commission of the WCC.
In November 1975, at the ecumenical assembly in Nairobi, he condemned the letter of Fr. Gleb Yakunin about the persecution of believers in the USSR and denied violations of the rights of believers. In December 1975, he was elected a member of the Central and Executive Committees of the WCC.
On March 3, 1976, at a meeting of the Holy Synod, he was determined to be Bishop of Vyborg, vicar of the Leningrad diocese. At the same time, he was introduced to the Commission of the Holy Synod on issues Christian unity and interchurch relations. Hirotonisan March 14, 1976. April 27-28, 1976, as part of a delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate, participated in negotiations and interviews with representatives of Pax Christi Internationalis. September 9, 1976 approved as a permanent representative from the Russian Orthodox Church to the plenary commission of the WCC. From November 18, 1976 to October 12, 1978 - Deputy Patriarchal Exarch Western Europe(according to the report dated November 4, 1976, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, on the need, in connection with the fifth heart attack, to appoint a deputy for him - with the proposal of the candidacy of Kirill). November 21-28, 1976 participated in the First Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox meeting in Geneva .From January 22 to 31, 1977, he headed the delegation from the Leningrad and Novgorod diocese at the anniversary of the Patriarchal communities in Finland. From July 19 to 26, 1977, at the head of the delegation from the theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church, he attended the IX General Assembly of Syndesmos in Chambesy.
On September 2, 1977 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop. From October 12 to October 19, 1977, together with Patr. Pimen was on an official visit to Patras. Demetrius I (Patriarchate of Constantinople). From November 23 to December 4, 1977, at the head of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation, he visited Italy. On December 23-25, 1977, with a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Patriarch Pimen, he participated in the enthronement of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II. On June 22-27, 1978, he was present with the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the Fifth All-Christian Peace Congress in Prague. On October 6-20, 1978, he participated in negotiations with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church. On October 12, 1978, he was relieved of his post as Deputy Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe and appointed manager of the patriarchal parishes in Finland (he looked after them until 1984). From March 27 to 29, 1979 . participated in the Consultation “Responsibility of the Churches of the USSR and the USA for Disarmament.” From July 12 to 24 of the same year, he headed the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the World Conference “Faith, Science and the Future” in Cambridge (USA). From November 9 to 24, 1979 in as part of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, at the invitation of the French Episcopal Conference, he visited France. On November 16, 1979, he was appointed a member of the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity. From January 28 to 31, 1980, he was present in Budapest at a meeting of representatives of Churches from the socialist countries of Europe and leading figures of the WCC .29 May 1980 participated from the Russian Orthodox Church at the first meeting of the Mixed Orthodox-Roman Catholic Commission on the island. Patmos and Rhodes. August 14-22, 1980 - participant in the 32nd meeting of the Center. committee of the WCC in Geneva. August 22-25 - member of the delegation of representatives of Churches in the USSR and the USA (Geneva). November 25-27, 1980, as part of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation, participated in Bulgaria in the celebration of the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian state. From November 30 to December 12 of the same year led a pilgrimage group of representatives and students of the LDA on a trip to the Holy Land. December 23, 1980 appointed member of the Commission for organizing the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' d 1988. From August 16 to 26, 1981 - participant in the 33rd meeting of the Central Committee of the WCC in Dresden. From August 31 to September 6, 1981, together with the Patriarch Pimen visited Finland. October 30-November 3, 1981 at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) took part in meetings of the Committee for the preparation of the VI Assembly of the WCC. November 5-7, 1981 participated in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the National Council of Churches in USA. November 23-27 in Amsterdam (Netherlands) from Christians of the USSR, he was a member of the hearing group on nuclear disarmament. January 3-16, 1982 in Lima (Peru) he participated in a meeting of the WCC Commission “Faith and Church Order.” In the same year (July 19-28) took part in the 34th meeting of the Central Committee of the WCC in Geneva. From September 28 to October 4, 1982 he was in Finland, and from October 25 to November 1 - in Japan. From July 24 to August 10, 1983. - participant of the VI Assembly of the WCC in Vancouver (Canada), at which he was elected to the new composition of the Central Committee of the WCC. On November 26-27 of the same year, as part of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he participated in the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia. From 20 to 29 February 1984 took part in a meeting of the Executive Committee of the WCC in Geneva. From May 31 to June 7, from the Russian Orthodox Church, he participated in a meeting of the Mixed Theological Commission between the Roman Catholic Church and the Local Orthodox Churches, held on Fr. Crit. July 9-18, 1984 - participant in the meeting of the Central Committee of the WCC in Geneva. As part of the Soviet public delegation, he participated in the international conference of scientists and religious figures from November 19 to 23, 1974 in Italy.
