Lord of all Rus'. Patriarch Kirill: biography, education, family, social and foreign policy activities

Patriarch Kirill is a famous Russian religious figure. For certain reasons, this man devoted his entire life to serving God and the church. This patriarch was able to become one of the most famous religious figures in Russian Federation, some people admire his personality, and some people blame him.

It is worth noting that many rumors and a variety of gossip were previously associated with the patriarch. Some actually happened, some are far-fetched. But what were the origins? How did Kirill become a minister of the church? How well does he fulfill his obligations and does he even love what he does?

Patriarch Kirill is not an American, or even a domestic star, so he has no particular need to chase the elusive youth or carefully monitor his figure. By the way, photos of Patriarch Kirill in his youth and now for comparison are very easy to find on the Internet. For him, as a church employee, it is much more advantageous to look more respectable. So it becomes clear that he doesn’t really care about his height, weight, or age. How old is Patriarch Kirill? It’s a simple question. Currently he is already 71 years old. With a height of 178 centimeters, the man weighs 92 kilograms.

Despite all of the above, the man tries to monitor his own weight, goes swimming from time to time, and often walks. As you can see, he remembers the truth that you also need to take care of yourself. After all, “God protects those who are careful.”

Biography of Patriarch Kirill

Patriarch Kirill (birth name - Vladimir Gundyaev) was born in the late autumn of 1946. An interesting incident is worth noting. When his mother first came to church with him as a child, the boy accidentally walked through the Royal Gate. The woman immediately took him to the pastor so that he would absolve him of his sin, but the clergyman only waved him off with the words: “He will be a bishop.” It was probably the fate of little Vladimir to take the long and thorny path of serving the church. Of course, he was still far from holding a big position, but at the same time, everything that happened in his fate throughout his life, all these events ultimately led to one single conclusion - the formation important person in the church. And Vladimir did not come immediately to receive the title of patriarch, as well as to adopt a new name.

His mother, Raisa Gundyaeva, worked as a school teacher and taught German. And the father - Mikhail Gundyaev - it is worth noting, was also a clergyman. It is difficult to deny that this fact also had a certain influence on Vladimir’s choice of future life path. Although, here we can say that the entire family of the future patriarch was connected with religion. His grandfather, for example, was often sent into exile, as accused in connection with Christian Church. Brother - Nikolai - was a priest in the St. Petersburg Cathedral. And my sister, Elena, held the post of headmistress at the theological gymnasium.

Before starting his own religious activity, the future patriarch completed only eight classes at school. He tried out for geology, but a few years later he entered the seminary, and then the theological academy.

The guy received the name Kirill after becoming a monk. From that very moment the biography of Patriarch Kirill as a minister of the church begins.

Repeatedly he took part in what related to the development of the Moscow patriarchate. Since the nineties, Kirill began to devote much more more attention relations with society, as well as much more energy for the development of this activity. So, in the early nineties, a program with his participation appeared on television - “The Word of the Shepherd.” It dealt with various religious topics, and it was very popular not only among ordinary people, but also among high ranks.

A year later, Patriarch Kirill began to actively cooperate with the government of the Russian Federation. Often he even became a full-fledged participant in a variety of advisory organizations. Organized various cultural events. For example, the celebration of two thousand years of Christianity. Moreover, in accordance with the information obtained as a result of the survey local population in 2012, most of the common people approve of the work of the patriarch.

Among other things, Patriarch Kirill maintains a Facebook profile. There he corresponds with visitors to his page and answers questions. Very often he gives answers to those questions that are of particular interest to other people. There are more than five hundred posts on his profile on this social network. He is also the author of books on religion and the clergy.

Personal life of Patriarch Kirill

It is worth noting, first of all, that personal life Patriarch Kirill simply does not exist, at least according to official sources. He is obliged to serve the church, and all clergy, as you know, take a vow of celibacy. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing strange in the fact that this person, despite his already quite advanced age, does not have his own family.

