Alexander Vvedensky (religious leader)
Encyclopedia
Alexandr Ivanovich Vvedensky (ru: Александр Иванович Введенский)(b. August 30, 1889 in Vitebsk
— d. July 26, 1946 in Moscow
) was one of the leaders of the Living Church
movement (ru: Живая Церковь, also known as the Renovationist Church, ru: Обновленческая Церковь), a movement of the Russian Orthodox Church
from 1922-1946 to reform the Russian Church life; he is considered the person "most identified with renovationism in the Soviet era" and is considered a heretic by the Russian Orthodox Church
. He should not be confused with the Russian poet of the same name.
of Novgorod the Great. In the process of converting his grandfather changed his surname to Vvedenskii after Vvedenia, the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin. Alexander's mother was a member of the provincial bourgeoisie
and his father became a nobleman and was headmaster of a school at Vitebsk
.
Vvedensky graduated from the History department of St. Petersburg University in 1913. While a student at St. Petersburg, he played the piano and frequented the salon of Dmitrii Merezhkovskii and Zinaida Gippius, important figures in the symbolist movement. With their encouragement, he wrote an article entitled "Reasons for Non-belief among the Russian Intelligentsia,” published in the journal Palomnik, finding that the two main reasons for non-belief were
His desire to bridge the gap between religion and science and be an apologist and reformer of the church is seen throughout his subsequent career.
Vvedensky decided to enter the priesthood in 1910 and, as unmarried priests were forced to take monastic vows, he married prior to his ordination, though accusations of marital infidelity plagued him for the rest of his life. He received a diploma from the St. Petersburg Spiritual Academy in 1914, but was refused ordination due to his Jewish background and perception in intellectualism
. He was finally ordained by the head Chaplain of the Army, Georgy Shavelsky, as a regimental chaplain in July 1914. He served as a regimental chaplain for two years before being assigned as Chaplain of the Nikolaevsky Cavalry School in Petrograd in 1916.
. Vvedensky and two other met on May 10 in the Grebnevskii Church on Lubyanka Square
with the church's pastor
, Fr. Sergei Kalinsky. They agreed to collaborate for the support among the Moscow clergy. Simultaneously supporting Archbishop Antonin Granovsky, the head of the movement to gain adherents in the provinces. The other goal of their agenda was to arrange the meeting with the Patriarch in an effort to end what they saw as counterrevolutionary activity on the part of the church. They typed up an appeal at the Military-Revolutionary Council which was certified by Trotsky
’s personal secretary and, on May 12, distributed by Stalin
to the Politburo
, which approved it - in fact, the only type-written archival copy was signed by Stalin, Zinoviev
, Kamenev, Molotov
, Mikhail Tomsky
, and Aleksey Rykov.
The same evening of the Politburo meeting, Vvedensky with several other renovationist priests confronted Patriarch Tikhon
, at that time under his house arrest
, with evidence that his anti-Soviet activities were leading to chaos in the Church. Tikhon denied such anti-Soviet activity, but readily agreed to step down from the patriarchal throne, and handed authority temporarily over to Metropolitan Agafangel of Yaroslavl
until the new council could be convened to elect a new patriarch.. Several days later, they got Tikhon to agree that the patriarchal chancellery should be run by the Living Church movement, yet he stipulated to have that be overseen by other two bishops. However, upon leaving the meeting, Vvedensky reported publicly that the Patriarch had approved the renovationist's council as being the proper church administration until the national council could be convened for the election of a new Patriarch. Archbishop Antonin Granovsky was named the president of the council with Vvedensky as the vice-president.
When Vvedensky met with Metropolitan Veniamin of Petrograd
in the late May, the metropolitan refused to accept the VTsU as the rightful administration of the church without direct instructions from the Patriarch. In a letter to all perishes in his diocese, Metropolitan Veniamin forbade Vvedensky and other renovationist priests from performing the sacrament
s before they had repented before him. That led to the arrest of Metropolitan of Petrograd the next day after the letter was released, and Vvedensky's presence at that arrest was compared with Judas Iscariot
at the arrest of Christ. Veniamin's successor, Alexy Simansky, restored Vvedensky and the others to their rights on June 4 under the pressure from GPU which threatened to execute Veniamin.
