“I have a deep reverence for the connection of the ages. When I celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (an opportunity that first arose in 1991), I am always moved by this connection. The most significant events in Russian history took place in the Dormition Cathedral: all the coronations of Russian emperors, all the enthronements of Patriarchs… Surrounding me are the tombs of the heads of our Orthodox Church. And what a tremendous blessing it is that from now on, there is no need to sever this life-giving link. For how many decades did people disown their families, concealing the presence of clergy in their lineage? Now, the chance has come to recall one’s ancestry, to honour historical memory.”
- Patriarch Alexy II
Today marks sixteen years since His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, a great archpastor, man of prayer, and exemplary human being, departed to eternity. Under his spiritual guidance, lands once blessed by his leadership revived their historical memory, rekindled their Orthodox faith, and flourished anew. This revival blossomed into thousands of restored and newly erected churches, hundreds of monasteries, and gatherings of countless faithful. His name graces city squares, libraries, and ecclesiastical institutions across the globe. In numerous significant locations, memorial plaques, statues, and monuments have been erected in his honour.
Yet, his most enduring legacy lies in the hearts of those who encountered his remarkable presence. A man who deeply valued historical memory and the continuity of generations, Patriarch Alexy II lives on in the hearts and minds of believers. And we trust he remembers us in his prayers before the Throne of God.
Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, rector of the Church of the Holy Martyr Tatiana at Moscow State University and head of the Patriarch's press service from 2005 to 2008, reflects.
“His Holiness Patriarch Alexy played a significant role in my life, even though I was not among his close circle. He was not one to form close relationships easily, but he did have a trusted group with whom he likely shared his innermost thoughts. I was not among them; I was simply his aide, working alongside him. Nonetheless, my journey in both my clerical and professional life over the past fifteen years is inextricably linked to him.
The art of listening and waiting
He possessed a rare courtesy and tact. Understanding his character and preferences, I recognised what irked him in others’ behaviour, words, or actions. Yet, he never let it show. He possessed extraordinary restraint, a deep understanding of life, and the wisdom to know that initial reactions seldom bring about change. When he did choose to speak, he did so with grace, choosing the right moment and the right words. I have never known anyone else with such patience and poise, who could wait and articulate a well-considered opinion so precisely on situations, people, or ideas.
His Holiness was a man set apart. Unique for his generation, he grew up beyond Russia’s borders, outside the Soviet system and its way of life. His upbringing was vastly different from that of his peers. He grew up in exile, amidst bourgeois Estonia and Russian émigrés, and he came from a prominent noble family that had served the Tsar and the Fatherland for generations.
This family was different, not Soviet, and he, its descendant, was a nobleman not even by birth, but by his inner essence, his mentality. And this did not fade away over the next sixty years of residing in the Soviet Union.
The family of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II
Another significant aspect of his biography, crucial to understanding his character and worldview, was his monarchist stance. Like another émigré, Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, he hailed from a monarchist family. He never flaunted it, nor did he openly declare himself a monarchist, but it shone through in many of his words and actions.
Furthermore, he was the grandson of an executed White Army officer. His personal details, which Soviet personnel departments scrutinised so closely, were quite extraordinary.
And most importantly — in his youth he made his choice in extreme circumstances. In 1946 he left Estonia, parting from his family to pursue the path of priesthood and enrol in the Leningrad Theological Seminary. Nowadays, this seems entirely commonplace, but in the context of 1946 this was a momentous decision. Looking back over the 25-year history of the Soviet state, this was a choice of a life of suffering and a martyr’s crown.
Those familiar with Russian history understand that the clergy in Soviet times were almost completely exterminated: the majority shot, many perished in the camps, and very few survived. In 1946, not everyone had yet been released from prison, despite Stalin’s benevolent attitude to the Church since 1943; thousands remained in the camps. The future Patriarch stepped on this path, fully aware that the graves of tens of thousands of recently martyred clergymen were still fresh.
With his parents
He had a “terrible” record. Formally, according to Soviet notions, his father and he himself were seen as collaborators: they lived in occupied territory and negotiated with the German authorities about visiting POW camps. In the context of Soviet life at that time, this was simply a death sentence. And therefore the choice that he made at seventeen — this was a choice that determined not only his life, but also his character.
His origins, his ancestors, his life story — all this, of course, left a mark on this man, who became a bridge between pre-revolutionary Russia and our time. Few like him remain, serving as links between that part of the Russian people who preserved Russia in their heart, their faith, Orthodoxy here, and those who found themselves scattered throughout the world. His otherness shone through in his character, distinctive and utterly unlike anyone else. Not only I noticed this difference; many others did too.
At times, they couldn’t quite grasp what lay behind it, struggled to put it into words, yet they sensed it was the expression of something greater, a kind of richness, a treasure of sorts.
