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In 1940, the three neighbouring Baltic republics were incorporated into the Soviet Union, leading to an increase in the formal flock of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]]. Consequently, on [[February 24]], 1941 an [[Exarchate]] (special metropolitan region) was established in the Latvian and Estonian dioceses, and Metropolitan Sergius (Voskresensky) of Vilnius and Lithuania was confirmed as its [[Exarch]].<ref name=ANDREEV>Vasily Andreev. ''[http://www.russkiymir.ru/russkiymir/en/publications/articles/article0042.html “The Best Time of My Ministry” – On the History of the Pskov Mission (1941-1944)].'' RUSSKIY MIR FOUNDATION. Aug 5, 2009.</ref>

The governing body of the mission was a directorate led by Father Boris Efimov (August – October 1941), Father Nikolai Kolibersky (October – November 1941) and Father Kirill Zaitsev, formerly the abbot of the Riga Cathedral (December 1941 – February 1944). The directorate was made up of two divisions, one for the development of Christian culture (led by Father Georgiy [[George M. Benigsen|George Benigsen]]) and one for everyday affairs, headed by Ivan Obodnevyi. The head of the Pskov mission reported directly to Exarch Sergius.<ref name="ANDREEV"/>

At the core of the Pskov mission were Russian priests from the dioceses of Riga and Narva. On [[August 18]], 1941 the first 14 [[Missionary|missionaries]] arrived in Pskov, who were [[priests]], among whom were graduates of the [[St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute (Paris, France)|Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris]]<ref name="PSKOV-RUSS"/> (including priests Vladimir Tolstoukhov and [http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%98%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2,_%D0%90%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B9 Alexei Ionov]), as well as former members of the Russian Student Christian Movement (Father Georgiy George Benigsen) and its branch in Latvia – the Russian Orthodox Student Unity, which had been formed in 1928.<ref name="ANDREEV"/>

The mission itself lasted only until the spring of 1944. On [[February 18]], 1944, after the first raid on Pskov by Soviet aircraft, the German authorities ordered the evacuation of the mission. The next day, Father Georgiy George Benigsen left the city with a group of students. They were soon followed by other members of the mission to continue its activities in the Baltic states and in other European countries. After the war they found themselves in the position of being émigrés. The heads of the mission – Father Kirill Zaitsev, Father Kirill Shakhovsky and some other missionaries – remained in areas that were liberated by the Soviet army. Some of them were arrested and held for years in labor camps. At the same time, some of the missionaries who did not evacuate did not face any reprisals after the war and continued to serve in the Pskov Region.

On [[April 28]], 1944, Exarch Metropolitan Sergius (Voskresensky) was assassinated as he was traveling on the road from Vilnius to Riga by car. The vehicle was fired upon while on the highway near [[w:Kaunas|Kovno]] (''Kaunas''), by people that were observed to be wearing German uniforms.<ref name="PSKOV-RUSS"/>