On December 26, 1984 he was appointed Archbishop of Smolensk and Vyazemsky. The transfer to Smolensk was a demotion for Archbishop Kirill and indicated disgrace on the part of the state supervisory authorities ( "...There are various rumors about the reasons why he fell out of favor. Some associate this with his reform activity in the sphere of worship: he not only practiced the use of the Russian language in worship, but also served Vespers in the evening, and not in the morning, as This is still accepted in the Russian Orthodox Church. Another reason for the removal of Bishop Kirill from " northern capital"Russia is called his refusal to vote against the resolution of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, which condemned the introduction Soviet troops to Afghanistan. Meanwhile, he didn’t vote “for” either, he just “abstained,” which, however, at that time was also almost a feat.”- Natalia Babasyan. Star of Metropolitan Kirill // "Russian Journal", 04/01/1999). Kirill himself believes that he fell victim to a closed resolution of the CPSU Central Committee on the fight against religiosity, adopted on the eve of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', for excessive activity as rector of the Theological Academy : during his rectorship, access to the LDA and C was opened for graduates of secular universities, and in 1978, a regency department was created, which women could also enroll in.
From June 2 to June 9, 1985, he was part of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation at the VI All-Christian Peace Congress in Prague.
On November 30, 1988, Archbishop Kirill was entrusted with the development of the Regulations on Theological Schools - a new type of Orthodox 2-year educational institutions, training clergy and designed to facilitate the solution to the personnel problem.
By the definition of the Holy Synod of April 10-11, 1989, Kirill’s archbishop’s title was changed: instead of “Smolensk and Vyazemsky” - “Smolensk and Kaliningrad”. From November 14, 1989 - Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) and a permanent member of the Holy Synod. This appointment actually indicated the removal of “state disgrace” from him. On February 20, 1990, after the liquidation of foreign Exarchates, Archbishop Kirill was entrusted with temporary management of the parishes of the Korsun (until 1993) and Hague-Netherlands (until 1991) dioceses.
In 1990, he was a member of the Holy Synod Commission for the preparation of the Local Council. On March 20, 1990, he was appointed chairman of the Holy Synod Commission for the revival of religious and moral education and charity. On May 8, 1990 he became a member of the Synodal Biblical Commission. On July 16, 1990, he was appointed a member of the Holy Synod Commission to promote efforts to overcome the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. On October 27, 1990, he was appointed chairman of the Synodal Commission for the preparation of changes to the Charter on the governance of the Russian Orthodox Church. On July 20, 1990, he became the administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in Finland. On February 25, 1991, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.
In May 1992, the American priest of the ROCOR, Fr. Victor Potapov in his brochure “God Betrayed by Silence” for the first time publicly accused Kirill of direct collaboration in Soviet time with the KGB and gave him his operational pseudonym - “Mikhailov” ( "At a meeting of students of Moscow state university Head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill(aka agent “Mikhailov”) stated that the fact of the meeting of the clergy with representatives of the KGB “is morally indifferent” (Bulletin “Straight Path”, No. 1-2, 1992)").
At the beginning of 1993, with the sanction of Patriarch Alexy II, Metropolitan Kirill joined the International Preparatory Committee for the convening of the World Russian Council in Moscow (which was initiated by the “World Russian Congress” Igor Kolchenko, RAU-Corporation Alexey Podberezkin, "Roman-newspaper" Valeria Ganicheva, as well as the magazines “Our Contemporary” and “Moscow”). Having become one of the five co-chairs of the preparatory committee, he held the First World Russian Council on May 26-28, 1993 at the St. Danilov Monastery.
