Biography of Metropolitan Cornelius. Archbishop of Sverdlovsk and Irbit Kornily (Sobolev Gavriil Gavriilovich)
Metropolitan Cornelius(Konstantin Ivanovich Titov, born August 1, 1947)
Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church (since 2005) with the title - Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus'.
The future primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' Korniliy, was born in Orekhovo-Zuyevo, near Moscow, into an Old Believer family with a name in honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great (name day June 3). Before the revolution, Orekhovo-Zuyevo was one of the cities of the Bogorodsky district and was located on the territory of the well-known area of settlement of the Old Believers, known as goose.
There were several churches and home chapels belonging to the Old Believers in the city. In one of them, the ancestors of the future metropolitan prayed. The Titovs' house, on Volodarsky Street, in which Konstantin was born and raised, was located next to the houses of the famous Old Believers Morozov and Zimin. The Titovs were family friends with the Zimins. From early childhood, grandmother, Maria Nikolaevna, took her grandson to the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, which was located on Kuznetskaya Street. Among the people, this temple was known as the “black prayer”, since its clergy at one time were Old Believer monks. Unfortunately, this prayer house was burned down in 1973 when the city authorities began the reconstruction of the city. Nevertheless, even in these harsh years, the inhabitants of the city continued to keep the faith of their ancestors. The Titovs' house always had icons and old church books, although it was not safe to keep them during atheistic persecution.
After graduating from 8 classes of high school, due to financial difficulties, Konstantin immediately got a job. He became an apprentice turner at the Foundry and Mechanical Plant of the Orekhovo-Zuevsky Cotton Mill, an enterprise once founded by the famous Old Believer industrialists Morozov. The future Metropolitan worked at the Foundry and Mechanical Plant 35 years, combining work with studies at an evening school, a technical school, and then at the Moscow Automotive Institute, which he graduated in 1976. The labor activity of Konstantin Titov continued until 1997. In recent years, he worked as the head of the Quality Control Department - the technical control department of the plant. The circumstances of the life of the future lord so developed that, while caring for a sick mother (he was the only son), he did not marry. And then, when she was gone, he turned all his aspirations to the Church of Christ. Here, in practice, his knowledge and work came in handy for the revival of the Orekhovo-Zuevsky temple along Kuznetskaya Street. Here he met the rector - the father, who to this day has been feeding the Orekhovo community for almost 30 years. Acquaintance with Father Leonty helped Konstantin to embark on the path of church service.
In 1991, Konstantin Ivanovich was elected chairman of the church council of the Orekhovo-Zuevsky Old Believer community of the temple. In May 1997, leaving secular work, he took a vow of celibacy and was ordained a deacon. The ordination was performed by the Metropolitan (Gusev) . On March 7, 2004 in Moscow, Metropolitan (Chetvergov) ordained Deacon Konstantin to the priesthood. The Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Orekhovo-Zuevo was appointed as the place of his service, where he acted as the second priest.
On October 21, 2004, at the Consecrated Council, Priest Konstantin was elected a candidate bishop for the Kazan-Vyatka see. March 14, 2005 Fr. Constantine took monastic vows with a name Cornelius. On May 7, 2005, at the Intercession Cathedral, Metropolitan Andrian, co-served by the Bishops of Novosibirsk, Eumenia Chisinau and Herman Far East, he ordained the monk Cornelius to the rank of Bishop of Kazan and Vyatka. On July 21, on the day of the celebration of the appearance of the Kazan icon of the Mother of God, the rite of his ascension to the Kazan cathedra was performed.
On October 18, 2005, the Consecrated Council, which met in Moscow to elect a new Primate of the Church in place of the reposed Metropolitan Andrian, elected Bishop Cornelius as Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus'. Voting had to be done three times. Other candidates were the Archbishop of Kostroma and Yaroslavl (Vitushkin) and the Bishop of the Don and Caucasus. The 58-year-old Bishop Cornelius won more than two-thirds of the votes required for election only on the third try.
Vladyka positions himself as a supporter of continuing the course of his predecessor, the Metropolitan Andriana(Thursday). Shortly after his election as metropolitan, he declared:
The efforts of Metropolitan Andrian, aimed at overcoming the isolation of the Old Believers from the modern spiritual and cultural life of Russia, to the best of my ability, I will try to continue. After all, this is the only way we can convey to our people the truth about the true Orthodox faith, which has not undergone reforms.
During the years of Vladyka Cornelius' presidency, positive trends in the life of the Church were strengthened. It has become a tradition to regularly make archpastoral visits to all the dioceses of the Church with the performance of hierarchical services, the elevation of bishops, priests, deacons, readers, and priests to the sacred degrees. Thus, the Metropolitan ordained a bishop (Artemikhin) to the Far Eastern diocese, a bishop (Dubinov) to the Kazan-Vyatka diocese, a bishop to the newly formed Tomsk diocese Gregory(Korobeinikov). In 2016, the Metropolitan ordained a bishop Savu(Chalovsky) to the newly formed Kazakh diocese. Over the past years, since his consecration to the rank of Metropolitan, Vladyka Korniliy raised more than 50 priests, deacons, more than a hundred readers and clergymen to the sacred rank.
One of the bright signs of this time was a significant number of newly consecrated churches.
So, on February 3, 2007, Metropolitan Kornily led the consecration of the new , built according to the project and blessing of Metropolitan Andrian. The throne of the temple was consecrated in the name of the image of the Virgin " Joy to All Who Sorrow».