With Stalin's concordat
with the "Patriarchal" or Tikhonite church after his meeting with Metropolitan Sergey on September 8, 1943, the Living Church lost its support of the Soviet authorities and the rest of faithful. Many clergy were allowed back into their respective churches at the rank they had before joining the Living Church, except for Vvedensky, who as the "founding father" of the schism was to be laicized. He refused that and died as the unreconciled
.
Vvedensky died of a stroke on July 26, 1946 and is buried at the Kalitnikov Cemetery in Moscow.
Vitebsk
Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...
— d. July 26, 1946 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was one of the leaders of the Living Church
Living Church
The Living Church , also called Renovationist Church or Renovationism was a schism in the Russian Orthodox Church in 1922–1946...
movement (ru: Живая Церковь, also known as the Renovationist Church, ru: Обновленческая Церковь), a movement of the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
from 1922-1946 to reform the Russian Church life; he is considered the person "most identified with renovationism in the Soviet era" and is considered a heretic by the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
. He should not be confused with the Russian poet of the same name.
Background
Vvedensky's paternal grandfather was Jewish but converted to Christianity and served as a psalmist (cantor) in the dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Novgorod the Great. In the process of converting his grandfather changed his surname to Vvedenskii after Vvedenia, the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin. Alexander's mother was a member of the provincial bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
and his father became a nobleman and was headmaster of a school at Vitebsk
Vitebsk
Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...
.
Vvedensky graduated from the History department of St. Petersburg University in 1913. While a student at St. Petersburg, he played the piano and frequented the salon of Dmitrii Merezhkovskii and Zinaida Gippius, important figures in the symbolist movement. With their encouragement, he wrote an article entitled "Reasons for Non-belief among the Russian Intelligentsia,” published in the journal Palomnik, finding that the two main reasons for non-belief were
- )the disparity between Christian dogma and scientific knowledge and
- )the reactionary nature of the Orthodox clergy.
His desire to bridge the gap between religion and science and be an apologist and reformer of the church is seen throughout his subsequent career.
Vvedensky decided to enter the priesthood in 1910 and, as unmarried priests were forced to take monastic vows, he married prior to his ordination, though accusations of marital infidelity plagued him for the rest of his life. He received a diploma from the St. Petersburg Spiritual Academy in 1914, but was refused ordination due to his Jewish background and perception in intellectualism
Intellectualism
Intellectualism denotes the use and development of the intellect, the practice of being an intellectual, and of holding intellectual pursuits in great regard. Moreover, in philosophy, “intellectualism” occasionally is synonymous with “rationalism”, i.e. knowledge derived mostly from reason and...
. He was finally ordained by the head Chaplain of the Army, Georgy Shavelsky, as a regimental chaplain in July 1914. He served as a regimental chaplain for two years before being assigned as Chaplain of the Nikolaevsky Cavalry School in Petrograd in 1916.
Vvedensky and the Living Church 1922-1923
In May 1922, Vvedensky and other priests of the Living Church movement were brought to Moscow with the assistance of the GPUState Political Directorate
The State Political Directorate was the secret police of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1934...
. Vvedensky and two other met on May 10 in the Grebnevskii Church on Lubyanka Square
Lubyanka Square
Lubyanka Square in Moscow is about north east of Red Square. The name is first mentioned in 1480, when Ivan III settled many Novgorodians in the area. They built the church of St Sophia, modelled after St Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, and called the area Lubyanka after the Lubyanitsy district of...
with the church's pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, Fr. Sergei Kalinsky. They agreed to collaborate for the support among the Moscow clergy. Simultaneously supporting Archbishop Antonin Granovsky, the head of the movement to gain adherents in the provinces. The other goal of their agenda was to arrange the meeting with the Patriarch in an effort to end what they saw as counterrevolutionary activity on the part of the church. They typed up an appeal at the Military-Revolutionary Council which was certified by Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
’s personal secretary and, on May 12, distributed by Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
to the Politburo
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
, which approved it - in fact, the only type-written archival copy was signed by Stalin, Zinoviev
Grigory Zinoviev
Grigory Yevseevich Zinoviev , born Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky Apfelbaum , was a Bolshevik revolutionary and a Soviet Communist politician...
