The most influential women of the Russian Church. Abbess Xenia (Chernega): maintaining Isaac in proper condition will most likely be carried out at the expense of subsidies
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The image of the modern Moscow Patriarchate is formed not only by Patriarch Kirill and “priests in Mercedes”. He has and female face: name is Xenia (Chernega) - abbess, abbess of the Moscow Alekseevsky monastery and chief lawyer of the patriarchate. It is she who increasingly speaks out on key issues on behalf of the ROC. She does not need a stern outcry from the patriarch, who threatened the clergy on September 21: “If anyone still has doubts about whether it is necessary to do everything that the patriarch teaches about, leave all doubts! And strictly follow what I command! Who does not agree - retire! The abbess is firmly embedded in the vertical of patriarchal power.
Fresh sensation and its "clarification"
With this modest matushka in a black cassock and an apostle, there are many “information occasions” that the patriarchate gives out to the media space. One of these just showed up last week. Russian media a sensation has spread around: in the wake of the fight against “Orthodox extremists” who oppose the film “Matilda”, the Patriarchate calls for the adoption of a law prohibiting organizations that are not part of the structure of the ROC MP from using the words “Orthodoxy”, “Orthodox” and derivatives from them in their names . The logic of the initiative is that organizations calling for setting fire to cinemas and creating other extremism call themselves Orthodox and thereby cast a shadow on the patriarchy. But the patriarchy condemns them and is ready to help the state in every possible way in the fight against them!
There was a breath of “monopoly on Orthodoxy” in the air, and yet in Russia, in addition to the Moscow Patriarchate, there are several more “alternative” churches and Old Believer concords that profess Orthodoxy. A similar monopoly exists, for example, in Georgia, where a concordat has been signed between the state and the Georgian Patriarchate. "Alternative" Orthodox in this country exist semi-legally, if not completely underground. In Russia, such churches also do not feel at ease: their churches are taken away, and their publications are recognized as “extremist.” According to Abbess Xenia, there is a “whole block” of organizations registered in the country that have “Orthodox” in their names, although “these organizations have no connection with the Church.”
But "information occasions" sometimes appear in order to refute them. The call for a "monopoly on Orthodoxy" sounds too provocative after Vladimir Putin's two demonstrative meetings with the head of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, Metropolitan Kornily (in March and May of this year). The call to ban this church from being called Orthodox is now perceived as a opposition and disloyalty.
And so, on September 18, the legal service of the patriarchate issues an “explanation” signed by the same Xenia: “The position of the service is not to prohibit the use of the word “Orthodox” in the names of religious organizations that are not associated with the Russian Orthodox Church, but to limit the use of information about religious affiliation in the names of those commercial and non-commercial organizations that have nothing to do with religion and religious communities. And thanks for that.
Although the question hung in the air, who will determine (and by what criteria) which organization is “related” to religion and which is not?
Great Artemis of Moscow!
Our heroine is the chief lawyer of the patriarchy and at the same time abbess convent in Krasnoye Selo (Krasnoselskaya metro station) Ksenia (Chernega) — was born in Moscow in 1971 and received a good legal education. In 1998, she defended her dissertation “The Legal Model of Charity and Charitable Organizations: Civil Law and Sociological Aspects” at the Moscow State Law Academy. By that time, she had already worked for five years in a religious organization with a completely non-religious name - "Legal Service". This unusual religious structure served mainly the parish of the Church of All Saints in Krasnoye Selo, transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1991 and headed by the charismatic young priest Artemy Vladimirov. The future abbess became his spiritual child even before the opening of the church in Krasnoye Selo, when Fr. Artemy served in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in Bryusov Lane.
There, a very specific community (mostly girlish) began to form around him, which church wits call "Moscow Artemis" (by analogy with the pagan Artemis of Ephesus, vividly mentioned in the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 19, verses 23-40)). The specificity of the community is a direct continuation of the specificity of Fr. Artemy, a graduate of the philological faculty of Moscow State University, extremely artistic, imposing and witty, but at the same time strictly ascetic and clearly foolish (the priest loves to speak in riddles and jokes, which leads admirers to complete delight, convincing them of the prophetic gift of his spiritual father).
The choice of monasticism is not very typical for the followers of Fr. Artemia. By Abbess Xenia’s own admission, Patriarch Kirill, to whom she applied for tonsure back in 2009, was surprised at such an intention, but not because he knew his chief legal adviser well, but because he considered her work difficult to be compatible with monasticism - too hectic. Our heroine also acknowledges this problem in an interview with the website of the ROC department for monastic affairs in February 2016: “I don’t always find the strength to get up early. I don’t manage to attend the Liturgy every day.”
Despite the high spirituality of the parish, Fr. Artemy, the press sometimes got echoes of scandals related to different kind business activity around this temple. With an angelic Fr. Artemia consisted of a very practical headman who monetized symbolic capital. legal services In particular, these business projects were handled by the religious organization "Legal Service", whose experience quickly proved to be in demand at the highest church level.