On May 4, 2007, Vladyka Kornily consecrated the approved throne and.
On August 22, 2008, Metropolitan Kornily led a festive divine service at the Vvedensky Church of the Nikolo-Uleiminsky Monastery. After the reading of the hours, the rite of consecrating the temple was performed, and then the Bishops' Liturgy was served.
On December 27, 2009, on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, Metropolitan Kornily consecrated in the village of Afanasyevo, Kirov Region.
On June 6, 2010, during the visit of the Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' to the Ural diocese, the consecration of the Bolshe-Sosnovsky district of the Ural diocese took place.
September 6, 2010 in the village. Metropolitan Kornily consecrated Selivanikhe, Orekhovo-Zuevsky District, Moscow Region.
On September 23, 2010, in the city of Uralsk (Kazakhstan), under the leadership of Metropolitan Kornily, celebrations were opened to coincide with the uncovering of the relics of St. Arseny (Shvetsov), Bishop of Ural and Orenburg. In the church of the Ural Old Believer community, a moleben was served to St. Arseny with the rite of conciliar vestments and the washing of holy relics. On September 25, the consecration of the temple took place. The restored temple, in which St. Arseny served at the beginning of the century, was consecrated as before the revolution.
On June 8, 2011, the rite of consecration of the temple in the village of Bezvodny was performed. As before the revolution, his throne was consecrated.
On June 6, 2013, on the feast of St. Simeon the Stylite, Metropolitan Kornily of Moscow and All Rus' consecrated the Resurrection District of the Moscow Region.
On June 15, 2013, His Grace Metropolitan consecrated the Don and Caucasus diocese (Volgograd region).
On August 4, 2013, Metropolitan Kornily consecrated the chapel and the second altar of the Kazan Church in the name of St. Arseny in the Ural village of Bezvodnoye, Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir diocese.
On September 29, 2013 in the city of Khmelnitsky (Ukraine) the consecration of a new temple of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church took place. Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' Cornelius and Archbishop of Kiev and All Ukraine consecrated the newly built church.
October 24, 2014 in the village of Egorovka, Falesti region (Moldova), a new Old Believer church was consecrated.
On May 11, 2014, Metropolitan Kornily of Moscow and All Rus' consecrated the throne and. This church, which received consecration in the name of St. Nicholas, Miracle Worker of Lycia, and the transfer of his honorable relics, was built at the beginning of the 20th century and most recently transferred to the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church.
On July 5, 2015, Metropolitan Kornily consecrated a temple in the regional center of the Vladimir Region. The new temple was consecrated in the name of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of Christ.
On December 13, 2015, Vladyka consecrated it in the name of the holy miracle-workers and unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian.
The main event of the archpastoral visit to Crimea was the consecration, which used to be called the Russian Mother. This event took place on May 27, 2016.
On June 28, 2016, in the city of Malaya Vishera, Novgorod Region, Metropolitan Kornily consecrated a new one.
During his archpastoral trips, the Metropolitan meets with the heads of republics, regions, districts and municipalities. At these meetings, the most important issues of the life of the Old Believer Church are resolved: the provision of land for the construction of churches, the restoration of monuments of church architecture, the return of church buildings to the use of the Church, as well as various social and educational projects that are carried out jointly by the state and Old Believer communities.
In the last decade, the metropolitan paid much attention to the issue of the revival of the spiritual and architectural ensemble " Rogozhskaya Sloboda". With the assistance and financial assistance of the Moscow authorities, large-scale construction and restoration work was carried out here in Pokrovsky and churches, the house of the Priest and the bell tower of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On February 1, 2015, a significant event took place in the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church on Rogozhsky: the consecration in Moscow. The temple was consecrated in the name of the Resurrection of Christ. Thus, the original historical name was returned to him. It should be noted that this is the only temple in the Old Believers, consecrated in the name of this greatest event in the history of mankind, and the return to the temple of its historical name was the initiative of Metropolitan Cornelius himself.
During the years of Metropolitan Kornily's presidency, the Moscow Old Believer Theological School prepared eleven editions. Boys and girls who graduated from MSDU now work in the church and church-public field.
Under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Cornelius, Consecrated Councils and Councils of the Metropolis are annually convened, at which decisions are discussed and decisions are made on the most important issues of church life.
During the years of Metropolitan Kornily's presidency, publishing activity was actively developing. Over the years, 50 issues of the magazine have been published. Bulletin of the Metropolis". In addition to the Bulletin itself, supplements to it were repeatedly published in the form of booklets dedicated to special church and social events, such as, for example, the trip of the delegation of the Moscow Metropolis to Pustozersk, the visit of Metropolitan Kornily to Agafya Lykova, the celebration on Rogozhsky of the 200th anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 and others. Established during the presidency of Metropolitan Korniliy, the Museum, Archives and Library Department of the Metropolis conducts extensive scientific and publishing activities. Many volumes of works by such well-known Old Believer authors as Archbishop John(Kartushin), bishop. Aresenii(Shvetsov), bishop. Michael(Semenov). One of the good traditions established during the presidency of Metropolitan Kornily was the ceremony of awarding authors, publishers, journalists for their contribution to journalistic, creative, informational and educational activities dedicated to the theme of the Old Believers. Over the years, about 100 scientists, writers and film workers have been among the award recipients.