, Kamenev, Molotov
Vyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of Joseph Stalin, to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev...
, Mikhail Tomsky
Mikhail Tomsky
Mikhail Pavlovich Tomsky was a factory worker, trade unionist and Bolshevik leader. He was the Soviet leader of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions.Tomsky attempted to form a trade union at his factory in St...
, and Aleksey Rykov.
The same evening of the Politburo meeting, Vvedensky with several other renovationist priests confronted Patriarch Tikhon
Tikhon of Moscow
Saint Tikhon of Moscow , born Vasily Ivanovich Bellavin , was the 11th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia of the Russian Orthodox Church during the early years of the Soviet Union, 1917 through 1925.-Early life:...
, at that time under his house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
, with evidence that his anti-Soviet activities were leading to chaos in the Church. Tikhon denied such anti-Soviet activity, but readily agreed to step down from the patriarchal throne, and handed authority temporarily over to Metropolitan Agafangel of Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historical part of the city, a World Heritage Site, is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. It is one of the Golden Ring cities, a group of historic cities...
until the new council could be convened to elect a new patriarch.. Several days later, they got Tikhon to agree that the patriarchal chancellery should be run by the Living Church movement, yet he stipulated to have that be overseen by other two bishops. However, upon leaving the meeting, Vvedensky reported publicly that the Patriarch had approved the renovationist's council as being the proper church administration until the national council could be convened for the election of a new Patriarch. Archbishop Antonin Granovsky was named the president of the council with Vvedensky as the vice-president.
When Vvedensky met with Metropolitan Veniamin of Petrograd
Veniamin (Kazansky)
Metropolitan Veniamin was a bishop in the Russian Orthodox Church and eventually Archbishop of Petrograd and Gdov from 1917 to 1922...
in the late May, the metropolitan refused to accept the VTsU as the rightful administration of the church without direct instructions from the Patriarch. In a letter to all perishes in his diocese, Metropolitan Veniamin forbade Vvedensky and other renovationist priests from performing the sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
s before they had repented before him. That led to the arrest of Metropolitan of Petrograd the next day after the letter was released, and Vvedensky's presence at that arrest was compared with Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
at the arrest of Christ. Veniamin's successor, Alexy Simansky, restored Vvedensky and the others to their rights on June 4 under the pressure from GPU which threatened to execute Veniamin.
Vvedensky as Head of the Living Church, 1923-1946
Vvedensky was essentially the head of the Living Church from the 1920s. During that time he adopted a series of various titles: Metropolitan - Apologete - Evangelizer - Deputy of the First Hierarch. On October 10, 1941, he was named as the "First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USSR" with the title of the "Most Holy and Blessed Lord and Father" and in essence the head of the Living Church. He attempted to have himself to be named as the Patriarch, but that was never accepted by the majority of the church and by December of that year, he reverted back to his less representative title of Metropolitan.With Stalin's concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
with the "Patriarchal" or Tikhonite church after his meeting with Metropolitan Sergey on September 8, 1943, the Living Church lost its support of the Soviet authorities and the rest of faithful. Many clergy were allowed back into their respective churches at the rank they had before joining the Living Church, except for Vvedensky, who as the "founding father" of the schism was to be laicized. He refused that and died as the unreconciled
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
.
Personal life
Vvedensky was married twice and had five children. As a member of the white clergy (married clergy), he was canonically forbidden to enter the episcopate, which in the Eastern Church is made up of the black clergy (monastic clergy) (the exception is when the white priest is a widower, in which case he is not allowed to remarry and is expected to become a monk). Vvedensky also shaved his beard later in life, something not traditionally done by the Orthodox clergymen. Margaret Bourke White took a series of pictures of "the New Metropolitan of Moscow" during her visit to Moscow in 1941 and they were published in Life Magazine.Vvedensky died of a stroke on July 26, 1946 and is buried at the Kalitnikov Cemetery in Moscow.