Filaret, Metropolitan (Vakhromeev Kirill Varfolomeevich) / Personalities / Patriarchy.ru

Russian Orthodox Church

Born on March 21, 1935 in Moscow into a family of employees.

Grandfather, Alexander Ivanovich, a famous Yaroslavl merchant, was a hereditary nobleman since 1913. Father, Bartholomew Alexandrovich (1904-1984), teacher at the Gnessin Music School at the Moscow Conservatory, author of the textbook “Elementary Music Theory.” For compiling a textbook of church singing for theological schools, he was awarded the Order of St. Prince Vladimir II Art. Mother, Alexandra Feodorovna Vakhromeyeva (1903-1981), and older sister, Olga Varfolomeevna Vakhromeyeva (1925-1997), were also teachers at Moscow music schools.

In 1953 he graduated from secondary school No. 557 and at the same time a music school in the class of choral singing and double bass.

In 1957 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary and entered the Moscow Theological Academy.

On April 3, 1959, in the second year of the academy, the abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Pimen (Khmelevsky), was tonsured a monk with the name Philaret in honor of the righteous Philaret the Merciful.

On April 26, 1959, during the Divine Liturgy in the Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I of Moscow ordained him a hierodeacon.

In 1961 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree for the essay “Pastoral counseling of Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, according to his letters.” Remained a professorial fellow at the Moscow Theological Academy. In November of the same year, he was appointed teacher at the Moscow Theological Academy, and on December 14, during the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Cross of Righteous Philaret the Merciful in the Patriarchal Chambers of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy ordained him to the rank of hieromonk.

In September 1962, he was appointed senior assistant inspector of the Moscow Theological Academy; from June 1963 - inspector of the Moscow Theological Academy.

On August 4, 1963, in the Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Bishop Pitirim (Nechaev) of Volokolamsk elevated him to the rank of abbot with the laying of a cross with decorations and a club. In the same year, on October 8, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy elevated him to the rank of archimandrite.

Since September 1963, he was in charge of the graduate school opened at the Moscow Theological Academy.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 8, 1965, he was elected Bishop of Tikhvin, vicar of the Leningrad diocese.

He was named bishop on October 23, 1965 in the home church of the Leningrad Theological Academy. Consecrated on October 24 at the Divine Liturgy in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The services were performed by Metropolitan of Leningrad and Ladoga Nikodim (Rotov), Archbishop of Perm and Solikamsk Leonid (Polyakov), Archbishop of Kherson and Odessa Sergius (Petrov), Archbishop of Minsk and Belarus Anthony (Melnikov), Bishop of Kirov and Slobodskaya Ioann (Ivanov), Bishop of Vologda and Veliky Ustyug Melchizedek (Lebedev).

In 1961-1965 - Secretary of the Holy Synod Commission for Christian Unity.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 14, 1966, he was appointed Bishop of Dmitrov, vicar of the Moscow diocese, and rector of the Moscow Theological Academy.

On October 7 of the same year, he was appointed a member of the editorial board of the journal “Theological Works.”

On November 28, 1968, he was appointed second deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

On March 20, 1969, he was included in the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity. On December 16 of the same year, he was included in the Commission to study the issue of canonizing Archbishop Nicholas of Japan. Visited Japan.

From September 6, 1971 to August 25, 1972, he was the temporary manager of the Kalinin diocese.

On September 9, 1971, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen elevated him to the rank of archbishop. In the same year, on October 19, he was relieved of his post as deputy chairman of the DECR according to the petition.

By resolution of the Holy Synod of April 18, 1973, he was appointed Archbishop of Berlin and Central Europe, Patriarchal Exarch of Central Europe.

On May 7, 1974 he was elected an honorary member of the Moscow Theological Academy.

On April 15, 1975 he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan. On March 3, 1976, he was elected to the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity and Inter-Church Relations.

