National Catholic Reporter

The Russian Orthodox, KGB, and Vatican: Patriarch Alexis report reveals old dilemmas.

National Catholic Reporter | May 27, 1994 | Copyright

In October 1968 a young Russian Orthodox bishop found himself in Rome. Since he had left Moscow for business connected with the World Council of Churches rather than the Vatican, his instructions were to take no initiatives but to wait and see what happened.

His orders came from the Council for Religious Affairs, which worked in close liaison with the KGB. His code name in the KGB records was "Drozdov" ("Blackbird"). His real name was Alexis, bishop of Tallin, Estonia, since 1961. In 1964, at age 35, he became chancellor of the Russian Orthodox Church.

He was a…

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