Priest Chaplin Vsevolod: biography, photo, nationality

The name of Vsevolod Chaplin in modern Russia has heard, perhaps, everything. For several years he has been one of the most controversial, scandalous and odious figures in the world of Russian Orthodoxy. About what this person is and what characterizes his priestly career, we will tell in this article.

Birth, childhood and youth

Vsevolod Chaplin, photo of which is placed above, was born in 1968 in Moscow. As he himself claims, his family was far from religion, including Orthodoxy. Therefore, to the ecclesiastical doors, he made an independent path, which culminated in his treatment at the age of 13. At school with his religiousness, there were no special problems, although he did not even conceal that he was going to enter the seminary.

The national question

Some people today even claim that Chaplin actually professes Judaism. On the Net, this belief is spread by some radical groups, who also assert that Chaplin Vsevolod Anatolyevich is a Jew. However, do not trust this "sensational" news. Direct evidence and evidence that Vsevolod Chaplin is a Jew is not. His family belonged to the Soviet intelligentsia, was close to the scientific world, which can create the prerequisites for asking about her national identity, since the percentage of Jews in the Soviet and Russian intelligentsia is traditionally high. But still, a direct statement of this fact as real can be considered a conjecture. Vsevolod Chaplin himself does not discuss his nationality. True, he categorically denied belonging to the Jews, although he speaks about this people with warmth and love.

The beginning of the church career

Career in the church Chaplin Vsevolod Anatolyevich began in 1985 with one of the posts in the publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate. At that time he was quite liberal, he advocated some reforms and supported the ideas of a moderate renewal of church life. For example, he subscribed to the appeal for a revision of the liturgical practice, including the question of the language of worship. In the late 80's he organized exhibitions of avant-garde painting, and later even wrote an introduction to one of the albums of Christian rock music.

Transfer to DECR

After the end of the theological seminary in 1990, Chaplin Vsevolod Anatolyevich changed the internal church camp, moving to work in the Department of External Church Relations under the wing of the Smolensk Archbishop Kyrill (Gundyaev), the current patriarch. It was the latter who committed a deacon ordination over him in 1991, and a year later ordained him to the priesthood. Since 1991, Chaplin Vsevolod Anatolievich within the framework of the DECR began to manage the sector of church-public relations. This post he later took many years. Along the way, Vsevolod Chaplin, whose photo is below, graduated from the Spiritual Academy in Moscow in 1994. At the same time, he received the degree of candidate of theology.

Interaction with the society

Priest Vsevolod Chaplin was during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin a member of the Council for Interaction with Religious Organizations. But in 1997 he was excluded from it. In the same year he took the chair of the head of the DECR secretariat for the interaction of the church and society. In this position he was until 2001.

Vsevolod Chaplin, whose biography indicates a rapid career development, in 1999 was elevated to the rank of archpriest. And in 2001 he took the place of deputy head of the DECR, Metropolitan Kirill. He held this post until 2009, overseeing church publications, the communications service, and two secretariats - public and inter-Christian ties. Administrative work required him to participate frequently in various events: meetings, conferences, negotiations. Among other things, he dealt with issues of relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Vatican, as well as state power. When the expert council of the State Duma Committee for the Affairs of Associations and Religious Organizations was established in 2004, Chaplin Vsevolod Anatolievich immediately joined it. Moreover, he was one of the members of the Central Committee in the World Council of Churches.

Elevation under Patriarch Cyril

When Patriarch Alexy II died in 2008, Chaplin's position changed dramatically, along with the role of his patron, Metropolitan Kirill, who ultimately took the patriarchal throne. Firstly, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin whose biography is closely connected with this man, became his deputy at the World Russian People's Council. Secondly, he took up the post of head of the newly-formed Synodal Department for the relationship between church and society. It is he who since 2009 oversees all official contacts of the patriarchate with public institutions, associations and organizations.

His role in the life of the church also became more visible after the agreement reached between the party "United Russia" and the ROC MP. Chaplin, by an order of the head of state, again entered the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations. At his post as head of the Synodal Department, he tracks the activities of the State Duma in order to make proposals, hold consultations and defend in the interests of the Orthodox Church. In addition, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin is a member of two commissions in the Public Chamber: on the development of regions and self-government and on interethnic relations and freedom of conscience.

Other activities and church awards

As a priest Chaplin is the rector of one of the capital's churches - the church of St. Nicholas on the Three Hills, which is located in the Presnensky district.

Vsevolod Chaplin is a teacher in the Orthodox St. Tikhon University, taking up the post of associate professor. In addition, he has a membership in the Union of Writers of Russia and the Academy of Russian Literature. Often the archpriest acts on television and on the radio. Some programs, he even regularly leads as a radio host.

As a priest, he is distinguished by extremely conservative views. Not to mention even his harsh assessment of euthanasia and homosexual marriages, Chaplin actively protests against the teaching of biology in terms of evolutionary positions. And some time ago he made a proposal to create in Russia a structure of Sharia courts for Muslims.

His work is marked by a number of church awards. He also has secular state awards. In 1996 he was awarded the Order of St. Prince Daniel of Moscow III degree. The same insignia, but already II degree was awarded to him in 2010. He received the Order of the Moscow Sainted Innocent in 2005. Earlier, in 2003, he also received the Order of St. Anna of the II degree, which is the award of the Romanov dynasty. And in 2009 he became the owner of the Order of Friendship.

Sayings of Vsevolod Chaplin

The priest occupies a lot of different positions and is a public person by nature. Therefore, it is not surprising that the constant attention of the media, which attracts Vsevolod Chaplin. His comments on certain events, phenomena and problems often cause public outcry and a wave of harsh criticism. For example, the proposal of the protoire to introduce a public dress code for Russian women caused a storm of indignation from citizens who accused him of violating constitutional freedoms. The former liberalism of the young patriarchal functionary left no trace, which became clear from Chaplin's call to physically destroy the enemies of the faith, defending his religious relics. Among other things, he declared that the church forces should unleash an armed war against the Bolsheviks after the Revolution, and in modern reality organize patrolling cities by Orthodox fighting squads. Quite eloquently about his radical, almost extremist views, says Chaplin's friendship with the infamous Enteo and more than a tough stance against the punk band Pussy Riot. Chaplin defends radicals who are engaged in the destruction of exhibitions, the breakdowns of concerts and theatrical productions, and also advocates for active cooperation between the church and the state and the use of administrative, legislative, judicial and executive resources for church interests.

The reaction to Chaplin in society

All this created him a reputation for being a hard, unpleasant person, who is associated with conflicts and confrontation, with the near extremist wing of the church. In the patriarchate, he is the mouthpiece of clericalism and a symbol of the imperialist aspirations of the modern ROC. He is openly disliked not only in secular society, but also in the church itself. The huge mass of both ordinary believers and clergymen, including those from the Patriarch's inner circle, does not tire of criticizing him and wondering why Vsevolod Chaplin still stands at the helm of the public relations of the Moscow patriarchate. Everyone answers this question in different ways. A significant number of people consider him only a translator of patriarchal programs, which he for certain reasons can not voice independently. Others assume more complex conspiracy theories or find reasons in sophisticated political technologies adopted by the current church authorities.