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| '''Patriarch Alexius II''' (born ], ]) is the 16th and current ] and |
'''Patriarch Alexius II''' (born ], ]) is the 16th and current ] and head of the ]. | ||
| == Biography == | == Biography == | ||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
| == Controversies == | == Controversies == | ||
| ===Alleged |
===Alleged work for the KGB=== | ||
| Patriarch Alexius II is alleged to have been a ] agent according to multiple sources <ref> , by Yakov Krotov </ref> <ref name='cwn'>, Catholic World News, retrieved 29-12-2007</ref> <ref></ref> <ref> - by Keith Armes, ] </ref> <ref> - by Leslie L. McGann, ] </ref> including ] and ] who both were given access to the KGB archives <ref name="Andrew"> ] and ], The ]: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7 </ref> <ref name="Albats"> ] and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. ''The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future''. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46.</ref> <ref name='cwn'>, Catholic World News, retrieved 29-12-2007</ref><ref name="Church"> ] - , an excerpt from a forthcoming book, "Russian Americans: A New KGB Asset" by ] </ref> |
Patriarch Alexius II is alleged to have been a ] agent according to multiple sources <ref> , by Yakov Krotov </ref> <ref name='cwn'>, Catholic World News, retrieved 29-12-2007</ref> <ref></ref> <ref> - by Keith Armes, ] </ref> <ref> - by Leslie L. McGann, ] </ref> including ] and ] who both were given access to the KGB archives <ref name="Andrew"> ] and ], The ]: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7 </ref> <ref name="Albats"> ] and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. ''The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future''. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46.</ref> <ref name='cwn'>, Catholic World News, retrieved 29-12-2007</ref><ref name="Church"> ] - , an excerpt from a forthcoming book, "Russian Americans: A New KGB Asset" by ] </ref> He was mentioned in the KGB archives as ''DROZDOV''. The existence of a code name does not mean that a person is working for the KGB, <ref name='cwn'>, Catholic World News, retrieved 29-12-2007</ref> <ref name="Church"> ] - , an excerpt from a forthcoming book, "Russian Americans: A New KGB Asset" by ] </ref>, but the cited documents implicated Alexius as a highly successful agent who "pacified" rebellious monks and has been awarded an Honorary Citation by the KGB chairman in 1988 <ref> USSR KGB f.6, op. 11, por. no. 148,d. Ch-175,t.I,l.d.209</ref> <ref name="Albats"/>. According to ], Alexius has been working for the KGB during forty years, and his case offices was ] <ref> , video N4</ref>. According to ], Alexius II did not privately deny his involvement with the KGB and told to ]: ''“Why are you exaggerating what happened? Yes, we collaborated with the KGB, even I did. But it was a struggle for peace, for disarmament! There’s nothing wrong with that!”''<ref name="Church"/> Konstanin Khrachev, former chairman of Soviet Council on Religious Affairs, explained: "Not a single candidate for the office of bishop or any other high-ranking office, much less a member of Holy Synod, went through without confirmation by the Central Commitee of the ] and the ]". <ref> ] and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. ''The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future''. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46. </ref> In his public statements Patriarch Alexius has denied that he was a KGB agent, but he has, however, acknowledged that compromises were made with the Soviet government by bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate, himself included, and publicly repented of these compromises.<ref>, December 28, 2007. See also , by St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco, December 31, 2007</ref> | ||
| It has been alleged that archival documents seen by Yevgenia Albats stated that Alexius was been awarded an Honorary Citation by the KGB chairman in 1988<ref name="Albats"/>. It has also been claimed, based on documents allegedly taken from the Estonian KGB archives that Alexius was a highly successful agent who "pacified" rebellious monks. <ref>The Wall Street Journal, December 28, 2007</ref> However, the authenticity of these documents have been disputed by the Patriarchate.<ref>, January 5th, 2007</ref> According to ], Alexius has been working for the KGB during forty years, and his case offices was ] <ref> , video N4</ref>. According to ], Alexius II did not privately deny his involvement with the KGB and told to ]: ''“Why are you exaggerating what happened? Yes, we collaborated with the KGB, even I did. But it was a struggle for peace, for disarmament! There’s nothing wrong with that!”''