On September 2, 1977, he was awarded the right to wear a second panagia.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 10, 1978, he was appointed Metropolitan of Minsk and Belarus; from October 12 - Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe. Repeatedly visited parishes of the Exarchate.

On November 16, 1979, temporary administration of the Korsun diocese was entrusted (in connection with the transfer of Bishop Peter (L'Huillier) of Korsun to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America).

On December 23, 1980, he was appointed a member of the Holy Synod commission for organizing the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of April 14, 1981, he was appointed chairman of the Department of External Church Relations and a permanent member of the Holy Synod. On July 22 of the same year, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Holy Synod commission for preparing the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.

On December 19, 1983, he was elected chairman of the public Commission for Relations with Religious Circles Promoting Peace.

On February 1, 1984, he was relieved of his post as Exarch of Western Europe, according to the petition. On April 19, 1985, he was entrusted with the care of Orthodox parishes in Finland.

On March 24, 1985 he was awarded a memorial panagia with the image of the Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God. On July 4, 1988, he was awarded a personal panagia for active participation in the preparation and holding of anniversary celebrations dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.

In 1988, at the founding conference of the Association of Creative Intelligentsia “World of Culture”, he was elected its vice-president. On December 15, 1988, he joined the election commission for the election of people's deputies of the USSR from the peace movement, united by the Soviet Peace Committee, and from the UN Assistance Association in the USSR.

On October 16, 1989, he was appointed Exarch of Belarus with the title “Metropolitan of Minsk and Grodno, Patriarchal Exarch of Belarus.”

By the resolution of the Holy Synod of November 13, 1989, according to the submitted petition, he was relieved of his duties as chairman of the DECR while maintaining permanent membership in the Holy Synod until this issue is resolved at the Council of Bishops.

By the definition of the Council of Bishops on January 30-31, 1990 - Metropolitan of Minsk and Grodno, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus.

In 1990-1995 - Deputy of the Supreme Council of Belarus, member of the Commission on Education, Culture and Preservation of Historical Heritage.

In 1990, he was elected a member of the Council of the Belarusian branch of the International Foundation of Slavic Literature and Slavic Cultures, chairman of the Commission of the Supreme Council of the BSSR on issues of parliamentary ethics.

On July 16, 1990, he was appointed chairman of the Holy Synod commission to promote efforts to overcome the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

From January to December 1991 - People's Deputy of the USSR.

Since February 18, 1992 - Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Holy Archimandrite of the Dormition Zhirovitsky Monastery.

On December 28, 1993, he was appointed chairman of the Synodal Theological Commission, formed from the Commission on Christian Unity.

Since February 3, 1994 - Holy Archimandrite of the Annunciation Lyadensky Monastery.

From December 28, 1996 to July 17, 1997, he was the temporary administrator of the Polotsk diocese, from February 28 to July 4, 2002, he was the temporary administrator of the Mogilev diocese.

Since July 27, 2009 - member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On March 21, 2010, he was awarded the right to present the cross during divine services within the Belarusian Exarchate.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 5-6, 2011 (magazine No. 100), he was relieved of the post of chairman of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission on the basis of his own petition. The Synod decided to express deep gratitude to Metropolitan Philaret for his long-term and permanent chairmanship of the Synodal Commission, “thanks to which intra-church and international theological discussion developed at a high level, a serious dialogue was organized between the church scientific world and the world of secular science, theological issues sent to the commission by the Hierarchy received their solution "

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 25, 2013 (journal No. 125), he was retired due to reaching the age of 75. The Synod appointed His Grace Metropolitan Philaret Honorary Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, retaining for him the right to participate in the work of the Holy Synod and an honorary protocol place during divine services and in official ceremonies.

He reposed in the Lord on January 12, 2022. The funeral service on January 14 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk was led by the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk and Zaslavl.

