Metropolitan Eugene (,
secular name
A legal name is the name that identifies a person for legal, administrative and other official purposes. A person's legal birth name generally is the name of the person that was given for the purpose of Civil registry, registration of the birth ...
Valery Germanovich Reshetnikov, ; born October 9, 1957) is a
bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
of the
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...
, and primate of the
Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (since 2018), former rector of
Moscow Theological Academy
Moscow Theological Academy () is a higher educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, training clergy, teachers, scholars, and officials.
The Academy traces its origin to the Slavic Greek Latin Academy, which was founded in 1685 by th ...
(1995–2018) and Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Holy Synod (1994–2018). After on January 18, 2024, Estonia announced that it would not renew Reshetnikov's residence permit Reshetnikov left Estonia on February 6, 2024.
His residence permit was evoked because he was assessed to be a security risk due to his justification of
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his defense of the
Russian government
The Russian Government () or fully titled the Government of the Russian Federation () is the highest federal executive governmental body of the Russian Federation. It is accountable to the president of the Russian Federation and controlled by ...
.
Biography
Early life
Born on October 9, 1957, in
Esil District, Akmola Region
Esil District (, ) is a district of Akmola region in northern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It b ...
of the
Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Kazakhstan, the Kazakh SSR, KSSR, or simply Kazakhstan, was one of the transcontinental country, transcontinental Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Un ...
.
He spent his adolescent and youthful years in
Kirov.
After completing eight years of high school, he studied at the Kirov builder's college (Кировский строительный техникум). From 1977 to 1979, he served in the
Soviet Army
The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army.
After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...
. After the demobilization, he worked in the Kirov diocesan administration, while acting as
subdeacon
Subdeacon is a minor orders, minor order of ministry for men or women in various branches of Christianity. The subdeacon has a specific liturgical role and is placed below the deacon and above the acolyte in the order of precedence.
Subdeacons in ...
of Bishop
Chrysanth (Chepil) of Kirov.
In 1980, he entered the
Moscow Theological Seminary
Moscow Theological Academy () is a higher educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, training clergy, teachers, scholars, and officials.
The Academy traces its origin to the Slavic Greek Latin Academy, which was founded in 1685 by th ...
. He performed the job of subdeacon of the Rector of the Moscow Theological Schools, Bishop
Alexander (Timofeyev)
Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are A ...
.
[ In 1983 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary and entered the ]Moscow Theological Academy
Moscow Theological Academy () is a higher educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, training clergy, teachers, scholars, and officials.
The Academy traces its origin to the Slavic Greek Latin Academy, which was founded in 1685 by th ...
. In 1987,he received his doctorate in theology, after defending his thesis "Pastorhood in the Russian Church in the Tenth to Thirteenth Centuries" (Russian: "Пастырство в Русской Церкви в X-XIII веках").[
On July 27, 1986, archimandrite Benedict (Knyazev) ]tonsure
Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...
d him a monk
A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
with the name Eugene in honour of hieromartyr Eugene of Chersonesus. On August 3, he was ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
hierodeacon A hierodeacon (Greek: Ἱεροδιάκονος, ''Ierodiákonos''; Slavonic: ''Ierodiakón''), sometimes translated "deacon-monk", in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and all other Churches that follow Byzantine Rite is a monk who has been ordained a ...
, then on August 28 he was ordained hieromonk
A hieromonk,; Church Slavonic, Slavonic: ''Иеромонахъ''; ; ; ; ; Albanian language, Albanian: ''Hieromurg'' also called a priestmonk, is a person who is both monk and Priest#Roman Catholic and Orthodox, priest in the Eastern Christianity ...
.[
In March 1988, the day of Pascha, he was elevated to the rank of ]hegumen
Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen (, trans. ), is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, or an archpriest in the Coptic Orthodox Church, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of ...
. On January 1, 1989, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite
The title archimandrite (; ), used in Eastern Christianity, originally referred to a superior abbot ('' hegumenos'', , present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") whom a bishop appointed to supervise several "ordinary" abbots and monaste ...
and was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Moscow Theological Schools for administrative work. On November 16, 1990, was appointed inspector of Moscow Theological Seminary.[
On August 6, 1991, by decree of Patriarch Alexius II, he was appointed rector of the Stavropol Theological Seminary.][
On February 28, 1994, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed Acting Chairman of the Education Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church with the dismissal of the Rector of the Stavropol Theological Seminary and elected bishop of ]Vereya Vereya () is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia.
;Urban localities
*Vereya, Naro-Fominsky District, Moscow Oblast, a town in Naro-Fominsky District of Moscow Oblast
;Rural localities
* Vereya, Orekhovo-Zuyevsky District, Moscow O ...
, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese.[
]
Titular bishop of Vereyа
On April 16, 1994, in Epiphany Cathedral at Yelokhovo, Moscow, he was consecrated
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
Bishop of Vereyа, vicar of the Moscow diocese
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
.[
On July 18, 1998, the Holy Synod approve him as Chairman of the Education Committee.][
On February 25, 2000, Patriarch ]Alexy II
Patriarch Alexy II (or Alexius II, ; secular name Aleksei Mikhailovich Ridiger ; 23 February 1929 – 5 December 2008) was the 15th Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus', the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Elected Patriarch of Moscow ...
of Moscow elevated him to the rank of archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
.
