Childhood and family
Vladimir Gundyaev was born in Leningrad on November 20, 1946 into a religious family, despite the anti-church sentiment that reigned in those years.His grandfather Vasily Stepanovich (b. 1879), a native of Lukoyanovsky district, was a machinist by training, and he himself began to study theological literature. In 1922, he ended up in Solovki following a denunciation by the Renovationists (a religious movement that stood in opposition to the Orthodox Church after the revolution and for some time was supported by the Bolsheviks), of whom he was an opponent. But even in the camp, Vasily did not abandon his faith, he held secret services, for which he once spent a month in a punishment cell. The Christian remained in exile until 1955.
The father of the future patriarch, Mikhail Vasilyevich Gundyaev (b. 1907), dreamed of becoming a clergyman from a young age. After leaving school, he worked for some time as an assistant in Lukoyanov’s church, and in 1926 he moved to Leningrad, where he entered the Higher Theological Courses. He regularly attended all lectures and wrote them down verbatim.
Two years later the courses were closed, Mikhail went into the army. After serving, he entered a technical school, then an industrial university. Initially, he planned to go to study to become a doctor, but because of the mark on theological courses in his personal file, he was turned away. In 1934, he was arrested in the “Kirov case” for serving in church and singing in the choir - just a few days before the wedding. Mikhail was accused of attempting to kill Joseph Stalin.
His wife, Raisa Vladimirovna Kuchina (born 1909), taught German at school. Also being a religious person, she enjoyed singing in the church choir, where she met her future husband.
Together with his wife, Mikhail spent three years in Kolyma, then returned to Leningrad and worked at a factory. In 1940, the first-born Nikolai was born. During the war years, Mikhail helped strengthen the city during the siege, and in 1943 he went to the front. After the victory, the family began to live in the city, which was recovering from the blockade, and soon their second son, Vladimir, was born. At this time, the state began to establish a dialogue with the church, and therefore Gundyaev, risking losing his high position in society, nevertheless asked for ordination. In 1947, Mikhail was elevated to the rank of deacon and assigned to the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God.
Two years later, relations between church and state that had been warming began to deteriorate again. For his service, Mikhail was imposed an unimaginable fine at that time - 120 thousand rubles (for comparison, for the Pobeda car, which cost about 15 thousand, even wealthy people saved for years). Part of the money was collected from Leningrad parishes, but until Mikhail’s death, the large family (besides Nikolai and Vladimir, the couple had a daughter, Elena, born in 1949), was constantly in debt and suffered terrible poverty. Saved by grateful parishioners who helped out with food.
The formation of Vladimir’s views was greatly influenced by his grandfather, who returned home in the mid-50s. He told his grandson that even during the most severe camp trials, which claimed the lives of most people, he never felt fear. “For me it was a living experience and a living image of a person who knew what God’s love is,” the patriarch later recalled.
Every school day was a test for Vladimir. An opponent of the communist regime, he became neither a pioneer nor a Komsomol member. When the school director convinced Gundyaev to wear a pioneer tie, he replied: “Okay. If you don't mind me wearing a red tie to church. Because I will." Constant teacher councils and beatings from the director did not prevent Vova from studying well. The soul of the future patriarch lay in physics and other exact disciplines.
Education
After graduating from eight years of school, Vladimir did not continue his school education. He decided to live an independent life, without burdening his needy parents, who still had his younger sister in their care. Having settled into the “evening”, in 1962 Vladimir began working as a cartographer in the Leningrad complex geological expedition. 
In 1965, Gundyaev entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary, and in 1967 continued his studies at the Theological Academy. According to information found in some sources, he completed the program in an accelerated mode at the request of Metropolitan Nikodim Rotov, whose cell attendant (i.e. secretary) Vladimir became later, in 1970.
Religious activities
In April 1969, Vladimir Gundyaev was tonsured a monk and named Kirill, ordained a hierodeacon, and then a hieromonk. A year later, he graduated from the academy with honors and a candidate of theological sciences degree. 
He combined his activities as Nikodim's secretary with teaching at his alma mater. In 1971, Kirill was elevated to the rank of archimandrite, and in October of the same year he became rector of an Orthodox church in Geneva, Switzerland.
From this moment on, Kirill begins to move up the career ladder, so to speak. In 20 years he went from archimandrite to metropolitan; was the chairman of the Holy Synod commission, which deals with current issues of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Interview with the future patriarch (1989)
Social activities
In the 90s, Patriarch Kirill became increasingly involved in public activities. In 1994, the television program “The Word of the Shepherd” was released with his participation, which covered spiritual and educational issues in a language understandable to the common viewer.“The Word of the Shepherd” with Metropolitan Kirill (1997)
At the same time, Kirill, as chairman of the Department of External Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, organized work on the creation of the concept of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of church-state relations. The result of his work was the “Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church” adopted in 2000 at the bishops’ council - a document outlining the official position of the Orthodox Church in interaction with the state.
Since 1995, the fruitful work of Patriarch Kirill began together with the Government of the Russian Federation. He was repeatedly a member of various advisory bodies, took part in resolving issues related to the Chechen Republic during military campaigns; was involved in organizing various cultural events: celebrating the 2000th anniversary of Christianity, holding the Year of the Russian Federation in a number of countries.
Patriarchate
Patriarch Alexy II died in 2008. Metropolitan Kirill was appointed to the post of Patriarchal Locum Tenens. In 2009, he was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', gaining about 75% of the votes in the voting of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. 
Patriarch Kirill did a lot to unite the Russian Orthodox Church abroad. Regular visits to neighboring countries and meetings with religious leaders and representatives of other faiths have significantly strengthened the position of the church, and also expanded the boundaries of cooperation between states.
Despite his dedication to the cause, the Patriarch has repeatedly spoken out against radical groups, saying that such preachers must be feared. According to him, false teachers are increasingly appearing among the people and plunging people into confusion, because beautifully designed slogans hide a powerful weapon for destroying the church.
Scandals
One of the first scandals that arose with the mention of the name of then Metropolitan Kirill was the case of the use of tax breaks on the import of alcohol and tobacco products in the early 90s. The Novaya Gazeta publication published an article that spoke about the metropolitan’s personal interest in transactions for the import of excisable goods. However, the vast majority of religious leaders said that this was nothing more than a provocation; a planned campaign that aims to tarnish the name of an honest man. 
Metropolitan Kirill was also accused of having connections with the KGB. In 2003, President Vladimir Putin received a letter that directly stated that Kirill was a KGB agent. The author of the letter was a priest of the Moscow Helsinki Group, but his actions, regarded by society as a provocation, did not bring any results.
In 2010, a new scandal erupted around the name of the patriarch. Kirill’s colleague Lydia Leonova discovered a thick layer of dust in his apartment. The arriving commission decided that the substance came from the apartment below - its owner, academician and clergyman of the UOC-MP Yuriy Shevchenko was doing renovations. The examination showed that the dust contains carcinogenic substances. The damage caused to the property amounted to more than 20 million rubles, which Lydia Leonova eventually sued from Shevchenko.
