Patriarch Alexy I (Simansky) as the Successor of Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky)

The article examines the issue of comprehension of Patriarch Alexy I (Simansky) as the successor of Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky). In historical literature, this issue pertains to the dual role of the Patriarchs as leaders of pivotal dioceses within the Church during the 1930s. Moreover, it was during their tenure as leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church that the relationship between the Church and the government evolved, maintaining a consistent trajectory from the 1940s through the 1980s. Metropolitan Sergius and Metropolitan Alexy attended a historic meeting with Stalin on September 4, 1943, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in their relationship. This was acknowledged not only by members of the Russian Orthodox Church but also by the Soviet government. Chairman of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church, Georgy Karpov, noted that “Patriarch Alexy I continued the work begun by Patriarch Sergius to normalize relations between the Church and the government”. The restoration of theological schools to train a new generation of clergy in them, the reestablishment of communion with Local Churches, and the preservation of apostolic succession were the key tasks that began under Patriarch Sergius and were continued by his successor. In addition, it was during that time that a special relationship developed between the Moscow Patriarchate and the country’s government. It was no longer a Synodal relationship between the Church and the attorneygeneral. The Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church (renamed as the Council for Religious Affairs in 1965) served as the intermediary authority through which the Church communicated its needs to the government, and through which decisions of the Soviet and party leadership were conveyed to the Church. The article employs a distinctive approach by generalizing information and statistics on liturgical and other activities, derived directly from archival documents, as compiled by the author. Patriarch Alexy I was succeeded by Patriarch Pimen (Izvekov), who continued this line of approach in relations with the government.

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