Aleksy (Simansky) (1877 - 1970), patriarch, clergy figure

Subject / Religion. Church/Personnel
Aleksy (Sergey Vladimirovich Simansky; 1877 - 1970), a patriarch. Sergey Vladimirovich Simansky was born in the family of a chamberlain. In 1896 he graduated from the Nicholas Lyceum, in 1899 he graduated from the department of law of the Moscow University. In 1902 Sergey Vladimirovich Simansky was professed as a monk and in 1903 he became an hieromonk. He graduated from the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy in 1904 and was appointed an inspector of the Pskov Ecclesiastical Seminary. In 1906 he became the rector of the Tula Ecclesiastical Seminary and an archimandrite. In 1911 he became the rector of the Novgorod Ecclesiastical Seminary and the same time he was appointed the superior of the Monastery of St. Antony the Roman. In 1913 Aleksy became the bishop of Tikhvin, a vicar of the Novgorod Eparchy. During 1913-1921 Aleksy lived in Tikhvin Town for a long time, performed in Tikhvin's churches. During 1920-1921 he was under arrest. From 1921 he was appointed the bishop of Yamburg, the first vicar of the Petrograd Eparchy, performed in churches of Yamburg. From August 1922 Aleksy headed the Petrograd autocephality which struggled again the Revivalists. On 21 October 1922 he was arrested and exiled to Kazakhstan. On 7 April 1926 he came back to Leningrad, a short time later he was appointed the Head of the Novgorod Eparchy, the Archbishop of Tikhvin (from the end of 1926 he was the Archbishop of Khutin). In 1932 Aleksy became the Metropolitan of Staraya Russa, in 1933 he became the Metropolitan of Novgorod. From 5 October 1933 until 4 February 1945 he was the Metropolitan of Leningrad. During the blocade of 1941-1944 Aleksy lived in Leningrad, he constantly performed public worships in churches, spoke patriotic messages to the congregation. In May 1944 Aleksy gave his country house in Railway Station Siverskaya to a children's home. As a member of "the Leningrad Oblast Committee on Ascertainment and Investigation of the German-Fashist Ivaders murderous deeds…" he took part in inspection of liberated districts. On 15 May 1944 Aleksy was appointed the Patriarchal Locum Tenets. Aleksy was elected as the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia at the All Russian Local Council on 2 February 1945. From 1949 he became a Doctor of Theology. Aleksy died in the Patriarch's residence in Lukino Village of the Moscow Oblast. He was buried in the crypt of the Dormition Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Shkarovsky, Mikhail Vitalyevich
Alexis (Sergey Vladimirivich Simansky), metropolitan
Topographical landmarks/Siverskaya Railway Station
Leningrad Oblast, the/Tikhvin District/Tikhvin Town
Historical Toponyms/Yamburg Town
Казем-Бек А.Л. Жизнеописание Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Алексия I // Богословские труды. 1998. Сб. 34., С. 13-185
Письма Патриарха Алексия своему духовнику. М., 2000, С. 13-185