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'''Sergius I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow''' was the seventeenth [[Patriarch]] of Moscow and All Russia. He previously served as a bishop in three dioceses and as deputy and patriarchal ''[[locum tenens]]'' from 1927 to 1943, having ascended to this position following the death of Patr. Tikhon and imprisonment of Metr. [[Peter (Polyansky) of Moscow and Krutitsy|Peter of Krutitsy]], the previous locum tenens. He was particularly known and criticized for his allegedly willing submission to the Soviet government in Russia, often referred to as ''Sergianism''.
== Life ==
[[Image:Mitr_sergius.jpg|thumb|120px180px|Sergius as Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod.]]
Ivan Nikolayevich Stragorodsky was born in the town of Arzamas near Nizhny Novgorod on [[January 11]], 1867. His father, Nicholas, was an arch[[priest]]. After receiving the name Sergius when he was tonsured a [[monk]], he studied in the Nizhny Novgorod [[seminary]], followed by studies at the [[St. Petersburg Theological Academy]]. Sergius became proficient in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. He was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[deacon|diaconate]] and then to the priesthood. He was soon raised to the rank of [[archimandrite]]. In September 1890, he arrived in Japan to assist Bp. [[Nicholas of Japan]]. Here, while he taught at the [[Tokyo Orthodox Seminary (Tokyo, Japan)|Tokyo Orthodox Seminary]], he became fluent in Japanese before his return to Russia in 1898. Upon his return to the St. Petersburg Academy in 1899, he was appointed [[rector]].