Patriarch Kirill: “Don’t strive to live better”
However, the press was interested not so much in the damage caused to the patriarch’s property as in the status of Lydia Leonova, who apparently lived in Vladimir Gundyaev’s apartment. Later, on Vladimir Solovyov’s radio program, the owner of the property explained that the apartment was given to him by Yuri Luzhkov’s deputy by order of Boris Yeltsin, while the patriarch himself “did not live in it for even a week,” but gave it to his second cousin, Lydia Leonova, for use.
In 2012, a photograph of the patriarch with an expensive Breguet watch on his wrist was posted on the Russian Orthodox Church website. Later, the clock disappeared from the photo, but remained in the reflection on the table. The press service of the Russian Orthodox Church called this incident “a ridiculous mistake by the photo editor.” Soon the original version of the photo – with a clock – returned to the site.
Personal life of Patriarch Kirill
When, after a scandal involving property damaged by dust, it became clear that in the ill-fated apartment of Patriarch Kirill on the street. Serafimovich was registered by a certain Lidia Mikhailovna Leonova, and as expected, there was a fuss in the press. From her biography, journalists only found out that she is the daughter of a cook at the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU. 
Despite the fact that the patriarch personally called her his second cousin, in the press she was called “Kirill Gundyaev’s partner,” and he himself was called “an exemplary family man,” and even cited as an example a photograph of them together in 1988. However, the statement about any love affair between them does not stand up to criticism, because Patriarch Kirill completely abandoned his personal life in the name of serving the Lord. Accordingly, he cannot have a wife (let alone a cohabitant) and children.
Patriarch Kirill now
In February 2016, for the first time in history, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church met with the Pope. Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis kissed, took photographs and, having escorted the journalists out of the conference room, began a conversation that lasted more than two hours. 
Family
Paternal line Patriarch Mordvin, (surname Gundyaev from the old Mordovian name Gundyay). Grandfather - Vasily Gundyaev– priest - went through 47 prisons and 7 exiles, spent almost 30 years in prison. He served time, including in Solovki. He went to prison because he fought against the renovationism of the church, which at one time was inspired by the Cheka.
Father is a priest Mikhail Vasilievich Gundyaev(January 18, 1907 – October 13, 1974). Graduated from Higher Theological Courses in Leningrad; served for two years in the Red Army, graduated from the Mechanical College in 1933, and entered the Leningrad Industrial Institute. But he did not finish it - he was accused of political disloyalty, arrested and sentenced to 3 years. Served time for Kolyma.
After the war, on March 9, 1947, he was ordained a deacon, and on March 16 of the same year - a priest by Metropolitan Grigory (Chukov) of Leningrad, and assigned to the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God on Vasilyevsky Island.
In 1951 he was transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral, where he served as assistant rector. In 1960 he was transferred to the rector of the Alexander Nevsky Church in Krasnoe Selo; then Seraphim Church, in 1972 - became rector of the St. Nicholas Church on Bolshaya Okhta.
Mother - Raisa Vladimirovna Gundyaeva(November 7, 1909 - November 2, 1984); dev. Kuchina, taught German at school.
Elder brother - archpriest Nikolay Gundyaev- worked as rector St. Petersburg Theological Academy, professor, rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
The younger sister Elena works as the director of an Orthodox gymnasium.
Biography
Born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad. While still a schoolboy, he worked in the Leningrad complex geological expedition of the North-Western Geological Directorate, from 1962 to 1965 - as a cartographic technician.
In 1965 he entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary, then the Leningrad Theological Academy.
On April 3, 1969, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod was tonsured a monk with the name Kirill. That same year, on April 7, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on June 1, a hieromonk.
In 1970 he graduated with honors Leningrad Theological Academy, received a candidate of theology degree (dissertation on the topic “The formation and development of the church hierarchy and the teaching of the Orthodox Church about its gracious character”). He remained at the Academy as a professorial fellow, teacher of dogmatic theology and assistant inspector.
From August 30, 1970, he served as personal secretary to the Metropolitan of Leningrad Nicodemus (Rotova).
On September 12, 1971, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. In the same year he became a representative of the Moscow Patriarchate under World Council of Churches in Geneva.
At the age of 28 (December 26, 1974) he was appointed rector of the Leningrad Theological Academy and Seminary. He organized a special regency class for girls and introduced physical education lessons into the program.
In December 1975 he became a member of the Central Committee and the Executive Committee World Council of Churches, and since 1975 - a member of the “Faith and Order” commission of the World Council of Churches, and since March 3, 1976, a member of the Synodal Commission on Christian Unity and Inter-Church Relations.
On September 9, 1977, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop, and on October 12, 1978, he was appointed administrator of the patriarchal parishes in Finland. In the same year he was appointed chairman of the Department of External Church Relations.
Since 1983 - taught in graduate school at Moscow Theological Academy.
Since December 26, 1984 - Archbishop of Smolensk and Vyazemsky. The transfer to the provincial department was associated with the refusal to vote in 1980 for the resolution of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, which condemned the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, as well as other anti-religious motives of the USSR authorities.
In April 1989 he became “Archbishop of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.”
On November 14, 1989 he became Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations Moscow Patriarchate, permanent member Holy Synod.
Since 1990 - appointed chairman of the Holy Synod commission for the revival of religious and moral education and charity, member of the Synodal Biblical Commission.
Since 1993 - co-chairman, since 1995 - deputy head of the World Russian People's Council. Since 1994, Honorary President of the World Conference "Religion and Peace". Since February 26, 1994 - member of the Synodal Theological Commission.
Since 1994, he became the host of the spiritual and educational program “The Word of the Shepherd” on Channel One.
In 1995-2000, he headed the Synodal working group to develop the concept of the Russian Orthodox Church on issues of church-state relations and problems of modern society.
On December 6, 2008, the day after the death of Patriarch Alexy II, at a meeting of the Holy Synod, Kirill was elected Patriarchal Locum Tenens by secret ballot.
On December 10, 2008, he became chairman of the commission created by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church for the preparation Bishop's And Local Councils(scheduled for the end of January 2009) of the Russian Orthodox Church.
On December 29, 2008, he told reporters that he was speaking " categorically against any reforms"in the Church.
On December 30, 2008, at a meeting with students of the Sretensky Theological Seminary, he said that, in his opinion, the huge problem of church life before the revolution was that it was not possible to create a strong Orthodox intelligentsia, which he dreamed of Anthony Khrapovitsky(first hierarch of the ROCOR banned by the Moscow Patriarchate).
On January 27, 2009, at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was elected the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', gaining 508 votes out of 677 (75%).
On February 1, 2009, Metropolitan Kirill was enthroned to the patriarchal rank in Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
On March 11, 2009, during a trip around the country, he said that the main criterion in assessing the activities of the Church should be the moral state of society, and not the occupancy of churches.
On April 16, 2009, on Maundy Thursday, he committed rite of washing feet- "for the first time in modern history."
