List of Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Moscow
![]() Monogram of the current Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus', Kirill. | ||||||||||
![]() Church of the Twelve Apostles, Cathedral Square, Moscow Kremlin – cathedral church of the Patriarchs of Moscow. | ||||||||||
|
The following is a list of Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Moscow, spiritual heads of the Russian Orthodox Church, since 1308.
History
The history of the Russian Orthodox Church begins with the Christianization of Kievan Rus' at Kiev, the date of which is commonly given as 988; however, the evidence surrounding this event is contested. In 1316 the Metropolitan of Kiev changed his see to the city of Vladimir, and in 1322 moved again to Moscow. In 1589, the see was elevated to a Patriarchate. The Patriarchate was abolished by the Church reform of Peter the Great in 1721 and replaced by the Most Holy Governing Synod, and the Bishop of Moscow came to be called a Metropolitan again. The Patriarchate was restored in 1917 and suspended by the Soviet authorities in 1925. It was reintroduced for the last time in 1943, during World War II by the initiative of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
Metropolitans of Kiev and all Russia (permanent residence in Moscow, 1325–1461)
No. | Primate | Portrait | Reign | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | St. Peter | ![]() |
1308–1326 | |
Seat vacant 1326–1328 | ||||
2 | St. Theognostus | ![]() |
1328–1353 | |
3 | St. Alexius | ![]() |
1354–1378 | |
Mikhail (Mityay) | ![]() |
1378–1379 | Locum tenens | |
Seat vacant 1379–1381 | ||||
4 | St. Cyprian | ![]() |
1381–1382 | First tenure |
5 | Pimen | ![]() |
1382–1384 | |
6 | St. Dionysius I | ![]() |
1384–1385 | |
Seat vacant 1385–1390 | ||||
St. Cyprian | ![]() |
1390–1406 | Second tenure | |
Seat vacant 1406–1408 | ||||
7 | St. Photius | ![]() |
1408–1431 | |
Seat vacant 1431–1433 | ||||
8 | Gerasim | ![]() |
1433–1435 | |
9 | Isidore | ![]() |
1436–1441 | |
Seat vacant 1441–1448 | ||||
10 | St. Jonah | ![]() |
1448–1461 | |
Metropolitans of Moscow and all Russia (1461–1589)
No. | Primate | Portrait | Reign | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Theodosius | ![]() |
1461–1464 | |
2 | Philip I | ![]() |
1464–1473 | |
3 | Gerontius | ![]() |
1473–1489 | |
4 | Zosimus | ![]() |
1490–1494 | |
5 | Simon | ![]() |
1495–1511 | |
6 | Varlaam | ![]() |
1511–1521 | |
7 | Daniel | ![]() |
1522–1539 | |
8 | Joasaphus | ![]() |
1539–1542 | |
9 | St. Macarius | ![]() |
1542–1563 | |
10 | Athanasius | ![]() |
1564–1566 | |
11 | St. Herman | ![]() |
1566 | |
12 | St. Philip II | ![]() |
1566–1568 | |
13 | Cyril III (IV) | ![]() |
1568–1572 | |
14 | Anthony | ![]() |
1572–1581 | |
15 | Dionysius II | ![]() |
1581–1587 | |
16 | St. Job | ![]() |
1587–1589 | Elevated to Patriarch |
Patriarchs of Moscow and all Russia (1589–1721)
No. | Primate | Portrait | Reign | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | St. Job | ![]() |
1589–1605 | |
Ignatius | ![]() |
1605–1606 | Not counted as legitimate by the Russian Orthodox Church | |
2 | St. Hermogenes | ![]() |
1606–1612 | |
Seat vacant 1612–1619 | ||||
3 | Philaret | ![]() |
1619–1633 | |
4 | Joasaphus I | ![]() |
1634–1640 | |
Seat vacant 1640–1642 | ||||
5 | Joseph | ![]() |
1642–1652 | |
6 | Nikon | ![]() |
1652–1658 | |
Pitirim | ![]() |
1658–1667 | First tenure; locum tenens | |
7 | Joasaphus II | ![]() |
1667–1672 | |
8 | Pitirim | ![]() |
1672–1673 | Second tenure |
9 | Joachim | ![]() |
1674–1690 | |
10 | Adrian | ![]() |
1690–1700 | |
Stefan | ![]() |
1700–1721 | Locum tenens | |
Metropolitans and archbishops of Moscow (1721–1917)
No. | Primate | Portrait | Reign | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stefan | ![]() |
1721–1722 | |
2 | Theophan | ![]() |
1722–1736 | |
Seat vacant 1736–1742 | ||||
3 | Joseph | ![]() |
1742–1745 | |
4 | Plato I | ![]() |
1745–1754 | |
Hilarion | ![]() |
1754–1757 | Coadjutor | |
5 | Timothy | ![]() |
1757–1767 | |
6 | Ambrosius | ![]() |
1768–1771 | |
Samoel | ![]() |
1771–1775 | Coadjutor | |
7 | Plato II | ![]() |
1775–1812 | |
8 | Avgustin | ![]() |
1812–1819 | |
9 | Seraphim | ![]() |
1819–1821 | |
10 | St. Philaret | ![]() |
1821–1867 | |
11 | St. Innocent | 1868–1879 | ||
12 | Macarius I | ![]() |
1879–1882 | |
13 | Joannicius | ![]() |
1882–1891 | |
14 | Leontius | ![]() |
1891–1893 | |
15 | Sergius I | ![]() |
1893–1898 | |
16 | St. Vladimir | ![]() |
1898–1912 | |
17 | St. Macarius II | ![]() |
1912–1917 | |
Patriarchs of Moscow and all Russia (restored, 1917–present)
No. | Primate | Portrait | Reign | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | St. Tikhon | ![]() |
4 December 1917 | 7 April 1925 | |
Seat vacant 1925–1943 |
| ||||
12 | Sergius I | ![]() |
12 September 1943 | 15 May 1944 | |
13 | Alexy I | ![]() |
4 February 1945 | 17 April 1970 | |
14 | Pimen I | 3 June 1971 | 3 May 1990 | ||
15 | Alexy II | ![]() |
10 June 1990 | 5 December 2008 | |
16 | Kirill I | ![]() |
1 February 2009 | Incumbent | |
See also
- Russian Orthodox Church
- List of Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Kiev
- List of current patriarchs
- List of current Christian leaders
- List of Orthodox churches