Alexius, Metropolitan of Moscow

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In 1357, Alexius was summoned by Khan Jani Beg to cure his wife from blindness. The metropolitan's success is held to have prevented a Tatar raid on Moscow.

Saint Alexius (Алексей in Russian) (before 1296 – 1378) was a Metropolitan of Kiev and all Russia (since 1354), who presided over Muscovite government during Dmitrii Donskoi's minority.

Alexius, whose real name was Elephtherios, was a son of Theodore Biakont, a boyar from Chernigov who settled in Moscow and founded the great Pleshcheev boyar family. He took monastic vows at the Epiphany Monastery of Moscow around 1313. In 1333 or so, he moved to the residence of Metropolitan Theognostus. In 1340, Alexius was appointed Metropolitan's deputy in Vladimir and 12 years later would become the Bishop of Vladimir.

By the will of Symeon the Proud, Alexius was appointed adviser to his brothers - John and Andrew. After visiting Constantinople, he was chosen to become the Metropolitan of Kiev and all Russia in 1354. When Dmitrii Donskoi and Vladimir the Bold were young, Alexius was their spiritual tutor and a regent at the same time. He took the side of Dmitrii Donskoi in his struggle against Tver (1366-1370).

In 1360s, Alexius founded the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, Andronikov, Chudov, and Alekseyevsky monasteries. He promoted Metropolitan Peter's canonization by the Russian Orthodox Church. Shortly before his death, Alexius fruitlessly tried to convince Sergius of Radonezh to become his successor.

Alexius was also an author of sermons and epistles. He was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1448.

"|Preceded by:
Theognostus

|width="30%" align="center" rowspan=""|Succeeded by:
Cyprian |- |}

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