But we will return to this, but for now a few words about the secular career of Ksenia Chernega. In 2003, being a young candidate of sciences, she became a professor (!) of the department civil law and process Faculty of Law Academy of Labor and social relations. Almost simultaneously, Ksenia was invited to the post of legal adviser to the Patriarchate, and in 2010 she was invited as a professor by two universities at once - the Moscow Academy of Economics and Law and the Orthodox Institute of St. John the Evangelist. In 2009, she takes monastic (initial) tonsure and heads the legal service of the Moscow Patriarchate. She took full (mantle) monastic tonsure in 2013 and at the same time was elevated to the rank of abbess of the revived Alekseevsky Monastery, created on the basis of the parish of Fr. Artemia.
Purely formally, the elder now became a subordinate of his spiritual daughter: his status was reduced from the rector to the confessor of the monastery.
Beliefs and Opportunities
In one of her interviews, Ksenia confessed in special reverence for Nicholas II and his family members: “The Sovereign is close to me because I personally am a gentle person by nature, and the obediences entrusted to me require firmness and endurance. Emotional outbursts, tears, heart-to-heart talks inherent in the female sex are unacceptable. Mother admits that she spends rare minutes of free time reading and rereading books about the royal martyrs. It is all the more surprising that the Orthodox community has not yet heard from her any harsh statements about Matilda.
Abbess is skeptical about the level of church-state cooperation in modern Russia: “We are very far from “merging” with the state,” she believes, but she immediately stipulates that equal rights religious associations not in Russia: "Equality" - in the legal sense of the word - does not at all imply equality ... Therefore, periodically in State Duma deputies' initiatives are renewed to supplement the legislation with norms classifying religious organizations into "traditional" and "non-traditional".
The impressive lobbying opportunities of the abbess are evidenced, for example, by the following fact. Knowing in advance about the upcoming mass demolition of small tents and cafes in Moscow, mother Ksenia was able to pass through the State Duma (!) an amendment to Article 222 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, which allows demolishing unauthorized buildings without a court decision. Unauthorized buildings for religious purposes were excluded from the scope of the article.
The chief lawyer of the patriarchy is also the ideologist (not the most important, of course, since the initiative came from the patriarch) of criminal prosecution for “insulting feelings” — one of the most vague innovations in legislation in recent years, which has given rise to a whole professional class of “insulted believers”.
Of course, and such a significant thing as "opekization" school education(introduction to the course of the subject "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture"), did not pass by the chief lawyer of the patriarchate. In an interview in 2012, M. Ksenia categorically denied the effect of the “Leninist decree”: “Some deputies seriously argued that in Russia Public School“allegedly separated from the church”, and therefore the study of the foundations of religious culture in Russian schools is unacceptable. However, the principle of separating the school from the church has long and irrevocably gone into the past.
Reporting on her legislative successes in 2015, the abbess singled out amendments to the law “On non-profit organizations” that exempt religious organizations from submitting too complicated reports. The amendments to the law on freedom of conscience, adopted at the same time, significantly reduced the powers of the justice authorities to verify the financial and economic activities of the church. And by the law of the city of Moscow, religious organizations were exempted from trade tax if trade is carried out in churches or on temple territories.
The priority in the work of the chief lawyer under Patriarch Kirill is, of course, the struggle to transfer valuable real estate objects (such as St. Isaac's Cathedral) into the ownership of the ROC, but so that the ROC has as few obligations as possible to maintain these objects. First of all, for this it is necessary to reduce the influence of museums and other cultural institutions on the respective sites. “We believe,” said Mother Ksenia in February 2015, “that if an architectural ensemble is recognized as a religious and historical place, then liturgical activity should become a priority. And all other activities on the territory of the ensemble - museum or tourism - should be auxiliary and carried out to the extent that they do not interfere with the liturgical activities of religious organizations ... "
About one of the most egregious plots with "church real estate", in which m. Ksenia is involved, "Novaya" wrote twice this year. The All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIIRO) in Moscow, on Verkhnyaya Krasnoselskaya Street, was not lucky. The complex of its buildings with total area over 8000 square meters ended up on the historical territory of the Alekseevsky Monastery, where Mother Superior Xenia is just abbess. It is a matter of professional honor for the abbess as a lawyer to return this object, built under the Soviet regime.
RIA Novosti published material today "No gray envelopes." Priests can be given “labor concessions”” dedicated to the stated topic - labor relations in the church.
The most interesting in the text was the comment of the chief lawyer of the Moscow Patriarchate, Abbess Xenia (Chernega):
“People who are not employees, that is, they do not conclude employment contracts, are considered as volunteers. Often they perform certain functions in the church free of charge or for some symbolic payment. Their main goal is to help the temple and serve God.”
Chernega knows the law "On charitable activities and volunteerism" and agrees that a special agreement must be concluded with a volunteer that determines the features of his work:
“This norm, the lawyer stressed, is also provided for by the law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations.”
“We don't have gray envelopes. We, accepting volunteers, make them payments stipulated by law. We do not circumvent the law, we do not have any left payments. Because a volunteer is someone who works for the benefit of an organization against the norms labor law(that is, he does not sell his labor), but disinterestedly.
The volunteer either receives nothing or receives some symbolic payment. But on the basis employment contract, and people deliberately go for it, which, by the way, is evidenced by the absence of any judicial strife on this issue.
