In 1997 he received the ecclesiastical rank of archbishop, and in 2014 he became metropolitan. IN this moment holds the position of vicar in the Moscow Patriarchate.
Biography of a priest
Metropolitan Arseny Istrinsky was born in 1955 in the Moscow region. He was born in the small village of Vostryakovo, which is now one of the microdistricts in the Western administrative district of the capital.
The hero of our article graduated from a regular Soviet school. And he immediately went to work. He got a job at the post office located at the Kazansky railway station in Moscow. Having earned the first money in his life, Yuri Aleksandrovich Epifanov (that was his name then), went to serve in the army.
Path to the church
From the age of 15, the hero of our article already professed Orthodoxy. Future Metropolitan Arseny Istrinsky chose a purposeful church career immediately after serving in the Armed Forces of the USSR. In 1975, at the age of 20, he became an altar boy at the St. Nicholas Church in Biryulyovo. Ordinary men from the laity were recruited for this church position. No special training or education was required to become an altar server.
The temple in Biryulyovo, in which Arseny served as an altar worker, was named in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It was built shortly after the Civil War, in 1924. The Soviet government did not so openly interfere with the work of the church at that time. At first it was made of wood. And it burned to the ground in 1956. In the next year it was restored and consecrated. Almost secretly. This temple is unique because it was built in the years Soviet power, when the clergy were oppressed in every possible way.
Seminary studies
Having become an altar server, the future Metropolitan Arseny of Istrinsky became convinced of his desire to forever give himself to the church. To do this, in 1976 he entered the theological seminary in Moscow. And then he graduated from Eey in 1983.
After this, for six years he served as a referent and personal secretary for the future Patriarch Alexy II. True, in those days Alexy was only a metropolitan. First Estonian and Tallinn, later Leningrad and Novgorod. He received the patriarchal rank only in 1990.
By that time, Arseny had broken up with him. In 1988, he received the post of cleric of the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg. It's ancient Orthodox church, built during the time of Peter I.
Meanwhile, in those years he had already received the rank of archpriest.
Bishop of Ladoga
In 1989, the hero of our article received a new assignment. He became the Bishop of Ladoga and vicar of the Leningrad diocese. That is, an assistant to the diocesan bishop who does not have his own diocese.
In September, he took the name Arseny in honor of Arseny Konevsky, an Orthodox Novgorod monk who lived in the 14th-15th centuries. (It was Arseny Konevsky who brought to Russia from Athos the icon of the Mother of God, which later received the name Konevskaya. Together with this icon, he settled on the island of Konevts, located on Lake Ladoga. Over time, he founded a communal monastery, which he dedicated to the Nativity Holy Mother of God).
At this time it turned out that he had not forgotten his former secretary-assistant new patriarch Alexy II. At the very first meeting of the Holy Synod, after he took office, the hero of our article became Metropolitan Arseny of Istra. The priest's biography subsequently developed very successfully. He received the rank of vicar in the Moscow diocese.
In 1997 he was elected to the secretariat of the Council.
Archbishop's rank
At the same place where Arseny entered the secretariat, he was awarded the rank of archbishop. So went up the church career ladder Metropolitan Arseny of Istrinsky. Many parishioners knew where the archbishop served.
People came to his Istra Vicariate, located in the Moscow region (in the city of Istra), from different parts of the country for advice and absolution. By the way, Metropolitan Arseny still leads it. For 27 years now.
In 2009, Arseny became vicar His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and All Rus', who replaced the deceased Alexy II in this post. His area of responsibility included the capital's parishes.
Responsibilities of the Metropolitan
Arseny received the rank of metropolitan in 2014. His immediate responsibilities include overseeing the capital’s churches in the Southern and Central parishes of the capital. Since 2015, Metropolitan Arseny has been a member of the Supreme Church Council. In fact, this is an executive body of government that functions under the Russian Orthodox Church.
The vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' is engaged not only in monitoring the activities of parishes. He is also obliged to be responsible for the work and performance of their duties by the clergy and parish councils at the churches under his subordination.
He is one of the permanent members of the commission, which examines holy relics returned to the church or discovered again.
IN last years the commission confirmed the authenticity of the relics of many saints: in 1988, Alexander Nevsky, and in 1990 - Rev. Savvaty, Herman and Zosima Solovetsky (founders of the world famous in the 15th century), Seraphim of Sarov (he founded the Diveyevo convent), Patriarch Tikhon, who led the Russian Orthodox Church during the October Revolution and the Civil War.
