Vsevolod Chaplin facts for kids

Vsevolod Chaplin, 2014

Vsevolod Chaplin (born March 31, 1968 – died January 26, 2020) was an important priest in the Russian Orthodox Church. He was known for being a celibate priest, meaning he did not marry. From 2009 to 2015, he led a special department that helped the Church work with society.

Chaplin was also a member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, which is a group that advises the government. He was also a rector (a type of leader) at St. Nicholas on the Three Hills Church in Moscow. Many people recognized him as one of the most well-known figures in the Russian Orthodox Church, after Patriarch Kirill. He was often seen as a very traditional church leader.

About Vsevolod Chaplin

Vsevolod Anatolyevich Chaplin was born in Moscow on March 31, 1968. His father was a professor who studied radio engineering. Vsevolod went to school in Golyanovo, a part of Moscow.

After finishing high school in 1985, he started working for the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate. He then went on to study at the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, where he graduated in 1990.

From 1990 to 2009, he worked in the Department for External Church Relations. This department handles the Church's relationships with other churches and organizations around the world. He started as a regular staff member and worked his way up to vice-president. During this time, he also continued his studies and earned another degree in 1994.

He became a deacon (a church assistant) in 1991 and a priest in 1992. In 1999, he was given the title of archpriest, which is a higher rank for a priest. In 2009, he became the head of a new department that focused on how the Church and society work together.

In December 2015, the Church decided to remove him from his position. His department was combined with another one. After this, Chaplin gave interviews where he spoke critically about Patriarch Kirill. He passed away suddenly in Moscow in 2020.

His Work and Roles

Father Vsevolod was part of many important groups and committees. These roles showed his wide involvement in both church and public life:

• He was a member of the Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations, which advised the President of Russia.
• He worked with international church groups like the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches.
• He was part of an expert group for the OSCE that focused on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
• In 2009, he became the chairman of the Synodal Department for the relationship between the Church and society.
• He was also a member of the Russian Organizing Committee "Victory" and the Patriarch's Council of Culture.
• He served as the vice-chairman of the World Russian People's Council.

Public Ideas and Views

As the head of the Department for the Cooperation of Church and Society, Father Vsevolod often shared his thoughts on religion and how people should live. Some of his public statements included:

• He believed that the word 'religion' should not be mixed up with 'denomination' (different Christian groups), saying that only Christian groups could be called denominations.
• He suggested creating 'Orthodox National Teams'.
• He spoke against people being anonymous (hidden) on the Internet.
• He disagreed with Darwin's ideas about how humans came to be.
• He did not agree with the idea that faith is a private matter.
• He chose not to pray with Christians from other denominations.
• He proposed a general 'dress code' for girls across the country.
• He supported making church buildings, iconostases (icon walls), and priests' clothes beautiful. He felt this showed the Church's important place in national life and helped it connect with everyone.
• He spoke against the crimes committed by the Soviet Bolsheviks.
• He was against homosexuality.
• In 2015, he said that the fight against terrorism in Syria was a "moral fight, a holy fight". This statement caused strong reactions from some groups.

Connection with Patriarch Kirill

For many years, Vsevolod Chaplin was considered a very close and loyal supporter of Patriarch Kirill. The previous Patriarch, Alexy II, even mentioned this in 2008. Both Chaplin and Kirill were key in developing an important document called "The Basis of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church." Some news organizations even called Chaplin "Patriarch Kirill's right-hand man."

Awards and Honors

Vsevolod Chaplin received several awards for his work and contributions.

State Awards

• The Order of Friendship (2009) – This award recognized his important work in developing spiritual culture and strengthening friendships between different peoples.
• Diploma of the Russian Federation President (2011) – This was another honor for his services to spiritual culture and promoting friendship.

Church Awards

• The Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, second class (2010)
• The Order of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow (2005)
• The Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, third class (1996)
• The Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, third class (2013)

Other Awards

• The medal "For peace and harmony between peoples" (2007) – This was for his active role in promoting peace, charity, understanding, and cooperation among people.
• The Order of the Russian Imperial House St. Anne's II degree
• Commemorative Medals from the Russian Imperial House (2011) – These marked important visits to Kiev and Crimea.

See also

• Andrey Kuraev