Speaking modern language, he “married his job.” After all, he has already spoken more than once about how important it is to spread the light of religion in the world. How true these words are, hardly anyone can seriously say. But one cannot ignore the fact that this man is a church employee and a priori he should not have love affairs.

Family of Patriarch Kirill

Taking into account all of the above, we can assume that the family of Patriarch Kirill are the same clergy as he himself. He does not have an official wife, nor do he have children. The most important thing, in his opinion, is to spend his life devoting it to the development of the community of religious houses at the international level.

And he does it very well, because even in his youth he successfully overcame the path of a clergyman in order to ultimately achieve what he is now. It is difficult to say whether he suffers from the fact that he did not leave behind heirs. But, if you look at it from the other side, he doesn’t have much time for it. And it cannot be said that he is lonely, because believers constantly come to him for advice or with requests.

Patriarch Kirill on a yacht with girls

The patriarch, although not a singer or actor, is nevertheless a well-known public figure throughout the country. It is not surprising that scandals gather around this man with enviable regularity. Very often he was accused of a variety of sins. And it’s a bit difficult to discern what is truth and what is fiction. Once there was even a rumor that it was often free time Patriarch Kirill spends it on a yacht with girls, and spends all church proceeds on personal benefits.

The patriarch himself, of course, denies such rumors or even simply ignores them, claiming that these are only slander and slander on the part of ill-wishers and those who go against the church. Of course, everyone is a sinner, but it is not easy to say how reliable the accusations against Kirill are. After all, he serves God faithfully and truly, but, be that as it may, he is a man.

Jap and Patriarch Kirill are one person

It is impossible not to add that the personality of the patriarch is often associated not only with gossip, but also with a variety of rumors. At times it even reaches the point of absurdity. Take, for example, the recent rumor that Yaponchik and Patriarch Kirill are the same person. This rumor mentions the famous thief Mishka Yaponchik, who died in the early 2000s.

Some people notice striking similarities between these celebrities. For example, they say that the patriarch has a problematic past and thus he hid so as not to go to jail. This rumor was neither confirmed nor refuted, but most parishioners believe that these are the tricks of the patriarch’s ill-wishers who want to tarnish his dignity.

Children of Patriarch Kirill

As noted earlier, this person has no children of his own. The children of Patriarch Kirill are believers. Parishioners and those who need support or advice. This is what the patriarch himself says. Many times he said that he could help anyone who came to him. To do this, he also began to master social networks so that he could provide answers to the most interesting questions.

There is a possibility, of course, that he would like to have children of his own. But having a rank does not allow you to indulge in such worldly pleasures as a quiet life, a spouse and a child. But Vladimir chose the path of a clergyman.

Wife of Patriarch Kirill

The wife of Patriarch Kirill is a topic for a man that is better not to raise. After all, when he set out on the path of a church minister, having made this choice, he completely deprived himself of love. And although you can often hear that Kirill committed a sin, that he was often seen surrounded by young girls, nothing has been officially proven.

Most people believe that these are just fictions, and that in reality the patriarch serves his church faithfully and has no plans to deviate from his path. According to official information, this clergyman has neither children nor a beloved wife. He considers the church his home, and calls the parishioners his children.

How much does Patriarch Kirill's watch cost?

Some time ago, one could notice a watch on this cleric. And even an ordinary person, with one glance at them, can understand that the cost of the watch is far from small. Therefore, almost immediately after this, rumors spread that Kirill was greatly abusing his existing powers and was wasting church proceeds for personal purposes.

Many were interested in the question: how much does Patriarch Kirill’s watch cost? The patriarch himself actively denied everything and even tried to hide the expensive thing from prying eyes, but it still became known that this Breguet watch of Patriarch Kirill is a fairly well-known brand, and it costs about 30 thousand euros. Apparently, the holy father is not against occasionally pampering himself with too expensive trinkets.