It's a shame to lie, mother Xenia, thousands of priests, thousands of church workers will tell you about it. On the ground, in the provinces (I don’t know how in Moscow, people will say), almost nowhere (perhaps with very rare exceptions) they conclude no contracts with “volunteers”, the vast majority work in the temple purely for the “gray envelope”, because there are few what kind of abbot wants to pay taxes for employees and strain with accounting. Yes, and the worker will more often prefer to receive his miserable pennies without tax deductions, from which he is of no use. Moreover, the practice is widespread among the clergy: even if you, a priest, are registered with a work book, you often sign the statement for the “minimum wage” so that the parish avoids unnecessary deductions, and the rest gets “in hand”. Or in general the priest serves without any work book and every contract. And this is not a secret behind seven seals, which, mother, you want to hide - this is a well-known fact.
And what about "judicial strife" - so : now is your time, with the state you have a symphony, so people would rather spit and grind. By blessing.
Photo: Abbess Xenia (Chernega)
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Date of Birth: May 1, 1971 Country: Russia Biography:Born in 1971 in Moscow.
In 1993 she graduated from the Moscow State law academy majoring in jurisprudence.
In 1998, she completed her postgraduate studies at the Moscow State Law Academy. In the same year she defended PhD thesis on the topic "Legal model of charity and charitable organizations: civil law and sociological aspects".
In 1993-1997 - Lawyer of the enterprise of the religious organization "Legal Service".
In 1997-1998 - Lecturer in the Department of Civil Law Disciplines of the Institute for the Protection of an Entrepreneur.
In 1998-2003 - Senior Lecturer, Department of Civil Law, Moscow State Law Academy.
In 2003-2010 - Professor of the Department of Civil Law and Process of the Faculty of Law of the Academy of Labor and Social Relations.
Since 2010 - Professor of the Department of Civil Law Disciplines of the Moscow Academy of Economics and Law.
In 2004-2010 - Legal Counsel of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Since 2010 - Head of the Legal Service (from 06.10.18 -).
On August 26, 2009, she was tonsured into monasticism with the name Xenia in honor of the Holy Blessed Princess Xenia of Tver (Memorial Day is the first Sunday after the celebration of the memory of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul). She was appointed senior sister of the monastic community at the parish of the Church of All Saints of the former Novo-Alekseevsky Monastery in Moscow.
Decision Holy Synod dated July 16, 2013 () was appointed abbess of the revived city of Moscow.
December 23, 2013 in the home church of the Patriarchal residence in His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', took monastic vows with the name Xenia in honor of the holy blessed Xenia of Petersburg.
Education:1993 - Moscow State Law Academy.
1998 - postgraduate study at the Moscow State Law Academy.
In 1998, by the decision of the dissertation council of the Moscow State Law Academy, she was awarded academic degree candidate of legal sciences.
Place of work: Alekseevsky stauropegial nunnery (priest) Place of work: Moscow Patriarchate (Head of the Legal Department) Awards:Church:
- 2016 - Order of St. equal to ap. book. Olga;
- 2019 - St. equal to ap. book. Olga.
Publications on the Patriarchy.ru portal
On the draft federal law amending the procedure for exercising supervision in the field of protection of cultural heritage sites [Documents]
Abbess Xenia (Chernega): “I do not regret that I continue to engage in professional activities” [Interview]
Orthodox Church— the structure is hierarchical and conservative. Management functions in it have always belonged to men - primarily to the episcopate and the clergy. And yet, in the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, women have played and are playing a very definite role.
. Text: "Tatiana's Day"
On the eve of March 8, we tried to compile something like a list of those women who, if they do not take part in the decision-making process in the Russian Church, then at least perform some managerial functions.
This material is based on open sources and does not take into account whole line factors that affect the degree of influence of a particular candidate. We deliberately do not use the word "rating" as a term that contradicts the church's understanding of the ideas of hierarchy and ministry, which is based on the words of the Apostle Paul: "Everyone stay in the rank in which you are called"(1 Cor. 7:20).
In addition, we deliberately move away from analyzing the influence of women in church circles - the spouses of prominent government officials who take an active part in the work of various charitable organizations, support church social projects, etc. A prime example such influence can be, for example, the wife of the head Russian government Svetlana Medvedeva.
Outside of our attention will also remain women who undoubtedly influence the agenda in the church community, but do not belong to the official church structures. Such persons include, for example, well-known journalists Elena Dorofeeva (ITAR-TASS) and Olga Lipich (RIA Novosti), specializing in religious topics, Anna Danilova, editor-in-chief of the Pravoslavie i Mir website, and former editor-in-chief of Tatyana’s Day , journalist Ksenia Luchenko, as well as Olesya Nikolaeva - poetess, writer, laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize.
This could also include the leaders of the "Union of Orthodox Women" - public organization, established in 2010: Nina Zhukova and Galina Ananiev, who are also members of the Bureau of the World Russian People's Council, as well as Marina Belogubova, Head of the Department of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District.
We deliberately limit ourselves to the official church governing bodies and consider the candidacies of those women who are members of these bodies.
