Patriarch Sergius of Moscow
Sergius | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus' | |
Sergius in 1943 | |
| Church | Russian Orthodox Church |
| See | Moscow |
| Installed | 8 September 1943 |
| Term ended | 15 May 1944 |
| Predecessor | St. Tikhon |
| Successor | Alexy I |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ivan Nikolayevich Stragorodsky January 23, 1867 |
| Died | May 15, 1944 (aged 77) Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox Church |
Patriarch Sergius (Russian: Патриарх Сергий; born Ivan Nikolayevich Stragorodsky, Иван Николаевич Страгородский; January 23 [O.S. January 11] 1867 – May 15, 1944) was the 12th Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus', from September 8, 1943 until his death on May 15, 1944. He was also the de facto head of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1925–1943, firstly as deputy Patriarchal locum tenens (1925–1937) subsequently as Patriarchal locum tenens (1937–1943).
Starting in 1927, he pursued a policy of unconditional loyalty to the Soviet government, which led to significant criticism of him and the separation of some lay people and clerics.