In 1998, the authenticity of the relics of Matrona of Moscow (Matrona Dmitrievna Nikonova), a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church who was rumored to have advised Joseph Stalin himself, was certified.
) born March 12(old style) 1879 in the village of Petrovskoye, Vereisky district (now Narofomnsky district; Moscow region). His father. Vasily Fedorovich Krylov, was a psalm-reader at the church in the village of Petrovsky. In their family, besides Alexei, there was a brother Vissarion and three sisters: Elizaveta Vera and Zinaida. The brother subsequently worked in the Moscow Patriarchate. Alexey Vasilyevich received his initial education in Moscow, at the Don Theological School. After graduating in 1895, he was transferred to the Moscow Theological Seminary. Then he was a teacher at the Intercession Monastery Parish School in Moscow. At the same time, Alexey becomes a psalm-reader in one of the Moscow churches. S.S. Kulikova
Published by: Grave:
In 1908, A.V. Krylov entered the economics department of the Moscow Commercial Institute, after graduating from which he received the title of candidate economic sciences. Then he took the exam as an external student at the Faculty of Law of Moscow University and received a diploma for completing the course with the title of Candidate of Laws. In 1914, A. V. Krylov was enrolled as an assistant sworn attorney of the District Court Chamber.
From 1918 to 1944 he worked in various government institutions. First he becomes a senior auditor of the Moscow branch State control(later RKI - Workers' and Peasants' Inspectorate). In 1923, he moved to the People's Commissariat of the RSFSR as a consultant on stamp duty. Since 1930, he has been a legal adviser at the Central Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering, and then for several years he held the same position at Glavkinoprokat. During the war, he worked as a legal adviser at the Mosfilm copy factory, after which he worked at the local industry trust in the Leningrad region and at the plant in Vsekhsvyatsky.
Then it begins for Alexey Vasilyevich new life, dedicated to serving God and the Holy Church. He was always a deeply religious person and often visited churches, especially the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral. On January 16, 1944, he was ordained a deacon, and two days later - a priest. Father Alexy serves in Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral, and then he is transferred to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladykino.
In 1945, Father Alexy Krylov, who had been widowed by that time, took monasticism with the name Arseny, in honor of St. Arseny, Bishop of Tver (†1409). In August of the same goal he was chirotonisan to the bishopric with the appointment of administrator of the Kalinin and Velikoluksk dioceses. The consecration was performed by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I of Moscow and All Rus', Archbishop Nicholas of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan, and Bishop Vitaly of Tula and Belevsky.
In Kalinin (Tver), Bishop Arseny serves in the church often, even when not big holidays. On all-night vigil constantly reads akathists. In the Trinity Cathedral, called the White Trinity, it is established to perform litia at all-night vigils under Sundays. After each service, all the people in the temple bless. He travels around the diocese, serves in many churches, tries to find priests where there are not enough of them.
People are drawn to him. to his in a simple word, often apologetic, the bishop calls his flock onto the path of salvation. At that difficult time for the Church, he invites local young people and Muscovites, even boys, to serve at the altar, despite the fact that the authorities prohibit anyone from entering the altar before the age of 18. The Bishop pays a lot of attention to the choir, writes out notes, invites singers from Moscow. Attracting young people to the church, he welcomes everyone and does not hesitate to visit the parishioners and share with them a meager post-war meal. At that time, there were no service houses at the church or diocese. Vladyka lived on private apartment, where after evening services he was accompanied by believers. Vladyka always walked slowly, taking an interest in the needs and lives of his flock along the way, and comforting the mourning. When one of his children was leaving for assignment in the Urals, the bishop blessed her with his personal Gospel, which emphasized the most important events. And from a great distance one could feel his spiritual support and care.
During and after the war, churches began to open. Often in conversations and sermons, the bishop spoke about the opening of the temple in Ostashkovo. Before the war in this former cathedral convent was anti-religious museum where the holy relics were kept Reverend Neil Stolobensky. The museum with all its exhibits was moved to another place. And when the temple was opened, among the rubbish left over from the museum, the holy relics of St. Neil were found. Thus they were found. of course they left it in active temple. Vladyka always emphasized that the Lord arranged it this way.
The Bishop appoints Archimandrite Stefan (Svetozaroea), an emigrant who arrived from France, to serve in Ostashkov. The archimandrite made a shrine for the relics, like the shrine of St. Nikon of Radonezh. Currently, the holy relics are located in the newly discovered Nile Desert on an island in Lake Seliger.
