Patriarchs of Moscow

Patriarchs of Moscow
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Name	Patriarchate of Moscow
Established	1589
First	Job of Moscow
Cathedral	Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow)
Residence	Patriarchal Residence (Moscow)
Denomination	Eastern Orthodox Church
Jurisdiction	Russian Orthodox Church

Patriarchs of Moscow are the primates of the Russian Orthodox Church, historically central figures in relations among Moscow, Kievan Rus', Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation. They combine liturgical leadership with administrative authority over dioceses such as Moscow Diocese, influence in institutions like the Moscow Patriarchate, and roles in events including the Council of Florence, the Time of Troubles, and the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution.

History

The office was created in 1589 amid interactions between the Tsardom of Russia and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople following contacts with Jerusalem Patriarchate and diplomatic missions involving Ivan IV and Feodor I. Early holders such as Job of Moscow and Hermogenes of Moscow navigated crises like the Time of Troubles and negotiated with rulers including Boris Godunov and Michael I of Russia. Under the Romanov dynasty the Patriarchate alternated prominence with the Holy Synod after Peter the Great abolished the office and subordinated the church to the Imperial Russian state via the Most Holy Synod. The office was restored in 1917 amidst the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the All-Russian Local Council (1917–1918), producing patriarchs such as Tikhon of Moscow who confronted the Soviet atheistic campaign and engaged with figures like Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries patriarchs including Alexy II of Moscow and Kirill of Moscow expanded international ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Antiochian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and institutions such as United Nations forums.

List of Patriarchs

A chronological list begins with Job of Moscow (1589) and continues through significant figures: Ignatius of Moscow, Joasaphus II of Moscow, Hermogenes of Moscow, Philaret (Drozdov), Tikhon of Moscow, Sergius I, Alexy I of Moscow, Pimen of Moscow, Alexy II of Moscow, and Kirill of Moscow. The roster reflects intersections with persons such as Philip, Benjamin, cultural figures like Fyodor Dostoyevsky, political leaders including Nicholas II of Russia and Mikhail Gorbachev, and theologians such as Nikolai Berdyaev and Sergei Bulgakov. Many patriarchs engaged with international clerics like Bartholomew I and Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem.

Role and Powers

The patriarch serves as head of the Russian Orthodox Church with responsibilities over the Holy Synod, episcopal appointments involving metropolitans and bishops, and stewardship of monastic institutions such as Sergiev Posad and Optina Monastery. The patriarch participates in ecumenical dialogues with leaders from the Roman Catholic Church, including Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, inter-Orthodox relations with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and bilateral contacts with the Armenian Apostolic Church and Coptic Orthodox Church. The office exercises discipline in canonical cases drawing on canons shaped by councils like the Council of Chalcedon and the Seventh Ecumenical Council, and interacts with legal frameworks of states such as the Russian Federation via instruments like concordats and laws debated in the State Duma.

Selection and Installation

Selection historically involved synodal procedures, influence from rulers such as Ivan IV and Peter the Great, and approval by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1589. Modern election takes place at the Local Council or by the Bishop's Council and requires ratification procedures within the Holy Synod. Installation ceremonies occur at principal sites like the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow) and the Dormition Cathedral, Moscow Kremlin, featuring liturgical rites led by senior hierarchs including Metropolitans of Kiev and All Rus' and participation from foreign delegations such as representatives of the Serbian Patriarchate and the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Relations with State and Other Churches

Patriarchs have long negotiated status with secular authorities: from accords under Michael I of Russia and the Romanovs to compromises with Catherine the Great, confrontations under Soviet Union policies of Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church, and contemporary agreements with the Russian Federation leadership including interactions with Vladimir Putin and ministries like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia). Internationally patriarchs engage in canonical disputes exemplified by tensions with the Ecumenical Patriarchate over the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, cooperation with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Polish Orthodox Church, and participation in pan-Orthodox assemblies such as the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (2016).

Residences and Cathedrals

Primary residences and cathedrals include the Patriarchal Residence (Moscow), the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow), the Dormition Cathedral, Moscow Kremlin, and administrative centers at Danilov Monastery. Patriarchal liturgies and enthronements have been held at historic churches like Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, St. Basil's Cathedral, and regional cathedrals such as Kazan Cathedral (Moscow), with archival collections preserved in institutions like the Russian State Archive and ecclesiastical libraries linked to Saint Petersburg Theological Academy and Moscow Theological Academy.

Category:Russian Orthodox Church Category:Patriarchs