In the last years of Metropolitan Kornily's presidency, relations with the Belokrinitskaya Metropolis have been developing in the spirit of fraternal understanding and trust. Evidence of this was the visit of the delegations of the Belokrinitsky Metropolis to the feast of St. myrrh-bearing women in Moscow, repeated meetings of metropolitans in Belaya Krinitsa and the visit of the metropolitan to Kazan in 2013 to participate in the celebrations dedicated to the Kazan image of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Vladyka Korniliy actively supports inter-Old Believer cooperation, stands for good-neighborly relations and interaction with other Old Believer agreements. So, on June 23-24, 2016, the Moscow House of Nationalities hosted an international Old Believers, the state and society in the modern world". The conference was attended by official delegations of the main Old Believer concords - the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, the Russian Old Orthodox Church and the Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church, representatives of the Old Believer social movements and the media.
The presidium of the conference was attended by the primates of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' Kornily, the Russian Old Orthodox Church, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church was represented by the chairman of the Central Council of the Latvian Orthodox Church Father Alexey Nikolaevich Zhilko.
Metropolitan Kornily and the state
Relations between the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church and the state are developing dynamically. Metropolitan Cornelius is member of the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations under the President of the Russian Federation. February 22, 2013 in the Catherine's Hall of the Kremlin President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin awarded the Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' Cornelius with a state award - Order of Friendship. This high state award is presented to citizens of the Russian Federation, as well as citizens of foreign states, for special merits in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between peoples; fruitful activity for rapprochement and mutual enrichment of the cultures of nations and nationalities; active work to preserve, increase and popularize the cultural and historical heritage of Russia.
On February 26, 2013, at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin met with Metropolitan Kornily of Moscow and All Rus'. At the beginning of the conversation, Vladyka Kornily thanked the President of Russia for the opportunity to meet in person and drew attention to its importance and historical uniqueness for the entire Old Believer world. During the meeting, Metropolitan Kornily introduced V.V. Putin with the current situation of the Russian Orthodox Church and noted with gratitude that the Old Believer Church today has the opportunity for free development, and the state provides support in many matters.
On March 16, 2017, Metropolitan Kornily had an official meeting with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. In his welcoming speech, Metropolitan Kornily expressed his gratitude to the President of the Russian Federation for his attention to the needs of the Church and his assistance in holding an international conference in Moscow in 2016, where representatives of the Old Believers from all over the world met for the first time.
During the meeting, Vladimir Putin and Metropolitan Kornily discussed the forthcoming celebration of the 400th anniversary of the birth of the Holy Martyr Archpriest Avvakum and the reconstruction of architectural monuments in the main centers of the celebration - at the Rogozhsky and Preobrazhensky cemeteries in Moscow. Also, within the framework of the national policy, the problems of interaction with compatriots abroad were touched upon. In addition, the issue of the return of the Old Believer building to the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church was subject to bilateral discussion.
May 31, 2017, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of Vladyka, the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, Rogozhskaya Sloboda, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. The purpose of this visit is to get acquainted with the Old Believer spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church, to inspect its temples and territory. During the meeting, the head of state visited the exhibition “ Fortitude and loyalty to tradition”, which tells about the contribution of the Old Believers to the preservation of cultural heritage. The exhibition presents unique monuments XVI-XX centuries stored in the Metropolis of the Old Believer Church and the Pokrovsky Cathedral.
Metropolitan Kornily has been gradually building his relationship with the state authorities over the course of several years. At different levels, with small steps, the metropolitan asserts his authority in society, and, accordingly, the authority of the entire Old Believers. This is especially important, because before Metropolitan Kornily, there was a certain period in the Russian Orthodox Church when relations with the authorities and society were not a priority for the Old Believers. However, the service of Metropolitan Cornelius coincided with the readiness of the Old Believers to build new relations with the state, to re-assert themselves in society in a new way. In addition, Metropolitan Cornelius turned out to be the only representative of the Old Believers who was able to communicate with the authorities.
Metropolitan Korniliy zealously fulfills his archpastoral duty and regularly performs hierarchical services at the Intercession Cathedral in Moscow. He often visits the communities of the Moscow diocese, and also often visits all the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. Attentive to the problems of church life, responsibly prepares and ordains candidates for sacred degrees, leads the consecration of many built churches. Being himself a talented preacher, the archpastor purposefully develops and supports preaching, educational and publishing activities, spiritual education in the Church. Vladyka is very happy that the result of these labors be directed both inside the Church, to revitalize the spiritual life of Christians, and outside, to the world, to preach to all mankind the truths of the God-given right faith.
During Vladyka Korniliy's primatial service, catholicity was especially manifested in the Church. This is expressed not only in the fact that the regularly held Consecrated Councils have become a real governing body of the Church, but also in the fact that the Church openly and freely discusses issues of its inner life and each of its members has received the right of a conciliar vote. Vladyka Kornily is known for his openness and responsiveness. He is respectful and humble with his fellow bishops, and has a fatherly attitude toward his subordinate clergymen—priests, deacons, and readers. Ready for communication with any Christian, attentive to people of different rank and position, nationality and religion. Vladyka is educated and well-read, open to everything new. Under enormous moral and physical stress, Vladyka Cornelius leads a modest and strict monastic life, is energetic and cheerful, unpretentious in everyday matters.
