View source for Benjamin (Putsek-Grigorovich) of Kazan

Metropolitan '''Benjamin (Putsek-Grigorovich) of Kazan''' was the ruling [[bishop]] of a number of [[diocese]]s of the [[Church of Russia]]. Successively, he served as Bishop of Nizhny Novgorod from 1748 to 1753. Then, as Bishop of Tver from 1753 to 1758, followed as Bishop of Pskov from 1758 to 1761. He was then transferred and became the Archbishop of St. Petersburg from 1761 to 1762 and finally Metropolitan of Kazan from 1762 to 1782.

==Life==
Vasiliy Grigorievich Putsek-Grigorovich was born early in the eighteenth century in the town of Lokhvitsy in the province of Poltava. After finishing his basic education he continued his studies at the [[Kiev Theological Academy|Kiev Academy]]. Completing his studies, Vasiliy Grigorievich traveled to the city of Kazan of the Volga River and, in 1733, began teaching at the new Slavonic-Latin School, predecessor of the [[Kazan Theological Academy|Kazan Theological Seminary/Academy]]. Vasiliy Grigorievich would spend a major part of his life serving in Kazan.

Beginning as a lecturer, he became the prefect of the [[seminary]] in 1744. During his time with the seminary Vasily was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Benjamin and entered the [[Holy Orders]].  On [[December 6]], 1744, Benjamin was raised to the dignity of [[archimandrite]] and appointed [[abbot]] of Savior-Transfiguration Monastery in Kazan while still serving the seminary. As Kazan was in the frontier of Christianity during his time, Archim. Benjamin participated as a [[missionary]] by preaching the Word of God among the pagans and Muslims of the Kazan province.

In 1746, it came time for Archim. Benjamin to serve in St. Petersburg for a period of time at the end of which he was elected to the [[see]] of Nizhny Novgorod. On [[August 14]], 1748, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod. On [[March 2]], 1753, Abp. Benjamin was transferred to the see of Tver, and on the following [[October 6]] he was appointed a member of the [[Apostolic Governing Synod|Holy Synod]]. Following in succession Abp. Benjamin was transferred first to the see of Pskov on [[April 2]], 1758 and then on [[September 14]], 1761 he was appointed Archbishop of St. Petersburg.
On [[July 25]], 1762, Abp. Benjamin requested his transfer to the [[Diocese of Kazan]] where upon his [[enthronement]], he was the Archbishop of Kazan. However, before his departure for Kazan, Abp. Benjamin participated in the coronation of Empress Catherine II on [[September 22]], 1762. 

In 1771, the Kazan area was affected by a great pestilence that, by tradition, was relieved by religious processions around the city walls with the Icon of the Mother of God “Of the Seven Lakes”. This was the second instance that the procession of the wonderworking [[icon]] had relieved the city of Kazan from a general affliction. A previous procession during tenure of [[Cornelius I of Kazan|Cornelius I]] in 1654 had traditionally ended a plague epidemic.

On [[December 5]], 1772, Abp. Benjamin, with  Bp. Bartholomew (Lyubarsky) of Vyatka,  consecrated as Bishop of Irkutsk  Archimandrite Michael (Mitkevich) of the Tobolsk Monastery of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”.

In 1774, following the defeat and execution of the rebel Yemelyan Pugachev, who had captured Kazan for a time, Abp. Benjamin was accused of aiding the rebel. An investigation, however, exonerated the [[archbishop]] after which empress Catherine elevated Abp. Benjamin to the rank of [[metropolitan]] on [[January 26]], 1775. Metr. Banjamin continued to govern the [[Diocese]]  of Kazan until [[March 17]], 1782 when he asked for retirement.  Granted a pension of 4410 rubles, Metr. Benjamin retired to the [[Seven Lakes Hermitage of the Mother of God|Monastery of the Icon of the Mother of God]] “Of  The Seven Lakes” outside the city of Kazan where he died in July 1783.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[Eparchy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas|Bishop of Nizhny Novgorod]]|
years=1748-1753|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Tver|
years=1753-1758|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Pskov|
years=1758-1761|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Silvester (Kulyabka) of St. Petersburg|Silvester (Kulyabka)]]|
title=Archbishop of St. Petersburg|
years=1761-1762|
after=[[Gabriel (Kremenetsky) of Kiev|Gavriil (Kremenetsky)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Kremenetsky) of Kiev|Gabriel II (Kremenetsky)]]|
title=[[List of bishops of the Diocese of Kazan|Metropolitan of Kazan]]|
years=1762-1782|
after=[[Anthony I (Zybelin) of Kazan|Anthony I (Zybelin)]]}}
{{end box}} 

==Sources==
*[http://eng.kazan.eparhia.ru/bishops/bishops/#2  Kazan Bishops - Metropolitan Veniamin (Benjamin)]
*[http://www.oca.org/FSLivesAllSaints.asp?SID=4&M=7&D=28   OCA: Icon of the Mother of God of Seven Lakes] 

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:18th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Nizhny Novgorod]]
[[Category: Bishops of Pskov]]
[[Category: Bishops of Kazan]]
[[Category: Bishops of Saint Petersburg]]
[[Category: Bishops of Tver]]