More and more people go to churches, but anti-religious propaganda does not sleep either. Commissioner Hebronov is especially zealous in causing harm. coming up with various ways to interfere with the saving life of the diocese. One day he calls Vladyka Arseny, advising him, for example, to invite Archimandrite Stefan to his place more often in order to find out his attitude to Soviet reality. The Bishop flatly refuses this proposal. Local authorities are beginning a diligent fight against it. They spread various gossip, write “complaints”, impose exorbitant taxes on the priests and especially Bishop Arseny. He is accused of charging for each service in the cathedral, especially in parishes of the diocese. As a lawyer, he tries to prove the absurdity of the accusation, turning to the local authorities in Kalinin, and then to the central authorities in Moscow. His note that the laws in the USSR are good, as in ancient Rome, but the performers are not what they should be, it is regarded as insolence, and the Patriarchate is required to translate it.
In March 1950, Bishop Arseny was transferred to Bashkiria, where he became Bishop of Ufa and Bashkir. In Ufa, he also continues to frequently perform divine services and consecrates new churches throughout Bashkiria. There were four churches in Ufa at that time: a small wooden cathedral in honor of St. Sergius Radonezhsky. Exaltation of the Cross at the station, Joy of All Who Sorrow at the cemetery, and later, with the participation of Bishop Arseny in this matter, the Intercession Church was opened.
The diocesan administration and the bishop's chambers were located next to the cathedral in a small wooden house. Vladyka often walked to the temple on foot, even if he did not serve, stood until the end of the service, and then received visitors. After the death of Archbishop Alexy of Kuibyshev, Bishop Arseny was entrusted with the temporary administration of the Kuibyshev diocese, and he traveled from Ufa to Kuibyshev more than once to serve and resolve various matters.
In November 1953, the bishop was appointed to the ancient Russian city of Chernigov, where he stayed for only a year. From there, he wrote to one of his spiritual children that the Ukrainian language was incomprehensible to him, the attitude of the secretary of the diocese, as well as Metropolitan John of Kyiv himself, was unfriendly. In the summer of 1954, due to deteriorating health, the bishop was retired, and in November 1954 he was already appointed Bishop of Kostroma and Galich. WITH new energy he took up the service of God and people. Local authorities, and especially the authorized representative M. Galkin, from the first days of his archpastoral service began to interfere with the bishop.
The State Archives of the Kostroma Region contains the fund of the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, which was transferred for storage several years ago. Of considerable interest to researchers of the position of the Church in the Soviet state are information reports, reports from the Kostroma Commissioner to higher authorities classified as “secret”. Thus, in the report for 1955 (GAKO, fund 2102. inventory 5, item 20), regional commissioner M. Galkin reported to Moscow to the Chairman of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Council of Ministers of the USSR G. G. Karpov that, being At his reception on February 8, 1955, Bishop Arseny expressed the wish “that the clergy and believers have the right to organize processions of the cross around every church throughout the entire Easter week and on every patronal feast day of a given church, that such an order supposedly exists in the Kalinin region and in the Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, where he previously ruled the dioceses. Based on the fact that this order of the device religious processions can greatly interfere with the fulfillment of civic duties by parishioners, especially during the period of field work, I did not give Bishop Arseny’s consent to cancel the existing order on the organization of religious processions around the church...” Thus, the commissioner violated the existing legislation, because processions within the church fence were allowed. Regarding practical activities, the regional commissioner said in the same report: “On February 8, Bishop Arseny, while at my reception, firstly, informed me that he had obliged rectors to carry out baptisms outside the church, that is, at home...” What was not prohibited by law was prohibited by the commissioners. However, when Bishop Arseny headed the Kostroma See, thanks to his courage, as well as his legal education, it was possible to very successfully counteract the illegal acts of the authorities. The event that occurred on May 15, 1956 forced the commissioner to address a special message to the Chairman of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church G.G. Karpov:
“I hereby inform the Council that Bishop Arseny of Kostroma, during my illness, organized a mass prayer on May 15, 1956 under open air in Kostroma at the city cemetery. For more than 30 years in the city of Kostroma, no mass prayer was held in the open air at the city cemetery, i.e. the so-called “general funeral service”. But this year, Bishop Arseny, taking advantage of the fact that I was in the hospital, decided to organize a general memorial service in the open air... Bishop Arseny himself conducted the service at the city cemetery in the open air, accompanied by 6 priests from churches in Kostroma and 3 deacons. This open-air service of Bishop Arseny caused great excitement both in the city party organizations in the Soviet organizations and in the regional organizations. The regional party committee and the regional executive committee insistently demand that I ask you, Comrade Karpov, for the immediate removal of Bishop Arseny from the post of governor of the Kostroma diocese for the fact that he is inciting mass religious superstitions. Manager of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Council of Ministers of the USSR for the Kostroma Region M. Galkin.” (Fund 2102, inventory 5, storage unit 24).