Cornelius
Bishop of Volgodonsk and Salsk
(Sinyaev Vladimir Alexandrovich)
A country: Russia
Biography: Born December 22, 1976 in Kuibyshev (Samara), brought up in a believing Orthodox family. From the age of three he attended the Peter and Paul Church, at the age of 14 in the Intercession Cathedral in the city of Kuibyshev he became a subdeacon under Archbishop Eusebius (now Metropolitan of Pskov and Velikoluksky). Soon he also began to fulfill the obediences of the altar boy and cell attendant of Bishop Eusebius. He continued to carry out these obediences until the end of high school.
With the blessing of Archbishop Sergius of Samara and Syzran, on July 3, 1993, in the Pskov-Caves Holy Assumption Monastery, he was tonsured by Archbishop Eusebius into a small schema with the name Cornelius. Then for another year he remained an altar boy and subdeacon of Archbishop Sergius of Samara.
On June 6, 1994, he was ordained a hierodeacon in the John the Baptist Church in Samara.
On July 31, 1995, he was ordained a hieromonk in the Pokrovsky Cathedral and was appointed rector of the Archangel Michael Church in the village of Orekhovka, Alekseevsky District, Samara Region.
In 1997, he was transferred to the clergy of the church in the name of the holy martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia in Samara and received the obedience to build the first Orthodox church at that time in the working quarters of Bezymyanka. On June 22, 1999, he was appointed rector of the church under construction in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir of Samara.
In 2000, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen.
In 2003, with the blessing of the DECR chairman, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad (now His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'), he was appointed a temporary member of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.
From June 1, 2007, he performed the obedience of the dean of the Samara city Privolzhsky district of the Samara diocese, supervised the construction of several churches of the deanery, completed the construction of the second church on the territory of his parish.
On September 15, 2009, he was appointed rector of the parish in the name of the holy chief apostles Peter and Paul in Samara.
On March 3, 2010, he was appointed Dean of the Samara City Central District of the Samara Diocese.
He graduated from the Samara Theological Seminary and the Kyiv Theological Academy. In 2009 he graduated from the Samara Humanitarian Academy.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 27, 2011 (magazine No. 70) he was elected Bishop of Volgodonsk and Salsk.
On September 9, 2011, in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal Chambers of the Cathedral Church of Christ the Savior, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill led the rite of naming Archimandrite Kornily (Sinyaev) as Bishop of Volgodonsk.
On September 11, 2011, on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist, at the Divine Liturgy at the Trinity Cathedral in Shchelkovo, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill officiated the consecration of Archimandrite Kornily (Sinyaev) as Bishop of Volgodonsk and Salsk.
Education:
Samara Theological Seminary.
Kyiv Theological Academy.
2009 - Samara Humanitarian Academy.
Head of the Volgodonsk Diocese (Ruling Bishop)
According to the website of the Volgodonsk diocese
Date of Birth: December 22, 1976 A country: Russia Biography:Born December 22, 1976 in Kuibyshev (Samara), brought up in a believing Orthodox family. From the age of three he attended the Peter and Paul Church, at the age of 14 he became a subdeacon at the Intercession Cathedral in Kuibyshev (now the Metropolitan of Pskov and Velikoluksky). Soon he also began to fulfill the obediences of the altar boy and cell attendant of Bishop Eusebius. He continued to carry out these obediences until the end of high school.
From June 1, 2007, he performed the obedience of the dean of the Samara city Privolzhsky district, supervised the construction of several churches of the deanery, completed the construction of the second church on the territory of his parish.
On September 15, 2009, he was appointed rector of the parish in the name of the holy chief apostles Peter and Paul in Samara.
On March 3, 2010, he was appointed Dean of the Samara City Central District of the Samara Diocese.
He graduated from the Samara Theological Seminary and. In 2009 he graduated from the Samara Humanitarian Academy.
September 9, 2011 in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal Chambers of the Cathedral Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, September 11 at the Divine Liturgy in the Trinity Cathedral in Shchelkovo for the Bishop of Volgodonsk and Salsky. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.
Education:Samara Theological Seminary.
Kyiv Theological Academy.
2009 - Samara Humanitarian Academy.
Diocese: Volgodonsk Eparchy (Ruling Bishop)Kornily (Sobolev), Bishop of Vyaznikovsky
Bishop Cornelius (in the world - Gavriil Gavriilovich Sobolev) was born in November 1880 near Vyborg (according to other sources - in the city of Vyborg itself, which was then part of the Grand Duchy of Finland).Educated at the St. Petersburg Seminary, which he graduated in 1900, and the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.
