Patriarch Sergius I of Moscow
| Sergius I | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus' | |
 |
|
| Church | Russian Orthodox Church |
| See | Moscow |
| Installed | 8 September 1943 |
| Term ended | 15 May 1944 |
| Predecessor | Tikhon |
| Successor | Alexy I |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Ivan Nikolayevich Stragorodsky |
| Born |
January 23, 1867 Arzamas, Nizhny Novgorod Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Died | May 15, 1944 (aged 77) Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Denomination | Russian Orthodox Christian |
Patriarch Sergius (Russian: Патриарх Сергий, born Ivan Nikolayevich Stragorodsky, Иван Николаевич Страгородский; January 23 [O.S. January 11] 1867 – May 15, 1944) was the 12th Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus', from September 8, 1943 until his death. He was also the de facto head of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1925-1943, firstly as deputy Patriarchal locum tenens (1925–1937) subsequently as Patriarchal locum tenens (1937–1943).
Ivan Stragorodsky was born in the town of Arzamas, Nizhny Novgorod Governorate in a deeply religious family of an archpriest. Named Sergius after becoming a monk, he studied in Nizhny Novgorod seminary and later in Saint Petersburg Theological Academy. In 1890 Sergius was sent with an Orthodox Christian mission to Japan and became fluent in Japanese (he already knew Greek, Latin and Hebrew). In 1899 he returned to Saint-Petersburg Theological Academy and was appointed its rector.
In 1901 Sergius was consecrated bishop of Jamburg, the vicar of St. Peterburg diocese. In 1905 Sergius was appointed archbishop of Finland and Vyborg. Grigori Rasputin contacted him as one of the first in the capital.
In 1911 he became a member of the Russian Holy Synod. On August 10, 1917 he was transferred to the see of Vladimir and Shuya and on November 28 of the same year, Patriarch Tikhon elevated him to the rank of Metropolitan Bishop. Bolsheviks arrested Metropolitan Sergius in January 1921; after months in jail he was exiled from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod. From June 16, 1922 to August 27, 1923, Sergius participated in the so-called Living Church (or Renovationist schism), but later publicly repented of his actions and was forgiven by Patriarch Tikhon. He was appointed the Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod on March 18, 1924.
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