Background
Iarushevich, Boris was born on January 13, 1892.
Iarushevich, Boris was born on January 13, 1892.
Studied physics and mathematics at Petersburg University. Studied physics and mathematics at Petersburg University. Graduated from the Petrograd Theological Academy in 1917.
Monk, 1914. Chaplain in the Russian Army, 1915. Archimandrite in charge of the Aleksandr Nevskii Lavra in Petrograd, 1919. Bishop of Peterhof, 1922.
As an opponent of the Living Church, arrested and imprisoned, 1922-1924. After his release, worked with Aleksii (Simanskii) in the Leningrad archdiocese. Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov, 1936-1940.
During the period 1936-1938, remained as one of only 4 bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church (all others having been liquidated or imprisoned). After the partition of Poland between Hitler and Stalin, appointed exarch of Western Ukraine and Belorussia, 1939. Metropolitan, March 1941.
During WW1I, took an active part in the war effort and propaganda campaigns. Member of the commission on German crimes in the occupied territories. Testified to the alleged responsibility of the Germans in the massacre of Polish POW officers at Katyn (who, according to the testimonies of others, including witnesses and participants of the exhumation, were shot by the NKVD on Stalin’s orders before the German invasion of the USSR).
Took part (with the future patriarchs Sergii and Aleksii) in the meeting with Stalin, 4 Sep. 1943, in Moscow where a de facto concordat was reached (Stalin agreed to reinstate a patriarch in exchange for loyalty and patriotic help from the church). After WWI1, as head of the Foreign Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, continued to take part in many propaganda exercises, especially the Peace Campaigns, trying to initiate disarmament in the West, while remaining silent about Soviet armaments.
Re-imposed Soviet control of the church in Western areas of the USSR, which were under German control during World War II (especially Western Ukraine). Tried unsuccessfully to impose Soviet control on Russian Orthodox churches in the Western Countries. After Stalin’s death, took a much more independent line.
Was instrumental in the decision to excommunicate the expriest Osipov, who had become a tool of virulent atheist propaganda. Opposed Khrushchev’s vicious antireligious campaign in the late 1950s. In June 1960, was suddenly removed from his post of chairman of the Department of External Church Relations.
In Sep. 1960, released from his duties as Metropolitan of Krutitsy (2nd ranking hierarch of the Russian church). There are suspicions that his death was hastened by the Committee for State Security.