April 29, 2009, during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko, said: " For the Russian Orthodox Church, Kyiv is our Constantinople with its Hagia Sophia; it is the spiritual center and southern capital of Russian Orthodoxy".
On July 4-6, 2009, he made his first official foreign visit as Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church - Istanbul (Patriarchate of Constantinople). Based on the results of his negotiations with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, they started talking about the thawing of traditionally tense relations between the two patriarchates. The Patriarch also met with the head of the Office of Religious Affairs under the Turkish government.
In 2011, he made 21 archpastoral visits to 19 dioceses of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova.
According to the results of a sociological survey conducted at the end of June 2012 by VTsIOM, 46% of respondents treated the Patriarch with respect, 27% aroused hope, trust - 19%, sympathy - 17% of respondents; causes distrust in 4% of respondents, disappointment in 2%, indifference in 13%, antipathy in 1% of survey participants, 1% condemn it or perceive it with skepticism.
In August 2012, information appeared that the Patriarch became a social network user for the first time in history Facebook with the account PatriarhKirill. However, back in May 2012, deacon Alexander Volkov- the deputy head of the press service of the Moscow Patriarchate noted that “this is not the personal page of Patriarch Kirill, but one of the official information resources of the Moscow Patriarchate,” and clarified that “ the resource will not be a source of direct communication with His Holiness the Patriarch".
In September 2012, at the invitation of the Primate Polish Orthodox Church Archbishop Sawa of Warsaw made an official visit to Catholic Poland, where he met with both representatives of the Orthodox churches and the Catholic clergy. This visit was not only ecclesiastical, but also political; this trip was an important step towards improving relations with the Holy See. These actions caused a positive response in Vatican.
From June 1 to June 7, 2013, the Patriarch made his first official visit to Greece, where he met with the Pontic Greeks. Visited from 8 to 9 September Transnistria.
On November 11, 2014, the XVIII century opened in the Moscow Cathedral World Russian People's Council under the sign "Unity of history, unity of the people, unity of Russia."
Patriarch Kirill, speaking to those gathered, said: " 2014 opened a new chapter in world history - a dramatic one. Those who consider themselves victors in the Cold War convince everyone that the path of development they define is correct and, moreover, the only possible one for humanity. By dominating the information space, they impose on the world their understanding of economics and government, and seek to suppress the determination to defend values and ideals that are different from their values and ideals associated with the idea of a consumer society. The Russian people are the most important subject of national relations in Russia and their national interests should not be ignored, but taken into account with maximum attention to achieve harmony with the interests of other national communities".
And in conclusion, the Patriarch addressed the elites: " It is necessary for us to realize at all levels that the interests of the Russian people should not be ignored, but taken into account as much as possible. So that the elites develop an understanding that genuine Russian self-awareness does not threaten the integrity of Russia and the international world, but, on the contrary, acts as a guarantor of the unity of the country", concluded the Patriarch.
Social activities
Since January 13, 1995 - member of the Public Council under the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation on issues of resolving the situation in Chechen Republic.
Since May 24, 1995 - member of the presidium of the Commission under the President of the Russian Federation for State Prizes of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art.
From August 2, 1995 to May 28, 2009 - member of the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations under the President of the Russian Federation.
Since February 19, 1996, member of the board of the Russian State Maritime Historical and Cultural Center (Maritime Center).
Since December 4, 1998 - member of the Russian Organizing Committee for preparations for the meeting of the third millennium and the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of Christianity.
Since October 10, 2005 - member of the organizing committee for the Year of the Russian Federation in the People's Republic of China and Years of the People's Republic of China in the Russian Federation.
Since September 1, 2007 - member of the organizing committee for the Year of the Russian Federation in the Republic of India and the Year of the Republic India in the Russian Federation.
Scandals, rumors
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, newspaper journalist "Moskovsky Komsomolets" Sergei Bychkov accused Metropolitan Kirill of using tax breaks for the import of alcohol (church wine) and tobacco products provided by the government in the early 1990s.
According to the newspaper, the Nika financial and trading group was engaged in the import of tobacco products, the vice-president of which was Archpriest Vladimir Veriga- Commercial Director of the Department of External Church Relations, headed by Kirill. Journalist Sergei Bychkov published a number of articles about this commercial activity.
At that time, Metropolitan Kirill, recognizing the fact of import transactions on behalf of the DECR, repeatedly denied accusations of personal interest; he called such publications “a very specific political order,” and “not newspapers, but one newspaper” wrote about it.
After the collapse of the USSR, the Commission of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Russia to investigate the causes and circumstances State Emergency Committee from the sources provided to her concluded that the authorities KGB In the USSR, church bodies were used for their own purposes by recruiting and sending KGB agents into them.
That is, some of the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church were agents KGB. Based on a comparison of the known foreign trips of agent “Mikhailov” and Vladika Kirill, the commission formed an opinion about the identity of Vladika Kirill and agent “Mikhailov”. In 2003, member Moscow Helsinki Group priest Yuri Edelstein sent a letter to the President of Russia V.V. Putin, where he also accused Metropolitan Kirill of having connections with the KGB.
In 2005, Kirill supported the position of the Moscow mayor on a ban on holding a parade of sexual minorities in the city. In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine in January 2008, he also confirmed his unconditional condemnation of homosexuality, but spoke out against the persecution of persons of homosexual orientation ( they have the right to live the way they think is right).
Patriarch's visit to Ukraine by invitation Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church(July 27 - August 5, 2009) was accompanied by local unrest in Kyiv, as well as protest actions by Ukrainian non-canonical church jurisdictions.
Speaking on July 29 at Kiev-Pechersk Lavra At a meeting with clergy, laity, teachers and students of the Kyiv Theological Academy, the Patriarch criticized " influence on Western Christian theology of the ideas of the Enlightenment and the philosophical ideas of liberalism".
On August 5, the final day of the visit, Kirill said that he was not against spending six months in Moscow, six months in Kyiv, and “would be ready to accept Ukrainian citizenship.” The next day the business manager UOC archbishop Mitrofan(Yurchuk) insisted that the latter statement was a humorous response.
In September of the same year, following the results of the Patriarch’s visit, the Argumenty Nedeli newspaper reported that “a certain circle of so-called security officials” did not like some of the Patriarch’s political actions, in particular, during his visit to Ukraine.
On September 25, 2009, while on a visit to Belarus, during a meeting with the President Alexander Lukashenko, The Patriarch said: " The Church is always ready to support the strengthening and development of the union of fraternal states and to assist in the dialogue between the Belarusian leadership and the Russian authorities".
Addressing the people from the porch of the All Saints Church under construction in Minsk, he said that he recognizes himself " as the Patriarch of the people who emerged from the Kyiv baptismal font"Apparently he meant that the Moscow Patriarchate does not intend to conform the limits of its local church jurisdiction with the new state borders that arose after the collapse of the USSR.
With this statement, Kirill questioned the “reality” of the sovereignty of many states: “ there are many countries in the world that consider themselves sovereign, but which are not able to act, including in the international arena, in full accordance with their national interests"This statement had a great negative resonance.
