Patriarch Pimen I
Encyclopedia
Patriarch Pimen was the 14th Patriarch of Moscow and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church
from 1971 to 1990. He was born in the town of Bogorodsk
near Moscow
.
On December 5, 1925, he became a monk at Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. He also spent years in various Russian monasteries and cathedrals in Murom
, Odessa
and Pskov
. In 1954 Pimen became head of Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
.
On November 14, 1961 he was appointed Metropolitan
of Leningrad
and Ladoga
. After the death of Patriarch Alexius I metropolitan Pimen was elected the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia in 1971.
Pimen's task was to lead a Christian church in a state ruled by an officially atheist Communist party. In his post he worked closely with the authorities: he participated in numerous 'peace movement' conferences sponsored by the government. Pimen was awarded the Soviet Peace Fund Medal (1969, 1971) and, in 1970, the Gold Medal "Борцу за мир" ("Fighter for Peace") by the 'Soviet Committee for the Defence of Peace'. Pimen was a member of the World Peace Council
from 1963 onwards. In 1961, Pimen was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
(орден Трудового Красного Знамени), one of the highest awards of the time. The Soviet
state tried to limit and control all religious activity and Pimen struggled to ensure the survival of the Russian Orthodox Church.
At the end of his difficult term as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church he organized the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in Russia in 1988. This is believed to be an historic moment marking the end of the persecution of Orthodox Christianity in the Soviet Union.
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 1971 to 1990. He was born in the town of Bogorodsk
Noginsk
Noginsk is a town and the administrative center of Noginsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located east of the MKAD ring road on the Klyazma River. Population:...
near 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...
.
On December 5, 1925, he became a monk at Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. He also spent years in various Russian monasteries and cathedrals in Murom
Murom
Murom is a historic city in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which sprawls along the left bank of Oka River. Population: -History:In the 9th century CE, the city marked the easternmost settlement of the Eastern Slavs in the land of the Finno-Ugric people called Muromians. The Russian Primary Chronicle...
, Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
and Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
. In 1954 Pimen became head of Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Posad, about 70 km to the north-east from Moscow by the road leading to Yaroslavl, and currently is home to...
.
On November 14, 1961 he was appointed Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Leningrad
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and Ladoga
Staraya Ladoga
Staraya Ladoga , or the Aldeigjuborg of Norse sagas, is a village in the Volkhovsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Volkhov River near Lake Ladoga, 8 km north of the town of Volkhov. The village used to be a prosperous trading outpost in the 8th and 9th centuries...
. After the death of Patriarch Alexius I metropolitan Pimen was elected the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia in 1971.
Pimen's task was to lead a Christian church in a state ruled by an officially atheist Communist party. In his post he worked closely with the authorities: he participated in numerous 'peace movement' conferences sponsored by the government. Pimen was awarded the Soviet Peace Fund Medal (1969, 1971) and, in 1970, the Gold Medal "Борцу за мир" ("Fighter for Peace") by the 'Soviet Committee for the Defence of Peace'. Pimen was a member of the World Peace Council
World Peace Council
The World Peace Council is an international organization that advocates universal disarmament, sovereignty and independence and peaceful co-existence, and campaigns against imperialism, weapons of mass destruction and all forms of discrimination...
from 1963 onwards. In 1961, Pimen was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour was an order of the Soviet Union for accomplishments in labour and civil service. It is the labour counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order.-History:The Red...
(орден Трудового Красного Знамени), one of the highest awards of the time. The Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
state tried to limit and control all religious activity and Pimen struggled to ensure the survival of the Russian Orthodox Church.
At the end of his difficult term as the head of the Russian Orthodox Church he organized the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in Russia in 1988. This is believed to be an historic moment marking the end of the persecution of Orthodox Christianity in the Soviet Union.