Patriarch Kirill “The Word of the Shepherd”

It was already mentioned earlier that Patriarch Kirill has collaborated with society more than once to bring conversations about God among the people. A similar project of his was the popular television program “The Word of the Shepherd” with his participation. Patriarch Kirill hosted “The Word of the Shepherd,” examining a variety of religious topics and answering pressing questions. And although it seems that nowadays few people watch religious channels, or even just programs, a little earlier this program gained enormous popularity not only among lay people, but also among officials. The TV show was launched in order to help any person who wants to reconsider their views on life or needs help.

The Patriarch never refused to help those who tried to improve their lives. Of course, there were some evil tongues that said that Kirill needed all this just to attract more attention to himself. It is difficult to say how reliable this is, but, be that as it may, one must respect his dignity. As for rumors, they have always surrounded public people.

March 8th, 2015

Actually, there are many links on the Internet on this topic, whoever has written about it, from Deacon Kuraev to Stas Sadalsky:
http://blagin-anton.livejournal.com/46223.html
http://wap.nazionalizm.forum24.ru/?1-8-0-00000049-000-0-0-1251218670
http://irizz.livejournal.com/117597.html
http://i-hate-the-snow.livejournal.com/46649.html
http://www.luchmir.com/Declarations/2Slovo09.htm
http://forum.dpni.org/archive/index.php/t-36574.html?s=
http://3rm.info/index.php?newsid=1294

This is almost a recognition for future generations, isn't it?

I was interested in the words of A. Nevzorov in his interview on Echo this week:

O. Bychkova - In history modern Russia all murders are mysterious. Because 20 years have passed since Listyev was killed and nothing is still clear.

A. Nevzorov – Yes, everything is clear there. There, simply no one will stir up that pile anymore, because in fact, both the customers and the performers have all been dead a long time ago. And there is, for example, the death of Ridiger, Alexy II, where not even a criminal case was initiated. Where was it released with such soft brakes, besides, I’ll tell you as an anatomist that in order to crush the posterior ear vein by hitting the toilet or some hard surface, in small room, you need to hit this hard surface 15 times, and each time do it with increasing force. Because it is very well protected, and it has, as anatomists know, such unpleasant slipperiness. And there wasn’t even a criminal case. And no investigative experiments or anything at all.

Here's more about it:

About how the High Priest of Putin’s Reich, Patriarch Kirill, amassed his billion-dollar capital on speculation in tobacco and alcohol and oil (exempt from taxes and excise taxes) in the dashing 90s, how he, the head of the gangster empire of the Russian Orthodox Church, eliminated and liquidated his competitors, many have already written. Yes, yes, in those same dashing 90s, about which he once put it this way:

"The fact that a huge role in correcting this the crookedness of our history(the dashing 90s) were played by you personally, Vladimir Vladimirovich. I would like to thank you. You once said that you work like a slave on the galleys, with the only difference being that the slave did not have such a return, but you have a very high return.”

All patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, including the current one, are KGB officers:

During the criminal tobacco war of the 90s, the winner of which was the future Patriarch, and then the head of the shadow business of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vladimir Gundyaev, many people were killed, including Zhirinovsky’s assistant Gennady Dzen, a bandit from Smolensk, the head of Roscontractpostavka, and another his assistant, Alexander Frantskevich. Zhirik himself also took part in this war. In those years, Gundyaev was assigned the thieves' pogonyalovo "Tabachny", but now he is more often called by another nickname - Lyzhneg, because he loves to go skiing in the soulless geyrop country of evergreen porters of Switzerland, where he has his own villa, to which he flies on his own plane .

Materials from the KGB archives, studied in 1992 by a parliamentary commission headed by dissident priest Fr. Gleb Yakunin, revealed that most of the church hierarchy had ties to the secret police.

62-year-old Kirill Gundyaev bore the code name "Mikhailov", and Filaret was identified as agent "Ostrovsky". It is suspected that Kliment worked for the KGB under the pseudonym "Topaz".