In general, the degree of influence of a particular woman in the structures church government can be assessed from two points of view. First, from strictly hierarchical positions. For a female nun, the highest career achievement is abbess in a stavropegial (directly subordinate to the Patriarch) monastery. Therefore, automatically all the abbesses of stauropegial monasteries were included in our list. Secondly (and this approach seems to be more correct), this assessment can be made from a purely functional standpoint, that is, from the point of view of a woman's involvement in the actual activities of the administrative or advisory structures of the Russian Orthodox Church. And it is precisely for this reason that the list is not limited to the abbesses of large monasteries.
The opportunity to personally consult with the Patriarch on this or that issue is a privilege enjoyed only by the most authoritative women in the Church. Photo Patriarchy.ru.
In the latter case, the main indicator will be the participation of women in the work of the Inter-Council Presence - “an advisory body assisting the supreme ecclesiastical authority of the Russian Orthodox Church in the preparation of decisions concerning the most important issues inner life and external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church"(see Regulation).
In accordance with the Regulation, “The Inter-Council Presence is called upon to discuss topical issues church life, in particular those relating to the field of theology, church administration, church law, divine service, pastoring, mission, spiritual education, religious enlightenment, diaconia, relations between the Church and society, the Church and the state, the Church and other confessions and religions. That is, the range of issues discussed includes almost all aspects of the life of the ROC.
In the light of the steps to reorganize the system of church government initiated in last years Patriarch Kirill, namely participation in real process discussion of topical issues of church life (which, according to the plan of the Patriarch, should take place within the framework of the activities of the Inter-Council Presence) can be an indicator of the real influence of this or that person.
Note once again that the results of the sample for these two parameters do not always coincide, i.e. the abbesses of the largest stauropegial monasteries are by no means necessarily members of the Inter-Council Presence. Among the 11 women that make up this body today, five are abbesses of monasteries (and only three of them run stauropegial cloisters), one nun and five laywomen.
It is worth noting that in addition to the Inter-Council Presence, a structure created not so long ago, the system of synodal departments is currently preserved in the Russian Church. According to an analogy understandable to a secular reader, synodal departments, committees and commissions are usually equated with "civilian" ministries. In the structures of these departments there are also women - mostly abbesses of monasteries. The practice that has developed in recent years - when the commissions of the Inter-Council Presence and the synodal departments deal with the same issues of church life, and sometimes they are called almost identically - introduces a little confusion into this study. For example, several women abbesses of monasteries are members of the "profile" commission of the Inter-Council Presence, which is called the "Commission on the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism"; and in parallel, almost all of them, plus a few other abbesses, are members of the Collegium at the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.
But even a superficial look at the composition of these and other structures indicates that the participation of women in the work of the Inter-Council Presence is undoubtedly much more representative and active than their work in church "ministries". Therefore, we will start from this indicator first of all.
By formal status within the framework of the activities of the Inter-Council Presence heaviest weight It has Abbess Juliana (Kaleda), abbess of the Moscow Conception Monastery: she is the only nun - a member of the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence. In addition, she acts as secretary of the Commission for the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism, and is also a member of the Board at the Synodal Department for monasteries and monasticism.
Abbess Juliana (Kaleda)
In the world - Kaleda Maria Glebovna. Born in 1961 in the family of the geologist Gleb Kaleda, later a priest, and Lydia Kaleda (nee Ambartsumova), daughter of the Hieromartyr Vladimir (Ambartsumov). Belongs to a well-known priestly family, two of her brothers are priests.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 5, 1995, she was appointed abbess of the Zachatievsky Convent in Moscow.
A special place, taking into account the official functions assigned to it, is occupied by Margarita Nelyubova- Secretary of the Commission of the Inter-Council Presence on the organization of church social activities and charity and a member of four Commissions at once: on issues of spiritual education and religious enlightenment, on the organization of a church mission, on issues of interaction between the Church, state and society, on issues of attitude towards heterodoxy and other religions .
Margarita Nelyubova throughout for long years is an employee of the Department for External Church Relations and the head of the program " Round table on Religious Education and Diaconia (Social Service) of the Russian Orthodox Church. In fact, she is a leading church specialist in the field of social design, and she is very well acquainted with foreign experience in organizing church social ministry.
Margarita Nelyubova
Born in 1962 in Moscow. In 1984 she graduated from the Moscow State pedagogical institute. Since 1992 he has directed the program "Round table on religious education and diakonia (social service) in the Russian Orthodox Church". Since 2001, he has been coordinating the program of participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the prevention and control of the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Member of the four commissions of the Inter-Council Presence is also Abbess Seraphim (Shevchik), the abbess of the Odessa Holy Archangel-Michael Monastery. It is worth noting: Abbess Seraphim is undoubtedly a bright and versatile personality. She is the only woman in the Moscow Patriarchate who heads the synodal department. True, this is the synodal department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - "Church and Culture", but in any case, so far this is a single precedent of this kind. In addition, Abbess Serafima is a deputy of the Odessa City Council.
It should be noted that the generally accepted for the Russian Church prohibition for clergy to participate in the work government agencies and political parties in this case does not matter, since the abbess is not priesthood, but the position held by a nun.
