He comes from a family that was influential in religion and politics.
(1877 – 1970) Russian patriarch. By combining religion and politics, he tried to establish Russian dominance over the Orthodox churches. Born in Moscow, died in the same city. He comes from a family that was influential in religion and politics. He studied theology regularly in Moscow. He was soon appointed abbot of the monastery (1906), then head of theological studies at the Moscow and Novgorod Religious Schools. He attracted attention for his achievements in this role; He became the vice patriarch in 1944, and in 1945 with the approval of the Orthodox Holy Assembly.
Patriarch Alexy I (secular name Sergey Vladimirovich Simansky, November 8 1877 – 17 April 1970) was the 13th Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus', Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) between 1945 and 1970.
Alexy, following the Russian church tradition, conducted politics side by side with religion; By establishing close relations with the state administrators, he tried to influence the Orthodox churches in countries outside of Russia and to spread Russian domination through religion. Especially after World War II, the world made great efforts to unite the Orthodox churches. He ensured that church and nation administration was carried out side by side in countries under Russian rule.
He argued that the old Byzantine church administration was alive and the Russian Patriarchate was the protector of this administration.
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http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Patriarch_Alexei_I_(Simansky)