<ref name="Church"/> Konstanin Khrachev, former chairman of Soviet Council on Religious Affairs, explained: "Not a single candidate for the office of bishop or any other high-ranking office, much less a member of Holy Synod, went through without confirmation by the Central Commitee of the ] and the ]". <ref> ] and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. ''The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future''. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46. </ref> In his public statements Patriarch Alexius has denied that he was a KGB agent, but he has, however, acknowledged that compromises were made with the Soviet government by bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate, himself included, and publicly repented of these compromises.<ref>, December 28, 2007. See also , by St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco, December 31, 2007</ref> | |||
| ===Business connections=== | |||
| ===Association with Gulnaz Sotnikova=== | |||
| ⚫ | According to ], "among his controversial non-profit connections, Patriarch Alexius II has been a patron of Gulnaz Sotnikova", president of organization "Vetrex" specialized which "in obstetrical and gynecological practices and runs maternity centers and abortion clinics. Moscow police believe Vertex is behind a large, unlicensed fetal organ harvesting operation in a clinic of the Moscow Institute of Biological Medicine." <ref>( - by Russia Reform Monitor No. 584, February 11, 1999). </ref> However Sotnikova has never been charged or convicted of any crimes, and Vertex ceased providing abortions in 1999.<ref></ref> The Non-Profit Organization in question is the Russian Charitable Fund for Reconciliation and Accord, which In addition to supporting orphanages and veterans' groups, the fund is also used to develop educational programs.<ref>, January 5, 2008</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | According to ], "among his controversial non-profit connections, Patriarch Alexius II has been a patron of Gulnaz Sotnikova", president of organization "Vetrex" specialized which "in obstetrical and gynecological practices and runs maternity centers and abortion clinics. Moscow police believe Vertex is behind a large, unlicensed fetal organ harvesting operation in a clinic of the Moscow Institute of Biological Medicine." <ref>( - by Russia Reform Monitor No. 584, February 11, 1999). </ref> However Sotnikova has never been charged or convicted of any crimes, and Vertex ceased providing abortions in 1999.<ref></ref> The Non-Profit Organization in question is the Russian Charitable Fund for Reconciliation and Accord, which In addition to supporting orphanages and veterans' groups, is also used to develop educational programs.<ref>, January 5, 2008</ref> | ||
| ===Opposition to homosexuality=== | ===Opposition to homosexuality=== | ||
Revision as of 06:45, 8 January 2008
| Alexius II | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Church | Russian Orthodox Church |
| See | Moscow |
| Predecessor | Patriarch Pimen I |
| Born | Aleksei Ridiger |
Patriarch Alexius II (born February 23, 1929) is the 16th and current Patriarch of Moscow and head of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Biography
He was born as Aleksey Ridiger (Russian: Aleksej Michajlovič Ridiger, Алексей Михайлович Ридигер) in Tallinn, Estonia, to the family of Russian emigrants; he is a descendant of the German Baltic noble family of von Rüdiger, a branch of which adopted Orthodoxy in the 18th century. He graduated from Leningrad clerical seminary in 1949; was ordained deacon in 1950 (and later, a priest and monk); graduated from Leningrad clerical academy in 1953. On August 14, 1961, he was chosen to be the Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia. On June 23, 1964, he was promoted to archbishop; and, on February 25, 1968, at the age of 39 to metropolitan. From 1986 until his election as Patriarch, he was Metropolitan of Novgorod and Leningrad. After the death of Patriarch Pimen I in 1990 Alexei was chosen to become the new Patriarch of The Russian Orthodox Church.
Despite his age, Patriarch Alexius II is very healthy and leads an active pastoral life. He's frequently seen on Russian TV, meeting with politicians.
Relatively little is known about his personal life. The Patriarchal residence is located in Peredelkino, a suburb of Moscow; it includes a 350 year old restored church, a museum, and a three-story house. There is also a winter residence - an apartment in the center of Moscow. Both residences act as living quarters and Patriarch's office at the same time. He commutes in an armored car under the protection of federal agents. Being a monk, Patriarch Alexius II is not allowed to possess any property himself; residences and cars are the property of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Name
His name (secular 'Алексей, clerical Алексий) is transliterated from the Cyrillic alphabet into English in various forms, including Alexius, Alexei, and Alexy. When he became a monk, his name was not changed; this departure from custom was common in the Russian Church in Soviet times.