Abbess Seraphim is a member of the Commissions of the Inter-Council Presence on issues of worship and church art, on issues of organizing the life of monasteries and monasticism, on issues of interaction between the Church, state and society, on issues of information activities of the Church and relations with the media. At the same time, the Odessa monastery is not a stavropegial one, and in the formal table and ranks, the rectorship in this monastery would not distinguish the abbess there from a number of others too much, if it were not for a fair workload in church administrative bodies.
Abbess Seraphim (Shevchik)
She was born on March 25, 1963 in the Cherkasy region. Seraphim came to the monastery at the age of 17. Since 1995 she has been the abbess of the Holy Archangel-Michael Convent.
Member of the Odessa City Council, holds the position of Deputy Chairman of the Commission on Spirituality and Culture.
In 2007, the abbess was awarded the "Woman of the Third Millennium" award. A year earlier - "Best Christian Journalist 2006". Author of 15 books (mainly on the history of Orthodoxy and the spiritual culture of Ukraine). His main work is the study of history Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. At the same time, as she herself admits, she does not have a higher education.
Abbess Serafima is one of the founders of the all-Ukrainian public organization "The Way Orthodox name Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. She founded the only museum in Ukraine - "Christian Odessa".
Standing out on our list nun Xenia (Chernega). She is not a member of the Inter-Council Presence and does not participate in the work of synodal institutions, but by virtue of her position - she is the head of the Legal Service of the Moscow Patriarchate and at the same time the head of the Legal Service of the Synodal Department for Relations between the Church and Society - she has a significant weight in the administrative structures of the Church. In addition, she is a member of the Audit Commission under the Diocesan Council of Moscow.
Nun Xenia (Chernega)
Even before taking monastic vows, K. Chernega, acting legal adviser of the Moscow Patriarchate, took part in the development of many documents, with which the Church spoke in dialogue with state power. There were both property issues and issues related to legal regulation the status of religious organizations in Russia, concerning the system of church education, issues of interaction between the Church and museums, as well as many others.
The two commissions include the only nun among the eleven women members of the Inter-Council Presence who is not the abbess of the monastery: nun Photinia (Bratchenko). Mother Photinia is a member of the Commission on the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism, as well as the Commission on church administration and mechanisms for the implementation of catholicity in the Church. In the first years of the Patriarchate of Patriarch Kirill, nun Fotinia held the position of head of the records management service, being the personal assistant of the Patriarch (decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' of April 1, 2009).
Four more abbesses are members of the “profile” Commission on the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism: Abbess Sergius (Konkova), abbess of the Serafimo-Diveevsky Convent, Abbess Elisaveta (Zhegalova), abbess of the Stefano-Makhrishchsky Monastery ( Vladimir region), Abbess Moses (Bubnova), abbess of the Olivet Savior-Ascension Monastery in Jerusalem, and Abbess Theophila (Lepeshinskaya), abbess of the Mother of God-Christmas Hermitage in the village of Baryatino, Kaluga Region.
At the same time, only Abbess Elizabeth manages the stavropegic monastery.
Abbess Sergius (Konkova), the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveevsky convent, is undoubtedly an influential and authoritative figure. The Diveevo Convent is currently one of the unofficial “manpower forges” for convents in Russia. Abbess Sergius manages the largest to date convent Russian Church: there are about 500 nuns in the monastery.
Abbess Sergius is also a member of the Collegium of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.
Abbess Sergius (Konkova)
In the world - Alexandra Georgievna Konkova. She was born on May 26, 1946. She graduated from the Dental Institute, worked as the head of the dental department of the hospital. In 1981, she entered the Riga Trinity-Sergius Monastery, a year later she was tonsured into a cassock, and in 1984 into a mantle with the name of Sergius in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Soon she was transferred to the obedience of the dean in the skete of the Riga monastery - the Transfiguration Hermitage. On November 17, 1991, she was appointed Abbess of the revived Diveevo Monastery.
- abbess Holy Trinity Stefano-Makhrishchsky Convent. In the monastery - the first days of the revival in 1993. She was elevated to the rank of abbess in 1997. In 2004, the monastery was given the status of a stavropegic. Abbess Elisabeth is also a member of the Collegium of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.
Abbess Elizabeth (Zhegalova)
Born in Dmitrov, Moscow Region. A pupil of the Pyukhtitsky Assumption Convent. November 25, 1997 Patriarch Alexy II elevated to the rank of abbess Holy Trinity Stefano-Makhrishchsky Convent.
Abbess Moses (Bubnova)- Prioress of the Ascension Monastery of Olives in Jerusalem. The monastery houses the Spiritual Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
Abbess Moses (Bubnova)
Born in Germany during World War II, raised in Belgium. She was brought up under the influence of Archbishop John (Maximovich), from the age of nine she sang and read on the kliros. Since 1975, in obedience at the Gethsemane Monastery in Jerusalem. In 1977 she was tonsured a monastic, in 1992 - a mantle. Since 1997 she has been abbess of the Ascension Monastery of Olives in Jerusalem.
Known for her literary talents, she is the author of the well-known books Dare, Daughter!, Lament of the Third Bird, and Rhymes with Joy.
