Sergiev Posad, Moscow Province, Russia, May 7, 2025
Photo: lavra.ru
On May 3, the brotherhood of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra prayerfully commemorated the 35th anniversary of the repose of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Russia, who led the Russian Orthodox Church for 20 years.
Pat. Pimen, who reposed on May 3, 1990, at the age of 79, is buried in the crypt of the Lavra’s Holy Dormition Cathedral. The memorial service was led by Archimandrite Makary (Veretennikov), the monastery reports.
Photo: lavra.ru
For all residents of the Lavra, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen is not only a hierarch of the Church but also a brother in Christ whose whole life was connected with the monastery. He was tonsured at the age of 17 in the Holy Spirit Skete on October 4, 1927, and from 1954 to 1957, he served as Lavra abbot.
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Photo: wikimedia.org The future Pat. Pimen was born on July 10, 1910, in either the Moscow or Kaluga Province.
As a young man, he loved to go to church, where he read, sang, and served as a subdeacon. In 1925, he moved to Moscow and became a ryassaphore monk at Sretensky Monastery, taking the name Platon. On October 4, 1927, he was tonsured a stavrophore monk at the Lavra’s Holy Spirit Skete with the name Pimen.
On July 6, 1931, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and in January 1932, he was ordained a hieromonk. He served in Moscow for several years.
There is no exact information about his life in 1932-45, though the end of World War II found him serving in the Annunciation Cathedral in Murom. In 1946, he was transferred to the Odessa Diocese, where he taught at the seminary and fulfilled other obediences.
He was soon transferred to the Rostov Diocese, where he fulfilled various obediences until 1949. Then, he was appointed abbot of the Pskov Caves Monastery. He was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in the spring of 1950. From 1954 to 1957, he was abbot of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra.
On November 17, 1957, he was consecrated Bishop of Balta, vicar of the Kherson Diocese. He was soon appointed Bishop of Dmitrov, vicar of the Moscow Diocese. In July 1960, he became Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, and in November 1960, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop. On March 16, 1961, he was appointed to the Tula Diocese. On November 14 that year, he was appointed Metropolitan of Leningrad and Ladoga. In October 1963, he became Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna.
After the death of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei I in 1970, Met. Pimen became the Locum Tenens, and was unanimously elected Patriarch On June 2, 1971. He was enthroned the next day.
He devoted himself to supporting theological schools and Church publishing. He oversaw the renovation and opening of churches and monasteries. His leadership focused on protecting the Orthodox Church, preserving monastic traditions, and expanding Orthodox cultural influence globally. He strengthened relations between Orthodox Churches worldwide through numerous international visits and meetings with Orthodox leaders, other Christian church heads, and prominent state officials.
In June 1988, Pat. Pimen headed the celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’.
The primate participated in the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the establishment of the Patriarchate in Russia, visiting the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin in the autumn of 1989 and celebrating a memorial service at the tombs of the Russian Patriarchs and a prayer service to the newly glorified Sts. Job and Tikhon. After a long break, believers could openly pray in the main cathedral of the Russian Church and venerate the relics of the saints.
He died on May 3, 1990, and was buried in the crypt of the Dormition Cathedral of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra.
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