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International and interfaith activities

In the period from 1961 (the year of graduation from the MDA) and before his elevation to the rank of bishop in 1965, he participated in the work of the 1st and 2nd All-Christian Peace Congresses and the 3rd Pan-Orthodox Conference on Fr. Rhodes (Greece); was a representative of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Inter-Orthodox Theological Commission for Dialogue with the Old Catholic Church, and served as secretary of the Commission for Christian Unity.

In 1967 (from May 18 to June 2), with a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, Fr. Cyprus.

On March 20, 1969, he was included in the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity and appointed as a representative from the Moscow Patriarchate to the reorganized Inter-Orthodox Theological Commission for Dialogue with the Old Catholic Church.

On March 17, 1970, he was appointed head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church to conduct interviews with theologians of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

On February 2-16, 1972, he made a pilgrimage trip to Italy with a group of clergy.

On December 11-13, 1972 in Zinsideln (Switzerland) he took part in a meeting of the International Secretariat of the KMK.

On July 9-14, 1973, in Greece, he took part in the meeting of the Inter-Orthodox Commission for Dialogue with Old Catholics with the International Commission of the Utrecht Union for Orthodox-Old Catholic Dialogue.

On June 15-24, 1974, he led the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations of the Alexandrian Patriarchate on the occasion of the 1600th anniversary of the righteous death of St. Athanasius the Great.

On June 19-30, 1975, at the head of a group of pilgrims of the Russian Orthodox Church, he made a trip to the Holy Land.

On June 22-27, 1978, he was a member of the delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church at the Fifth All-Christian Peace Congress in Prague.

1979:

August 20-24, 1979 participated in the 3rd meeting of the Mixed Theological Commission of the Orthodox-Old Catholic Dialogue;
On October 9-12, he led the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the VIII Theological Conversation between representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church of Germany (FRG) in Odessa;
On November 9-24, at the head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he traveled to France at the invitation of the French Bishops' Conference;
On December 15-29, he visited the Western European Exarchate.

1980:

On May 22-23 and June 2-4, he visited Italy at the head of a pilgrimage group of the Moscow Patriarchate;
in the same year, for the feast of the Holy Trinity, he led a pilgrim group of the Russian Orthodox Church on a trip to Jerusalem and the Holy Land;
from June 28 to July 8 and from September 17 to 24 visited France;
from November 22 to December 10, he traveled to the Netherlands, Belgium and France on the affairs of the Western European Exarchate.

1981:

from April 10 to April 15 he was in France;
On May 10-13, he led the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate at the IV Theological Interview with representatives of the Union of Evangelical Churches in the GDR;
On June 5-11, together with Patriarch Pimen, he participated in the celebration of the 1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian state;
August 16-26 - participant in the 33rd meeting of the Central Committee of the WCC in Dresden;
from August 31 to September 6, together with Patriarch Pimen, visited Finland;
October 1-2 - participant in the international interreligious peacekeeping meeting in Moscow;
On October 12-17, he participated in the Theological conversation between theologians of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church in Germany “Arnoldshain”;
On December 11-14, he accompanied His Holiness Patriarch Pimen on a trip to Czechoslovakia in connection with the 30th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church.

1982:

from February 6 to 14 he was on Exarchate business in France and the Netherlands;
On March 12 he left for Czechoslovakia, where on March 16 he was awarded the diploma of Doctor of Theology by the Presov Faculty;
On April 1-2, he led the interview between the Russian and Georgian Orthodox Churches;
On June 7-12 in Budapest he participated in the Consultative Meeting on preparation for the IV Assembly of the WCC;
from June 21 to 29, he accompanied His Holiness Patriarch Pimen on his trip to America for a special session of the UN General Assembly;
On July 19-28, he took part in the 34th meeting of the Central Committee of the WCC in Geneva;
September 3-12 - participant of the Second Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference in Chambesy (Switzerland);
On September 15-16, he participated in a consultation of representatives of Christian Churches from the USSR, dedicated to the VI Assembly of the WCC;
Visited France on December 18-19.