On February 25, 2010, on the day the fourth President of Ukraine took office, together with Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Vladimir (Sabodan), he addressed the new head of state - for the first time in the history of Ukraine.
The Patriarch's participation in the event in connection with the inauguration of the president of a foreign state (the first such act in the history of the Moscow Patriarchate) caused criticism from a number of Ukrainian politicians. Portal-Credo.Ru has disseminated officially unconfirmed information that the Moscow Patriarchate is considering the possibility of Patriarch Kirill replacing the Kyiv See along with the Moscow See after the departure of Metropolitan Vladimir.
At Christmas 2012, Patriarch Kirill called on the authorities to listen to popular protests and adjust the political course, emphasizing that in terms of the development of democracy in Russia, almost nothing has changed since the days of Soviet rule or has only changed for the worse, since the grassroots level of power, which is in close contact with the people , causes persistent rejection among the people. But at the same time, he called on people “not to succumb to provocations,” “to be able to express disagreement,” and “not to destroy the country.”
At the beginning of 2012, a loud scandal arose around a court case for compensation for damage to an apartment belonging to the Patriarch, in which the defendant was a resident of the neighborhood Yuri Shevchenko. According to the position of the plaintiff, registered and living in the patriarchal apartment Lidia Leonova and a court decision, based on an examination carried out by experts from the Institute of Social Sciences, dust from renovations in Shevchenko’s apartment contained components hazardous to health, including nanoparticles, and caused damage to the Patriarch’s apartment, furniture and book collection.
The amount of the claim was about 19.7 million rubles. Such a large amount of the claim and Leonova’s unclear status caused numerous critical articles in the media and discussion in the blogosphere. In a conversation with a journalist, the Patriarch explained that he has nothing to do with the lawsuit filed by his second cousin Leonova, registered in his apartment.
At the same time, Kirill claimed that the money that ex-Minister of Health Shevchenko paid Leonova according to the lawsuit would be used to clean the library and charity.
In 2011 on its pages "Novaya Gazeta" reported that the protection of the Patriarch is carried out by employees of the Federal Security Service ( FSO), despite the fact that the Patriarch is not a civil servant. In December 2011, a special amendment was made to the federal law “On Protection”. In accordance with it, taxpayers now pay not only for the security of officials, but also for “other persons.” The state included the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church among these “other persons,” providing him with security due to the allegedly large number of threats received against Kirill from “militant atheists.”
The fact that the Patriarch has state security was confirmed to Gazeta.Ru by the head of the Patriarch’s press service, Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, who emphasized that “this decision was made by President Yeltsin.” However, Patriarch Alexy was guarded much more modestly, according to scheme number three - “just our car plus accompanying employees.” Now the protection of the Patriarch is carried out according to the “presidential scheme”. This scheme includes “work along the route, at the place of stay, at departure. Plus escort. In total, more than 300 employees are involved in the protection of the Patriarch,” a source in the FSO press service clarified.
In 2012, Patriarch Kirill at a meeting with the Minister of Justice Alexander Konovalov once again “showed off” his Breguet watch for 20 thousand dollars. Servants of the press service of the Patriarchate erased the clock in Photoshop, but forgot about its reflection on the table. This fact did not escape the attention of bloggers, who quickly made it news No. 1. Further, at the instigation of Patriarch Kirill himself, the story with the clock received an even more unexpected continuation. First, the Patriarch called the photo with Breguet a photoshop, and then unexpectedly recognized the watch as a “gift.”
In the same year, the Patriarch made an appeal not to ignore the action committed by the punk group Pussy Riot in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Largely thanks to the irreconcilable position of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Patriarch personally, on August 17, 2012, 3 members of the group were sentenced under the article of hooliganism, condemning them to 2 years of imprisonment in a general regime colony.
In response to criticism in connection with this, as well as a number of scandalous cases, the Moscow Patriarchate, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation and some politicians announced an organized campaign to discredit the Patriarch and the Russian Orthodox Church. On June 16, 2012, Patriarch Kirill himself, on the air of the “Word of the Shepherd” program on Channel One, called people “who criticize the church” “demanding spiritual healing.”
2014 Another scandal broke out in connection with Patriarch Kirill’s congratulations on his victory in the presidential elections in Ukraine. Moreover, Kirill did this earlier than the President of the Russian Federation.
"Together with many people, I hope that the powers that are in your hands today will serve the good of the east, and the west, and the north, and the south of Ukraine", said Patriarch Kirill.
Many considered Poroshenko’s congratulations on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church as an insult to the residents of eastern Ukraine, against whom the war was waged, as well as an insult to the Russian people, against whom, thanks to the efforts of the new Ukrainian government, a propaganda war is being waged.
At the end of September 2015, the Public Network Movement, funded by Azimut costing about 680 thousand euros.
A legend about the niece of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church: she has fun, dances, sings, and the people of the Russian Federation will like it! March 26th, 2015
https://vimeo.com/123203307
Do you see how your niece wanders around and pretends to be the dominant female?
Isn’t it a Masonic theatrical party there, in the Orthodox empire of goodness?
A sad tale: about a merry woman, the niece of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church!
This young dancing girl showed up in my dream today!
A girl came to me in my dream today!
And he says: my uncle is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church!
Doesn't he pay you for 5 years of your work?
So that I can live without worries, forever!
Why should I sow good seed, and why should I plow?
When can I collect your payment from my uncle?
And have fun, sing, and dance, and feast?
The law is not written to us, and we don’t care about people!
Your salary is not enough for me, what then?
And my uncle also has a neighbor, and the dust is on!
We have already recovered $666,000 US dollars!
The former minister, his neighbor, the priest!
And the whole country of slaves lives for us!
For us – religion, and the country’s oil, and gas!
We don’t know the need, and we spit on the laws and on you!
We stand much higher than working people, and we are fagots in a cassock!
We will sing, play, and drink, and dance!
While the people are in need, in trouble, and in torment, they will die!
We will rip off the country and its people like sticky stuff!
We are a rose, and the people are manure for us, it’s time for you to know this!
Chorus:
My niece came to me in a dream!
And he says: for 5 years of work, my uncle gave me the payment!
Now I will have fun, dance, and sing - dance!
While you are in Jewish need, you will die in Rus'!
Lidia Mikhailovna Leonova
The Patriarch declared her his non-existent second cousin.
«… false sister Lydia Leonova has known Gundyaev for 35 years and is the daughter of a cook at the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU. Moreover, Leonova is actually registered in Smolensk and is a successful businesswoman, owning, in particular, tobacco enterprises. Rumor has it that Leonova runs her business together with her close friend Patriarch Kirill. http://www.ateism.ru/article.htm?no=2069
“Patriarch Kirill has only one sister and two brothers”
I invoke the curse of the Almighty God on the entire glorious organized crime group!
May He deliver unrepentant evildoers to be torn to pieces by Satan!
The legend of a forgiven resurrection, and dust on-on: “you can’t forgive, give me $666,000 US!”