Metropolitan Filaret, appointed Metropolitan of Minsk in 1978, was the head of the Department for External Church Relations in the eighties. In 1989, this powerful structure was headed by Metropolitan Kirill.

At the beginning of 1992, a commission of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of Russia officially drew the attention of the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church to the “deep infiltration of intelligence agencies” into the Church, which “represents a serious danger to society and the state.” That same year, meeting with Moscow State University students, Kirill asserted: “The fact of a meeting between the clergy and KGB representatives is morally indifferent.”

In addition to the villa in Switzerland, the Tobacco Ski-Patriarch has palaces in Peredelkino, in the Danilov Monastery, in Gelendzhik, next to Putin’s palace, and a penthouse with a terrace in the House on the Embankment - overlooking the Cathedral of Christ the Savior:

And the ex right hand His Eminence - Bishop Victor (in the world - Pyankov) now, having stolen, lives in the sinful States as a private person. Surely he indulges in fasting and prayers and, as Zhvanetsky said, “he’s terribly sorry.”

Read more in Novaya Gazeta, and also or see for yourself:

Since then, Gundyaev’s palace near Gelendzhik, for the sake of which a protected forest of red and other unique trees was cut down, has long been built. This is how the main priest of Russian morality lives:

Kirill’s residence, which occupied the entire territory from the sea to the highway, not only “gnawed off” half a kilometer of public coastline and road, but also blocked people’s last opportunity safe exit to the forest and cemetery. Now they need to make a detour not a kilometer long, but three kilometers (!), one of which is along the highway.

This road was called “The Road of Death” because people die on it.
And all so that someone could stick out their belly and no one could see it.

When the Rev. Comrade came from Gebnya. Gundyaev, who replaced Alexy II, who was killed by him, the area of ​​the residence increased 10 times (!), and 12.7 hectares of the State Forest Fund, covered with relict Pitsunda pine, were transferred for development, cutting down and complete fencing of the church, which were to be built up, cut down or fenced off THE LAW PROHIBITS IN PRINCIPLE.

About how community long years tried to fight against all these lawlessness, read, there are a lot of details, links, photographs and documents there.

The Patriarch still loves not only to teach people about life (well, for example: “ It is very important to learn Christian asceticism... Asceticism is the ability to regulate one’s consumption... This is a person’s victory over lust, over passions, over instinct. And it is important that both rich and poor possess this quality"), but also to brag about corruption and brand corrupt officials:

Asceticism is a good thing, especially when your fortune is 4 times greater than that of Rottenberg Sr. and 8 times that of Rottenberg Jr., and this does not even take into account the cost of the almost billion-dollar palace in Gelendzhik.

Such an ascetic Caudla...

P.S. As he writes famous philosopher Boris Paramonov, what Patriarch Gundyaev has in common with the spiritless geyropa is not only that he skis there, like Pastor Shlak. As it turns out, the patriarch himself is:
“We could talk about similar scandals in the Russian Orthodox Church. But here Deacon Kuraev has already said a lot. Except to remember that Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad was a homosexual, which everyone knew about, even my church-going mother-in-law. The current patriarch was with him, as they say in church language, “a night cell attendant” or, as it is written in Wikipedia, “performed the obedience of a personal secretary.”

Patriarch Kirill. His real name in the world is Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev. Born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad. Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, since February 1, 2009, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Named by name Kirill and tonsured a monk by Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad and Novgorod (real name - Boris Georgievich Rotov) on April 3, 1969. Took the name in honor of the Saint Kirill(real name in the world - Constantine, nickname Philosopher) - Byzantine missionary. Together with his brother Methodius, he was the creator Slavic alphabet. Brothers Kirill and Methodius are canonized and revered as saints in both the East and the West. In Slavic Orthodoxy, “Slovenian teachers” are revered as saints, equal to the apostles. The accepted order is “Methodius and Kirill».

