His Holiness KIRILL, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
His Holiness KIRILL, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (secular name Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev), was born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad.
Patriarch's father– Gundyaev Mikhail Vasilyevich, a priest, died in 1974.
Mother – Gundyaeva Raisa Vladimirovna - teacher of German at school, housewife in the closing period of life, died in 1984.
The eldest brother – archpriest Nikolai Gundyaev, professor of St. Petersburg Theological Academy, rector of the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
Grandfather - priest Vasily Stepanovich Gundyaev, prisoner of Solovki, who suffered imprisonment and exiles for his church activities and struggle with renovationism in 20-ies, 30-ies and 40-ies of the 20th century.
Upon completion of the eighth year of secondary school V. Gundyaev signed up to the Leningrad Complex Geological Expedition of the North-Western Geological Administration, where he had worked from 1962 to 1965 as cartographic technician, combining work with his secondary school studies.
Upon graduation from the secondary school in 1965 he entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary (now the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary), and then – the Leningrad Theological Academy and graduated from it with honours in 1970.
On April 3, 1969 Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod tonsured him a monk with monastic name Kirill. On April 7 Metropolitan Nikodim ordained him hierodeacon, and on June 1, the same year, he was ordained hieromonk.
In 1970-71 – teacher of Dogmatic Theology and assistant to the inspector of the Leningrad Theological Schools; at the same time – personal assistant of Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad and Novgorod and supervising instructor of the first form of the Seminary.
On September 12, 1971 elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
In 1971 – 1974 – representative of the Moscow Patriarchate at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.
From December 26, 1974 till December 26, 1984 he was Rector of the Leningrad Theological Academy and Seminary.
On March 14, 1976 he was consecrated Bishop of Vyborg. On September 2, 1977 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
On December 26, 1984 he became Archbishop of Vyazma and Smolensk.
Since 1986 he was administrator of the parishes in Kaliningrad region. Since 1988 – Archbishop of Kaliningrad and Smolensk.
On November 13, 1989 he was appointed Chairman of the Department for External Church Communications (since August 2000— Department for External Church Relations), permanent member of the Holy Synod.
On February 25, 1991 he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.
On January 27, 2009 Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia by the Local Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.
On February 1, 2009 the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill took place.
On the instructions of the Hierarchy, His Eminence Kirill bore the following obediences:
1975 -1982 – Chairman of the Diocesan Council of the Metropolis of Leningrad;
1975 -1998 – member of the Central Committee and Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches;
From 1976 to 1978 - Deputy Patriarchal Exarch for Western Europe;
1976 – 1984 – member of the Commission of the Holy Synod on the Problems of Christian Unity;
1978 – 1984 – administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in Finland;
1978 – 1984 – Deputy Chairman of the filial agency of the Department for External Church Communications in Leningrad;
1980 – 1988 – member of the Commission on Preparation and Execution of the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus;
1990 – member of the Commission on Preparation of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church;
1990 – member of the Commission for Support of the Efforts for Overcoming Consequences of Disaster at the Chernobyl Atomic Power Station;
1989 - 1996 – administrator of the Orthodox Deanery of Hungaria;
1990 - 1991 – temporary administrator of the Diocese of Hague and the Netherlands;
1990 - 1993 – temporary administrator of the Diocese of Korsun;
1990 - 1993 – Chairman of the Commission of the Holy Synod on Revival of Moral and Religious Education and Charity;
1990 - 2000 – Chairman of the Commission of the Holy Synod on Introduction of the Amendments to the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Statute was adopted at the Jubilee Council of Bishops in 2000;
1994 - 2002 – member of the Community Council on Restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior;
1994 - 1996 – member of the Council for External Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia;
1995 - 2000 – member of the Synodal Working Group for Elaboration of the Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church on the problems of church-state relations and the problems of modern society on the whole;
1995 - 1999 – member of the Russian Organization Committee on preparation and holding of festivities dedicated to celebration of the memorable dates of the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945;
1996 – 2000 – member of the Supervisory Council of the Foundation of the 50th Anniversary of the Victory.