Abbess Theophila (Lepeshinskaya)
The Inter-Council Presence also included a well-known publicist and public figure, president of the Foundation for the Study of Historical Perspective Natalia Narochnitskaya and president of the All-Russian Association of Public Associations "National Anti-Drug Union" Yulia Pavlyuchenkova.
Natalia Narochnitskaya, as stated on her official website - "Orthodox ideologue." Nevertheless, for church management structures, she is an “external” person, an independent expert who does not belong to synodal or patriarchal circles. Although, of course, her voice in the Inter-Council Presence cannot but be heeded: few members of the Presence can compare with Natalia Narochnitskaya, Dr. historical sciences, the author of many serious scientific works, in terms of intellectual baggage and scientific basis.
Natalia Narochnitskaya
ON. Narochnitskaya made a significant contribution to the creation and activities of significant scientific and socio-political movements organized with the direct participation of the Russian Orthodox Church and having a significant impact on public life, - the World Russian Council, the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, the Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples, the Russkiy Mir Foundation.
Julia Pavlyuchenkova graduated from the Moscow Humanities University(former VKSh). Candidate political science. President of the All-Russian Association of Public Associations "National Anti-Drug Union", Chairman of the Board charitable foundation support of Orthodox initiatives, youth programs and projects. Mother of six children.
Julia Pavlyuchenkova
Ekaterina Orlova- the second, along with Abbess Juliania (Kaleda), a woman - a member of the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence. She is a member of three commissions: on the organization of the church mission, on the information activities of the Church and relations with the media, and on countering church schisms and overcoming them. Despite the fact that Ekaterina Orlova became a member of the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence, apparently, her participation in the work of this body is rather formal: the editor of the Danilovsky Blagovestnik publishing house of the Moscow Danilov Monastery is a figure not so well known throughout the Church.
Ekaterina Orlova
5.
Most of the women nuns on the list can be seen on major holidays at patriarchal services in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. If the space on the right of the sole is reserved for secular V.I.P. persons, then the left side in such services is traditionally occupied by the owners of the abbot's crosses.
At a service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Photo Patriarchy.ru.
Abbess George (Shchukina), abbess of the Gorny Monastery in Ein Karem (near Jerusalem). He enjoys great spiritual authority, for more than 20 years he has been managing the Gornensky monastery.
Abbess George (Shchukina)
She was born on November 14, 1931 in Leningrad. To the Great Patriotic War survived the blockade, the loss of parents. In 1949 she entered the Holy Dormition Pyukhtitsky Monastery, where she performed the obediences of the treasurer, choir director.
In 1955-1968. - a resident of the Vilna Monastery in Lithuania. She took monastic vows on April 7, 1968 in Pyukhtitsy, where she labored until 1989. In 1989 she was assigned to restore the monastery of St. righteous John Kronstadt on Karpovka in St. Petersburg.
On March 24, 1991, she was elevated to the rank of abbess. In 1992, she was sent for hegumen obedience to the Jerusalem Gornensky Monastery.
Abbess Rafaila (Khilchuk), abbess of the Holy Trinity Koretsky Monastery (Rivne diocese of the UOC) - member of the Collegium at the Synodal Department for monasteries and monasticism. This is the second representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in our list. The Korets monastery dates back to the 16th century. The monastery received the status of a stavropegic monastery in 1984, back in the days of state atheism.
Abbess Rafaila (Khilchuk)
In the world - Khilchuk Lyubov Ivanovna. Born in May 1953 in the village. Kogilno Vladimir-Volynsky district of the Volyn region. At the age of 22, in 1975, she entered the Korets Monastery as a novice. In 1978 she was tonsured a cassock, in 1983 she graduated from the regency department at the Leningrad Theological Seminary. In 1991, she was tonsured into a robe. She was elevated to the rank of abbess on July 26, 2006.
Abbess Philaret (Kalacheva), abbess of the stavropegic Holy Assumption Pyukhtitsky Monastery (Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate). She is a member of the Collegium of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.
Abbess Philaret (Kalacheva)
The late Patriarch Alexy II held a special place in Pyukhtitsy - memories of his youth were associated with the monastery of the Patriarch. In Soviet times, Pyukhtitsy, one of the few women's monasteries that did not close, supplied abbesses for women's cloisters for the entire Russian Orthodox Church.
A graduate of Samara University, Abbess Filareta is also a woman of various talents: for example, in September last year, an exhibition of her photographs “The Monastery” was held in Tallinn.
Abbess Seraphim (Voloshina), abbess of the stavropegic Ioannovsky Monastery (St. Petersburg). The monastery on Karpovka is the only stauropegial convent in St. Petersburg. Moreover, the monastery received stavropegia, perhaps the first among the other convents that opened or resumed in the post-Soviet era - in December 1991.
Abbess Seraphim (Voloshina)
She was born in 1956. She began her monastic life in Pyukhtitsy. Since April 29, 1992 - Abbess Ioannovsky Stauropegial Convent.
Abbess Theophania (Miskina), abbess of the stavropegic Intercession Convent (Moscow). The Pokrovsky Monastery can be called without any exaggeration the most visited monastery in the capital: the relics of the holy Blessed Matrona of Moscow, who enjoys great reverence among the people, are kept here.
