Valery Abramovich Smirnov
 | This article has an unclear citation style. (March 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
Valery Abramovich Smirnov (monastic name Mark; born 1951, Leningrad, Russia) is a Russian theologian, journalist, former monk, and priest of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Biography[edit]
Smirnov's father was a military physician. Smirnov studied at Leningrad State University, then graduated from Leningrad Theological Academy. He was tonsured a monk with the name of Mark, and ordained a clergyman by 1976). Smirnov was a cell-attendant of Metropolitan Nicodemus and priest in the Cathedral of Viborg.
Later, Smirnov was transferred to Luga, where he petitioned to withdraw from the clerical staff. He also tried to leave the Soviet Union. Known as the "secret Catholic", Smirnov performed services in the reformed Latin rite, eventually converting to Roman Catholicism.
From 1987, Smirnov worked at the Moscow News newspaper. He was editor and compiler of the collection of articles "On the Road to Freedom of Conscience" (Moscow: Progress, 1989). From 1991 to 1995, he was editor of "Religion in the Modern World" on Radio Liberty. Since the mid-1990s, in spite of his monastic vows, Smirnov again began to use his birth name of Valery. Smirnov is married.
External links[edit]
- on the radio "Echo Moskvy», 07.01.2009
- Mentioned as a celibate priest in the list of authors of the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate in 1976, 1977.
- http://krotov.info/spravki/persons/20person/1918dobr.html
- http://www.proza.ru/2007/03/06-124
- http://krotov.info/spravki/persons/21person/smirnov.html
This article "Valery Abramovich Smirnov" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Valery Abramovich Smirnov. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