Controversies
Alleged work for the KGB
Patriarch Alexius II is alleged to have been a KGB agent according to multiple sources including Gleb Yakunin and Yevgenia Albats who both were given access to the KGB archives He was mentioned in the KGB archives as DROZDOV. The existence of a code name does not mean that a person is working for the KGB, , but the cited documents implicated Alexius as a highly successful agent who "pacified" rebellious monks and has been awarded an Honorary Citation by the KGB chairman in 1988 . According to Oleg Gordievsky, Alexius has been working for the KGB during forty years, and his case offices was Nikolai Patrushev . According to Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy, Alexius II did not privately deny his involvement with the KGB and told to Oleg Kalugin: “Why are you exaggerating what happened? Yes, we collaborated with the KGB, even I did. But it was a struggle for peace, for disarmament! There’s nothing wrong with that!” Konstanin Khrachev, former chairman of Soviet Council on Religious Affairs, explained: "Not a single candidate for the office of bishop or any other high-ranking office, much less a member of Holy Synod, went through without confirmation by the Central Commitee of the CPSU and the KGB". In his public statements Patriarch Alexius has denied that he was a KGB agent, but he has, however, acknowledged that compromises were made with the Soviet government by bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate, himself included, and publicly repented of these compromises.
Business connections
According to American Foreign Policy Council, "among his controversial non-profit connections, Patriarch Alexius II has been a patron of Gulnaz Sotnikova", president of organization "Vetrex" specialized which "in obstetrical and gynecological practices and runs maternity centers and abortion clinics. Moscow police believe Vertex is behind a large, unlicensed fetal organ harvesting operation in a clinic of the Moscow Institute of Biological Medicine." However Sotnikova has never been charged or convicted of any crimes, and Vertex ceased providing abortions in 1999. The Non-Profit Organization in question is the Russian Charitable Fund for Reconciliation and Accord, which In addition to supporting orphanages and veterans' groups, the fund is also used to develop educational programs.
Opposition to homosexuality
Patriarch Alexius II has consistently opposed the display of homosexuality in Russia, and in particular, opposed gay parades in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Church "has invariably supported the institution of the family and condemns untraditional relations, seeing them as a vicious deviation from God-given human nature," Alexius II writes. Alexius sparked further controversy in October 2007 when he called homosexuality an "illness" and a "distortion of the human personality like kleptomania".
Footnotes
- Alexiy Ridiger, by Yakov Krotov
- ^ Confirmed: Russian Patriarch Worked with KGB, Catholic World News, retrieved 29-12-2007
- Russian Patriarch "was KGB spy"
- Chekists in Cassocks: The Orthodox Church and the KGB - by Keith Armes, Demokratizatsiya
- The Russian Orthodox Church under Patriarch Aleksii II and the Russian State: An Unholy Alliance? - by Leslie L. McGann, Demokratizatsiya
- Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7
- ^ Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46.
- ^ Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy - Putin's Espionage Church, an excerpt from a forthcoming book, "Russian Americans: A New KGB Asset" by Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy
- USSR KGB f.6, op. 11, por. no. 148,d. Ch-175,t.I,l.d.209
- The Putin System, video N4
- Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia - Past, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, page 46.
- Has the MP Repented?, December 28, 2007. See also History of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, by St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco, December 31, 2007
- (U.S. Food Aid Through Patriarchate May Be Abused, Priest Says; Distributor Tied to Illegal Activity & Trafficking in Parts of Unborn Babies - by Russia Reform Monitor No. 584, February 11, 1999).
- Moskovskie Novosti: Who is Gulia Sotnikova? April 4, 2000
- http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/9907g.html, January 5, 2008
- http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=1164
- Patriarch Alexy of Russia assails gays in speech at Council of Europe, International Herald Tribune, 2 October 2007
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=RFBLLGOXBYBQNQFIQMGCFFWAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2007/10/03/wgay103.xml
Further reading
- Andrew, Christopher and Vasili Mitrokhin. The Sword and the Shield : The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB. New York : Basic Books, 1999. Chapter 28 deals with the KGB infiltration of Soviet-era churches.
- Knox, Zoe (2005). "Russian Orthodoxy, Russian nationalism, and Patriarch Aleksii II". Nationalities Papers. 33 (4): 533–545.
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External links
- Template:Ru icon His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
- Template:En icon His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
- photo gallery
- "Alexy II in France to meet Orthodox followers". Russia Today. October 1, 2007.
- The Address of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia to the PACE
| Preceded byPimen I | Patriarch of Moscow 1990– |
Succeeded byIncumbent |
