Moscow, January 1, 2014
The book relates the life and activities of Patriarch Sergius, who was the head (locum tenens, and later patriarch) of the Russian Orthodox Church during very difficult years for the country—the 1930s and 1940s.
The novelty and uniqueness of the work lies in the fact that it was written by a man very close to Patriarch Sergius—Metropolitan John (Razumov), who for many years was near his spiritual father and the First Hierarch of the Russian Church. That is why the book includes not only documentary information, but also the personal experience of Metropolitan John, his observations and comments.
The publication contains a narrative in which the author talks about the patriarch not only as a religious figure, but also as a person who had to make the most difficult decisions in a very hard time for the country. There are also a number of documents included, which may be interesting for researchers of the life and activities of Patriarch Sergius.
The publication project has been completed with the blessing of Metropolitan Mercurius of Rostov and Novocherkassk, and it has the approval stamp of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