Since 2008 - Chairman of the Expert Council “Economic and Ethics” to the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (now – the Expert Council “Economic and Ethics” to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia).
By the time of election to the Patriarchal Throne Metropolitan Kirill had been:
Permanent Member of the Holy Synod (since 1989);
Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (since 1989);
Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Finland (since 1990);
Member of the Synodal Theological Commission (since February 26, 1994);
Member of the Patriarch’s and Synodal Biblical Commission (since 1990);
Co-Chairman (since 1993) and Deputy Head (since 1995) of the World Russian People's Council, Chairman of the Smolensk and Kaliningrad Departments of the World Russian People's Council;
Member of the Council of County Movement (since 1993);
Member of the Russian Society of Palestine;
Author and host of the weekly program “Pastoral Word” at Channel One (since 1994);
President Emeritus of the World Conference “Religion and Peace” (since 1994);
Member of the Council for Interaction with Religious Unions to the President of Russian Federation (since 1995);
Member of the Commission on State Awards in Literature and Arts to the President of the Russian Federation (since 1995);
Honorary Member of the Moscow Intellectual Business Club (since 1995);
Co-Chairman of the Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee (since 1996);
Member of Presidium Board of Interreligious Council of Russia (since 1998);
Editor-in-chief of the magazine “Tserkov I Vremya” (“Church and Time” - since 1991), “Smolenskie Eparkhialnye Vedomosti” (“Smolensk Diocesan Bulltine” – since 1993), “Pravoslavnyi Palomnik (“Orthodox Pilgrim” - since 2001);
Member of the church-scientific council on edition of the Orthodox Encyclopedia (since 1999);
Member of Supervisory Council of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (since 2002);
Co-chairman of the Council of European Religious Leaders (since 2002);
Chairman of the Organizational Committee of the Exhibition “Orthodox Rus” (since 2003);
Co-chairman of the Workgroup on Interaction of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (since 2003);
Chairman of the Executive Committee of Inter-religious Council of the CIS (since 2004);
Presidium member of Interreligious Council of the CIS (since 2004);
Member of the Council for Relations with Religious Unions to the President of the Russian Federation (since 2004 г.);
Chairman of the Commission for the Affairs of Old-Believers’ Parishes and the Relations with Old Believers (since 2005);
Chairman of the Workgroup for the composition of the concept document expressing the stance of the Russian Orthodox Church in the domain of interreligious relations (since 2005);
Chairman of the Workgroup for preparation of the document, expressing the stance of the Russia Orthodox Church on the problems of globalization (since 2005);
Member of the Joint Commission for National Policy and the Relations of the State and Religious Organizations (since 2006);
Co-Chairman of the World Conference “Religions for Peace” (since 2006);
Head of the workgroup on the development of the Basics of Teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church on dignity, freedom and human rights;
Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne (December 6, 2008).
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill is a Candidate of Theology of the Leningrad Theological Academy (1970); Doctor of Theology honoris causa of the Theological Academy in Budapest (1987).