Abbess Theophania (Miskina)
In the world Miskina Olga Dmitrievna. Pupil of the Holy Trinity Diveevo Convent. She was appointed abbess of the Intercession Monastery, which was renewed in 1994, on February 22, 1995. She was elevated to the rank of abbess on April 4, 1998.
Abbess Afanasia (Grosheva), abbess of the stavropegic John the Baptist convent (Moscow).
Abbess Afanasia (Grosheva)
She was born on July 28, 1939 in the city of Shcherbinka, Moscow Region, in 1973 she entered the Holy Dormition Pyukhtitsky Convent, since 1998 the dean of the Holy Dormition Pyukhtitsky Convent, since 2001 the abbess of the St. John the Baptist Monastery.
On September 11, 2007, Patriarch Alexy II elevated nun Afanasia (Grosheva) to the rank of abbess.
The abbess of the stavropegial Mother of God-Nativity Monastery, one of the oldest convents in Moscow (founded in the 14th century).
Abbess Quiz (Perminova)
In the world Perminova Elena Pavlovna. Born in 1954
Mother Superior of the stavropegial Holy Cross Exaltation Monastery in Jerusalem (Moscow).
Abbess Ekaterina (Chaynikova)
In the world - Chainikova Ekaterina Alekseevna. Born in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, p. Tashtyp. In 1976, the family moved to the Pskov region, to the city of Pechory. In 1986, she entered the Pyukhtitsky Holy Dormition Convent as a novice.
In 1990, among other sisters, she was sent to Moscow to carry out obedience in the patriarchal residence in Chisty Lane. Appointed to the post of commandant of the Moscow Patriarchate. Supervised the restoration and construction work in the patriarchal residence.
In 1991, she took monastic vows. In 2001, she took monastic vows with the name Catherine.
Since 2001, she has been appointed abbess of the Exaltation of the Cross Jerusalem Stauropegial Convent.
Since 2006, in addition to her obedience, she has been appointed abbess of the Metochion at the Temple of the Jerusalem Icon Mother of God behind the Pokrovskaya Zastava of Moscow with the assignment of care for the speedy reconstruction of the destroyed temple.
Abbess of the stavropegial Pokrovsky Khotkov Monastery (Moscow Region).
Abbess Olimpiada (Baranova)
In the world - Baranova Natalia Vladimirovna.
Abbess Faina (Kuleshova), abbess of the stauropegial monastery of the Trinity-Hodegetrieva Zosima Hermitage (Moscow).
Abbess Faina (Kuleshova)
In the world - Kuleshova Svetlana Vladimirovna. She was born on April 1, 1968 in the village of Mebelny, Sterlitamaksky District, Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1995, she entered the Holy Trinity Belopesotsky Convent in the city of Stupino, Moscow Region, as a novice.
April 8, 2008 she was tonsured a monk. On June 8, 2011, she was appointed acting abbess of the Trinity-Odigitrievskaya Zosima Hermitage of Kuznetsovo, Naro-Fominsk District, Moscow Region.
By the Decree of the Holy Synod of October 5-6, 2011, she was appointed abbess of the Trinity-Odigitrievsky Zosima Hermitage. On October 16, 2011, she was elevated to the rank of abbess.
Abbess of the stavropegic Boriso-Glebsky Anosin Monastery (Moscow Region).
Abbess Maria (Solodovnikova)
Abbess Anthony (Korneeva), abbess of the stavropegial Nikolo-Vyazhishchsky monastery (Novgorod).
Pupil of the Pyukhtitsky monastery. Since June 30, 1990, the abbess of the Nikolo-Vyazhishchi monastery. The monastery received the status of stavropegic in October 1995. The monastery is small, today it has a dozen and a half nuns.
In March 2012, by the decision of the Synod at the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, a collegium was established, which includes several more abbesses of women's monasteries.
Abbess Varvara (Tretyak), abbess of the Vvedensky Tolga Convent.
Abbess Varvara (Tretyak)
Abbess Evdokia (Levshuk), abbess of the Polotsk Savior-Ephrosyne Convent (Belarusian Exarchate).
Abbess Evdokia (Levshuk)
Mother Superior of the Theotokos-Smolensk Novodevichy Convent in Moscow. The monastery is not stauropegial, it houses the residence of the Patriarchal vicar of the Moscow diocese, Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly.
Abbess Margarita (Feoktistova)
Abbess Paraskeva (Cossack), abbess of the Paraskevinsky Khynkovo convent, representative of Moldova.
Abbess Sofia (Silina), abbess of Voskresensky Novodevichy Convent St. Petersburg.
Abbess Sofia (Silina)
The list does not include the abbess of the stauropegial monastery of the Kazan Amvrosievskaya Convent for Women, because after the death in 2012 of Abbess Nikona (Peretyagina), there is only a nun acting as abbess in the monastery.
6.
There are a few more people on our list.
