Anastasius (Kononov)

Born in the village of Narezka (now Sychevsky district of the Smolensk region) in a peasant family of hereditary Old Believers Belokrinitsky consent.

From an early age he was a parishioner and kliroshanin old believer church in the nearby village of Potesov, graduated from elementary school.

In 1915-1922 he fought on the fronts of the First World War and the Civil War (in the ranks of the Red Army ), and after demobilization he entered into marriage.

In 1937 he moved to Moscow , worked in the Military Construction Administration of the Moscow Military District .

During the Great Patriotic War, he headed the part-time farm of the district in the Gorky region .

In 1947 he settled in the village of Valentinovka in the Moscow region .

Never hid religious beliefs, since 1947 was a constant parishioner and choir of the Pokrovsky cathedral church at the Rogozhsky cemetery in Moscow.

Before retiring in 1966, he held the position of warehouse manager in managing grocery stores in the Moscow region.

On April 17, 1966, he was ordained priest by the Old Believer Archbishop of Moscow and All Russia Joseph (Morzhakov) and was appointed to the Pokrovsky Church, he paid much attention to nourishing the youth.

After the death of his wife in 1968, he was tonsured into monasticism with the name Anastasius .

On May 27, 1973, the Old Believers Archbishop of Moscow and All Russia, Nicodemus (Latyshev), was consecrated as Bishop of Don and the Caucasus with the right of temporary administration of the Klintsy and Novozybkov diocese.

After the death of Bishop Klintsovsky and Novozybkovsky Joasaph, Bishop Anastasius ruled this diocese until Bishop Alimpios (Gusev) was appointed to it on January 5, 1986.

He elevated to the rank of four archpriest, ordained 15 priests, 13 deacons, devoted more than a dozen readers and episcopate. With the blessing of Archbishop Nicodemus, on January 5, 1986, in cooperation with Bishop Eutyches, he consecrated Bishop Alimpius (Gusev) (the future Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia).

From the beginning of 1979, he was actually the viceroy of Archbishop Nikodim (Latyshev) in Moscow (the archbishop himself was then in Moldova, in his native village).

Bishop Anastasius supported the relations of the Old Believer Church with scholars and intellectuals in every way. More than once he gave permission to secular researchers and scholars to study the traditions of the Old Believers and especially znamenny singing . The activity of the bishop did not please the staff of the Council for Religious Affairs. Once, by order of high-ranking officials, Vladyka was summoned for “study”. Bishop Anastasius answered them: “And what can you do with me? I don't care, the ninth decade has already gone ” ^[1] .

After the death of Archbishop Nikodim, on February 14, 1986, he was elected locum tenens of the archbishop's throne.

Among the first hierarchs of the Old Believer Church, Vladyka Anastasius stood out for his particular uncompromising relations with the authorities, pursued an independent policy. He obtained permission from the Council for Religious Affairs to establish the Old Believer Metropolis, which was carried out in 1988.

He died on April 9, 1986 in Moscow . Buried in the Rogozhskoye cemetery .

April 9, 2016 on Rogozhsky celebrated 30 years from the date of the death of Bishop Anastasia. ^[2]

• ANASTASY // Orthodox Encyclopedia . - M .: Church-Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" , 2001. - T. II. - pp. 240–241. - 752 s. - 40 000 copies - ISBN 5-89572-007-2 .
• V.G. Podshibyakin: " Vladyka Anastasius was small in stature, but he acted strongly on nerves "
• Irina Bobkova: “ Vladyka Anastasius was a real saint, and shepherd, and administrator ”
• N.G. Denisov: " Bishop Anastasius: the lord, shepherd, mentor, dear man "