The legend of the right, glorious, peasant litigation - struggle: the priest - minister, and the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church!
The 19,707,000 rubles awarded by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill at the Friday (April 20) exchange rate amount to 666 thousand US dollars
The legend about the terpil: the minister - the priest, and about the richest - the holiest leader of the Russian Orthodox Church!
Question: how long will the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church remain hypocrites and say “forgive me!” before Lent?
Question: will the head of the Russian Orthodox Church pay with the Assumption Fast for 5 years of my Jewish labor?
A legend about the beginning of Lent: for the poor, the beggar, the Jew, and for the rich - the priest.
A legend about an unforgiven Sunday: before Lent, for the Russian Orthodox Church!
Question to the beginning of the post: should the head of the Russian Orthodox Church sell my yacht and pay for my slave labor?
Question: why did the head of the Russian Orthodox Church wash the feet of the clergy, but still not pay me for 5 years of work?
Question: will the head of the Russian Orthodox Church pay for 5 years of my slave labor during Holy Week of Great Lent?
Question: is the pension good for the deputies and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who does not pay me for 5 years of work?
The legend of the KGB general and the Russian hero-hero: “FSB agents are the power, and you have the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church!”
A story written and written by the author about a terrible dream I had about the head of the Russian Orthodox Church!
Question: does the Evangelical rich man of the Russian Orthodox Church symbolize the head who collected wealth for himself?
A tale of sadness and perdofil: about how a generous official gave the country of the Russian Federation to his children!
A sad and poetic legend about holy love for the Motherland, which cannot be found better in the whole world!
Question: why do officials dislike their homeland so much, but send their children and wives to the West?
The legend about the privatization of holiness by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church: now there is no holier Russian people on Earth?
The legend about the imminent coming of the Antichrist, and about the approaching day of the Last Judgment: repent, there is still time!
Question: isn’t the Russian Orthodox Church the “rose” of the entire Russian Federation, and the people are just “fertilizer” for it?
A legend about the mafia source of power in a holy and secular country: relatives rule in the Russian Federation, but the people do not!
Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'
Education
Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev was born into the family of a priest and teacher. Father - Mikhail Vasilyevich Gundyaev, before taking holy orders, was the chief mechanic of the Leningrad plant named after M.I. Kalinin, went through the Magadan camps (was accused of political disloyalty). Mother - Raisa Vladimirovna Gundyaeva, taught German at school.After graduating from the 8th grade of high school, Vladimir entered the Leningrad complex geological expedition of the North-Western Geological Directorate, where he worked from 1962 to 1965 as a cartographic technician, combining work with studying at high school. Then he continued his studies at the Leningrad Theological Seminary, and then at the Leningrad Theological Academy.
Candidate of Theology. In 1970 he defended his dissertation on the topic “The formation and development of the church hierarchy and the teaching of the Orthodox Church about its gracious character.” Kirill was a professorial fellow at the academy, a teacher of dogmatic theology and an assistant inspector of the LDA.
Clergy career
Already in his student years, Gundyaev became involved in the public life of the Russian Orthodox Church: in March-April 1968, he was a participant in the 3rd All-Christian Peace Congress in Prague; in July of the same year - a participant in the IV Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Uppsala; in the annual meetings of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches he acted as an adviser, and at the meetings of the youth commission of the Christian Peace Congress - as its vice-chairman.On April 3, 1969, Metropolitan Nikodim Gundyaev of Leningrad was tonsured a monk and took the name Kirill - in honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles Kirill, the Slovenian teacher. On April 7 of the same year he was ordained a hierodeacon. On June 1 (on the feast of the Holy Trinity) he was ordained a hieromonk.
In August 1970, he was appointed personal secretary of Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad. Combining the activities of an academy teacher and a metropolitan secretary, Father Kirill continued to devote a lot of time to participating in the external activities of the Moscow Patriarchate. During his life, he attended all the major church events around the world.
In 1971, Father Kirill was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and appointed representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the WCC in Geneva. He was rector of the parish of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Geneva.
In December 1974, Kirill was appointed rector of the LDA and the seminary, and in 1975 he took the post of chairman of the diocesan council of the Leningrad Metropolis and was elected a member of the Central and Executive Committees of the WCC.
In 1976, in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Kirilli was consecrated Bishop of Vyborg, vicar of the Leningrad diocese. In the same year, he was approved as a permanent representative from the Russian Orthodox Church to the plenary commission of the WCC. In 1977 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
In 1976-1978 - Deputy Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, after which he was entrusted with the care of the Patriarchal parishes in Finland.
In 1979 he was appointed a member of the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity. Since December 1980 - member of the Commission for organizing the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.
In 1984 he was appointed Archbishop of Smolensk and Vyazemsky. In 1989, the title was changed to “Smolensky and Kaliningrad”. In the same year, by determination of the Holy Synod, he was appointed chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (he held this post until 2009) and a permanent member of the Holy Synod ex officio.
By decree of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' dated February 25, 1991, Archbishop Kirill was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.
In December 2008, after the death of Alexy II, Metropolitan Kirill was elected locum tenens of the patriarchal throne. He also headed the commission for preparing and conducting the funeral of the Patriarch, which, in addition to him, included about ten bishops and clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church. The date of election of the new patriarch was set for February 1 next year.
On January 25, 2009, at the Council of Bishops, Metropolitan Kirill, as well as Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Kliment and Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, became the official candidate for the post of head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
On January 27, 2009, Metropolitan Kirill was elected Patriarch. The enthronement ceremony of Patriarch Kirill took place on February 1. It was attended by both the highest church hierarchs and the laity, including the top officials of the state - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The newly elected patriarch delivered a solemn speech to those gathered as the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
During the crisis of 2008-2009. Patriarch Kirill has repeatedly addressed the Orthodox through the press and television and said that the cause of the economic crisis is, first of all, a spiritual crisis. To overcome these difficult times, the Patriarch proposed to reconsider the values of modern society: “The path to overcoming the economic crisis lies through overcoming the crisis of human souls - through abandoning the cult of wealth, unbridled consumption, the pursuit of profit at any cost, from the selfish use of property, from neglect of the needs of the poor " In particular, the patriarch noted the special role of money in a person’s life: “If a person has funds that exceed the necessary expenses for the life of such a person, this means that God entrusts him with special responsibility for others,” he noted. “Good deeds and blessings are not a whim of a rich man, but a requirement for him if he wants wealth not to turn into the destruction of his soul.”
On the initiative of Patriarch Kirill, free medical operations to terminate pregnancy were banned in Russia; For women who find themselves in conditions of “crisis motherhood,” special rehabilitation centers were created at maternity hospitals.