“Between Earth and Heaven”
Once, I was part of a group accompanying His Holiness the Patriarch in Strasbourg. A year before his repose, His Holiness visited France, Strasbourg, the European Parliament, where he addressed the assembly, and we were making our way from one building to another through a maze of passageways, lifts, stairwells, and halls. This transit lasted a good twenty to twenty-five minutes. I walked behind His Holiness the Patriarch and observed the people who popped out of their offices to catch a glimpse of him, or stood somewhere in a hall, or bumped into him in a corridor, and so on. I noticed a more or less identical expression on these people’s faces, a blend of wonder, astonishment, and awe. I could tell from their eyes that they were witnessing something entirely new.
So, I tried to view the Patriarch through their eyes, these foreigners’ eyes.
Europeans, not easily struck by exotic clothing or appearances, seemed moved by Patriarch Alexy’s presence. He conveyed authority, a figure who seemed to know something beyond their understanding. He appeared as someone who held a link between Earth and Heaven. And it was this that sparked admiration, wonder, and even fear.
He possessed another rare quality in modern life. During my four-plus years accompanying him, whether on travels or at services, I often watched people’s faces. When people met him, it was as if a switch flipped inside them — they beamed with joy at seeing His Holiness.
Monks, nuns, parishioners — all their faces softened into smiles, genuine joy shining through. It was such an instinctive thing that they were completely unaware of it themselves. Occasionally, I would see him meet with officials whose faces were already frozen in the masks of their lives, and when they looked at the Patriarch, suddenly something childlike and spontaneous would emerge on their faces, their faces would come alive, and the masks would vanish.
Credit must be given to His Holiness — behind his outward appearance lay not only wisdom, experience, adherence to tradition, a somewhat conservative image of a Russian man — with a beard, a stately bearing, a staff. No, there was something otherworldly in him, something radiant, a Divine light that transformed those around him.
“The light that transformed people”
In these personal encounters, I was struck (and later confirmed this with others) by his genuine interest in the professional life of each person he met. He knew that through their profession, they could express themselves and be of service to God, to people, and to the Church.
And he had a knack for tapping into people’s professional skills, steering them in a direction that benefited both the community and the Church. He would “fish out” the initiatives of these professionals in various fields — education, culture, mentoring, organisation, construction — their talents, he gave his blessing, and provided the push needed to set things in motion, lending a helping hand to many. If he saw a spark in someone eager to do good for the Church, he did not just offer support; he would go above and beyond for them. He initially remembered people by their aspirations and subsequently by their deeds. He might forget specific details about someone, but he never forgot the work they did; he would invariably recall it upon meeting them again.
The remarkable achievements of the 1990s were largely due to the Patriarch’s personal endorsement of numerous initiatives.
He knew that the first priority was to restore centres of spiritual life — Optina Monastery, Diveyevo Monastery, Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, theological schools, and others. He understood that these efforts would gradually spread like ripples, enveloping everything else. But he also understood that without people, all of this was futile. As soon as someone came along who could contribute something in this field, he would offer them his strong support.
The Primate of the Church
The Patriarch was never alone — in the sense that he was the voice of a great many people within the Church. He leaned on the support of those around him, for whom he was deeply grateful: bishops, clergy, and all who served the Church and loved God. He leaned on them and never separated himself from them, and took on the responsibility of representing the aspirations, expectations, and hopes of these people. His flock saw that he stood before them, that he spoke for them. This connection with the people was of paramount importance. He was the Primate of the entire Church; he headed the Holy Synod, the Councils of Bishops, and he didn’t present himself as a teacher of bishops or “Synodals,” but he was always “one of,” “first among.” He possessed an innate spirit of conciliarity. I know that he didn’t always agree with the opinions of certain bishops or priests, but this spirit of conciliarity always superseded any personal disagreements.
There are very few photographs, newsreels, or television footage that capture the image that surfaces in my mind when I speak about him or remember him. The Patriarch will remain in my memory as a man of prayer, with his eyes half-closed, as he retreated into the depths of prayer, restoring the connection between humanity and God; during divine services, when he approached an icon, when he venerated relics, when he stood before the Holy Table. These moments were rare, fleeting seconds.
But this is the image of a man of prayer, a man of the deepest inner faith, the likes of which are rarely encountered even within the Church. We were blessed to be contemporaries of a man who possessed such depth of faith and such devotion to God, and the image of this man stands before me whenever I recall him”.
The best tribute to the memory of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II will be our efforts to strengthen the Church, and especially her unity.
Prepared by the team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photos from the internet
Sources:
1. Patriarch Alexy: Otherness, a “terrible” questionnaire, and a smile | Pravmir (pravmir.ru)
2. A word in memory of Patriarch Alexy II (zavtra.ru)
3. Patriarchs of the 20th Century: Alexy II — The Gatherer — Tatiana’s Day (taday.ru)
4. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II | VK
