Aleksei was a Russian archpriest who became famous (or infamous) as a convert to Judaism. He was born probably in Novgorod around 1425 and died in Moscow in 1488. An archpriest is the title of a priest which has supervisory duties over a number of parishes. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... Velikiy Novgorod (Russian: ) is the foremost historic city of North-Western Russia, situated on the M10(E95) federal highway connecting Moscow and St. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2005)    - Density 10,415,400   8537. ...

In the last quarter of the fifteenth century, when a schism arose in the Russian Orthodox Church and many new sects sprang up, Aleksei became a convert to Judaism. Some of the new sects had shown a decided tendency to revert to the old Mosaic law. This probably suggested to the influential Jew Skhariyah (Zechariah), of Kiev, the idea of spreading Judaism among the Russians of Pskov and Novgorod. Skhariyah belonged to the suite of the Gediminid Prince Michael Olelkovich, who came to Novgorod in 1471. The first convert in Novgorod was the priest Dionisy, who introduced to Skhariyah his colleague, the archpriest (protopop) Aleksei. The latter was the most zealous of the new converts, and did successful missionary work among all classes, especially among the clergy. The new community appreciated his labors so highly that the name of Abraham was conferred upon him, while his wife's name was changed to Sarah. The Russian Orthodox Church (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Catholic Church of Russia, is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ... Torah, (תורה) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or especially law. It primarily refers to the first section of the Tanakh–the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, or the Five Books of Moses, but can also be used in the general sense to also include both the Written... The Sect of Skhariya the Jew, or Zhidovstvuyuschiye, (Жидовствующие in Russian), widely spread in early Russian historic literature; derived from the Russian word жид (zhid), nowadays a slur for a Jew (although in the 15th century this word was not yet offensive); zhidovstvuyuschiye that may be loosely translated as “those who follow... Location Map of Ukraine with Kiev highlighted. ... The Trinity Cathedral (1682-99) is a symbol of Pskovs former might and independence. ... ... It has been suggested that Abraham (Hebrew Bible) be merged into this article or section. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

When the grand duke of Muscovy, Ivan III, visited Novgorod in 1480, Aleksei found favor in his eyes. The grand duke took Aleksei with him to Moscow and put him at the head of the Cathedral of the Dormition, while his friend Dionisy was at the same time appointed priest of the Archangel Cathedral in the same city. Aleksei enjoyed the confidence of the grand duke in a high degree and had free access to him. The court party of Sophia Paleologue alleged that he succeeded in converting his secretary, Fyodor Kuritsyn, the archimandrite Zosima, the monk Zechariah, Helena of Moldova (the wife of Ivan the Young), and many other prominent personages. The grand duke at first, probably for political reasons, protected the heretics, but later on was constrained to persecute them. This campaign resulted in Helena's son Dmitry being disinherited in favour of Sophia's son Vasily. The title of Grand Duke (Latin, Magnus Dux; German, Großherzog, Russian, Великий князь) used in Slavic, Baltic, and Germanic countries, is ranked in honour below King but higher than a sovereign Duke (Herzog) or Prince (Fürst). ... Muscovy (Moscow principality (княжество Московское) to Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое Княжество Московское) to Russian Tsardom (Царство Русское)) is a traditional Western name for the Russian state that existed from the 14th century to the late 17th century. ... Albus rex Ivan III Ivan III Vasilevich (Иван III Васильевич) (January 22, 1440 - October 27, 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a grand duke of Muscovy who first adopted a more pretentious title of the grand... Cathedral of the Dormition, Moscow, in winter The Cathedral of the Dormition or Cathedral of the Assumption (in Russian, Uspensky Sobor (Успенский Собор)) is the name of several cathedrals in the world. ... The Cathedral of the Archangel (Russian: Архангельский собор, or Arkhangelsky sobor) is the name of several cathedrals in Russia. ... Zoe Palaiologina (Greek Ζωή Παλαιολόγου, Russian Софья Фоминична Палеолог, around 1455 - April 7, 1503), Grand Duchess of Moscow, was a niece of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI and second wife of Ivan III of Russia. ... Archimandrite (Greek: ἀρχιμανδρίτης - archimandrites) is a title in the Greek Orthodox Church for a superior abbot who has the supervision of several abbots and monasteries appointed by a bishop. ... Ivan Ivanovich (also known as Ioann Ioannovich and Ivan Molodoy) (Иван Иванович, Иоанн Иоаннович, Иван Молодой in Russian) (February... Vasili III Ivanovich (Russian: Василий III Иванович, also Basil) (March 25, 1479–December 3, 1533) was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1505 to 1533. ...

References

This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. The Jewish Encyclopedia was an encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

Resources

• Rosenthal, Herman. "Aleksei". Jewish Encyclopedia. Funk and Wagnalls, 1901-1906, citing:

• Platon, Kratkaya Tserkovnaya Rossiskaya Istoriya, Moscow, 1833;
• N. Rudnev, Rassuzhdenie o Yeresyakh i Raskolakh Byvshikh v Russkoi Tserkvi so Vremeni Vladimira Velikago do Ioanna Groznago (Treatise on the Sects and Schism in the Russian Church, from the time of Vladimir the Great to Ivan the Terrible), Moscow, 1838;
• Karamzin, Istoriya Rossii, vi. 154;
• Panov, Zhurnal Ministerstva Narodnago Prosvyeshcheniya, No. 159, p. 261.H. R.