Guided by the decisions of the Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as definitions of the Holy Synod and the instructions of the Patriarch, he headed the reform of theological schools of Russian Orthodox Church to transform theological seminaries as higher education
Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education.
The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
schools, and theological academies as specialized educational institutions for training of scientific and theological personnel and teachers of theological and educational institutions. The process of reforming theological education was worked out in Moscow theological schools, the experience of which was then applied in other religious educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.[
From 2004 to 2007 he was member of the dialogue commission between the ]Moscow Patriarchate
The Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus (), also known as the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, is the title of the Primate (bishop), primate of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). It is often preceded by the honorific "His Holiness". As the Ordinar ...
and Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (), also called Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia or ROCOR, or Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Pat ...
.
On March 22, 2011, he became member of then established Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia
On May 5, 2018, at the meeting of the Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate he was elected one of the two candidates for the post of Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church
The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church () serves by Church statute as the supreme administrative governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church in the periods between Bishops' Councils.
Members
Chairman
* Kirill – Patriarch of ...
approved this decision at a meeting on May 14. On May 29, 2018, an Extraordinary Council of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate elected him its Primate. On 3 June 2018, during the divine liturgy
Divine Liturgy () or Holy Liturgy is the usual name used in most Eastern Christian rites for the Eucharistic service.
The Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Lutheranism, Eastern Lutheran Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church believe the Divi ...
at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia elevated him to the rank of Metropolitan and awarded the right to wear the second Panagia
Panagia (, fem. of , + , the ''All-Holy'', or the ''Most Holy''; pronounced ) (also transliterated Panaghia or Panayia), in Medieval and Modern Greek, is one of the titles of Mary, Mother of God, used especially in Orthodox Christianity and E ...
within the Estonian Orthodox Church. On July 14, the Holy Synod dismissed him Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church and rector of the Moscow Theological Schools.
After becoming , he began to study Estonian
Estonian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe
* Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent
* Estonian language
* Estonian cuisine
* Estonian culture
See also ...
and applied for a residence permit in Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
.
In March 2022, he signed a statement concerning Russia's invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
(the previous month), but in a later interview that month he insisted that his interpretation of the document radically differed from that of his co-signatories.
On January 18, 2024 Estonia announced that it would not renew Reshetnikov's residence permit, stating "His actions are a security risk to Estonia."Estonian Police
The Estonian Police () was the law enforcement agency of Estonia. It was subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior (Estonia), Ministry of the Interior. In 2010, the organization was superseded by the Police and Border Guard Board.
History ...
said that he had been repeatedly asked to stop justifying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to stop defending the Russian government
The Russian Government () or fully titled the Government of the Russian Federation () is the highest federal executive governmental body of the Russian Federation. It is accountable to the president of the Russian Federation and controlled by ...
,Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
, he led the ordination of his former personal secretary, Archpriest
The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogo ...
to the rank of bishop of the city of Tartu
Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...
.
Published works
* Слово на торжественном собрании профессорско-преподавательского состава и учащихся Московских Духовных школ 1 сентября 1996 года // Журнал Московской Патриархии. М., 1996. — № 12. — С. 38-40.
* Приветствие от Учебного комитета при Священном Синоде и МДА бил. конф. СПбДАиС. 25-26 дек. 1996 г.// Христианское чтение. М., 1997. — № 14. — С. 18-19.
* Проблемы, стоящие перед духовными школами: окл. на юбил. конф. СПбДАиС. 25-26 дек. 1996 г.// Христианское чтение. М., 1997. — № 14. — С. 42-46.
* Доклад на Архиерейском Соборе // Журнал Московской Патриархии. М., 1997. — № 6. — С. 28-32.
* Святитель Иннокентий и Троице-Сергиева Лавра // Журнал Московской Патриархии. М., 1997. — № 11. — С. 49-55.
* Взаимодействие Учебного комитета и Отдела религиозного образования и катехизации Московского Патриархата // Рождественские чтения, 6-е. М., 1998. — С. 64-70.
* Образование и культура. К вопросу об историческом опыте // Сборник пленарных докладов VII Международных Рождественских образовательных чтений. — М. : Отдел религиозного образования и катехизации Русской Православной Церкви, 1999. — 288 с. — С. 87-94.
* Актуальные проблемы богословского образования: окл. на Богосл. конф. «Православное богословие на пороге третьего тысячелетия». Москва, 7-9 февр. 2000 г.// Церковь и время. М., 2000. — № 2(11). — С. 222—236.
* Новая концепция учебной деятельности Русской Православной Церкви // Исторический вестник. М., 2000. — № 7(11). — С. 65-73.
* Религия и наука: Путь к знанию // Сборник пленарных докладов VIII Международных Рождественских образовательных чтений. — М. : Отдел религиозного образования и катехизации Русской Православной Церкви, 2000. — 280 с. — С. 123—129.