In 1974–1984– associate professor of Patristic Department of the Leningrad Theological Academy; 1986 – honorary member of the Theological Academy of St. Petersburg; 1992 – member of the Academy of Creative Endeavour; 1994 – honorary member of the International Academy of Eurasia; 1996 – professor emeritus of the Military Academy (now University) of Army Air Defense; 1997 – full member of the Academy of Russian Language Arts; 2002 – full member of the Academy of Social Science and Humanities (2003 - Public Russian Academy of Social Science); 2002 – honorary doctor of Political Science of the State University of Perugia (Italy); 2004 – honorary doctor of theology of the Christian Academy of Warsaw (Poland); 2004 – honorary professor of the Smolensk Humanitarian University; 2005 – professor emeritus of the Astrakhan University; 2005 – honorary doctor of the Russian State Social University; 2006 – professor emeritus of the Baltic Naval Institute of Admiral Ushakov; 2007 – president emeritus of the Academy of Russian Language Arts; 2007 – honorary doctor of the St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill is the author of the following books: “Development of the Church Hierarchy and the Teaching of the Orthodox Church of Its Charismatic Nature” (Leningrad, 1971); “The challenges of modern civilization: The response of Orthodox Church” (Moscow, 2002); “Pastoral Word: God and Man. History of Salvation” (Moscow 2004), “L’Evangile et la liberte. Les valeurs de la Tradition dans la societe laique” (Paris, 2006), “Freedom and Responsibility: in search of harmony” (Moscow, 2008), and more than 700 publication among the other, including publications in native and foreign periodicals. The series of the following TV-programs are issued: “Pastoral Word: Introduction to Orthodox Teaching”, “Word, Sacrament, Church: History of the Early Christian Church and the Doctrine of the Church”; “Jubilee Council of Bishops – Basics of the Social Concept – Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church – Acts of Canonization”, “Attitude to Heterodoxy”; “Pastoral Word: Church, State, Politics” (part 1), “Church, Personality, Society” (part 2), “On Faith and Salvation” (part 3). The series of Lenten sermons on audio carriers is issued.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was invited to read lectures in Rome (1972), University of Khelsinki, Academy “Abu” in Turku, Orthodox Seminary in Kuopio (Finland, 1975), Ecumenical Institute at Bosse (Switzerland, 1972, 1973), Munster University (Federal Republic of Germany, 1988), University of Udine (Italy, 1988), State University of Perugia (Italy, 2002), Christian Academy of Warsaw (Poland, 2004).
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill worked in the field of inter-orthodox relations. He was the first representative of the Russian Orthodox Church at SYNDESMOS— International fellowship of the Youth Orthodox Organizations. In 1971 - 1977 – Member of the Executive Committee of SYNDESMOS; participant of the VIII (Boston, 1971), IX (Geneva, 1977), Х (Finland, 1980) and XIV (Moscow, 1992) General Assemblies of this organization; participant of the First Pre-Counciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference at Chambesy (Chambesy, 1976) and International Commission on Preparation of the Holy and Great Council of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Chambesy, 1993, 1999); chief reporter at the orthodox consultation “Common understanding and view of the World Council of Churches (Chambesy, 1995); participant of the Pan-Orthodox Consultation on Ecumenical Issues (Thessalonica, 1998) and of the Synaxis of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches on healing of Bulgarian church schism (Sophia, 1998); participant of the Pan-Orthodox Celebration of 2000 years of Christianity in Bethlehem on 7.01.2000; participant of negotiations between the Moscow and Constantinople Patriarchates (Istanbul, 1977, Geneva, 1978, Istanbul 1990, Moscow, 1991, Istanbul, 1993) and regular consultations on the current problems between the two Churches; held negotiations with the Orthodox Church of Constantinople on Estonia and the Romanian Orthodox Church on the problem of the Bessarabian Metropolis in Moldova (twice in 1997 in Geneva, Chisinau, 1999).
In 2005 he took part in the enthronement of Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem as head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church.
He visited all the Local Orthodox Churches on the official delegations, accompanying His Holiness Patriarch Pimen and His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II on their trips abroad.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill took part in the work of inter-Christian organizations. As a delegate he took part in the IV (Uppsala, Sweden, 1968), V (Nairobi, Kenya 1975), VI (Vancouver, Canada, 1983) and VII (Canberra, Australia, 1991) General Assemblies of the World Council of Churches; in the International Missionary Conference “Salvation Today” (Bangkok 1973); he was the president of the International Conference “Faith, Science and Future” (Boston, 1979) and International Convocation “Faith, Justice and Wholeness of Creation” (Seoul, 1990); he participated in the Assemblies of the commission “Faith and Order” of the WWC in Accra (Ghana, 1974), in Lima (Peru, 1982), in Budapest (Hungary, 1989).