After publications in the Christian Messenger magazine for October 1992 about the connections of church hierarchs with the Fifth Directorate of the KGB, the operational pseudonym(agent nickname) belonging to the then still young hierarch - “Mikhailov”. Nickname, apparently formed on behalf of the father of the patriarch - Mikhail. Myself Kirill when meeting with MSU students, he justified himself: “The fact of the meeting of the clergy with representatives of the KGB is morally indifferent.”

After the Tobacco scandal* in the late 90s. V.M. Gundyaev, who at that time held the post of Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, had pseudonym-nickname “Tobacco Metropolitan”. In various publications of that time, the Metropolitan, now Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, were also called: “Kundyaev”, “Moscow Pope” and “Russian Caesar Borgia”.

Short biography:

Born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad in the family of the chief mechanic of the Leningrad plant named after M.I. Kalinin, later an Orthodox priest.

After finishing 8th grade high school 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 in high school.

In 1965 he entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary, then the Leningrad Theological Academy, accelerated (in two years) graduated with honors in 1970.

Fast-paced career of the future Patriarch Kirill began already at the academy: on April 3, 1969, he was tonsured a monk, 3 days later he was ordained a hierodeacon, and already on June 1 of the same year - a hieromonk. After graduation, he remained at the academy as a professorial fellow, teacher of dogmatic theology and assistant inspector.

From August 30, 1970, he served as the personal secretary of Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad. On September 12, 1971 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

Since 1971 - representative of the Moscow Patriarchate at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.

On December 26, 1974, at the age of 28, he became the rector of the Leningrad Theological Academy and Seminary, where he created a special regency class for girls and introduced physical education classes.

Since December 1975 - member of the Central Committee and Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches, since 1975 member of the “Faith and Order” commission of the World Council of Churches, since March 3, 1976 member of the Synodal Commission on Christian unity and inter-church relations.

On March 14, 1976, he was consecrated (ordained) Bishop of Vyborg, vicar of the Leningrad diocese. From November 1976 to October 1978 he served as Deputy Patriarchal Exarch Western Europe Metropolitan Nikodim. On September 9, 1977 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

On October 12, 1978, he was relieved of his post as Deputy Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe and appointed administrator of the patriarchal parishes in Finland.

In 1978, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.

Since 1983, teacher in graduate school at the Moscow Theological Academy. From December 26, 1984 - Archbishop of Smolensk and Vyazemsky; relieved of his post as rector of the Leningrad Theological Academy and Seminary. In April 1989, the title was changed to “Smolensky and Kaliningrad”.

On November 14, 1989, he was appointed Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, a permanent member of the Holy Synod ex officio.

Since 1990 - Chairman of the Holy Synod Commission for the Revival of Religious and Moral Education and Charity, member of the Synodal Biblical Commission. On February 25, 1991 he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

Since 1993 - co-chairman, since 1995 - deputy head of the World Russian People's Council. Since 1994, Honorary President of the World Conference on Religion and Peace. Since February 26, 1994 - member of the Synodal Theological Commission.

Since 1994, he has been hosting the spiritual and educational program “The Word of the Shepherd” on Channel One.

In 1995-2000, chairman of 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 chaired by Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir, a metropolitan was elected by secret ballot Kirill Patriarchal Locum Tenens.

The wealth of Patriarch Kirill: how the head of the Russian Orthodox Church earned capital. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' did not waste time in vain in the nineties: his professional portfolio includes the organization of 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”, a Breguet watch worth about 30 thousand euros, palaces in Peredelkino and Gelendzhik, as well as a personal fleet. Novaya Gazeta published on its pages incriminating evidence against the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, in to the world - Gundyaev Vladimir Mikhailovich. According to the newspaper, 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 engaged in business, thanks to which he made a fortune of several billion. Yes, not rubles, but dollars.