The commissioner was not left alone by the content of the sermons delivered by the bishop in the church: “Having acted as the administrator of the Kostroma diocese, Bishop Arseny openly uses the church pulpit for systematic propaganda among believers of hostile anti-materialist views. So, on December 7 and 26, 1954, January 6 and February 20, 1955, he gave sermons to believers in cathedral Kostroma, urged them not to believe in materialistic doctrine, ridiculed Darwinism, all modern science slanderously called false teaching, Bishop Arsenia declared that the only true science is accounting Church of Christ. In these sermons, he advised those praying not to believe the current teachings of materialists, and convinced believers of the need to strengthen their faith in God. On February 20, 1955, in a sermon, in addition to the above, he added that a true Christian should not believe the reports of the Soviet press, because everything that is written about in Soviet newspapers is a lie” (From the report dated 17/V1II-55).
In the period of the late 40s - early 50s, part of the emigrated Russian clergy returned to the Soviet Union from France, Bulgaria, and China. Some of these clergy were sent to the Kostroma diocese. Vladyka Arseny appointed such clergy as deans and rectors of large parishes. Here is what the commissioner reported on this matter: “...Bishop Arseny, in order to weaken the patriotic position of the church and weaken the patriotic activities of the clergy, takes special care of the clergy who have returned from places of imprisonment, from emigration... Such priests, as a rule, do not pay attention issues of protecting the world, do not call on believers to support the policies of our government...”
The following report from the commissioner speaks about how the Bishop defended the interests of the Church: “... when believers turn to him, he promises them verbally and in writing to support their petitions for the opening of churches and teaches them how to formalize... As a result of this activity Bishop Arseny in the 1st half of 1956 in our region, 18 applications were submitted for the opening of 11 churches, all to the central party and Soviet organizations, while for the entire 1953 4 applications were submitted for the opening of 4 churches. Informing you about this, I ask: ...to talk on the phone with the chairman of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Comrade. Karpov on the immediate removal of Bishop Arseny from the administration of the Kostroma diocese. Representative of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Council of Ministers of the USSR for the Kostroma Region M. Galkin" (From the report addressed to the chairman of the regional executive committee M.T. Baranov and the secretary of the regional committee of the CPSU A.B. Sokolov dated 08.16.56, GAKO, F. 2102, inventory 5, storage unit 24).
Gross interference in the affairs of the Church was commonplace in those days. At the request or demand of the authorized representative of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, Bishop Arseny in 1956 received a two-month leave for treatment and rest, and then the journal determination of the Patriarch and the Holy Synod adopted a resolution “... to dismiss Bishop Arseny, and after recovery to have judgment on the appointment of the Most Reverend Bishop Arseny to a particular department.” But there was no judgment for eight years.
After his retirement, Vladyka Arseny asked permission from His Holiness Patriarch Alexy to serve in one of the Moscow churches. The Patriarch blessed to serve in the temple in honor of the icon Mother of God « Unexpected joy» in Maryina Roshcha. The Bishop often visited the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral among the hierarchs who served with His Holiness the Patriarch on major holidays. He participated in the consecration of Bishop Casiann of Kostroma and Galich.