* О состоянии и перспективах духовного образования: Доклад на Архиерейском соборе Русской православной церкви (Москва, 13-16 августа 2000 г.) // Вестник высшей школы. 2000. — № 8
* Некоторые проблемы истории и современного состояния образования в России // Журнал Московской Патриархии. М., 2000. — № 12. — С. 45-50.
* Возрождение классического образования // Сборник пленарных докладов IX Международных Рождественских образовательных чтений. — М. : Отдел религиозного образования и катехизации Русской Православной Церкви, 2001. — 304 с. — С. 104—110
* Церковная российская система образования: концептуальные основы взаимоотношений // Сборник пленарных докладов Х Международных Рождественских образовательных чтений. — М. : Отдел религиозного образования и катехизации Русской Православной Церкви, 2002. — 352 с. — С. 74-88
* Вступительное слово // Практика тюремного служения: Материалы семинара, Московская Духовная Академия, 18 — 19 сентября 2001 года / Учебный Комитет Русской Православной Церкви, Московская духовная академия, Общество милосердия в тюрьмах «Вера, Надежда, Любовь» во имя Святителя Николая Чудотворца. — Сергиев Посад : . и. 2002. — С. 3—5
* Интеграция богословского образования Русской Православной Церкви в систему российского образования // Сборник пленарных докладов ХI Международных Рождественских образовательных чтений / ред. архим. Иоанн (Экономцев), сост., ред. В. Л. Шленов, сост., ред. Л. Г. Петрушина. — М.: Отдел религиозного образования и катехизации Русской Православной Церкви, 2003. — 384 с. — С. 84—92.
* Проблемы высшего богословского образования в России. Интервью швейцарскому журналу «Glaube in der 2. Welt» («Вера во втором мире») // Богословский вестник. 2003. — № 3. — С. 224—236
* Богословское образование в России: история, современность, перспективы: юбилейный сборник. — М. : Учебный Комитет Русской Православной Церкви: Московская Духовная Академия, 2004. — 132 с. —
* Академическая реформа // Богословский вестник. 2004. — № 4 — С. 344—353
* Проповедь перед чином прощения // Богословский вестник. 2004. — № 4 — С. 373—378
* Актуальные проблемы богословского образования // Православное богословие на пороге третьего тысячелетия: материалы / Богословская конференция Русской Православной Церкви. Москва, 7 — 9 февраля 2000 г. — М.: Синодальная Богословская комиссия, 2005. — 462 с. — С. 186—198.
* Проповедь в день выпуска // Богословский вестник. 2005. — № 5-6 — С. 413—417
* Таинство Покаяния: богословские аспекты // Православное учение о Церковных Таинствах: V Международная богословская конференция Русской православной церкви (Москва, 13-16 ноября 2007 г.). — Т. 3 : Брак. Покаяние. Елеосвящение. Таинства и тайнодействия. — М. : Синодальная библейско-богословская комиссия, 2009. — С. 167—176
* Труды святителя Иннокентия Московского по развитию духовного просвещения и образования в Русской Америке и на Дальнем Востоке // По стопам графа Н. Н. Муравьева-Амурского и святителя Иннокентия (Вениаминова) — возродим родной край: материалы научно-практической конференции. Хабаровск, 10 июня 2008 года. — Хабаровск : Хабаровская духовная семинария, 2009. — С. 163—177
* Академические юбилеи // Богословский вестник. 2010. — № 11-12. — С. 23—35
* В поисках начала: к 70-летнему юбилею возрождения Московской духовной академии // Богословский вестник. 2013. — № 13 — С. 21-24
* Доклад на торжественном акте, посвященном 200-летию перевода Московской духовной академии в Троице-Сергиеву Лавру // Гуманитарные науки в теологическом пространстве: Взаимодействие духовного и светского образования в России на примере Московской духовной академии с начала XIX в. по настоящее время : Сборник статей в честь 200-летнего юбилея пребывания Московской духовной академии в Троице-Сергиевой Лавре. — Сергиев Посад : Московская духовная академия и семинария, 2015. — С. 37-51
* Проповедь о монашеском призвании в современном мире // Богословский вестник. — Сергиев Посад: Московская духовная академия и семинария. — 2016. — № 20-21. — С. 363—367
* Московская Духовная Академия в 1917—1918 учебном году: На пути к мученичеству // Богословский вестник. — Сергиев Посад : Московская духовная академия и семинария. 2017. — № 26-27. — С. 21-41
* Основные значения термина «богословие» (θεολογία) и их роль в высшем богословском образовании // Теология и образование: 2018: ежегодник Научно-образовательной теологической ассоциации / Общецерковная аспирантура и докторантура им. свв. Кирилла и Мефодия, Национальный исследовательский ядерный университет «МИФИ»; ред. митр. Иларион. — М. : Издательский дом «Познание», 2018. — С. 50-60
References
{{Reflist
Sources
Евгений, архиепископ Верейский, викарий Московской епархии (Решетников Валерий Германович)
Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church
1957 births
Eastern Orthodox Christians from Estonia
Living people
People from Akmola Region
People deported from Estonia