The patriarch's business career began in 1993. Then, with the participation of the Moscow Patriarchate, the financial and trading group “Nika” arose, the vice-president of which was Archpriest Vladimir Veriga, commercial director of the DECR MP. A year later, under the government of the Russian Federation and at the same time in the OSCC, two commissions on humanitarian aid appeared: the first decided what assistance could be exempt from taxes and excise taxes, and the second imported this assistance through the church and sold it to commercial structures. Thus, most tax-exempt aid was distributed through regular trading network, at regular market prices.

Through this channel, in 1996 alone, the DECR imported about 8 billion cigarettes into the country (data from the government commission on humanitarian aid). This caused serious damage to the “tobacco kings” of that time, who were forced to pay duties and excise taxes and therefore lost in the competition of the DECR MP.

According to the doctor historical sciences Sergei Bychkov, who published several articles about the patriarch’s tobacco business, when Kirill decided to leave this business, more than $50 million worth of “church” cigarettes remained in customs warehouses. During the criminal war, in particular, an assistant to deputy Zhirinovsky, a certain Zen, was killed for these cigarettes.

And here is a letter from the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation to the Moscow Customs Administration dated February 8, 1997, regarding “church” cigarettes: “In connection with the appeal of the Commission on International Humanitarian and technical assistance under the Government of the Russian Federation and by the decision of the Chairman of the Government dated January 29, 1997 No. VC-P22/38, I authorize the proceedings customs clearance tobacco products in in the prescribed manner with payment only of excise duty received at customs territory until 01.01.97, according to the decision of the above-mentioned Commission.”

So, in fact, since then, Metropolitan Kirill has been given a new title - “Tabacchi”, writes Novaya Gazeta, clarifying that now he is no longer given that title. Nowadays it is customary to call the patriarch “Lyzhneg” - with light hand Orthodox bloggers who drew attention to the enormous importance of his hobbies in the life and work of Kirill alpine skiing(this hobby is supported by a villa in Switzerland and a private jet, and in Krasnaya Polyana it helps to consolidate informal relationships with strongmen of the world this).

By the way, Kirill himself once tried to justify his participation in the tobacco business: “The people who were involved in this did not know what to do: burn these cigarettes or send them back? We turned to the government, and it made a decision: recognize this as a humanitarian cargo and provide the opportunity to implement it.” Government representatives categorically denied this information, after which Patriarch Alexy II liquidated the DECR MP commission and created a new ROC MP Commission on humanitarian assistance, headed by Bishop Alexy (Frolov).

In addition to the aforementioned Nika Foundation, DECR MP was the founder commercial bank"Peresvet", JSC "International Economic Cooperation" (IEC), JSC "Free People's Television" (SNT) and a number of other structures. The most profitable business Kirill after 1996 began to export oil through the MES, exempted from customs duties at the request of Alexy II. Kirill was represented at the MES by Bishop Victor (Pyankov), who now lives as a private citizen in the USA. The company's annual turnover in 1997 was about $2 billion.

Due to the confidentiality of this information, it is now difficult to understand whether Kirill continues to participate in the oil business, but there is one very eloquent fact. A few days before the start military operation Kirill’s deputy, Bishop Feofan (Ashurkov), flew to Iraq against Saddam Hussein.

In 2000, information was made public 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).

According to Kaliningrad journalists, Metropolitan Kirill, as ruling bishop diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church MP in the Kaliningrad region, participated in an automobile joint venture in Kaliningrad. It is characteristic that Kirill, even after becoming patriarch, did not appoint a diocesan bishop to the Kaliningrad see, leaving it under his direct control.

In 2004, Nikolai Mitrokhin, a researcher at the Center for Shadow Economy Research at the Russian State University for the Humanities, published a monograph on the shadow economy. economic activity ROC MP. The value of the assets controlled by Metropolitan Kirill was estimated in this work at $1.5 billion. Two years later, journalists from Moscow News tried to count the assets of the head of the church Ministry of Foreign Affairs and came to the conclusion that they already totaled $4 billion.