Fulfilling charges of the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill took part in communications with the Churches of the USA, Japan, the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Great Britain, Belgium, Holland, France, Norway, Island, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ethiopia, Australia, New Zealand, India, Tailand, Shri-Lanka, Laos, Yamaika, Canada, Congo, Zaire, Argentine, Chile, Cyprus, China, the South African Republic, Greece.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was member of the Local Jubilee Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church (June 1988, Zagorsk), chairman of its Drafting Committee and author of the project of the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church, adopted by the Jubilee Council. He was a participant of the Bishops’ Council, dedicated to the 400th anniversary of restoration of the Patriarchate (October, 1989), and of the Special Bishops’ Council of January 30–31, 1990, also of the Local Council on June 6–10, 1990, of the Bishops’ Councils of October 25–26, 1991; March, 31 – April 4, 1992; June 11, 1992; November 29 – December 2, 1994; February 18–23, 1997; August 13–16, 2000; October 3–6, 2004, June 24-29, 2008.
He represented the Russian Orthodox Church at the commissions on development of the law of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic “On freedom of conscience” of October 25, 1990 and the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On freedom of conscience and religious organizations” of September 26, 1997. He participated in elaboration of the church stance and peace-keeping actions during the events of August 1991 and October 1993.
He was one of the initiators of the establishment of the World Russian People's Council in 1993.
As Chairman of the Commission of the Holy Synod for Revival of Moral Religious Education and Charity, he initiated the establishment of Synodal Departments for Religious Education, Social Ministry and Charity, for Relations with the Armed Forces and Law-Enforcement Agencies. He was the author of the Concept of Restoration of Charity and Religious Education, adopted by the Holy Synod on January 30, 1991. He elaborated and submitted for approval of the Holy Synod the Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church for Relations with the Armed Forces in 1994.
From 1996 to 2000 he conducted elaboration and presented to the Jubilee Bishops’ Council of 2000 the ‘Basics of Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church”.
He took active part in normalizing of the church situation in Estonia. In this connection he visited the Patriarchates of Antioch and Jerusalem (trips to Lebanon, Jordan, Israel in 1996), also taking part in negotiations with the representatives of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Zurich (Switzerland) in March and twice – in April, 1996, Thessalonica, Tallinn and Athens (1996), in Odessa (1997), Geneva (1998), In Moscow, Geneva and Zurich (2000), in Vienna, Berlin and Zurich (2001), in Moscow and Istanbul (2003). In this connection he repeatedly visited Estonia, where he conducted negotiations with the government representatives, deputies of the parliament and business circles of that country.
He took active part in peace-keeping actions in Yugoslavia. Repeatedly he visited Belgrade, conducted negotiations with the government of that country, initiated the establishment of the non-formal international Christian peace-keeping group on Yugoslavia (Vienna, May 1999) and convocation of the International Inter-Christian Conference on the subject “Europe after the Kosovo crisis: further actions of the Churches” in Oslo, Norway in November, 1999.
From 1984 to 2008 in the Diocese of Smolensk and Kaliningrad 143 churches were built and 65 restored. Thus, today it counts 287 churches: 183 in Smolensk region and 104 in the region of Kaliningrad.
The diocesan clergy totals 214 people – 202 priests, 12 deacons, 80 choirmasters and 87 psalm singers.
In Smolensk region there are two functioning orthodox gymnasia (the first school of the kind in Russia was organized in Smolensk in 1992), in Kaliningrad region there is one orthodox gymnasium; four orthodox kindergartens are functioning (the first one appeared in the city of Velizh, Smolensk region, 1994).
In 1988 in Smolensk the first Theological School in the after-war Russia was established, in 1993 it was reorganized into the Theological Seminary. At present in Smolensk there is a seminary, where the future pastors get their education, and the Smolensk Inter-Diocesan Theological School, training the icon-painters, sisters of mercy, and teachers of the Bases of Orthodox Culture.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was granted the orders of the Orthodox Churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Czech lands and Slovakia, the Orthodox Churches of America and Finland.
He is also bestowed with the awards of the Russian Orthodox Church: of the Holy and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir (II degree); of the Holy Hierarch Alexius, Metropolitan of Moscow (II degree); of the Holy and Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow (I degree); of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh (I and II degrees); of the Holy Hierarch Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow (II degree).
Among the state awards are the Order of People's Friendship (1988); the Order of Friendship (1996); the Order of Merit for the Motherland (III degree, 2000); the Order of Merit for the Motherland (II degree, 2006), the Star of the Order of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky “For Labors and Motherland” (2009).