In the summer of 2009, the patriarch made his first pastoral visit to Ukraine, which simultaneously became Kirill’s first foreign trip as head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Compromising evidence
As some media report, in the 90s, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, being a modest head of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR MP), was actively involved in business, thanks to which he made a fortune of several billion dollars. His professional background includes organizing tobacco, oil, automobile and food businesses. According to various estimates, all this hectic activity brought the head of the Russian Orthodox Church capital of 1.5-4 billion dollars. Now the patriarch has at his disposal an apartment in the famous “House on the Embankment”, palaces in Peredelkino and Gelendzhik, as well as a personal fleet.Hobbies
Kirill breeds shepherd dogs and enjoys skiing, hiking and swimming. Among the hobbies of Patriarch Kirill, the media also named water skiing and high-speed driving.Lives in the official residence of the 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 is registered to Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev, “about which there is a corresponding entry in the cadastral register” (The New Times. No. 50 of December 15, 2008). Appeared in the media " information about the Metropolitan's purchase of a villa in Switzerland."
Official biography
Born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), in the family of a priest. Grandfather - Vasily Gundyaev - a railway mechanic by profession, 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 Vasilyevich Gundyaev, was repressed in the 30s, in the 40s he was a leading engineer at one of the military factories of besieged Leningrad, ordained a priest in 1947, and 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 Arts. Sister - Elena, Orthodox teacher.
At school, due to religious convictions, he 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 Krasnoye 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, graduating in 1964.
In 1965-67, with the blessing of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod, he 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 “The formation and development of the 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 - at the IV Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Uppsala. He 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.
Since August 30, 1970 - personal secretary of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR).
On September 12, 1971, he was 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, he represented the 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 dismissal of the representative of the MP at the WCC.
Since December 1975 - 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 the facts of violation 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 of Christian unity and inter-church relations. Hirotonisan March 14, 1976.
On April 27-28, 1976, as part of a delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate, he participated in negotiations and interviews with representatives of Pax Christi Internationalis.
From November 18, 1976 to October 12, 1978 - Deputy Patriarchal Exarch of 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 to him - with the proposal of the candidacy of Kirill).
On November 21-28, 1976, he participated in the First Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference in Geneva.
From January 22 to January 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 July 26, 1977, at the head of a delegation from theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church, he attended the IX General Assembly of Syndesmos in Chambesy.
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. October 6-20, 1978 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, he participated in the Consultation “Responsibility of the Churches of the USSR and the USA for Disarmament.”
From July 12 to July 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 November 24, 1979, as part of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, at the invitation of the French Bishops' Conference, he visited France.
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.
On May 29, 1980, he participated on behalf of 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).
On November 25-27, 1980, as part of a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he participated in the celebration of the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian state in Bulgaria.
From November 30 to December 12 of the same year he led a pilgrimage group of representatives and students of the LDA on a trip to the Holy Land.
On December 23, 1980, he was appointed a member of the Commission for organizing the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' d 1988.
October 30-November 3, 1981 at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) took part in the meetings of the Committee for the preparation of the VI Assembly of the WCC.
On November 5-7, 1981, he took part in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the National Council of Churches in the USA.
On November 23-27 in Amsterdam (Netherlands) from Christians of the USSR he was a member of the hearing group on nuclear disarmament.
On 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) he 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 in 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 a 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 February 20 to 29, 1984, he 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
Local Orthodox Churches, held on about. Crete.
As part of the Soviet public delegation, he participated in an international conference of scientists and religious figures from November 19 to 23, 1974 in Italy.
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 is still customary in the Russian Orthodox Church. Another reason for the removal of Bishop Kirill from the “northern capital” of Russia is his refusal to vote against the resolution of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, which condemned the entry. Soviet troops to Afghanistan. Meanwhile, he also did not vote “for”, he only “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 that train clergy and are designed to facilitate the solution of the personnel problem.
By the definition of the Holy Synod of April 10-11, 1989, Kirill’s archbishop’s title was changed: instead of “Smolensky and Vyazemsky” - “Smolensky and Kaliningrad”.
Since November 14, 1989 - Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) and 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.
At the beginning of 1993, with the sanction of Patriarch Alexy II, he joined the International Preparatory Committee for the convocation of the World Russian Council in Moscow (initiated by the “World Russian Congress” of Igor Kolchenko, the RAU-Corporation of Alexei Podberezkin, the “Roman-Gazeta” of Valery Ganichev, as well as 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, President Yeltsin, during an informal conversation with Kirill, promised him to return to the Church the lands confiscated from it after the revolution, and then (under pressure from Anatoly Chubais) took the promise back. 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, and 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 hierarchy led by Kirill did not interfere.
Between February and December 1995, Kirill moderated the opposition of the “supra-party forum” he headed, and at the Third World Russian Council in early December 1995, he did not allow any harsh political statements to be made. 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.
Since August 2, 1995 - member of the Council for Cooperation 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 issue”.
Since June 6, 1996 - Chairman of the working group of the Holy Synod to develop a draft concept reflecting a church-wide view on issues of church-state relations and problems of modern society as a whole.
In 1996, he joined the board of directors of Peresvet 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 manager of the affairs of the MP, Archbishop of Solnechnogorsk Sergius (Fomin). To investigate these reports, an internal church commission was created headed by Archbishop Sergius (Fomin).
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.
Hobby: alpine skiing.
Lives in the official residence of the 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, “about which there is a corresponding entry in the cadastral register”).
Recruitment, “family life” and business of the new Patriarch
Material from 2008 with elements of an unofficial biography
1. Privacy. This side of the unofficial biography of Metropolitan Kirill is the least studied - fragmentary information about it
appeared mainly in the foreign press and were almost never published in Russian. The Metropolitan himself, when talking about his hobbies, prefers to limit himself to the above list of hobbies, most of which are quite aristocratic in nature and require a high level of income. It is known, in particular, that to satisfy his passion for skiing, the DECR MP chairman stays in his own house in Switzerland. There are suggestions that he has real estate in other countries, but in most cases it is not registered directly in the name of the metropolitan. In Moscow, by his own admission, the hierarch lives in a spacious apartment in one of the “Stalinist” high-rises, but often stays at the DECR dacha in Serebryany Bor, a picturesque dacha village within the city.
A couple of times, vague hints about the “family” life of the DECR head were leaked to the press. First, one German magazine called him “an exemplary family man,” then one Russian publication tried to suggest what was behind such rumors circulating in the church environment, including within the Department headed by Metropolitan Kirill. According to Ogonyok's version, we may be talking about Metropolitan Kirill's long-standing acquaintance with Lydia Mikhailovna Leonova, the daughter of the cook of the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU. “For 30 years now they have had the warmest relationship,” the magazine article said. Currently, Lidia Mikhailovna lives in Smolensk and a number of commercial enterprises are registered at her home address.
At the same time, among the ill-wishers of Metropolitan Kirill in the Russian Orthodox Church MP and beyond, mainly representing radical conservative church movements, there is a widespread opinion that the head of the DECR MP is no coincidence patronizing church activists of “non-traditional orientation”, including former DECR employees, at the present time occupying various episcopal sees. But, despite the abundance of rumors about the “blue lobby” in the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, practically not a single accusation of this kind was supported by documents and recorded in a court verdict. Many experts also find indirect signs of the existence of this phenomenon quite convincing - for example, the story of the recall from Paris of Bishop Gury (Shalimov), who was accused of “sexual harassment” by his own subdeacons (one of them now heads the unrecognized Belarusian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the rank of metropolitan) and parishioners. Having listened to these accusations and punished the bishop, the DECR and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church MP gave grounds to speak about their justice and validity.