And according to information The New Times, in 2002, Metropolitan Kirill bought a penthouse in the “House on the Embankment” overlooking the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. This, by the way, is “the only apartment in Moscow registered specifically in the name of the metropolitan by his secular surname Gundyaev, about which there is a corresponding entry in the cadastral register.”

Another attribute of this life that has become the subject of widespread discussion is a Breguet watch worth about 30 thousand euros, which Ukrainian journalists photographed on the patriarch’s left hand next to the monastic rosary. This happened the day after Kirill pompously broadcast in live main Ukrainian TV channels: “It is very important to learn Christian asceticism... Asceticism is the ability to regulate one’s consumption... This is a person’s victory over lust, over passions, over instinct. And it is important that both rich and poor possess this quality.”

The luxurious motorcades of Patriarch Kirill and the security services from the Federal Protective Service that he uses have become the talk of the town. In Moscow, when the patriarch is driving, all the streets along his route are blocked, which naturally causes mass indignation among car owners. In Ukraine, Kirill’s half-kilometer motorcades completely shocked local residents: in the neighboring country, even the president travels much more modestly.

We must, however, give Kirill his due: for official visits he charters planes from Transaero, and uses his personal fleet only for personal purposes.

A separate and almost inexhaustible topic is the palaces and residences of the patriarch. Kirill strives to keep up with the top officials of the state in this matter. The newly built palace in Peredelkino was considered his permanent residential residence, for which several houses of local residents were demolished. From the windows of trains in the Kyiv direction, it looks like a large Russian tower - like the Terem Palace in the Kremlin. Kirill doesn’t like living there: the railway passing next door worries him.

Therefore, the current patriarch ordered to redecorate the palace in the Danilov Monastery, which did not look poor before. The construction of the patriarchal palace in Gelendzhik was not without scandals, which primarily aroused the indignation of local environmentalists.

For the first time, the scandal around the Gelendzhik dacha of the patriarch broke out a year ago, when activists of the “Ecological Watch” North Caucasus entered the territory of a facility under construction. During the inspection, they found out that at least 10 hectares of a unique forest are enclosed by a three-meter fence, and in the center there is a strange “pretentious” building, topped with domes - something between a temple and a mansion.

At the same time, according to Novaya Gazeta, in 2004 the Russian Orthodox Church received at its disposal a plot of land with an area of ​​only 2 hectares. Moreover, this land belonged to the Forest Fund; accordingly, it was prohibited by law to erect permanent buildings on this land. However, large-scale construction began here. Environmentalists claim that during construction, 5 to 10 hectares of valuable forest were cut down, which is confirmed by images from space.

The Russian Orthodox Church hastened to refute the arguments of the “greens”. The Moscow Patriarchate referred to the act of Rospotrebnadzor, according to which no facts of illegal logging were recorded on the territory of the Spiritual and Cultural Center. Environmentalists, in turn, point to the fact that the document was drawn up in December 2010 - that is, several years after the destruction of the forest.

Another scandal surrounding the patriarch’s dacha, again initiated by environmentalists, broke out in October of last year. Then activists said that the fire that broke out at the end of September of the same year on the territory of the Spiritual and Cultural Center of the Moscow Patriarchate could have been the result of arson. As Novaya noted then, according to the law, builders are required to pay monetary compensation in the hundreds of thousands of rubles for destroyed trees. And if the trees burned down in a fire, then payment of compensation can be avoided.

At the beginning of 2011, information appeared in the press that the Russian Orthodox Church facility under construction near Gelendzhik was nothing more than a dacha for the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill. However, the information department of the Moscow Patriarchate refuted these arguments, saying that the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church in southern Russia is being built on this site, along with the existing centers in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The enthronement, which took place in the winter of 2009, chose Metropolitan Kirill as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Supreme body Church held a vote, as a result of which more than 70% of the votes were cast for the priest, elevating him to the rank of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Priest's family

The Church path of the Patriarch is in many ways natural, since the grandson and son of a priest chose the fate of a clergyman. The priest, named Vladimir at birth, was born in the fall of 1946, in the city on the Niva - Leningrad. Grandfather of the Patriarch, Vasily Stepanovich, went through seven exiles and more than 40 prison camps, including exile to the Solovetsky Islands, and during the reign of Khrushchev he was ordained a priest.

