Metropolitan Pitirim (in the world Konstantin Vladimirovich Nechaev): biography, monasticism

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Metropolitan Pitirim was born in early January 1926. He was a bishop in the church of the Russian people. His name in the world is Nechaev Konstantin Vladimirovich. Known not only in the religious direction, but also in the scientific field, in the field of literature. He is the author of several dozen publications in various languages.

Short biography

Metropolitan Pitirim has an ordinary biography, similar to almost any priest.

He became the head of the publishing house in the Moscow Patriarchate from 1963 to 1994. Since Konstantin Vladimirovich Nechaev was the chairman of the department, he could constantly make various trips to foreign countries. Thanks to this, he mastered a foreign language and could communicate freely in it. But more often he communicated and spoke to people with the help of translators.

After the holy baptism in 1972 and until his death, he regularly served in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word. By the end of the 1080s, he became a celebrity among the intellectual and musical circles in Moscow. He was never listed as a permanenta member of the Synod, but many considered him one of the influential hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.

How was his childhood?

Metropolitan Pitirim's family was deeply religious. Parents were priests. Even in childhood, they instilled in Pitirim a love of faith. His upbringing and family life had a very strong positive impact on his whole life. His parents did not set conditions for him where he would study after he graduated from school. Therefore, after he graduated from school, he decided to enter the University of Moscow in the department of motor transport engineers.

But he eventually went to serve the clergy, like his relatives.

In 1944, he became the first of the students of the Novodevichy Theological University monastery, which was opened on June 14th. Later it was renamed the Theological Seminary or Academy.

In 1945, Patriarch Alexy1 saw him and took him as a subdeacon.

In 1951, Metropolitan Pitirim graduated from the seminary and received a Ph. D. in theology. He remained in the chair of patristics. In 1951, he decided to become a teacher of religious history in Western countries.

In 1952 Alexy made him a deacon.

In 1953 he began to have the title of assistant professor, and already in 1954 he became a priest. After that, he began to serve in the patriarchal church.

In 1957 he began teaching the New Testament.

Since 1989, he became hegumen governor in one of the ancient Russian monasteries of the monastery.

Metropolitan Pitirim monasticism

In 1959year he was tonsured in the Trinity Sergius Lavra named Pitirim. A little later, he was appointed inspector at a theological seminary in Moscow.

In 1962, he became editor-in-chief of the Moscow Patriarchy magazine, which was the official organ of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 1963 he became Bishop of Volokolamsk and was appointed chairman of the publishing house of the patriarchy department in Moscow. And a little later he was appointed bishop in the Smolensk diocese.

He was considered the son of the clergy, as the confessor Schema-Archimandrite Sevastian Karaganda.

Bishoping

In 1963, in the Ascension, he was consecrated as a bishop.

Also at this time he was appointed chairman of the publishing house of the Patriarch of Moscow. At the same place he remained to work for 30 years. After being transformed into a publishing council, he was relieved of his post. During this time, the number of employees has increased significantly.

From 1964 to 1965 he began to temporarily manage the Smolensk diocese.

In 1971, the English edition of the Patriarchate's magazine was formed in Moscow, which had subscribers in many countries. There were about 50 countries.

In 71, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

His concern was the publishing council, which at one time huddled in the same building as the refectory of the church of the Dormition Novodevichy Convent. Also, this building was given to him for rent with subsequent reconstruction. He finally moved at the end of 81 years. Despite the fact that he had a publishing activity in the building, he opened many morevarious departments. For example, a photography exhibition, a film crew, a slide film, video, sound recording department, a biography reference department, a translation service department, etc.

Death and funeral

The last public appearance of Pitirim Nechaev was on the night of Easter 2003, when, after the illness of Alexy II, he gave a service in the Cathedral of the Savior Christ. At the same time, he took part in the descent of the Holy Fire in the city of Jerusalem, which he subsequently delivered to the beginning of the service in Moscow.

In June he had a complicated operation. But, despite the illness, he was able to take part in the celebration, which is dedicated to the centenary of the canonization of Sarovsky. It took place in the cities of Sarov and Diveevo of the same year. After returning, Pitirim Nechaev fell seriously ill again and was forced to be hospitalized for several weeks.

Metropolitan Pitirim died in 2003 after a difficult illness.

The body lay in the temple for several days. At this time, funeral services were held, and people could come and say goodbye to the deceased.

November 7 - the fulfillment of the liturgy in Epiphany for the repose of his pure soul in the service of Evgeny Vereisky. There were Savva Krasnogorsky, Bishop Alexy Orekhovo-Zuevsky, Alexander Dmitrovsky. After the end of the funeral service, Patriarch Alexy II, with his members of the Synod and the Council of Bishops, made a rite for sending the soul to another world, uttered the last farewell words, where all the great labors of the deceased were noted. Plenipotentiary representative came to the funeral of the great metropolitanPresident of the Russian Federation Poltavchenko, Mayor of Moscow Luzhkov, there were also many famous personalities.

Where is the grave

His grave is located in the city of Moscow at the Danilovsky cemetery, his close relatives are also buried here. In 2004, the rector of MIIT Levin expressed the initiative to open a special fund called the Heritage of Metropolitan Pitirim. Already in 2005, a monument dedicated to Pitirim was solemnly opened with the Moscow metro. They placed it on the grave.

What awards received

During his lifetime, Metropolitan Pitirim was awarded the orders of the Sacred House: the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow of the second degree, St. Sergius of Radonezh the Wonderworker of the first degree, the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir of the first and second degrees.

What writings did he write?

He has published works in several languages and on various topics. There are more than one hundred publications in total. Among his spiritual efforts, imprinted on paper, were those related to his scientific activities. Most of the work, of course, is dedicated to the main calling of his life and is connected with his spiritual enlightenment.

The main works of the Metropolitan include:

• Candidate essay on the topic of the end of the academic year at the Moscow Theological School.
• "What is the meaning of love in the ascetic worldview." Released work in 1960s.
• "In the name of peace and unity" - released in 1962.
• "What are the holidays in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra at the Theological School of Moscow" - released in 1962.
• "Word on the day of memory of the Wonderworker Alexy" - 1963.
• "A couple of days of pilgrimage" - 1962.

Pitirim was named Metropolitan of Volokolamsk and Yurievsky in 1963.

Scientific work

Being engaged in scientific and practical activities, Pitirim began to put forward all the tasks of the spiritual and patriotic world in national history, while realizing the role of the Orthodox Church in Russia in all manifestations of human life, including all features from ecology to interpersonal relationships. The main scheme is presented as an understanding of the world as a single system for the implementation of all the creativity of the Creator, which allows you to direct the free will of man into the world process. Pitirim believed that it is impossible to consider the world in isolation from various points of view. All God's laws are understood by the free will of people and are capable of being realized in the process of life of an individual. But, unfortunately, each person is individual, capable of causing a slight deviation in the world of the clergy and causing tangible harm. All this position is reflected in the UN declaration, called the Declaration of the Rights of the Earth. It tells about the relationship of man with the Earth, how it reacts to all negative human factors.