In February 1995 he led the Second World Russian Council. Shortly before this, the President Boris Yeltsin during an informal conversation with Kirill, he promised to return to the Church the lands confiscated from it after the revolution, and then (under pressure Anatoly Chubais) took back the promise. At the Council, Kirill made thinly veiled criticism of the authorities for immoral and anti-national policies. The establishment of the “World Russian Council” was declared as a “permanent supra-party forum” under the auspices of the Church, four co-chairs of the Council were elected (Metropolitan Kirill, I. Kolchenko, V. Ganichev, Natalya Narochnitskaya). Under the influence of radicals ( Mikhail Astafiev, Ksenia Myalo, N. Narochnitskaya, I. Kolchenko) The Council adopted a number of purely political rather radical anti-Western declarations, the adoption of which by the church hierarchs led by Kirill did not interfere. Between February and December 1995, Kirill moderated the opposition of the “supra-party forum” he headed, and on the III The World Russian Council in early December 1995 did not allow the adoption of any harsh political statements. The organization was renamed the World Russian People's Council, the Head of which was unanimously elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, and Metropolitan Kirill was one of his deputies.
From August 2, 1995 - member of the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations under the President of the Russian Federation. In 1996 - member of the Joint Commission of the Constantinople and Moscow Patriarchates on the "Estonian question". From June 6, 1996 - chairman of the working group of the Holy Synod to develop a draft concept reflecting a general church view on issues of church-state relations and problems modern society in general. In 1996, he joined the board of directors of the Peresvet church bank.
In September 1996, the Moscow News newspaper (N34) published a report that the DECR, headed by Metropolitan Kirill, in 1994-96. organized in 1994-96 the import of excisable goods (primarily cigarettes) bypassing customs duties, under the guise of humanitarian aid, in amounts of tens of millions of dollars and in quantities of tens of thousands of tons. The accusations were supported by other popular secular newspapers (in particular, Moskovsky Komsomolets - journalist Sergei Bychkov). It is believed that the secret initiator of these accusations was the then head of the affairs of the MP, Archbishop of Solnechnogorsk Sergius (Fomin). An internal church commission headed by Archbishop Sergius was created to investigate these reports. However, the position of Metropolitan Kirill, who denied the deliberate importation of cigarettes into the country and said that the church could not refuse the gift imposed on it, was supported by the 1997 Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.
He actively participated in the preparation of the law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations,” approved by President Yeltsin on September 26, 1997. In March 2001, he made a proposal to transfer part of the income tax of Russians to the budget of religious organizations, including the Russian Orthodox Church.
In May 2001, a journalist from Moskovsky Komsomolets Sergey Bychkov published an article “Metropolitan from a Snuffbox”, in which he repeated previous accusations against Metropolitan Kirill regarding the import of tobacco, and also publicly identified Kirill with the WCC figure “agent Mikhailov”, mentioned in previously published materials of the Supreme Council commission (“Yakunin-Ponomarev commission” ) about connections between the KGB and the Russian Orthodox Church in Soviet times.
On December 6, 2008, at an emergency meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in connection with the death of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', Metropolitan Kirill was elected Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne by secret ballot. On January 27, 2009, the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan Kirill Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' .
Supporter of the active intervention of the Church in secular life and politics, including its influence on the authorities from the position "The Priesthood is Above the Kingdom".
Since 1995, on Saturdays he hosted the television program “The Word of the Shepherd” on ORT.
Hobby: alpine skiing. Lives in official residence DECR in Serebryany Bor (Moscow). In 2002, I bought a penthouse in a House on the embankment overlooking the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (the apartment was registered to Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev, "what is there a corresponding entry in the cadastral register"(The New Times. No. 50, December 15, 2008). Appeared in the media "information about the Metropolitan's purchase of a villa in Switzerland."(ibid.).
In August 1993, he was awarded the international Loviisa Peace Prize, awarded to him by the Public Committee "Loviisa Peace Forum" headed by Mrs. Tellervo Koivisto, wife of the President of Finland (this prize is awarded every three years to a peacemaker who has made a particularly significant contribution). Awarded church orders of St. equal to book Vladimir II degree, St. Sergius of Radonezh I and II degrees, St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow, 1st degree, St. Innocent, Metropolitan Moscow and Kolomna, II degree, St. Alexy of Moscow II degree, orders of many Local Orthodox Churches; other church awards: memorial panagia (1977), nominal panagia (1988). Has state awards: Order of Friendship of Peoples (1988, on the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'), Order of Friendship (1996), “For Services to the Fatherland” III degree, medals “50 years of victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”, “300 years of the Russian Navy”, “In memory of the 850th anniversary of Moscow”; awarded the public order of St. George, 1st degree (1998, from the Russian Chamber of Personality).
