Renovationist “Bishops” in the Correspondence Between Bishop Alexander (Tolstopyatov) of Molotov and Solikamsk and Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky), 1943–1944

Abstract

The article describes the liquidation process of the renovationist schism in the Ural which took place during the Great Patriotic War. It is also tackles the reunion of the former renovationist hierarchs with the Russian Orthodox Church. The work presents vivid episodes of relations between bishop of Molotov and Solikamsk Alexander (Tolstopyatov) and well known renovationist representatives — hieromonk Sergius (Larin) and former renovationist “bishop” Seraphim (Korovin). The study is based on the correspondence between bishop Alexander (Tolstopyatov) and Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Sergius (Stragorodsky) in 1943–1944, preserved in the State Archive of Russian Federation (GARF) and Perm diocesan archive. Using bishop Alexander’s personality as an example, the author analyzes the reaction of a part of the Russian Orthodox Church episcopate to the reunification of renovationist leaders with the Church. Such hierarchs-confessors (unlike the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate and Patriarch Sergius himself) who passed through the Stalin’s camps were very cautious in accepting this reunification, considering repentance of renovationists as hypocrisy and discrediting factor for the Moscow Patriarchate itself.

Keywords

• russian orthodox church
• renovationist schism
• patriarch
• bishop
• hieromonk
• diocese
• parish
• correspondence
• reunification