The bishop lived in his apartment near the Belorussky railway station, and in the summer at his dacha in Skhodnya. In his apartment and in the church, when he served, he received and consoled everyone who came to him, although at that time he was 79 years old and his health was already upset. However, he was invariably cheerful and cheerful. He was often visited not only by Muscovites, but also by acquaintances from Tver, Ufa, Kostroma, and he was always with great love received visitors, comforting, admonishing, praying for everyone. The bishop presented various liturgical items and books to the clergy, making dedicatory inscriptions. Several such things and books have survived. Here is one of them - New Testament Our Lord Jesus Christ in four languages. The inscription on the book reads: “In prayerful and kind memory to my subdeacon Alexander Sergeevich Kulikov for his honest and very conscientious service and attitude towards me to the humble Bishop Arseny - during and after his service. May the All-Merciful Lord God bless his servant Alexander to serve God as a true shepherd, for which he is preparing. Humble Bishop Arseny, Moscow April 27, 1958" May 26, 1962 Bishop Arseny, coming home from church, suddenly died from myocardial infarction at the age of 84. Funeral service for Bishop in Elokhovskoe Epiphany Cathedral. With the blessing of Patriarch Alexy, Bishop Cyprian of Dmitrov, Bishop Leonid, rector of the Mozhaisk cathedral, and Bishop Donat took part in the funeral service. Bishop Arseny was buried on Vagankovsky cemetery Moscow.
Distinguished by his humility and kindness towards his flock, he always defended the interests of the Church from the lawlessness of the authorities, which is why he suffered many troubles in his life. One of his spiritual children, an employee of the Diocesan Administration, remembers him this way: “I could only say about the spirituality of Bishop Arseny, which was not always understood and visible by me, and by my relatives, and by those around me, because all such qualities of his soul he hid it carefully. I remember how Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) wrote in a telegram in his business correspondence with him: “humbled by your humility.” In Ufa, the old, old nuns said: Here we stand (during Bishop Arseny’s service in the church) and do not get tired... Undoubtedly, he was perspicacious, a prayer book for everyone.”
We believe that the Lord will rest his soul with the righteous!
Bishop Arseny (Krylov) died on May 26, 1962 in Moscow.
Buried on Vagankovsky cemetery in the city Moscow. Grave on thirty-ninth precinct. It is located in the center of the site, in a metal tent. His relatives were buried together with Bishop Arseny.
In 1976-1979 studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary, then at, from which he graduated in 1983.
In 1983-1989 was a referent and personal secretary, later the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
On August 28, 1984 he was ordained to the rank of deacon, on August 28, 1986 - to the rank of priest, since 1988 he served in the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
On September 30, 1989, he was tonsured a monk, and on October 5, in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, he was consecrated Bishop of Ladoga.
Participated in the work of commissions to examine the holy relics returned to the Church and newly discovered: St. blgv. book Alexander Nevsky (1988), Saints Zosima, Savvaty and German Solovetsky (1990), Venerable. Seraphim of Sarov (1991), St. Joasaph of Belgorod (1991), St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1991), Blessed. Matrons (1998).
In 1994-1997 was the chairman of the Scientific Editorial Council for the publication of “History of the Russian Church” by Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov).
Since 1998, from the date of its foundation, he has headed the Scientific Editorial Council for the publication.
By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of April 1, 2009, the first vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for Moscow.
In December 2010, parish churches in the Central and Southern administrative districts of Moscow.
By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated December 31, 2011, the manager of the Central Vicariate within the boundaries of the Central Administrative District of Moscow and the Southern Vicariate within the boundaries of the Southern Administrative District of Moscow.
February 1, 2014 for Divine Liturgy in Moscow by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the rank of Metropolitan.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 24, 2015 () it was included in the Russian Orthodox Church.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 9, 2019 () he was appointed by His Eminence Lipetsk and Zadonsky, head, with dismissal from his position.
Born in 1955 in the village of Vostryakovo, Moscow region.
After graduating from high school, he worked as an operator at the post office at the Kazansky railway station in Moscow, in 1973–975. served in the Armed Forces of the USSR.
At the end of the service, he was an altar boy at St. Nicholas Church in Biryulyovo (1975–76), of which he had been a parishioner since 1970.
In 1976–79 he studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary, and then at the Academy, from which he graduated in 1983.
In 1983–89 he was the assistant and personal secretary of Metropolitan of Tallinn and Estonia (since 1986 - Leningrad and Novgorod) Alexy (Ridiger).
In 1984 he was ordained a deacon, in 1986 - a presbyter and elevated to the rank of archpriest. Appointed cleric of the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
By a resolution of the Holy Synod of September 13, 1989, he was appointed (by episcopal consecration) Bishop of Ladoga, vicar of the Leningrad diocese.