Abbess Nicholas (Ilyina), abbess of the Nikolsky Chernoostrovsky convent. The monastery in Maloyaroslavets is known for its work with children: since 1993, the Otrada shelter-boarding house for girls from families with drug and alcohol addiction has been operating at the monastery. It has 58 pupils. Shelter "Otrada" has become a kind of exemplary social project implemented by the monastery at state support and the active participation of major philanthropists.
A rare case for a diocesan monastery: it was visited not only by the two last Primates of the Russian Church - Patriarch Alexy II (twice: in July 1999 and in August 2005) and Patriarch Kirill (in October 2012), but even Patriarch Maxim of Bulgaria — in 1998
Abbess Nicholas (Ilyina)
In the world - Ilyina Lyudmila Dmitrievna. In May 2012, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation for a great contribution to charitable and social activities She was the first in the country to be awarded the newly established Order of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine.
According to the statute of the order, they are “awarded to citizens known for their high spiritual and moral position and mercy Russian Federation and citizens of foreign states for outstanding contributions to peacekeeping, humanitarian and charitable activities, preservation cultural heritage».
Inokinya Olga (Gobzeva) . In the past, a well-known actress of Soviet cinema is currently the chairman of the coordinating council of women's charitable organizations under the department for church charity and social service of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Inokinya Olga (Gobzeva)
Elena Zhosul - Advisor to the Chairman of the Synodal Information Department, Head of the Department of Journalism and PR of the Russian Orthodox University Apostle John the Theologian. Professional journalist, E. Josul long time was a correspondent for Interfax news agency, specializing in religious topics. Having gone to work in church structures, he actively participates in the formation of the information policy of the Russian Orthodox Church, manages the program of regional training seminars for employees of diocesan press services.
Elena Zhosul
In recent years, the activities of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service have significantly intensified. Therefore, our list includes several of his employees in key positions and in one way or another coordinating social activity on the scale of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Marina Vasilyeva- Deputy Chairman of the Department, coordinator and one of the organizers Orthodox service Mercy Volunteers.
Marina Vasilyeva
Yulia Danilova - Head of the Publishing and Information Sector in the office of Bishop Panteleimon (Shatov) and Chief Editor Mercy website.
Julia Danilova
Polina Yufereva is the head of the organization of assistance in emergency situations of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, the coordinator of the Mercy service. After the events in Krymsk, where the Church took an active part in helping the victims, Polina Yufereva was awarded the medal of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia "For the Commonwealth for the Sake of Salvation" - "for the contribution of the sisters of mercy in providing humanitarian assistance to the population in emergency situations, as well as popularizing the profession rescuers and firefighters.
Polina Yufereva
Evgenia Zhukovskaya- specialist control and analytical service Department of Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. Graduated from the Department of Church Journalism of the Russian Orthodox University, ap. John the Theologian, is currently a postgraduate student at MGIMO. He has been working in the Administrative Department since 2009, coordinating a whole range of issues related to interaction with the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, including in cooperation with the Synodal information department— questions of information activity of dioceses. Member of the Union of Journalists of Russia.
Evgenia Zhukovskaya
7.
Summing up a certain result of our study, we repeat: it is not all-encompassing and rather formal. For example, such a factor as the media personality of a person was not taken into account. In our case, this parameter tends to zero in the vast majority of cases, because the nuns and abbesses of the monasteries dominating the list do not seek PR, do not try to get into the frame once again, coming to the fore only when necessary. However, the same can be fully attributed to the lay women named in the list.
Yes, women in the Church are on the sidelines. But they perform these roles with dignity. It remains to wish them to preserve and increase the baggage of experience, knowledge and talents, which allowed them to take the place where each of them performs his service.
Abbess Xenia (in the world Chernega Oksana Alexandrovna) became a parishioner of the Church of All Saints in 1991. She came to Krasnoe Selo after her confessor, Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov, who was transferred to the Church of All Saints (as rector) from the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in Bryusov Lane .
Matushka was born in Moscow on May 1, 1971. In 1993 she graduated from the Moscow State Law Academy (MSLA), and in 1998 she defended her thesis, becoming a candidate of legal sciences and a senior lecturer at the academy.
In the period from 1993 to 2003, Matushka taught at the Moscow State Law Academy, and then at the Academy of Labor and Social Relations, where she held the position of professor of the department. At the same time, she worked in the church field: first as an employee of the Orthodox legal service created at the Church of All Saints, and then as a legal adviser to the Synodal Department of Religious Education and Catechism. From 1999 to the present, Matushka has been teaching at the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary.
In 2004, Matushka was invited by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' to the post of legal adviser to the Moscow Patriarchate.
On August 26, 2009, His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', tonsured Matushka into a cassock and appointed her the elder sister of the newly created monastic community at the arrival of the Church of All Saints.
In 2010, in connection with the creation of legal services of the Moscow Patriarchy and the Synodal Department for Relations between the Church and Society, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill appointed Matushka as the head of the newly created legal services. At present, Matushka continues to carry out this responsible ministry.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 16, 2013, nun Xenia was appointed abbess of the revived Alekseevsky stauropegial convent in Moscow. On December 23, 2013, in the home church of the Patriarchal residence in the Danilov Monastery, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed the robe tonsure of Matushka. On March 30, 2014, nun Xenia (Chernega) was elevated to the rank of abbess.