2. Commercial activities . Metropolitan Kirill's first attempts to do business through cooperatives subordinate to the Smolensk diocese took place back in the late 1980s, but they did not bring any significant income. The business of the DECR MP, which is not always possible to separate from the private business of Metropolitan Kirill, reached serious growth by 1994. Taking advantage of tax benefits provided for business structures established by religious organizations or devoting part of their profits to the activities of religious organizations, DECR MP became the founder of the commercial bank "Peresvet", the charitable foundation "Nika", JSC "International Economic Cooperation" (IEC), JSC "Free People's Television" (SNT) and a number of other structures. The Nika Foundation turned out to be a key link in the famous “tobacco scandal”, which the Metropolitan is still reminded of by his most irreconcilable opponents, who are trying to secure the nickname “Tabachny” for the chairman of the DECR MP. "Nika" carried out the bulk of wholesale sales of cigarettes imported into Russia by the DECR MP under the guise of humanitarian aid and therefore exempt from customs duties. The amount of tobacco products imported by Metropolitan Kirill’s structures amounted to billions of cigarettes, and the net profit amounted to hundreds of millions of US dollars. Having captured a significant part of the market, Metropolitan Kirill’s structures caused serious damage to the business of other tobacco importers, who were forced to pay customs duties and therefore could not compete on equal terms with church cigarette sellers. Most likely, it was the competitors who leaked information to the press about Metropolitan Kirill’s tobacco business, which became the subject of journalistic investigations in dozens of Russian and foreign publications, significantly damaging the reputation of the DECR MP chairman. However, despite the scandal, the turnover of the DECR MP tobacco business continued to grow: in just 8 months of 1996, the DECR MP imported approximately 8 billion duty-free cigarettes into Russia (these data were published by the Russian Government Commission on International Humanitarian and Technical Assistance), which amounted to 10% of the domestic tobacco market. The piquancy of this scandal was given by the fact that traditionally in the church environment, especially in Russia, smoking is condemned as a sin, and hundreds of thousands of people die in Russia every year from diseases caused by this bad habit. At the same time, every tenth smoked by Russians in 1994-96. the cigarette was brought into the country through the “humanitarian” corridor of the DECR MP. Directly “customs clearance” and the implementation of “humanitarian aid” were supervised by the deputy chairman of the DECR MP, Archbishop Kliment (Kapalin) (now the manager of the affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation) and Archpriest Vladimir Veriga, a kind of commercial director in the team of Metropolitan Kirill.
When the “tobacco scandal” broke out in full force, Metropolitan Kirill tried to shift responsibility to the Russian government. In one of his interviews, he stated: “The people who were involved in this (that is, Metropolitan Kirill himself, Archbishop Clement and Archpriest Vladimir Veriga) did not know what to do: burn these cigarettes or send them back? We turned to the government, and they made a decision: to recognize this as a humanitarian cargo and provide the opportunity to implement it." Sources in the Russian government categorically denied this information, which is why Patriarch Alexy II had some difficulties in relations with the authorities. As a result, a Commission on Humanitarian Assistance was created under the Holy Synod, headed by the vicar of the Patriarch, Bishop Alexy (Frolov), and which was granted the exclusive right to contact the government on the subject of humanitarian assistance.
Another, even more profitable business with which Metropolitan Kirill was associated was the export of oil. The Metropolitan’s business partner, Bishop Victor (Pyankov), now living as a private individual in the United States, was on the Board of Directors of JSC MES, which in the mid-90s exported several million tons of oil per year from Russia. The company's annual turnover was about $2 billion. MES petitions to the Russian government for exemption from duties on the next hundreds of thousands of tons of exported oil were often signed by the Patriarch himself, who thus took part in this business. The volume and extent of Metropolitan Kirill’s participation in the oil business is currently unknown, because such information in “Putin’s” Russia has ceased to be available to journalists. However, the voyages of Metropolitan Kirill’s business partners (for example, Bishop Feofan (Ashurkov)) to Iraq on the eve of the operation of the United States and its allies against the Hussein regime give some grounds for assumptions that this business has reached a broader international level than in the mid-90s .
In 2000, information appeared in the press about Metropolitan Kirill’s attempts to penetrate the market of marine biological resources (caviar, crabs, seafood) - the relevant government structures allocated quotas for catching Kamchatka crab and shrimp to the company established by the hierarch (JSC Region) (total volume - more than 4 thousand tons). The profit from this enterprise is estimated at 17 million dollars. Crab meat went mainly to the USA, since half of the company's shares belonged to American partners. Several years ago, in his interviews, Metropolitan Kirill spoke with an ironic grin about how his ill-wishers were so distraught that they even tried to accuse him of trying to destroy several valuable species of crab. It is difficult to disagree with the fact that, compared with financial income from other sources, profits from the crab trade look ridiculously low.
Journalists also found out that the Metropolitan, as the ruling bishop of the ROC MP diocese in the Kaliningrad region, participated in an automobile joint venture in Kaliningrad. In addition to the already mentioned Archbishop Clement and Archpriest Vladimir, the Metropolitan’s business team also includes other people: for example, a former KGB general who personally heads a number of affiliated commercial structures.
DECR MP is the founder of a number of media outlets, but these are predominantly small-circulation church publications. In the mid-90s, Metropolitan Kirill established Free People's Television, which laid claim to the 11th decimeter channel in Moscow, but never appeared on the air. With the participation of the head of the DECR MP, the “Orthodox Information Television Agency” was created, later transformed into the Russian Orthodox Church News Agency, which produces the “Word of the Shepherd” program on Channel One. The office of Metropolitan Kirill controls the bulk of the official information of the ROC MP through the DECR MP Communication Service, which regularly issues press releases and bulletins, accredits journalists for church events, arranges press conferences and interviews with Metropolitan Kirill, and maintains the most active of the official Internet sites of the ROC MP. The DECR MP chairman willingly participates in high-rated talk shows on popular TV channels and gives interviews to major Russian and foreign media.
3. The political activity of Metropolitan Kirill can be conditionally divided into two parts: church-political (relations with other Churches and personnel policy within the Russian Orthodox Church MP) and secular political (contacts with senior Russian officials, influence on the country's political leaders). In both directions, both successes and failures can be identified.
