His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill (Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyaev in the world) was born on November 20, 1946 in Leningrad. He was brought up in a family that was closely associated with Orthodoxy, which, perhaps, determined his future fate.
Childhood and youth
Father Vladimir Gundyaev - Mikhail Vasilievich was a priest, his mother worked as a teacher of German. The elder brother is Nikolai Gundyaev, professor at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral, archpriest.
The fate of Patriarch Kirill’s grandfather is noteworthy. Priest Vasily Stepanovich Gundyaev was repeatedly persecuted by the Soviet government for his church activities. Vasily Stepanovich openly opposed the renovation of the church in the 20s of the last century, then in the 30s and 40s he was subjected to imprisonment and exile.
Vladimir Gundyaev graduated from eight classes of high school and began working as a cartographic technician in the Leningrad Geological Expedition. Three years later he enters the theological seminary, and after graduating from it - to the theological academy of the city of Leningrad
Service to Orthodoxy
In 1969, Vladimir Gundyaev took monastic tonsure, and was named Cyril.
In 1970, Cyril graduated with honors from the Theological Academy and became a teacher of dogmatic theology. At the same time, he also becomes the personal secretary of the Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod Nicodemus and the mentor of the first class of theological seminary.
In 1971, Cyril was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. In the same year he became the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.
Cyril begins to rapidly move up the career ladder. Over twenty years of service, he has gone from archimandrite to metropolitan.
Social work
In the 90s of the XX century, Cyril became the host of the popular Sunday program on television - “The Word of the Shepherd”. In this program, he answered viewers questions, conducted a popular and understandable for many spiritual and educational work.
Since 1995, Cyril began close cooperation with the Government of the Russian Federation. He was repeatedly invited to various consultative events. Kirill took an active part in resolving disagreements in the Chechen Republic, and organized cultural events. With his active participation, the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of Christianity was held.