On September 28, 1902, when he was still studying at the third year of the academy, G. G. Sobolev took monastic vows with the name of Cornelius. The vows were taken by the Rector of the Academy, Bishop of Yamburg, Vicar of the St. Petersburg Diocese Sergius (Stragorodsky). Together with Sobolev, his fellow student Cyprian (Shnitnikov) accepted monasticism. Addressing the newly tonsured monks, His Grace Sergius uttered prophetic words: “Have obedience in everything. Of course, not without pain, not without hardship, you made this irreversible step. Much you had to leave behind, much to give up forever. You also endured the tormenting question that was directed to you from everywhere: “Why are you taking this step, why are you not content with the ordinary life of the world, in which, after all, you can also be saved?” What for? But why did Peter throw himself into the lake when he saw that his Lord was standing on the shore? Why was it necessary for Christian martyrs to voluntarily ask for the fires when it was possible to be saved even without it, when even without this the Lord, perhaps, would have heard them and granted them the Kingdom of Heaven? Indeed, in order to “enter into eternal life” according to the word of the Lord Himself, it is only necessary to “keep the commandments”, the most ordinary and obligatory for all. But does love ever ask, ever calculate how much to sacrifice for a beloved object? Is it really a matter of love to measure the magnitude of one's feat, as if being afraid to convey too much? Love, therefore, is also love, because it does not spare itself, that it is always ready for anything, is ready to make a sacrifice even when this sacrifice is not demanded of it. The same love for Christ, flashing before your spiritual gaze, carried you along with it, and all led to the determination to leave the world of lust, serving your passions, leave life according to your plans and desires and give yourself to Christ as a pure, pleasing sacrifice ...
The decisive step has been taken. The past is no more. Now a new life begins for you. Perhaps it is presented to your imagination in a special light, in the form of a glorious field full of unprecedented, special feats. Perhaps one of you is offered a quiet ascetic cell somewhere in a desert monastery, where, apart from God and God-created nature, which reveals God’s majesty and beauty to every true ascetic, there is nothing where he alone in silence and silence can converse with God, pray day and night. Another, perhaps, is offered a missionary field, where he, leaving everything: his homeland, his language, goes to unknown countries, brings the light of Christ to the pagans. But, my young brethren, the monastic life would be too simple and it would be easy to be saved, if for this it was only necessary to be some kind of hero, that is, to conceive of some kind of feat and accomplish it once and for all, having become famous here too, and there. Not the real warrior, who can flash with self-sacrifice only in a moment of special uplift of spirit. Life is not created by a momentary decision and does not consist in one equally hasty execution of this decision. Life, real life, consists of gradual hard work and inconspicuous doing.
At the same time, Monk Cornelius was ordained a hierodeacon, and in 1903 a hieromonk.
After graduating from the Theological Academy in 1904, on July 28 of the same year, Hieromonk Cornelius was appointed a member of the Urmian Spiritual Mission in northern Persia - in the city of Urmia, the capital of Western Azerbaijan near the lake of the same name Urmia. The history of the mission began in 1898, when nine thousand Chaldean Syrians petitioned for union with the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1901, the first Orthodox church was built in Northern Persia, and since 1905, during the mission, the magazine “Orthodox Urmia” began to be published in Russian and Syrian languages.
Since 1904, the head of the mission was the candidate of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Archimandrite Sergius (Lavrov), under whom Hieromonk Kornily served. Persia at that time was in political and financial dependence on the Russian Empire. In its cities, including the capital, Russian Cossack units were located, the Persian shahs were debtors of the Russian Accounting and Loan Bank. Tens of thousands of Persians, residents of the border areas, including Western Azerbaijan, went to work in the Transcaucasus and the Transcaspian region of the Russian Empire. Therefore, the Russian Orthodox Church sought to influence the population of this province as effectively as possible. When about. Cornelius served in Urmia; revolutionary sentiments were strong in Persia. In mid-December 1905, the Persian Revolution began. The anti-Shah movement was influenced by the revolution in Russia. The whole of 1906 was spent in demonstrations, clashes between protesters and soldiers of government troops. One of the centers of the revolution was Tabriz, located in close proximity to Urmia and the southern borders of the Russian Empire. In 1907, with the active participation of Russian and British troops, the revolution in Persia was suppressed, and the country was actually divided into Russian and British zones of influence. Thus, the ministry of Hieromonk Cornelius fell on turbulent and dangerous years, although Urmia was relatively calm.
On August 14, 1907, he was appointed teacher, but on August 21 of the same year he was transferred to the same position at the Alexander Nevsky Theological School in St. Petersburg. There, in 1908, he was awarded the Order of St. Anne III class. On August 20, 1909, he was appointed teacher at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, and on January 25, 1910, an inspector there.
September 1, 1911 Fr. Cornelius was appointed rector of the Tula Theological Seminary with elevation to the rank archimandrite.
On September 17 (30), 1917, Archimandrite Kornily was consecrated in Tula in bishop Kashirsky, vicar of the Tula diocese. On February 2, 1918, a religious procession not permitted by the authorities took place in Tula. The procession with icons and banners, which moved from the Kremlin, was met by machine-gun fire from the Red Army. Dozens of believers were wounded, 13 people were killed. Among the wounded was the Bishop of Kashira Cornelius (Sobolev). An entry about this event was left in his "Diary" by the professor of the Moscow Theological Academy A.D. Belyaev: “At the Presentation in Tula there was a religious procession, which the Bolsheviks did not want and demanded to cancel, but the Duma and the entire population demanded ... The Bolsheviks fired at the walking crowd of pilgrims from machine guns, there were killed and wounded. Vicar Bishop Cornelius was hit by 2 bullets in his legs, right through. And Bishop of Tula Yuvenaly, after the march, the pilgrims dressed in a sheepskin coat in the cathedral, and he was escorted home on foot for safety.
Since January 22, 1920, Vladyka Kornily has been Bishop of Novosilsky, vicar of the Tula diocese.
