View source for Anatoly (Kuznetsov) of Kerch

His Eminence, Archbishop '''Anatoly (Kuznetsov) of Kerch''' is a suffragan (assistant) [[archbishop]] of the [[Diocese of Sourozh]] of the [[Church of Russia|Patriarchate of Moscow]].

==Life==
Archbishop Anatoly was born on [[May 28]], 1930 in Irkutsk in the Siberian part of the Soviet Union. He was active in the churches of the Diocese of Irkutsk, as a [[reader]] since 1947 and, then, from 1949 as a [[subdeacon]] for [[Bishop]] Pallady (Shestrennikov) of Irkutsk.

In 1949, he entered the [[Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary|Moscow Theological Seminary]] and continued his studies until his graduation in 1956, after which he entered the [[Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary||Moscow Theological Academy]]. While attending the [[seminary]], he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] on [[October 31]], 1954, followed with his ordination as a [[priest]] on [[July 1]], 1956. He graduated from the Moscow Academy in 1960 with a degree of Candidate of Theology. After his graduation, he remained with the academy, teaching first [[Holy Scripture]] in the Moscow seminary then from 1967 at the Moscow academy. During this time he also participated in the work of the Biblical Commission of the Publishing Department of Moscow Patriarchate.

On [[October 11]], 1960, he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Anatoly, after the Martyr Anatoly of [[Nicomedia]]. In 1963, he was elevated to the rank of [[Igumen]]. Then, in 1968 he was raised to the dignity of [[archimandrite]].  

On [[September 3]], 1972, Archim. Anatoly was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Bishop of Vilnius and Lithuania. On [[September 3]], 1974, Bp. Anatoly was transferred to the position of Bishop of Zvenigorod, as the representative of the Patriarchate of Moscow to the Patriarchate of Antioch. On [[November 16]], 1979, Bp. Anatoly was installed as Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak. On [[July 20]], 1990, he was appointed Bishop of Kerch, as assistant bishop of the Diocese of Sourozh. On [[February 25[[, 1993, Bp. Anatoly was elevated to the rank of [[archbishop]].

During the jurisdictional issues concerning the Diocese of Sourozh during the first years of the twenty first century, Abp. Anatoly was placed in a retired status from [[December 27]], 2001 to [[July 17]], 2002, after which he was returned to an active status with the [[diocese]].

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{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Vilnius|
years=1972-1974|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Zvenigorod|
years=1974-1979|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak|
years=1979-1990|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Archbishop of Kerch|
years=1990-Present|
after=?}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.sourozh.org/archbishop-of-kerch/   Suffragan Hierarch Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch]
*[http://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/soc-swk/ree/Kuznetsov_Ecumenism.html  Archbishop Anatoly (Kuznetsov) of Kerch]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Vilnius]]
[[Category: Bishops of Zvenigorod]]
[[Category: Bishops of Ufa]]
[[Category: Bishops of Kerch]]