The main achievements of Metropolitan Kirill in the field of church politics can be considered the “reunification” with the ROCOR(L) on the terms formulated by the DECR MP, the rapid growth in the number of parishes of the ROC MP in foreign countries, including the exotic DPRK, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates , South Africa, Iceland, etc., preventing the transfer of most parishes of the Diocese of Sourozh (Great Britain) to the Patriarchate of Constantinople and curbing the growth of the Russian Exarchate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the relative stabilization of relations of the Russian Orthodox Church MP with the Vatican after the death of Pope John Paul II. A definite success for Metropolitan Kirill is the preservation of the membership of the ROC MP in the World Council of Churches, from which the ROCOR(L) and some conservative bishops in the ROC MP itself insisted on leaving three or four years ago. This membership is important both in terms of maintaining the general geopolitical positions of the ROC MP, and from a purely practical point of view - the main part of humanitarian programs to support the ROC MP from abroad is carried out through the WCC. Of course, the main direction of the foreign policy of the Russian Orthodox Church MP under Metropolitan Kirill is the struggle with the “pro-American” Patriarchate of Constantinople for leadership in the Orthodox world, where Moscow’s position began to weaken after the collapse of the socialist bloc (within the boundaries of which 8 local Orthodox Churches operated) and after a large-scale church schism in Ukraine. It can be admitted that the Russian Orthodox Church MP still has a tactical advantage in this competition, but the strategic positions look more preferable to Constantinople. The latter won a number of small but symbolically important victories during Metropolitan Kirill’s leadership of external relations of the Moscow Patriarchate: recognition of two “parallel” jurisdictions in Estonia (due to a dispute over jurisdiction over parishes in this country, Moscow and Constantinople even broke canonical communion in 1996) , the acceptance into the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the “fugitive” bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church MP Vasily (Osborne) together with a group of parishes in Great Britain, the beginning of recognition of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church through the acceptance of the hierarchy of this Church in the diaspora into the jurisdiction of Constantinople. Obviously, Ukraine will become the main field for the struggle between the two patriarchates in the coming years, since jurisdiction over this country provides one or the other patriarchate with numerical leadership in the Orthodox world.
Within the ROC MP, Metropolitan Kirill has significantly strengthened his position over the past four years. Firstly, the role played in church life by its Department, the most organized and professional division of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, continues to grow. The department oversees all contacts of the Russian Orthodox Church MP with the outside (for the Church) world: political, economic, cultural. Secondly, in the top leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, a “personnel revolution” occurred in 2003, against the backdrop of the Patriarch’s long-term serious illness, which significantly strengthened the position of Metropolitan Kirill. The influential metropolitans Sergius and Methodius, who were considered fairly equal competitors of Metropolitan Kirill in the struggle for the patriarchal throne, were removed from their posts. The manager of the affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church MP was the former first deputy of Metropolitan Kirill, Metropolitan Kliment (Kapalin), who, however, took a relatively independent position in his new position. Along with improving the image of Metropolitan Kirill within the Russian Orthodox Church MP due to the radicalization of his conservative rhetoric, these factors make him the most likely candidate for Patriarchate if the need arises to elect a new Primate of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The contacts of the head of the DECR MP with the highest authorities in Russia are of a twofold nature: on the one hand, they support the business of the “church oligarch”, and on the other hand, they ideologically support officials, supply them with concepts that serve the policy of “conservative synthesis” and imperial revenge in modern Russia . A striking example of the latter function of these contacts is the popularization among senior officials of the “Fundamentals of the Social Concept” of the Russian Orthodox Church MP, developed under the leadership of the Metropolitan. As the Russian Constitution turns into a decorative declaration, clearly unconstitutional statements by the DECR MP chairman, such as this, become increasingly popular: “We must completely forget this common term: “multi-religious country.” Russia is an Orthodox country with national and religious minorities.” Although, when excessive interfaith and interethnic tension arises in Russia, Metropolitan Kirill willingly softens such formulations. Supporting radical church-social movements (such as the “Union of Orthodox Citizens” or the “Eurasian Movement”), the head of the DECR MP often makes very radical calls: to restitute church property, introduce the study of Orthodoxy in secular schools, the institution of military clergy, church tax, etc. .p. Often, Metropolitan Kirill’s ideas are formulated or voiced by his deputy in charge of public relations, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin.
The Chairman of the DECR MP has considerable political ambitions - at his insistence, a provision on the possibility of civil disobedience of Orthodox Christians to the authorities was included in the “Fundamentals of the Social Concept”, Orthodox concepts of human rights and economic activity were developed, and the Metropolitan recently admitted that he was thinking about running for office President of the Russian Federation in 1996. However, in the fall of 2005, observers noted some cooling in relations between Metropolitan Kirill and the Kremlin, which was most clearly expressed in the refusal to include him in the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. However, in recent months these relations have normalized and even intensified.
Owns a villa in Switzerland
Material from 2009
[...] A man who was friends with Father Kirill for more than twenty years, Vadim Melnikov was once the consul of the USSR mission in Geneva:
...
-You didn’t ask him why he became a monk?
Kirill said that Metropolitan Nikodim, his teacher and mentor, pushed him to take this step. Since childhood, Kirill grew up as a believing boy. At school he refused to join the pioneers, and did not become a Komsomol member. Then fate brought him together with Nicodemus. He, in turn, advised him to enter the seminary. And then the mentor said: “If you want to achieve a high position, then you have to be a monk.”
Have you managed to meet Metropolitan Nikodim?
Yes, we met in Geneva. He came there as part of a delegation. Kirill warned him that I was a consul, but I was related to the special services. I was afraid of this meeting; I knew that Nicodemus hated organs. But, oddly enough, the first thing the Metropolitan said when they met was: “That’s it, Vadim Alekseevich, you are with us, with us!”
...
- Did Father Kirill always strive for power?
Yes, and I didn’t hide it. But it's natural! If you are an officer, why not be a general!
...
Melnikov's wife Tamara Konstantinovna.
He was actually kind, Kirill. When my husband crashed his car, he gave him a thousand francs to repair it. [mid 1970s. K.Ru]. Moreover, when we tried to repay the debt, Kirill flatly refused! [...]
Asceticism of Patriarch Kirill. He wears a watch worth 30 thousand euros. Photo
The watch strap is made of crocodile leather (2009 material)
We provide the photo as proof that the Breguet watch really belongs to Patriarch Kirill. The shots were taken at the moment when His Holiness leaned towards the icon.
Breguet watches
This detail makes us perceive Kirill’s words about the need to limit the needs of our flesh and remember about asceticism, which he said on the air of the Inter TV channel, in a completely different way. Let us remind them: “It is very important to learn Christian asceticism. Asceticism is not life in a cave. Asceticism is not a permanent fast. Asceticism is the ability to regulate your consumption, including ideas and the state of your heart. This is a person’s victory over lust, over passions, over instinct. And it is important that both rich and poor possess this quality. Here is the church's answer. We must learn to control our instincts, we must learn to control our passions. And then the civilization that we will build will not be a civilization of consumption.”
Against the backdrop of the wiretapping scandal, Patriarch Kirill officially blessed General Shamanov
“Your authority will help strengthen the military spirit and defense capability of our Fatherland” (from 2009)
The story of the “leaks” to the press of scandalous negotiations between the Airborne Forces Commander-in-Chief, General Shamanov, and his subordinates received an unexpected development. While the "democratic public"
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