Bishop of Vyaznikovsky 1921–1926
In 1921, His Grace Cornelius was transferred to the Vyaznikovskaya cathedra. However, Bishop Cornelius did not rule for long. Already on March 27, 1921, he was arrested in Vyazniki, but then released on bail. Vladyka was accused of anti-Soviet agitation. By the decision of the Vladgubchek collegium of June 7, 1921, “... although Korniliy’s guilt was not legally proven, he was asked to leave for the disposal of the Moscow diocese within 2 weeks.”
Father Cornelius (Sobolev)
In January 1922, His Grace Cornelius was allowed to return to Vyazniki.
Bishop Cornelius was arrested again on December 1, 1922. This time he was accused "... of awakening the masses on religious grounds." An interesting incident from the Vyaznikovian period of Bishop Kornily was recalled later in one of his letters by St. Athanasius (Sakharov). This episode took place in the summer of 1922, when there was an invasion of various insects - pests of agricultural crops. In order to end this disaster, Bishop Cornelius, at the request of the peasants, read in the fields “The order that happens in the fields ... if it happens to be harmed by reptiles ...”, which brought the desired results. The Bishop of Kovrov wrote: “The late Eminence Cornelius, Archbishop of Sverdlovsk (Sobolev) told me that when once, when he was Vyaznikovsky, he traveled around his lot, he himself saw on the fields, on which the designated rite was performed the day before, whole heaps of dead pests , namely those who were sworn with the invocation of the martyrs Tryphon, Eustathius and Julian. This story, apparently, also became one of the reasons for the subsequent arrest of the bishop in the same year. By the decision of the NKVD commission on administrative deportations dated March 30, 1923, Bishop Kornily was sentenced to exile for a period of three years under the open supervision of the GO OGPU to the Narym Territory of the Yenisei Governorate.
After his release he in January 1926 he was temporary administrator of the diocese of Vladimir
.
On July 16, 1926, His Grace Cornelius was arrested in Vladimir without charge being brought against him, and on August 18 he was released under a written undertaking not to leave Moscow.
In August 1926, he was appointed archbishop Sverdlovsk and Irbitsky. In the autumn of 1926, among the bishops began to discuss the need for the secret election of the Patriarch, who could put an end to church discord. The initiative for secret election belonged to Bishop Pavlin (Kroshechkin) and Archbishop Cornelius (Sobolev). Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan, whose term of exile was ending by that time, was the first of the bishops appointed as Locum Tenens according to the "Testament" of St. Tikhon, a candidate for Patriarchy. Under conditions of constant persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church, the convening of a Local Council was impossible. Therefore, each bishop was visited personally and their signatures were collected for the candidates. Vladyka Kornily was one of the first to sign the act on the election of Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov) of Kazan as Patriarch. By November 1926, only 72 signatures had been collected on the election of Metropolitan Kirill as the All-Russian Patriarch. The GPU monitored the course of the elections from the very beginning. Soon almost all the bishops who put their signatures under the ballots were arrested. 40 archpastors were sent to prisons, camps, exiles, including Archbishop Cornelius. Metropolitan Kirill, a candidate for patriarch who was serving a link, was again arrested and thrown into prison.
Prisoner Gavriil Gavriilovich Sobolev
Then Metropolitan Joseph (Petrovykh) of Leningrad entered the administration of the Russian Orthodox Church. Vladyka Joseph did not rule out his imminent arrest. On November 25, 1926, he drew up a testamentary order on the succession of the highest church authority, in which he named his successors - Kornily (Sobolev), Archbishop of Sverdlovsk and Irbitsky, Thaddeus (Uspensky), Archbishop of Astrakhan and Seraphim (Samoilovich), Archbishop of Uglich. On December 17, 1926, Archbishop Kornily, together with a group of bishops, was arrested and imprisoned in the Butyrka prison in Moscow. Together with him, Metropolitan Sergius Stragorodsky (from August 10, 1917 to June 16, 1922 bore the title of Vladimir and Shuisky), Bishop Athanasius (Sakharov) of Kovrov, vicar Grigory (Kozlov) of Nizhny Novgorod and vicar Pavlin (Kroshechkin) of Kursk were involved in one case. . His Grace Cornelius was accused of belonging to an anti-Soviet group of bishops. On April 29, 1927, a special meeting at the collegium of the OGPU under Art. 58-6 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR "Sobolev G. G." was sentenced to three years in concentration camps and sent to the Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp. Vladyka Korniliy spent the next month at the stage together with his fellow businessmen, Bishop Athanasius (Sakharov) and Bishop Grigory (Kozlov). Through the Leningrad transit prison they arrived at Solovki. From that time, a letter from Archbishop Cornelius to the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) of Nizhny Novgorod, written on May 7, 1928, is known. On November 23, 1929, the case was reviewed by a special meeting of the OGPU collegium, and Bishop Cornelius was sent to Siberia for a period of three years. Thus, he was first imprisoned in Solovki, and then in a settlement in the Kazan region. Vladyka Kornily headed the department until 1933. All this time he ruled the diocese more nominally. In fact, Bishop Cornelius did not leave prison and concentration camps since 1923.
Vladyka Kornily died on April 16 (April 17, according to the archives of the Vladimir UFSB), 1933. According to rumors, he was killed by a Tatar who brought him fish. Staying overnight, he stabbed the archbishop to death at night with the aim of robbing him. After this, Vladyka spent 13 days in severe torment and died on the first day of St. Easter.