Sources:
Official biography of Kirill on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church "Patriarchia.ru"; database "Prosopographer - Descriptor of Persons" materials by N. Mitrokhin in the database "Labyrinth"
Sergey Bychkov (2001):
In 1992, the Council of Bishops formed its own commission, headed by the Bishop of Kostroma and Galich Alexander. While the priest Gleb Yakunin And Lev Ponomarev, then deputies of the Supreme Council, understood nicknames and tasks, Vladyka Gundyaev ( nickname - agent Mikhailov) showed remarkable ingenuity and began buying archival documents. Having concentrated a powerful base of incriminating evidence, including on the patriarch, over the past 10 years he has been cleverly manipulating documents, silencing overzealous bishops. When the patriarch tries to reason with him, suddenly some papers appear in the media, tarnishing the reputation of His Holiness. Unfortunately, the work of the deputy commission ended in nothing. And the Synodal did not start work at all.
Sergey Bychkov. Metropolitan from a snuff box. After all, there’s no way without Gundyaev! // Moskovsky Komsomolets, 05/25/2001 - http://www.mk.ru/blogs/idmk/2001/05/25/mk-daily/34819/ (=http:// www.compromat.net/page_10804.htm
Mention of “agent Mikhailov” in the materials of the Yakunin-Ponomarev commission:
1973
January
l. 32. Agents of the KGB “Magister” and "Mikhailov". These agents had a beneficial influence on the work of the Council and presented materials of operational interest about the situation in the WCC and characterizing data on individual figures.
[...]
Deputy Head of the 4th Department of the 5th Directorate of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Lieutenant Colonel Fitsev.
NB:
the same materials mention “Mikhailov” the Baptist:
Agent names of agents from among the Baptist leadership: “Mikhailov”, “Abramov”, “Fedorov”, “Nevsky”, “Kesarev”.
Mentions (albeit without name)- according to Fr. Yakova Krotova- Kirill Gundyaev in the book of memoirs of Fr. Augustina Nikitina:
[priest Father Vitaly Borovoy about the denunciation of him in 1974]:
“Oh, so this is Archpriest so-and-so, our secretary in Geneva He made a fuss and reported me! After all, he was at this conversation. And, as always, I got everything mixed up."(p. 170). [...]
“Fr. Vitaly [Borovoy] recovered from the shock, his health noticeably deteriorated. Nevertheless, he “outlasted” four DECR chairmen and only under the fifth, in 1997, he became a freelance consultant for the DECR. [...] And the Geneva archpriest -the secretary who laid the position of Father Protopresbyter still flashes around the “box” and teaches us patriotism from the screen. They wrote about such people back in the early twentieth century?
Hush, hush, gentlemen!
Mister Iscariot,
Patriot of patriots,
Heading here!"
(pp. 171-172).
Mention of KGB agent "Mikhailov" in the "Private determination" of the commission of the Supreme Council:
The Commission draws the attention of the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church to the unconstitutional use by the Central Committee of the CPSU and the KGB of the USSR of a number of church bodies for their own purposes by recruiting and sending KGB agents to them. Thus, through the Department of External Church Relations, agents designated by the nicknames traveled abroad and carried out assignments from the KGB leadership "Svyatoslav", "Adamant", "Mikhailov", "Topaz", "Nesterovich", "Kuznetsov", "Ognev", "Esaulenko" and others. The nature of the orders they carry out testifies to the inseparability of this Department from the state, its transformation into a hidden center of KGB agents among believers.
On January 27, the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church at its third plenary meeting elected the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The new Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyaev) of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.
Let us recall that in order to discuss candidates for the Patriarchal Throne, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church met in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on January 25, to which 198 delegates from 202 bishops of the Russian Church arrived (four bishops - Archbishop of Chicago and Detroit Alipius (ROCOR), Bishop Daniel of Iria ( ROCOR), Metropolitan Nikodim of Kharkov and Bogodukhovsky and Bishop of Kirovograd and Novomirgorod Panteleimon were absent from the Council).
During the counting of votes, one ballot was declared invalid. Following the meeting, the Council of Bishops proposed to the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church the candidacies of three bishops who received the largest number of votes: Kirill (Gundyaev), Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne; Clement (Kapalin), Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk, manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate; Filaret (Vakhromeev), Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus. Metropolitan Kirill received 97 votes, Metropolitan Clement - 32 votes, Metropolitan Philaret - 16 votes.
On January 27, the Local Council met in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to elect the 16th Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. At 12 o'clock the first plenary meeting of the Council began, at which the election of the Presidium of the Local Council, the announcement of greetings to the Council, and the presentation of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens with a report took place. At the meeting, a welcoming message from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was read out.
