Metropolitan Alfeev Hilarion: Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church

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

The famous clergyman Hilarion is an outstanding personality. Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, vicar of Patriarch Kirill, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk, theologian, teacher, church historian, patrologist and composer. Archbishop Hilarion Alfeev is the creator of a literary research work dedicated to the life and work of the holy fathers of the Orthodox Church, numerous Russian-language interpretations and various religious treatises written in Syriac and Greek. He is also distinguished in the field of dogmatic theology and is the author of epic oratorios and musical suites for chamber performance.

Biography

Before becoming a monk, his name was Alfeev Grigory Valerievich. Born July 24, 1966 in Moscow, in a creative intelligent family. His grandfather, Dashevsky Grigory Markovich, was a historian and author of books about the Spanish Civil War. He died in the Great Patriotic War, in 1944. Father - Dashevsky Valery Grigorievich - was the author of research papers in the field of organic chemistry and a doctor of physical and mathematical sciences. When Gregory was still a boy, his father left his family and after some time, due to an unfortunate coincidence, died. The mother was a writer, and she had to raise her son alone. Gregory was christened at the age of 11.

Gnesinka

In 1973, Ilarion Alfeev entered the Moscow Gnessin School, where he studied violin and composition until 1984.

From the age of fifteen he was already a reader in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word on the Assumption Vrazhek in Moscow. According to Hilarion himself, by this time the Church had become the main content and meaning of his life.

In 1983, he served as a subdeacon under Metropolitan Pitirim (Nechaev) of Volokolamsk and Yuryevsk and was one of the non-staff members of the publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate.

After graduating from the Gnessin Music Special School, he entered the composition department of the Moscow State Conservatory, headed by Alexei Aleksandrovich Nikolaev. In 1984, Alfeev went to serve in the Soviet Army as a brass band musician.

Novice of the monastery

In the middle of the winter of 1987, he left the conservatory and became a novice of the Holy Spirit of the Vilna Monastery, then he was ordained a hierodeacon by the archbishop of this monastery, Viktorin (Belyaev), and at the end of the summer Alfeev Hilarion received the rank of hieromonk.

From 1988 to 1990 he served as rector of the churches of the Vilna-Lithuaniandioceses in the villages of Kolainiai, Tituvenai and in the city of Telsiai, and then became the rector of the Kaunas Annunciation Cathedral.

In 1990 he was elected as a delegate from his diocese. He participates in the election of the Patriarch, which was the Leningrad Metropolitan Alexy (Ridiger). On July 8, he delivers a speech on the relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with foreign countries.

In 1989, Alfeev Hilarion graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary in absentia, and then the Moscow Theological Academy with a degree in theology. Not resting on his laurels, in 1993 he completed his postgraduate studies at the MDA.

From 1991 to 1993, he embarks on the path of teaching such disciplines as the Holy Scriptures, homiletics, Greek and dogmatic theology of MDS and MDA.

From 1992 to 1993 Alfeev Hilarion was a teacher of the New Testament and Patrology at the University of St. John the Theologian and St. Tikhon's Theological Institute.

Oxford Internship

The same year he was sent for an internship at Oxford University, where he worked on his doctoral dissertation and studied the Syriac language. He had to combine his studies with service in the churches of the Sourozh diocese. In 1995, Ilarion Alfeev successfully graduated from the university with a doctorate in philosophy and began working in the Moscow Patriarchate in the department for external church relations as secretary of inter-Christian relations.

Since 1995, he has been teaching patrology at the Kaluga and Smolensk Theological Seminaries for two years. The next year he lectures ondogmatic theology at St. Herman's Seminary in Alaska.

From the beginning of 1996, he served in the clergy on Vspolye in Moscow, in the Church of St. Catherine (Metochion of the HRC in America).

In the period from 1996 to 2004, Hilarion Alfeev was a member of the Synodal Theological Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church. And in 1999 he received his doctorate in theology in Paris.

Hilarion Alfeev: sacraments of faith

At the same time, he worked for a whole year as a presenter on the TVC channel in the program “Peace to your home”. At the same time, he continued to write articles and books, including "The Sacred Mystery of the Church", "The Sacrament of Faith", etc. The list is interesting and large, so it makes no sense to list it all.

In 2000, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad elevated him to the rank of Abbot of the Trinity Church in Khoroshevo.

In December 2001, Hilarion became Bishop of Kerch, and on Christmas Day 2002 he received the rank of archimandrite at the Smolensk Cathedral. January 14, 2002 in the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior - consecrated bishop.

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeev: feedback from colleagues

In early 2002, he arrived in the Sourozh diocese (ROC in Great Britain and Ireland) as a vicar of Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom). Soon, a whole group of priests led by Bishop Vasily (Osborne) took up arms against the actions of Bishop Hilarion.

