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Sergius (Stragorodsky) of Moscow

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[[File:Serge de Moscou.jpg|thumb|250px]]
'''Sergius (Stragorodsky) of Moscow''' was the seventeenth [[Patriarch]] of Moscow and All Russia. He previously served as a bishop in three dioceses and as deputy and patriarchal ''[[locum tenens]]'' from 1927 to 1943, having ascended to this position following the death of Patr. Tikhon and imprisonment of Metr. [[Peter (Polyansky) of Krutitsy|Peter of Krutitsy]], the previous locum tenens. He was particularly known and criticized for his allegedly willing submission to the Soviet government in Russia, often referred to as ''Sergianism''.
== Life ==
[[Image:Mitr_sergius.jpg|thumb|180px|Sergius as Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod.]]
 
Ivan Nikolayevich Stragorodsky was born in the town of Arzamas near Nizhny Novgorod on [[January 11]], 1867. His father, Nicholas, was an arch[[priest]]. After receiving the name Sergius when he was tonsured a [[monk]], he studied in the Nizhny Novgorod [[seminary]], followed by studies at the [[St. Petersburg Theological Academy]]. Sergius became proficient in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. He was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[deacon|diaconate]] and then to the priesthood. He was soon raised to the rank of [[archimandrite]]. In September 1890, he arrived in Japan to assist Bp. [[Nicholas of Japan]]. Here, while he taught at the [[Tokyo Orthodox Seminary (Tokyo, Japan)|Tokyo Orthodox Seminary]], he became fluent in Japanese before his return to Russia in 1898. Upon his return to the St. Petersburg Academy in 1899, he was appointed [[rector]].
In 1901, Sergius was appointed [[Archbishop]] of Finland and Vyborg. In 1911, he became a member of the [[Holy Synod]] of the [[Church of Russia]]. He was transferred to the diocese of Vladimir and Shuya on [[August 10]], 1917. Subsequently, he was raised to the office of metropolitan on [[November 28]], 1917 by Patr. [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon]]. With the Bolsheviks now ruling Russia, Sergius was arrested in January 1921 and spent several months in jail before being exiled to to Nizhny Novgorod. Between [[June 16]], 1922 and [[August 27]], 1923, Sergius became involved in the Renovationist schism, the so-called [[Living Church]], but repented his actions publicly and was forgiven by Patr. Tikhon. The Patriarch appointed him Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod on [[March 18]], 1924.
[[Image:Mitr_sergius.jpg|thumb|180px|Sergius as Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod.|left]]
In the uncertain atmosphere in which the Russian Church found itself in the early 1920s, Patr. Tikhon recognized that proper election of his successor may not be possible. Therefore, he presented in his will a list of three candidates, of which one would be elected to assume leadership of the Church after his death. After Patr. Tikhon's death on [[April 7]], 1925, Metr. Peter of Krutitsy and Kolomna was elected Patriarchal ''Locum Tenens'' and, following Tikhon's example, he produced a succession candidate list of three. These candidates, at the time, were not in prison or in exile. Eight months later Metr. Peter was arrested, and of those on Peter's list only Metr. Sergius was not imprisoned. Thus, he assumed leadership of the Church under the title ''Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens'' on the assumption that Metr. Peter was the ''de jure'' locum tenens and would resume leadership when he was released from prison. (Metr. Peter was never released.)

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