At the second plenary meeting, which began at 15:30, the approval of the agenda, program and regulations of the meetings of the Local Council, the election of the working bodies of the Local Council, and the approval of the procedure for electing the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' took place. At the meeting, one of the three candidates, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, withdrew his candidacy for the election of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', calling for votes for Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad. Metropolitan Kirill in his response said that he bows his head to Metropolitan Philaret, whom he deeply reveres, and recalls with deep satisfaction the two decades during which they worked together as part of the Holy Synod under the leadership of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. After Metropolitan Philaret withdrew his candidacy, Bishop of Polotsk and Glubokoe Theodosius (Bilchenko) proposed electing the Patriarch by lot. However, his proposal did not find support from other bishops. The Council did not approve other candidates for participation in the voting. As a result, the participants of the Local Council elected a new Primate from two candidates by secret ballot.
At 17.30 the third plenary session began, at which voting took place, after which the counting of votes began. At 22:00, members of the counting commission came to the participants of the Council, and the chairman of the commission, Metropolitan Isidor of Krasnodar and Kuban, announced the voting results. According to the protocol, 702 delegates of the Council took part in the secret ballot. The number of ballots after voting was 700, of which 677 were valid ballots, 23 were invalid. Of the 677 votes, 508 cathedral members voted for Metropolitan Kirill, and 169 for Metropolitan Clement. When asked by Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev whether Metropolitan Kirill accepted his election as Primate of the Church, Bishop Kirill replied: “I accept the election of me as Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', I thank him and in no way contrary to the verb” and bowed
Patriarch Kirill is a famous Russian religious figure. For certain reasons, this man devoted his entire life to serving God and the church. This patriarch was able to become one of the most famous religious figures in the Russian Federation; some people admire his personality, and some blame him.
It is worth noting that many rumors and a variety of gossip were previously associated with the patriarch. Some actually happened, some are far-fetched. But what were the origins? How did Kirill become a church minister? How well does he fulfill his obligations and does he even love what he does?
Height, weight, age. How old is Patriarch Kirill
Patriarch Kirill is not an American, or even a domestic star, so he has no particular need to chase the elusive youth or carefully monitor his figure. By the way, photos of Patriarch Kirill in his youth and now for comparison are very easy to find on the Internet. For him, as a church employee, it is much more advantageous to look more respectable. So it becomes clear that he doesn’t really care about his height, weight, or age. How old is Patriarch Kirill? It’s a simple question. Currently he is already 71 years old. With a height of 178 centimeters, the man weighs 92 kilograms.
Despite all of the above, the man tries to follow own weight, goes swimming from time to time, and often walks. As you can see, he remembers the truth that you also need to take care of yourself. After all, “God protects those who are careful.”
Biography of Patriarch Kirill
Patriarch Kirill (birth name - Vladimir Gundyaev) was born in the late autumn of 1946. An interesting incident is worth noting. When his mother first came to church with him as a child, the boy accidentally walked through the Royal Gate. The woman immediately took him to the pastor so that he would absolve him of his sin, but the clergyman only waved him off with the words: “He will be a bishop.” It was probably the fate of little Vladimir to take the long and thorny path of serving the church. Of course, he was still a long way from holding a big position, but at the same time, everything that happened in his destiny throughout his life, all these events ultimately led to one single conclusion - the formation important person in the church. And Vladimir did not come immediately to receive the title of patriarch, as well as to adopt a new name.
His mother, Raisa Gundyaeva, worked as a school teacher and taught German. And the father - Mikhail Gundyaev - it is worth noting, was also a clergyman. It is difficult to deny that this fact also had a certain influence on Vladimir’s choice of further life path. Although, here we can say that the entire family of the future patriarch was connected with religion. His grandfather, for example, was often sent into exile, accused of having connections with the Christian Church. Brother - Nikolai - was a priest in the St. Petersburg Cathedral. And my sister, Elena, held the post of headmistress at the theological gymnasium.
Before starting your own religious activity, future patriarch I finished only eight grades at school. He tried out for geology, but a few years later he entered the seminary, and then the theological academy.
The guy received the name Kirill after becoming a monk. From that very moment the biography of Patriarch Kirill as a minister of the church begins.
Repeatedly he took part in what related to the development of the Moscow patriarchate. Since the nineties, Kirill began to pay much more attention to relations with society, as well as much more effort in developing this activity. So, in the early nineties, a program with his participation appeared on television - “The Word of the Shepherd.” It dealt with various religious topics, and it was very popular not only among ordinary people, but also among high officials.
