Sergius (Korolyov) of Kazan

His Eminence Sergius II (Korolev) of Kazan was a hierarch of the Church of Russia who served in Poland following World War I as Bishop of Belsk before becoming Bishop of Prague under the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. After World War II, Abp. Sergius returned to the Moscow Patriarchate, serving in different sees in central Europe. In 1950, he was assigned to serve as Archbishop of the Diocese of Kazan and Chistopol of the Church of Russia until his repose 1952.

Life

Arkady Dimitrievich Korolev was born on January 18, 1881 into a religious family in the Moscow region. He attended theological seminary at the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra before continuing his education at the Moscow Theological Academy, graduating in 1905.

After entering the Yablochinsky Monastery in the Diocese of Kholm, Arkady was tonsured a monk on June 7, 1907 by Bishop Eulogius of Kholm and given the name Sergius. Ordained a hieromonk in 1908, he joined into the missionary program of the monastery, mainly among the Uniates of the area. In 1914, Father Sergius was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite and appointed assistant abbot of the monastery.

With the start of World War I in 1914, the monastery was evacuated as it was near the battle line between the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires. After the war ended, Archim. Sergius was consecrated in 1920 to the episcopate as Bishop of Belsk, a see that, following the peace treaties, was part of the nation of Poland. As Bp. Sergius opposed the proposed autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Poland, he was arrested in 1922 and deported from Poland to Czechoslovakia where Metropolitan Eulogius of Western Europe under ROCOR assigned Bp. Sergius as his vicar Bishop of Prague.

Bp. Sergius remained with Metr. Eulogius during the following decades as, in 1927, Eulogius split with ROCOR and recognized the Moscow Patriarchate. Bp. Sergius also remained with him when Metr. Eulogius was accepted under the canonical care of the Ecumenical Patriarch in 1930 after the Moscow Patriarchate had deposed Metr. Eulogius. In 1945, as World War II ended, Bp. Sergius joined again with Metr. Eulogius as he re-entered communion with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Following the death of Metr. Eulogius in 1946, Bp. Sergius remained loyal to Moscow. On April 17, 1946, he was elevated to Archbishop of Prague. Then, on June 7, 1946, Abp. Sergius was appointed Archbishop of Vienna of the Western European Diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate and, in October 1946, he was named Exarch of the Patriarchate's Central European District. On November 16, 1948, Abp. Sergius was appointed Archbishop of Berlin and Germany.

On September 20, 1950, Abp. Sergius was appointed Archbishop of Kazan and Chistopol. In Kazan, he related closely with the people. To meet more people he took different routes when he walked to the Cathedral and engaged the poor people in conversation. He joined them in their homes and, after learning of their situations, he would leave sums of money in their house.

Abp. Sergius reposed in Kazan on December 18, 1952.

Writings

Abp. Sergius was noted for his sermons and was a prolific writer, leaving over twenty works on various aspects of Orthodoxy.

Reference

Succession box: Sergius (Korolyov) of Kazan
Preceded by: ?	Bishop of Belsk 1920 - 1922	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: ?	Bishop of Prague ROCOR 1922 - 1927	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: ?	Bishop of Prague Moscow Patriarchate 1927 - 1930	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: ?	Bishop of Prague Ecumenical Patriarchate 1930 - 1945	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: ?	Archbishop of Prague Moscow Patriarchate 1945 - 1946	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: ?	Archbishop of Vienna Moscow Patriarchate 1946 - 1948	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: ?	Archbishop of Berlin Moscow Patriarchate 1948 - 1950	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: Justin (Maltsev)	Archbishop of Kazan 1950 - 1953	Succeeded by: Job (Kresovich)

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Sources

• Historical Background of the Kazan Diocese
• Answers: Archbishop Sergey (Arkadi Dimitrievich Korolev) of Kazan & Chistopol