Antoni

Anthony, born Alexander Vasilyevich Vadkovsky (born on in Tsarovka, and died on November 2, 1912, in Saint Petersburg) was a Russian Orthodox bishop and from 1898 to 1912.

He was the son of an Orthodox priest. Anthony completed his studies at the Tambov Theological Seminary and then at the Kazan Theological Academy. After obtaining his degree, he served as a lecturer in homiletics at the academy and also contributed to the journal Orthodox Companion. In 1872, he married Elizaveta Penkovskaya, who died of tuberculosis after seven years of marriage. When their two children, born from this union, died ten years later, Alexander Vadkovsky decided to enter monastic life and took his perpetual monastic vows on 4 March 1883. On 14 November, 1883, he was granted the dignity of archimandrite and appointed the superior of the . A year later, he became the inspector of the Kazan Theological Academy. With the support of the Ober-Procurator of the Most Holy Synod, Konstantin Pobedonostsev, he was transferred to the position of inspector of the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy. In 1887, he became its rector, also receiving episcopal consecration with the title of Bishop of Vyborg, vicar of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg and Ladoga.

From 1892 to 1898, Anthony served as the , where he initiated the translation of Orthodox liturgical texts from Church Slavonic into Finnish and participated in dialogues with the Old Catholic and Anglican churches. In 1898, he assumed the position of Metropolitan of Saint Petersburg and Ladoga, the highest ecclesiastical office of the synodal period. As Metropolitan, he was involved in charitable activities and continued his teaching role at the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy. After 1905, Metropolitan Anthony focused on reforming the structure of the Russian Orthodox Church. He sought the approval of Emperor Nicholas II for the abolition of the Most Holy Synod, the full independence of the church from state institutions, and the election of a Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, a position that had been vacant since 1700. Between 1905 and 1906, a committee led by Anthony prepared the necessary documentation to convene a Local Council to approve these proposed changes. However, the council was not convened due to opposition from Nicholas II.

Metropolitan Anthony was a consistent opponent of political involvement by the Orthodox clergy, including the election of clergy as deputies to the State Duma. As a result, he faced criticism from Black Hundreds organizations, which accused him of liberalism and hostility towards the monarchy. Conversely, he was seen as an inspiration and precursor by renewal movements, such as the Living Church.

He died in 1912 after an illness and was buried at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Early life and academic work Alexander Vadkovsky was born into a large family as the son of Vasily Yovlevich Vadkovsky, From the age of two, he lived with his family in the village of Matchurka. At ten years old, he began his education at the lower theological school in Tambov and, after graduating in 1860, continued his studies at the theological seminary in the same city. Subsequently, he was awarded the title of extraordinary professor, which was equivalent to the rank of State Councillor. In 1909, he founded an archaeological museum at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Excommunication of Leo Tolstoy On 22 February 1901, the Most Holy Synod declared the writer Leo Tolstoy an enemy of the church and excommunicated him. This decision was primarily prompted by the content of Tolstoy's novel Resurrection, which included a critical depiction of an Orthodox service in a prison chapel and challenged the Russian Orthodox Church's position on social issues in Russia. The excommunication also addressed Tolstoy's criticisms of the Russian church, his rejection of the sacraments, and his views on the salvation of the soul.Efn|Tolstoy's moral-philosophical teaching actually went against the basic tenets of Orthodox theology, as the writer himself admitted. Metropolitan Anthony was a principal initiator of the excommunication, although Konstantin Pobedonostsev had been advocating for this action for some time.

In the face of changes in Russia

On 22 March 1905, the Most Holy Synod, chaired by Metropolitan Anthony, presented a memorandum to Emperor Nicholas II. This document requested changes in the legal status of the Russian Orthodox Church, the convening of a Local Council, and the election of a Patriarch. He emphasized to Prime Minister Sergei Witte that to address the church's situation, four legal changes were essential:

Abolition of the Most Holy Synod; Establishment of a collegial governing body composed of clergy; Convening a Local Council; Election of a Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. He permitted the Philosophical-Religious Assemblies organized by Dmitry Merezhkovsky and Zinaida Gippius and allowed Orthodox clergy to participate. Additionally, he initiated discussions within the church on various aspects of Orthodox monasticism, including the monks' roles in Russian society, their interactions with different social strata (particularly the intelligentsia), and potential operational changes in monasteries.

Metropolitan Anthony opposed the involvement of Orthodox clergy in political organizations and deemed it inappropriate for clergy to run for the State Duma after 1905. He believed that direct political engagement by hierarchs, including the formation of a clerical party, would undermine the church's authority, which was already weakened. In a conversation with Dubrovin, he expressed his disapproval of right-wing parties, stating:I have no sympathy for your right-wing parties and consider you terrorists: left-wing terrorists throw bombs, and right-wing parties throw stones at everyone who disagrees with them.

Anthony’s respected status among the clergy allowed him to maintain unity among church hierarchs during his lifetime, with no significant conflicts among bishops. An exception was the 1905 attempt by conservative bishops , Anthony, Hermogenes, and Seraphim to remove him from the Synod. Despite his efforts to mobilize parish clergy and advocate for internal church reforms, his political views did not gain widespread support among most priests, who were elected to the Duma and aligned with various factions. Illness and death After 1910, Metropolitan Anthony's declining health necessitated a reduction in his activities. His final meeting with the Synod occurred on October 16, 1912, and he died a few days later. Anthony’s funeral took place at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in Saint Petersburg. The service was led by Metropolitan Vladimir of Moscow, with 22 other bishops, 60 archimandrites and protopriests, and 150 hieromonks and white clergy in attendance. ''