A year later, Patriarch Kirill began to actively cooperate with the government of the Russian Federation. Often he even became a full-fledged participant in a variety of advisory organizations. Organized various cultural events. For example, the celebration of two thousand years of Christianity. Moreover, in accordance with information obtained as a result of a survey of the local population in 2012, the majority of ordinary people approve of the work of the patriarch.
Among other things, Patriarch Kirill maintains a Facebook profile. There he corresponds with visitors to his page and answers questions. Very often he gives answers to those questions that are of particular interest to other people. There are more than five hundred posts on his profile on this social network. He is also the author of books on religion and the clergy.
Personal life of Patriarch Kirill
It is worth noting, first of all, that the personal life of Patriarch Kirill simply does not exist, at least according to official sources. He is obliged to serve the church, and all clergy, as you know, take a vow of celibacy. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing strange in the fact that this person, despite his already quite advanced age, does not have his own family.
In modern parlance, he “married his work.” After all, he has already spoken more than once about how important it is to spread the light of religion in the world. How true these words are, hardly anyone can seriously say. But one cannot ignore the fact that this man is a church employee and a priori he should not have love affairs.
Family of Patriarch Kirill
Taking into account all of the above, we can assume that the family of Patriarch Kirill are the same clergy as he himself. He does not have an official wife, nor do he have children. The most important thing, in his opinion, is to spend his life devoting it to the development of the community of religious houses at the international level.
And he does it very well, because even in his youth he successfully overcame the path of a clergyman in order to ultimately achieve what he is now. It is difficult to say whether he suffers from the fact that he did not leave behind heirs. But, if you look at it from the other side, he doesn’t have much time for it. And it cannot be said that he is lonely, because believers constantly come to him for advice or with requests.
Patriarch Kirill on a yacht with girls
The patriarch, although not a singer or actor, is nevertheless a well-known public figure throughout the country. It is not surprising that scandals gather around this man with enviable regularity. Very often he was accused of a variety of sins. And it’s a bit difficult to discern what is truth and what is fiction. Once there was even a rumor that Patriarch Kirill often spends his free time on a yacht with girls, and spends all church proceeds on personal benefits.
The patriarch himself, of course, denies such rumors or even simply ignores them, claiming that these are only slander and slander on the part of ill-wishers and those who go against the church. Of course, everyone is a sinner, but it is not easy to say how reliable the accusations against Kirill are. After all, he serves God faithfully and truly, but, be that as it may, he is a man.
Jap and Patriarch Kirill are one person
It is impossible not to add that the personality of the patriarch is often associated not only with gossip, but also with a variety of rumors. At times it even reaches the point of absurdity. Take, for example, the recent rumor that Yaponchik and Patriarch Kirill are the same person. This rumor mentions the famous thief Mishka Yaponchik, who died in the early 2000s.
Some people notice striking similarities between these celebrities. For example, they say that the patriarch has a problematic past and thus he hid so as not to go to jail. This rumor was neither confirmed nor refuted, but most parishioners believe that these are the tricks of the patriarch’s ill-wishers who want to tarnish his dignity.
Children of Patriarch Kirill
As noted earlier, this person has no children of his own. The children of Patriarch Kirill are believers. Parishioners and those who need support or advice. This is what the patriarch himself claims. Many times he said that he could help anyone who came to him. To do this, he also began to master social networks so that he could provide answers to the most interesting questions.
There is a possibility, of course, that he would like to have children of his own. But having a rank does not allow you to indulge in such worldly pleasures as a quiet life, a spouse and a child. But Vladimir chose the path of a clergyman.
Wife of Patriarch Kirill
The wife of Patriarch Kirill is a topic for a man that is better not to raise. After all, when he set out on the path of a church minister, having made this choice, he completely deprived himself of love. And although you can often hear that Kirill committed a sin, that he was often seen surrounded by young girls, nothing has been officially proven.
Most people believe that these are just fictions, and that in reality the patriarch serves his church faithfully and has no plans to deviate from his path. According to official information, this clergyman has neither children nor a beloved wife. He considers the church his home, and calls the parishioners his children.
How much does Patriarch Kirill's watch cost?