In May 2002, Illarion was attacked by the critical speech of the ruling bishop Anthony, who gives his assistant three months to delve into the essence of the Sourozh diocese and decide for himself,whether he is ready to continue serving in accordance with the norms and ideals that have already existed for 53 years. Anthony stressed that he admires the merits of the young clergyman, but if they do not agree on the main issues and do not work as a team, then they will have to disperse.

Bishop Hilarion did not take long to answer. He issued a statement denying all allegations against him.

As a result of this confrontation, Hilarion was recalled from this diocese, and in July 2002 he was appointed bishop of Podolsk, vicar of the Moscow diocese and the main representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in international European organizations, where he was actively involved in information activities.

In all his speeches, he always emphasized the importance of Christianity, which is already 2000 years old. In his words, Europe's denial of its Christian roots is simply unacceptable, as this is the most important spiritual and moral component that determines European identity.

Life with conscience

In May 2003, he received a new appointment and became Bishop of Vienna and Austria. In March 2009, the Holy Synod was relieved of this position and elected Bishop of Volokolamsk, vicar of the Moscow Patriarch and a permanent member of the Holy Synod. At the same time, he became the rector of the All-Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies of the MP.

In April 2009, he was appointed rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in Moscow on Bolshaya Ordynka.

In passing, Patriarch Kirill elevated him to the rank of archbishop for his diligent service to the Orthodox Church.

Since May 2009, Hilarion has been a representative of an organization that involves interaction with all religious communities or associations created under the auspices of the President of the Russian Federation.

In February 2010, for the personal merits of Hilarion, Patriarch Kirill elevated him to the rank of metropolitan.

Over the years, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeev zealously represented the Russian Orthodox Church at various international inter-Christian forums.

From 2009 to 2013, he led the Orthodox Religious Commission, which worked on the Ravenna document, which expressed the position of the Moscow Patriarchate on the issue of the primacy of the Ecumenical Church.

Trip to Ukraine

We all know that very sad events took place in a brotherly country, and in May 2014 a glaring incident happened - Metropolitan Hilarion, upon arrival at the Dnepropetrovsk airport, was personally warned in writing that he was forbidden to enter Ukraine, where he was invited Metropolitan of Dnepropetrovsk UOC-MP, Patriarch Iriney, on the celebration of his 75th birthday. Metropolitan Hilarion demanded an apology and an explanation, which was not forthcoming. Then he announced congratulations from the Patriarch of Moscow right at the border control point and presented Patriarch Irinei with the Order of St. Prince Daniel of Moscow, 1st class.

Musical creativity

In 2006-2007, Illarion actively took up music and wrote for the mixed choir "All-Night Vigil" and"Divine Liturgy", for soloists and choir - "Matthew Passion", for symphony orchestra and mixed choir - "Christmas Oratorio". In Moscow, these performances were preceded by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow. His music has been highly acclaimed by professional musicians.

During the year, the St. Matthew Passion was performed not only in Russia, but also in Australia and Canada. The audience celebrated the success with a standing ovation. Between 2007 and 2012, the oratorio was performed 48 times around the world. The premiere performance of the musical composition "Christmas Oratorios" in Washington was also marked by a standing ovation. The oratorio was a great success in Boston, New York and Moscow.

Divine music penetrated the human soul. Illarion filled the Bach form of the oratorio with the canonical Orthodox spirit. There were, however, critical statements on this score, but they are very few.

In 2011, Metropolitan Hilarion, in close cooperation with Vladimir Spivakov, was the creator and director of the Moscow Christmas Festival of Sacred Music, annually held on the eve of the holy January celebrations.

Movies

Bishop Hilarion Alfeev became the author and presenter of the cycle of films “A Man Before God” (2011), “The Church in History” (2012), “The Path of the Shepherd”, dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Patriarch Kirill (2011 d.), “Unity of the Faithful”, dedicated to the 5th anniversary of the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Church Abroad (2012), “Journey to Athos” (2012), “Orthodoxy in China” (2013), “Pilgrimage to the Holy Land” (2013) and many other very interesting educational Christian films.

In 2014, he also made films "With the Patriarch on Mount Athos", "Orthodoxy in Georgia" and "Orthodoxy in the Serbian Lands".

Awards

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeev was awarded many state awards: he received the Order of the Holy Evangelist Mark II degree of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church, the Order of Friendship (2011), the Order of the Commander's Cross (2013, Hungary), the Order of Merit III degree (Ukraine, 2013), the Order of St. Constantine the Great (2011) of the Serbian Orthodox Church and many, many other high awards, including both public and academic ones. It is simply impossible to list everything.

One can immediately agree that not everyone manages to achieve such heights in life. Truly - a bright and unique clergyman Hilarion Alfeev. Photos with his image demonstrate the unusual piercing look of a very wise, scientifically minded person. One gets the feeling that he sees something that we, ordinary people, have not yet matured to see spiritually. Although still quite a young priest Hilarion Alfeev, Orthodoxy, however, for him became the only religion that he is ready to profess all his life, and not only to the Russian people, but to the whole world.