Zinovy (secular name Nikolai Petrovich Drozdov; born 14 July 1875, village of Kholmy, Galich Uyezd, Kostroma Governorate — died 1942) was an Orthodox hierarch, archbishop, and a figure of the Russian Orthodox Church during the era of persecution of the faith. His connection to the Nizhny Novgorod region: exile to Arzamas (disambiguation) in 1926, imprisonment in the Nizhny Novgorod Ostrog in 1927.

Early years and theological education

He was born into the family of a priest. By his own account, the family was "patriarchal, devout and modest," and as a child he helped his father with farm work.[2] In 1897 he graduated from the Kostroma Theological Seminary and was ordained a priest, receiving a post at one of the churches of Kostroma. After being widowed and losing his son, in 1899 he entered the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy, which he completed in 1904 with the degree of Candidate of Theology.[1] Already in his fourth year, in 1903, he took monastic vows under the name Zinovy; on 14 August 1904 he was ordained a hieromonk.[2]

Participation in the Russo-Japanese War

Immediately after his tonsure, on 14 August 1904, the Most Holy Synod sent him as priest aboard the hospital ship "Orel," part of the squadron of Vice Admiral Z. P. Rozhestvensky. Aboard this ship, Hieromonk Zinovy made the voyage from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean. During the Battle of Tsushima the ship was captured by the Japanese and taken to Shanghai; for a time Zinovy lived in a boarding house in Shanghai, then returned to Russia. The diary he kept during the voyage was later published as a separate book.[1][2]

Church service until 1922

After his return, Zinovy successively held the posts of instructor at the Vyatka Theological Seminary (from 23 September 1905), inspector of the Kutaisi Theological School (from 28 September 1906), and administrator of the chancellery of the Exarch of Georgia under Archbishop Nikon (Sofiysky) (from 14 July 1907). His service in Georgia took place amid an acute conflict with the local clergy, who were seeking autocephaly; after the murder of Bishop Nikon in 1908, Archimandrite Zinovy was transferred to Yekaterinburg as inspector of the theological school, and later became rector of the Kishinev Theological Seminary.[2]

On 11 December 1911 he was consecrated Bishop of Izmail, a vicar of the Kishinev diocese — the consecration took place in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. From 17 January 1913 he was Bishop of Kozlov, a vicar of the Tambov diocese; from 5 June 1913 he temporarily administered the Oryol diocese while remaining Bishop of Kozlov. From 17 August 1917 he took part in the All-Russian Local Council. From 22 May 1918 he was Bishop of Tambov and Shatsk, becoming the first conciliarly elected bishop of Tambov.[1]

Opposition to the Renovationists and arrests

In 1922, when the Renovationist movement swept through many dioceses, Zinovy fought it actively, calling the Renovationists' activity "apostasy" and forbidding their leaders from serving as clergy. By July–August 1922 he had been removed from administration of the Tambov diocese; on 13 October 1922 he delivered a sermon in the Intercession Cathedral sharply criticizing the Renovationists, after which the clergy of the city of Tambov announced their break with them. That same October, Zinovy was arrested on a charge of "concealing church valuables" and sentenced to six years' imprisonment; he was held in the Tambov prison. He was released in 1924, briefly resumed administration of the diocese, but already in November was exiled to Moscow without the right to leave.[1]

On 12 April 1925 he signed the act transferring supreme church authority to Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky). In 1927 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.[1]

Exile in Arzamas and imprisonment in Nizhny Novgorod

In April 1926 Zinovy was Nizhny Novgorod Province. There he lived Seraphim-Diveyevo Convent; on 31 July – 1 August 1926 he conducted services The Holy Dormition Sarov Hermitage together with Bishop Seraphim (Zvezdinsky).[1]

On 21 September 1927 Zinovy was arrested and held in the prisons of Arzamas and Nizhny Novgorod. On 8 October 1927 he was released; on 17 October he departed for Moscow.[1]

After the publication of Sergius (Stragorodsky), Zinovy moved into opposition: during questioning by the OGPU in 1932 he spoke of Metropolitan Sergius as a man who misunderstood the relationship between church and state.[1] He died in 1942.[1]

Sources

  1. sr.isa.ru — Zinovy (Drozdov Nikolai Petrovich), Archbishop (archive)
  2. drevo-info.ru — ZINOVY (DROZDOV) — Drevo — … (archive)
  3. kuz3.pstbi.ru — Zinovy (Drozdov Nikolai Petrovich) (archive)