Some time ago, one could notice a watch on this cleric. And even an ordinary person, with one glance at them, can understand that the cost of the watch is far from small. Therefore, almost immediately after this, rumors spread that Kirill was greatly abusing his existing powers and was wasting church proceeds for personal purposes.
Many were interested in the question: how much does Patriarch Kirill’s watch cost? The patriarch himself actively denied everything and even tried to hide the expensive thing from prying eyes, but it still became known that this Breguet watch of Patriarch Kirill is a fairly well-known brand, and it costs about 30 thousand euros. Apparently, the holy father is not against occasionally pampering himself with too expensive trinkets.
Patriarch Kirill “The Word of the Shepherd”
It was previously mentioned that Patriarch Kirill has collaborated with society more than once to bring conversations about God among the people. A similar project of his was the popular television program “The Word of the Shepherd” with his participation. Patriarch Kirill hosted “The Word of the Shepherd,” examining a variety of religious topics and answering pressing questions. And although it seems that nowadays few people watch religious channels, or even just programs, a little earlier this program gained enormous popularity not only among worldly people, but also among officials. The TV show was launched in order to help any person who wants to reconsider their views on life or needs help.
The Patriarch never refused to help those who tried to improve their lives. Of course, there were some evil tongues that said that Kirill needed all this just to attract more attention to himself. It is difficult to say how reliable this is, but, be that as it may, one must respect his dignity. As for rumors, they have always surrounded public people. Article found on alabanza.ru
Patriarch Kirill, whose biography interests many people today, is the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and is recognized as one of the most influential and respected people of our time. The facts of his life confirm the true purpose of the man who chose this difficult but noble path of serving God in life.
The biography of Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev Vladimir Mikhailovich) began in the Soviet Union. He was born in 1946, November 20. His father worked in those years as a mechanic at the plant named after. and my mother taught German at a high school. The family was very pious and intelligent, they revered the Bible and kept all Christian commandments. My paternal grandfather went through Stalin's exile and camps. Vladimir’s grandfather was one of the first prisoners of the famous Solovetsky camp, and he was convicted for fighting against church renovationism and spent about 30 years in prison. Father, Mikhail Vasilyevich, graduated from the Higher Courses of Theology, but was arrested in 1934 for “disloyalty” to the authorities and spent three years in a camp in Kolyma. After the birth of his son Vladimir, Mikhail Vasilyevich became a priest in 1947. He was ordained to the rank of deacon, and then priest, and began serving at the church located on Vasilyevsky Island.
Patriarch Kirill - biography
In high school, Vladimir studied 8 classes, combining last years study with work as a cartographer. In 1965, he entered the Higher Theological Academy, which he graduated brilliantly in 1970. In 1969, Vladimir Gundyaev was tonsured a monk, after which he was named Kirill. From this moment a new stage begins in the life of the future Kirill. He works a lot and diligently: he teaches, he is an assistant inspector of theological schools in Leningrad and a class teacher, as the secretary of Metropolitan Nikodim (Nikolai Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod. In 1971 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. Patriarch Kirill, whose biography contains information about his extraordinary hard work and desire to serve God and people, is worthy of all respect. In 1974, he became the rector of the theological academy and soon the bishop of Vyborg, and in 1984 - the archbishop of Smolensk and Vyazemsky. The future patriarch became Archbishop of Smolensk and Kaliningrad in 1986, and in 1991 he was elevated to the next rank of metropolitan.
Metropolitan Kirill - biography
Since 1989, he has been Chairman of the Department of External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and Chairman of the Synod Commission. He successfully serves for the benefit of the Fatherland and Orthodoxy. Despite this workload, Metropolitan Kirill begins to host the spiritual and educational program “The Word of the Shepherd” on Channel One, which to this day brings the Word of God to people. Metropolitan Kirill, whose biography can serve as an example of selfless service to our Lord and people, devotes all his strength to serving society, considering this his main duty.
On January 27, 2010, he was elected His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The now living Patriarch Kirill, whose biography is full of bright events Orthodox life, bears the Patriarchal Cross with dignity and contributes to the ever-increasing strengthening of Orthodoxy not only in our country, but also in the CIS and countries around the world. He constantly makes pastoral visits, takes part in Divine services, and with his direct participation, 8 new dioceses were created. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill constantly works for the benefit of not only the Orthodox, but also representatives of other religious faiths, whose respect he deservedly enjoys. The biography of Patriarch Kirill continues, and all Orthodox Christians pray that the Lord will give him many years of life and good health for further activities in this difficult Patriarchal field.