Vladimir's father, Mikhail Gundyaev, a leading engineer in military Leningrad during the siege, repeating his father's path, was persecuted and went through the Kolyma camps, and in the spring of 1947 became a deacon. Having lived a worthy life as a priest, Mikhail Vasilyevich ended his life path rector of St. Nicholas Church.

The mother of the future patriarch was a school teacher who taught German. In addition to Vladimir, the family raised two more children; the boy was the middle child. All children are related to the Russian Orthodox Church. My brother is an archpriest and rector of the cathedral in the cultural capital of our country, a professor at St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. The younger sister, heads the Orthodox gymnasium.

Chosen path

The life path of the Patriarch developed as follows:

• In 1961, having completed eight years of schooling, the young man left his parents' home.

• In 1962 he got a job in a cartographic bureau and worked as a technician on a geological expedition.

• Three years later, having received the Metropolitan’s blessing, he entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary. In the spring of 1969, having completed his studies with honors at the Theological Academy, he was tonsured a monk and received the monastic name Kirill. A few months after his ordination as hierodeacon becomes a hieromonk.

• By the beginning of the nineties, he was appointed chairman of the commission of the Holy Synod. Being in the rank of archimandrite, by appointment of the Patriarchate he becomes its representative at the council of churches held in Switzerland. In 1976, he deals with problems of Christian unity and relations between churches. In winter 1984 he becomes archbishop.

• Kirill becomes metropolitan in 1991. Between the second and third World Russian Council, he criticized the authorities. The Council adopted a number of political, radical decisions, which the Metropolitan, being its co-chairman, did not resist. Having become less oppositional, in 1995 Metropolitan Kirill becomes Deputy Head of the event.

• After the death of the Moscow Patriarch, at the convened meeting of the Synod, by voting, which was secret, Metropolitan elected to the position of Patriarchal Locum Tenens.

Patriarchate

In 2009, by the decision of the highest church assembly, Metropolitan Kirill became Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The years of Kirill's reign influenced not only the church world, but also affected the economy of the state, turning it into better side. Thanks to the Patriarch’s frequent trips around the country and the world, the position of the Russian Church in the world became stronger, and trips abroad were able to begin expanding the boundaries of cooperation between countries.

Family and children - church and flock

The church canons of the Orthodox Church do not allow the Patriarch to have a secular family. The flock, in the understanding of the church, is his family. And serving God is the highest manifestation of care and love for your family. The priest considers each of the parishioners to be his child. The Patriarch spends every day of his life caring for his children.

Kirill devotes a large amount of time and energy to charity, meeting with children, caring for orphans, he sets an example for his entire flock, showing through his own actions that caring for others is not just sympathy with words, but also concrete actions.

The Orthodox Patriarch is engaged in both charity and foreign policy activities, boldly voicing his opinions and ideology.

Patriarch Kirill is a rather bright personality in educational activities. Since 1994, the priest has been hosting a series of television programs, “The Word of the Shepherd,” in which he explains in detail to believers the answers to questions that concern his flock. A series of books and articles written by Kirill have been published describing the history of Christianity.

Active civil position The Patriarch moves him just as violently social activities. Three hundred thousand people signed Kirill’s appeal calling for a ban on abortion in our country. Instead of carrying out abortions, it was proposed to increase payments for children born so that health and family would be protected by the state.

Patriarch Kirill is undoubtedly a bright and interesting person, his care and love for his flock cannot go unnoticed. Faith in justice and goodness moves the clergyman forward, being a worthy example for everyone living on earth.