On September 30 of the same year, he took monastic vows with the name Arseny - in honor of the Monk Arseny Konevsky and was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
On October 5 of the same year, in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, he was consecrated bishop; The consecration was led by Metropolitan Alexy (Ridiger) in the concelebration of Archbishop Nikolai (Kutepov) of Gorky and Arzamas, Archbishop Nikon (Fomichev), Bishop of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan Eusebius (Savvin), Bishop of Tambov and Michurinsky Evgeniy (Zhdan), Bishop of Ulyanovsk and Melekess Proclus ( Khazov), Bishop of Tashkent and Central Asia Leo (Tserpitsky).
On July 20, 1990, at the first meeting of the Holy Synod chaired by the newly elected Patriarch Alexy II, he was appointed Bishop of Istra, vicar of the Moscow diocese.
In pursuance of the decision of the Holy Synod of December 27, 2011, by order of the Patriarch of December 31, 2011, he was entrusted with the care of parish churches in the territory of the Central (Central, Sretenskoye, Epiphany, Pokrovskoye, Moskvoretskoye deaneries) and Southern (Danilovskoye deanery) administrative districts of Moscow ; was included in the Diocesan Council ex officio.
During the Liturgy on February 1, 2014 in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior at the Small Entrance, for his diligent service for the benefit of the Moscow City Diocese, the Primate elevated Archbishop Arseny of Istra, the first vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch for Moscow, to the rank of metropolitan.
Official duties and activities
Archbishop Arseny oversees the parishes, clergy and parish councils of Moscow.
Participated in the work of commissions to examine the holy relics returned to the Church and newly discovered: the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky (1988), the Monks Zosima, Savvaty and Herman Solovetsky (1990), St. Seraphim Sarovsky (1991), Saint Joasaph of Belgorod (1991), Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1992), Blessed Matrona Nikonova (1998).
In 1994–97 was the chairman of the Scientific Editorial Council for the publication of “History of the Russian Church” by Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov).
Since 1998, from the date of its foundation, he has headed the Scientific Editorial Council for the publication “ Orthodox Encyclopedia».
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| Bishop of Ladoga, vicar of the Leningrad diocese |
Vostryakovo village, Moscow region
Metropolitan Arseny(in the world Yuri Aleksandrovich Epifanov; March 3, Vostryakovo village, Domodedovo district, Moscow region) - bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, since July 20, 1990, Bishop of Istra (in 1997 elevated to the rank of archbishop, 02/01/2014 elevated to the rank of metropolitan), first (since April 1, 2009 ) vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
Biography
Born in 1955 in the village of Vostryakovo, Moscow region.
After graduating from high school, he worked as an operator at the post office at the Kazansky railway station in Moscow, in 1973-1975. served in the Armed Forces of the USSR.
Bishopric
By a resolution of the Holy Synod of September 13, 1989, he was appointed (by episcopal consecration) Bishop of Ladoga, vicar of the Leningrad diocese.
On September 30 of the same year, he took monastic vows with the name Arseny - in honor of the Monk Arseny Konevsky and was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
On October 5, 1989, in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, he was consecrated bishop; Hirotony was headed by Metropolitan Alexy (Ridiger) as an abroad of the Archbishop of Gorky and Arzamas, Nikolai (Kutepov), Archbishop Nikon (Fomichev), Bishop of Alma-Ata Evsevius (Savvin), Bishop of Tambov and Michurinsky Evgeny (Zhdana), bishop of Ulyanovsky and Melieki. Khazov), Bishop of Tashkent and Central Asia Lev (Tserpitsky).
On July 20, 1990, at the first meeting of the Holy Synod chaired by the newly elected Patriarch Alexy II, he was appointed Bishop of Istrinsky, vicar of the Moscow diocese.
On February 18, 1997, on the first day of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on February 18-23, 1997, he was elected to the secretariat of the Council.
On February 25, 1997, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
On April 1, 2009, by order of Patriarch Kirill, he was confirmed as the first vicar of the Moscow diocese for the city of Moscow.
In pursuance of the decision of the Holy Synod of December 27, 2011, by order of the Patriarch of December 31, 2011, he was entrusted with the care of parish churches in the territory of the Central (Central, Sretenskoye, Bogoyavlenskoye, Pokrovskoye, Moskvoretskoye deaneries) and Southern (Danilovskoye deanery) administrative districts of Moscow; was included in the Diocesan Council ex officio.
On December 24, 2015, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was included in the Supreme Church Council.
Official duties and activities
Metropolitan Arseny oversees the parishes, clergy and parish councils of Moscow. Participated in the work of commissions to examine the holy relics returned to the Church and newly discovered: the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky (1988); Venerables Zosima, Savvaty and Herman Solovetsky (1990); St. Seraphim of Sarov (1991); St. Joasaph of Belgorod (1991); St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1992); Blessed Matrona Nikonova (1998).