On April 15, 1993, the prosecutor's office of the Vladimir region rehabilitated Bishop Kornily for the absence of corpus delicti in his case.
Turned 90 years old. The date is impressive: Vladyka Kornily, the oldest of the metropolitans of the Russian Orthodox Church, is not at rest, but continues to govern the Church entrusted to him, preserving peace and harmony in it, despite serious challenges from outside. The whole life of the Metropolitan was dedicated to serving Christ and His Church. On this path there are always difficulties and troubles - Vladyka Korniliy got to know them from childhood.
Recently, the Tallinn director Oleg Besedin made the film "The Road to God", which tells about the life of Metropolitan Kornily. We talk with Oleg Aleksandrovich both about the film and - for the most part - about its main character.
90 years old
– Oleg, what exactly did Bishop Kornily attract your attention to, as a secular director?
- Well, "secular" is not necessarily "Soviet" or "atheistic". I started making this film three years ago. At first we wanted to tell the story of Metropolitan Kornily by simply recording his interview. We recorded a lot: we got more than 20 hours of interviews with Vladyka. Talking about his life, the Metropolitan also spoke about the history of Orthodoxy in the Baltic States, about all the bishops with whom he knew, served with them together, about pre-war and military life in Estonia, about the Soviet period, about those persecutions that took place in Khrushchev's time , about his imprisonment in the camp, about how he got there from Vologda, about the persecution of Christians, about mockery of them, about the revival of church life and much more.
And when Bishop Kornily turned 90, we thought it would be absolutely fair if we made a full-fledged film about the oldest metropolitan in the Russian Orthodox Church, who heads the Estonian Church. Vladyka Kornily is a man of amazing destiny, a man who has been with God all his life. From infancy, he was brought up in Orthodoxy - his parents paid this, perhaps, the main attention. Vladyka Kornily has a wonderful sense of humor: talking with him, you understand that he has not lost his youth at all in his ninety. It turns out interesting: a man is 90 years old, and he is young. Although young in a special way after all: his word is apt and weighty, he has experienced so much that it cannot be otherwise.
"Normal Christian Miracles"
—Vladyka Kornily told about his childhood in Estonia?
- Yes, sure. As a boy, Vyacheslav Jakobs (the worldly name of the lord) with his father Mikhail Ridiger, the father of the future, went to concentration camps located in Estonia and helped our prisoners of war. Father Mikhail Ridiger confessed, gave communion to Russian soldiers, helped them in every possible way. In general, one can make a separate film about how Orthodox priests in Estonia saved captured Russian soldiers.
There are many such cases – I would call them “normal miracles, natural for Christianity” – in the life of Bishop Cornelius.
There was a temple at the Alexander Nevsky cemetery, on one of the days of 1944 there was a service there, and Father Vyacheslav, the future metropolitan, was also there. Unexpectedly, he was told that he urgently needed to go to such and such a person - it seemed that he had to confess a sick parishioner. Father Vyacheslav quickly got ready and went to the patient, and a few minutes later Tallinn was bombed, in which the cemetery church was destroyed, and all the people who were there died. And only there were 14 priests there… Then, on the ashes of the church, an icon of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky was found, absolutely unharmed – Father Vyacheslav saved it, now it is in the Kazan Church in Tallinn. There are many such cases – I would call them “normal miracles, natural for Christianity” – in the life of Vladyka Kornily, and they testify, in my opinion, to the good Providence of God – not only in the life of Vladyka, but also in the Estonian Church he now leads. .
“They have Orthodoxy in their blood”
– From 1951 to 1957 Father Vyacheslav Yakobs served in the Vologda diocese. Service in the northern Russian borders ended for him with a new test - the conclusion. Is this also in the movie?
- The fate of Vladyka developed in such a way that he served here, in, then, in the 1950s, he moved to serve in Vologda - perhaps some of the brightest and kindest memories are associated with this city. He talked a lot about what wonderful people lived there, he called Orthodoxy organic for the northern Russian people. He also talked about how he had to walk through the villages and villages of the Vologda region, perform rites, sometimes secretly baptize, about their hospitality and zeal in Christianity.
Fate was rather cruel to him: he was imprisoned for his faith. And at first he was given the maximum according to "his" article: 15 years. But the lawyers managed to reduce the sentence to 10 years, and then, as a result of changes in the Soviet state and the mitigation of persecution of Christians, he was released three years later. Leaving the camp, he returned to Tallinn.
"Compensation" to the wrong address
– In the film, Vladyka’s daughter tells about a funny episode: Father Vyacheslav sent a telegram about his arrival, and a narrow circle of people gathered at the station to meet him. It turned out that some major Soviet rank was traveling on the same train with him - he was met with flowers and an orchestra on the platform. The priest gets out of the car - behind the shoulders of the camp, the investigation - and hears the solemn music, the greetings of the joyful crowd, sees flowers, posters. Laughing unhappily, they considered this a kind of “compensation” from the Soviet authorities for “some everyday inconveniences” in life and left as soon as possible for home.
Temple in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God "Skoroposlushnitsa", Tallinn
Calm Estonian miracle
- Recently, a new Orthodox church was built in Tallinn in honor of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Quick to Hear". Why such a dedication?
The antiquarian said that he had something interesting, and showed ... the icon of the Mother of God "Quick to Hear" saved from the church of the courtyard of the Pyukhtitsky Monastery.