1983:

from February 10 to 17 he was in France, and from February 17 to 23 in Switzerland;
April 20-24 in Uppsala (Sweden) was a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church at the World Christian Conference;
April 5-13 was in the Holy Land on business with the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission;
from May 28 to June 3, he accompanied Patriarch Pimen on his trip to the celebrations of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church;
July 24-August 10 - member of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation at the Sixth Assembly of the WCC in Vancouver (Canada). Elected to the new composition of the Central Committee of the WCC;
On October 9, he took part in the celebrations of the Evangelical Church of Latvia;
October 11-17 accompanied Patriarch Pimen on his trip to Romania;
On November 9-16 he was in the GDR, where on November 15 at the University of Halle-Wittenberg. Martin Luther awarded him the diploma of Doctor of Divinity honoris causa;
On December 19, he was appointed chairman of the Public Commission of the Soviet Peace Committee.

1984:

On January 14-17 he was in Geneva on exarchate business;
February 10-24 traveled to Paris and The Hague;
On March 14, at the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, he participated in a press conference organized by the department of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
On March 20, he took part in the work of the plenum of the Soviet Peace Committee;
On June 23-24, he participated on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church in the second information meeting of representatives of anti-war organizations in Moscow;
On June 17-19 in Kiel (Germany) he was a participant in the scientific congress held by the Evangelical Church in Germany (FRG) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Elbe;
On July 9-18, in Geneva, he participated in a meeting of the Central Committee of the WCC;
from August 18 to 24, at the invitation of Bishop Dr. Tibor, Barty was in Hungary;
from September 29 to October 6, he accompanied Patriarch Pimen on a visit to the Serbian Orthodox Church;
from October 27 to October 31, he accompanied Patriarch Pimen on his trip to Bulgaria;
from November 13 to 16 in Zagorsk he led the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the V Theological Conversation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Union of Evangelical Churches of the GDR;
On December 10-13 of the same year, at the head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he participated in the regular meeting of representatives of the Churches of Eastern European socialist countries and the United States “Karlovy Vary-VI”.

1985:

On January 23, he participated in the All-Union Conference of Peace Supporters in Moscow and was elected to the membership of the Soviet Peace Committee;
On March 16-18 in Berlin (GDR) he took part in a meeting of the Presidium of the Main Board of the CDU;
On June 5, he was elected to the Soviet Committee for European Security and Cooperation;
On June 14, in Prague, the diploma of Doctor of Theology was awarded by the Slovak Faculty of Theology;
July 2-9 - member of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation at the VI All-Christian Peace Congress in Prague;
July 14-18 visited Jerusalem on business of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission;
July 28-August 8 participated in Argentina in the 37th meeting of the Central Committee of the WCC;
August 17-22 was in Poland;
On November 2-6, he traveled to Germany;
December 11-20 of the same year in Finland.

Lord Pitirim

During his years at the seminary, the future Metropolitan Philaret was a subdeacon under Patriarch Alexy I. Vladyka Pitirim was his main inspirer during his student years. As a teacher of theological schools, one day he came to the perspicacious elder to talk about Filaret, and he gave a sign that the priest was already ready for monasticism. Soon he was tonsured, but the parents, especially the mother, did not hide their tears, because they wanted to nurse their grandchildren. But then loved ones came to terms with such a difficult choice.

On the table in Father Filaret’s cell there are still photographs of his beloved parents: he says goodbye to them when going to bed and greets them in the morning, asking for blessings for the coming day.

Metropolitan Filaret stood at the origins of the revival of Orthodoxy in Belarus. In 1999, it was 10 years since the second revival of the theological school of the Zhirovichi monastery. Its graduates later became students of higher schools of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, Kyiv and St. Petersburg.

Filaret (Vakhromeev) became the 37th Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk. On March 1, 2006, he was awarded the honorary title of Hero of Belarus. He is already 81 years old - this is the age of peace, wisdom and rethinking of life.