In 1994-1997, he was the chairman of the Scientific Editorial Council for the publication of “History of the Russian Church” by Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov).
Since 1998, from the date of its foundation, he has headed the Scientific Editorial Council for the publication of the Orthodox Encyclopedia.
Awards
Church:
State:
- Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree
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Excerpt characterizing Arseny (Epifanov)
“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” the old man continued, “who will plow the land if you give them the freedom?” It is easy to write laws, but difficult to govern. It’s the same as now, I ask you, Count, who will be the head of the wards when everyone has to take exams?“Those who will pass the exams, I think,” answered Kochubey, crossing his legs and looking around.
“Here is Pryanichnikov, who works for me, a nice man, a golden man, and he is 60 years old, will he really go to the exams?...
“Yes, this is difficult, since education is very little widespread, but...” Count Kochubey did not finish, he stood up and, taking Prince Andrei by the hand, walked towards the entering tall, bald, blond man, about forty, with a large open forehead and an extraordinary, the strange whiteness of his oblong face. The man who entered was wearing a blue tailcoat, a cross on his neck and a star on the left side of his chest. It was Speransky. Prince Andrei immediately recognized him and something trembled in his soul, as happens at important moments in life. Whether it was respect, envy, expectation - he did not know. Speransky's entire figure had a special type by which he could now be recognized. In no one from the society in which Prince Andrei lived did he see this calmness and self-confidence of awkward and stupid movements, in no one did he see such a firm and at the same time soft look of half-closed and somewhat moist eyes, did he not see such firmness of an insignificant smile , such a thin, even, quiet voice, and, most importantly, such a delicate whiteness of the face and especially the hands, somewhat wide, but unusually plump, tender and white. Prince Andrei had only seen such whiteness and tenderness of the face in soldiers who had spent a long time in the hospital. This was Speransky, Secretary of State, rapporteur of the sovereign and his companion in Erfurt, where he saw and spoke with Napoleon more than once.
Speransky did not move his eyes from one face to another, as is involuntarily done when entering a large society, and was in no hurry to speak. He spoke quietly, with the confidence that they would listen to him, and looked only at the face with whom he spoke.
Prince Andrei especially closely followed every word and movement of Speransky. As happens with people, especially those who strictly judge their neighbors, Prince Andrei, meeting a new person, especially one like Speransky, whom he knew by reputation, always expected to find in him the complete perfection of human virtues.
Speransky told Kochubey that he regretted that he could not come earlier because he was detained in the palace. He did not say that the sovereign detained him. And Prince Andrei noticed this affectation of modesty. When Kochubey named him Prince Andrei, Speransky slowly turned his eyes to Bolkonsky with the same smile and silently began to look at him.
“I’m very glad to meet you, I’ve heard about you, like everyone else,” he said.
Kochubey said a few words about the reception given to Bolkonsky by Arakcheev. Speransky smiled more.
“The director of the commission of military regulations is my good friend, Mr. Magnitsky,” he said, finishing every syllable and every word, “and if you wish, I can put you in touch with him.” (He paused at the point.) I hope that you will find in him sympathy and a desire to promote everything reasonable.
A circle immediately formed around Speransky, and the old man who was talking about his official, Pryanichnikov, also addressed Speransky with a question.
Prince Andrei, without engaging in conversation, observed all the movements of Speransky, this man, recently an insignificant seminarian and now in his own hands - these white, plump hands, who had the fate of Russia, as Bolkonsky thought. Prince Andrei was struck by the extraordinary, contemptuous calm with which Speransky answered the old man. He seemed to be addressing him with his condescending word from an immeasurable height. When the old man began to speak too loudly, Speransky smiled and said that he could not judge the benefits or disadvantages of what the sovereign wanted.
After talking for some time in a general circle, Speransky stood up and, going up to Prince Andrei, called him with him to the other end of the room. It was clear that he considered it necessary to deal with Bolkonsky.
“I didn’t have time to talk to you, prince, in the midst of that animated conversation in which this venerable old man was involved,” he said, smiling meekly and contemptuously, and with this smile, as if admitting that he, together with Prince Andrei, understands the insignificance of those people with whom he just spoke. This appeal flattered Prince Andrei. - I have known you for a long time: firstly, in your case about your peasants, this is our first example, which would so much like more followers; and secondly, because you are one of those chamberlains who did not consider themselves offended by the new decree on court ranks, which is causing such talk and gossip.