- During the Khrushchev persecution in Tallinn, the marvelous temple of the courtyard of the Pyukhtitsky monastery was destroyed. And then there was another “natural miracle”: Father Vyacheslav, having simply entered, out of interest, an antique shop in Tartu, got into a conversation with an Estonian seller. He told him that he had something that might be of interest to the priest, and showed him the one saved from this temple. The priest was dumbfounded. Taking a symbolic price for the icon, the Estonian carefully packed it so that everyone thought it was a painting, and gave it to Father Vyacheslav. For a long time the icon was kept at home by the Jacobs family; fearing another persecution, it was carefully concealed. But once a week, private prayers were held in front of the icon, at which only close friends and relatives were present. The construction of a new temple in the Tallinn district of Lasnamäe is also connected with this icon - Vladyka transferred it to this temple, consecrated last year by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. And the temple itself was built in honor of the icon of the Theotokos "Quick Hearing" - tens of thousands of Orthodox from all over Estonia come, come here.
Loyalty
The Estonian authorities promised the metropolitan a lot if he would lead the church separated from Moscow, but Vladyka Kornily remained faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate.
– One can talk about the merits of Metropolitan Kornily for a long time, but, firstly, it will really take a long time, and secondly, he himself does not like it very much when such laudatory speeches are heard.
—Nevertheless, and here let Vladyka be patient, it must be said that one of his most important merits can safely be called his loyalty to the Russian Orthodox Church. Despite all these political and economic changes that led to the collapse of a large country, he remained faithful to the Mother Church, the Moscow Patriarchate. When a paper arrived from Moscow that Bishop Kornily was becoming a metropolitan, the Estonian government immediately came to Vladyka with a proposal to head the Estonian Orthodox Church, but not subordinate to Moscow. That is, the one that today submits to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In this case, they promised all kinds of assistance: both material support from the state, and the transfer of ownership of all churches (now the Orthodox Church rents them), of course, and moral support from the government, which is very important in a country like Estonia. Knowing Estonian traditions, knowing the Estonian language, enjoying trust, influence and respect in society, Metropolitan Kornily remained faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate. Avoiding that terrible split that occurred in Ukraine after the “perestroika” and after the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', which was objectionable to Filaret Denisenko. And Vladyka was not afraid of the inevitable difficulties - material and psychological - and preserved the best traditions of the Russian Church in Estonia. These traditions, by the way, as many visitors from Russia notice, would be very useful if they were paid more attention to in Russia itself. The Metropolitan, I repeat, is a very modest person, unassuming. Well, for example, he does not live in some bishop's mansions-residences, but in a two-room apartment in Lasnamäe. By the way, this district in Tallinn does not enjoy special honor - something like Biryulyovo in Moscow.
"Unworthy Metropolitan"
- Another example. I can’t say that our film is a world masterpiece, and it was made modest at the request of Vladyka, but, nevertheless, when its premiere ended, the Metropolitan addressed the audience: “Brothers and sisters, keep in mind: I unworthy!" He simply made it clear that all achievements, merits, etc. is a question of your trust in God, even when suffering and trials fall upon you. And he had many such tests - whether in his personal life, whether in the church. Well, and so - when the metropolitan speaks of his unworthiness, without being “humble” at all, he speaks honestly, looking into your eyes, then even such a sermon is obtained that it is impossible not to listen to, and you want to follow it, that's all.
The Russian language of Vladyka is simply mesmerizing: the real Russian language, which, alas, has been forgotten by many during the years of Soviet power and the current confusion
Was it hard to film?
- Rather, mount. At first, we wanted to do only a conversation, a monologue of Vladyka - his Russian language is simply mesmerizing: the real Russian language, which, alas, has been forgotten by many during the years of Soviet power and the current confusion. But still, they decided to make the film more mobile: the modern viewer gets tired very quickly and very quickly when he sees one person, albeit an interesting story, albeit filmed by several cameras, from different angles. So we made a voice-over, asked Vladyka's youngest daughter to take part in the film (the eldest daughter died, and this was one of the most difficult trials), his school friend to tell about him. A school friend helped Vladyka a lot: he sent him parcels to the camp, and those that were most needed there - he himself was imprisoned, so he knew very well what was required in prison in the first place.
Each time has its own feat
– Getting acquainted with the life of our Metropolitan, you simply understand what people go through in order to remain faithful to Christ. You understand that our life is a collection of temptations, the so-called "benefits" of all kinds, and the ability to self-denial is required in order to resist them. At the same time, you will think: what is more difficult - to go to prison, to a camp for faith, or to resist the temptations today, in the age of a completely religious cult of comfort and consumerism. It seems to me that temptations are becoming more dangerous than even prison. Everything was clear and precise there: you know and see where the enemy is, where the grief is, where the joy is, where the betrayal is, where the loyalty is. Here everything, in my opinion, is more cunning: on the one hand, you really need to take care of material wealth, on the other hand, do not build it into a cult, hiding behind plausible fabrications. But, having become better acquainted with the life of Metropolitan Kornily, you nevertheless come to the conclusion: each time has its own temptations, they all come from one, very muddy, source, or rather, a still pool. And a person cannot overcome these temptations alone - only by relying on the hand of Christ.
You often wonder: how does Metropolitan Kornily joke, smile, and sometimes ironically? Probably, simply because he clings tightly to the hand of Christ. I hope we were able to tell about it in our film.