“Yes,” said Prince Andrei, “my father did not want me to use this right; I started my service from the lower ranks.
– Your father, a man of the old century, obviously stands above our contemporaries, who so condemn this measure, which restores only natural justice.
“I think, however, that there is a basis in these condemnations...” said Prince Andrei, trying to fight the influence of Speransky, which he was beginning to feel. It was unpleasant for him to agree with him on everything: he wanted to contradict. Prince Andrei, who usually spoke easily and well, now felt difficulty in expressing himself when speaking with Speransky. He was too busy observing the personality of the famous person.
“There may be a basis for personal ambition,” Speransky quietly added his word.
“Partly for the state,” said Prince Andrei.
“What do you mean?...” said Speransky, quietly lowering his eyes.
“I am an admirer of Montesquieu,” said Prince Andrei. - And his idea that le principe des monarchies est l "honneur, me parait incontestable. Certains droits et privileges de la noblesse me paraissent etre des moyens de soutenir ce sentiment. [the basis of monarchies is honor, it seems to me undoubted. Some rights and the privileges of the nobility seem to me to be a means of maintaining this feeling.]
The smile disappeared from Speransky’s white face and his face gained a lot from this. He probably found Prince Andrei’s idea interesting.
“Si vous envisagez la question sous ce point de vue, [If that’s how you look at the subject,” he began, pronouncing French with obvious difficulty and speaking even more slowly than in Russian, but completely calmly. He said that honor, l "honneur, cannot be supported by advantages harmful to the course of service, that honor, l "honneur, is either: the negative concept of not doing reprehensible acts, or a well-known source of competition for obtaining approval and awards expressing it.
His arguments were concise, simple and clear.
The institution that supports this honor, the source of competition, is an institution similar to the Legion d'honneur [Order of the Legion of Honor] of the great Emperor Napoleon, which does not harm, but promotes the success of the service, and not class or court advantage.
“I don’t argue, but it cannot be denied that the court advantage achieved the same goal,” said Prince Andrei: “every courtier considers himself obliged to bear his position with dignity.”
“But you didn’t want to use it, prince,” said Speransky, smiling, indicating that he wanted to end the argument, which was awkward for his interlocutor, with courtesy. “If you do me the honor of welcoming me on Wednesday,” he added, “then I, after talking with Magnitsky, will tell you what may interest you, and in addition I will have the pleasure of talking with you in more detail.” “He closed his eyes, bowed, and a la francaise, [in the French manner], without saying goodbye, trying to be unnoticed, he left the hall.
During the first time of his stay in St. Petersburg, Prince Andrei felt his entire mindset, developed in his solitary life, completely obscured by those petty worries that gripped him in St. Petersburg.
In the evening, returning home, he wrote down in a memory book 4 or 5 necessary visits or rendez vous [meetings] at the appointed hours. The mechanism of life, the order of the day in order to be everywhere on time, took a large share of the energy of life itself. He did nothing, didn’t even think about anything and didn’t have time to think, but only spoke and successfully said what he had previously thought about in the village.
He sometimes noticed with displeasure what happened to him on the same day, on different societies, repeat the same thing. But he was so busy all day that he didn’t have time to think about the fact that he didn’t think anything.
Speransky, both on his first meeting with him at Kochubey’s, and then in the middle of the house, where Speransky, face to face, having received Bolkonsky, spoke with him for a long time and trustingly, made a strong impression on Prince Andrei.
Prince Andrey is like this great amount He considered people to be despicable and insignificant creatures, so he wanted to find in another the living ideal of the perfection for which he was striving, that he easily believed that in Speransky he found this ideal of a completely reasonable and virtuous person. If Speransky had been from the same society from which Prince Andrei was, the same upbringing and moral habits, then Bolkonsky would soon have found his weak, human, non-heroic sides, but now this logical mindset, strange to him, inspired him with respect all the more that he did not quite understand it. In addition, Speransky, either because he appreciated the abilities of Prince Andrei, or because he found it necessary to acquire him for himself, Speransky flirted with Prince Andrei with his impartial, calm mind and flattered Prince Andrei with that subtle flattery, combined with arrogance, which consists in silent recognition his interlocutor with himself, together with the only person capable of understanding all the stupidity of everyone else, and the rationality and depth of his thoughts.
Nature
