Isidor (Nikolsky) (1799-1892), Metropolitan of Novgorod and St. Petersburg 1860-1892

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ISIDOR (born Iakov Sergeevich Nikolsky) (1799-1892, St. Petersburg), religious figure, honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1857). After graduating from St. Petersburg Theological Academy in 1825, he took monastic vows under the name of Isidor and stayed in the academy as a teacher and librarian. He was elected a Member of Academy Conference in 1827, and was one of the monks of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. In 1829, he was made Archimandrite and Prior of SS. Peter and Paul Monastery of Mtsensk, and President of the Orel Theological Seminary. In 1833, he was appointed President of Moscow Theological Seminary. Isidor successively served as Bishop of Dmitrov and Vicar of Moscow Eparchy from 1834. He was made Bishop of Polotsk and Vilno in 1837, and Bishop of Mogilev in 1840. He was ordained Archbishop in 1841, and became Metropolitan in 1856. In 1844, Isidore assumed the post of Exarch of Georgia and member of the Synod, then the post of Metropolitan of Kiev in 1858. Since 1860, he served as Metropolitan of Novgorod, St. Petersburg and Finland and Prior of Alexander Nevsky Lavra, was the presiding member of the Holy Synod and the Chief Trustee of the Imperial Philantropic Society. Isidor directed the work on the complete translation of the Bible into Russian and contributed to it himself. He founded the Alexander Nevsky House for Care of Impoverished Clergymen and Diocesan School for Women in St. Petersburg in 1869. Isidore cared much about the development of ecclesiastical education and charity; some educational institutions and almshouses founded by him were consequently called Isidor's Institutions. He was also a member of Russian Geographic Society, Russian Archeological Society and other scientific societies. Isidor was buried at St. Isidor Church of Alexander Nevsky Lavra. In 1932, his remains were taken to Nikolskoe cemetery, where a cross was placed on his grave in 1988.

References: Здравомыслов К. Я. Иерархи Новгородской епархии от древнейших времен до настоящего времени: Крат. биогр. очерки. Новгород, 1897. С. 214-224.

A. I. Razdorsky. Isidor (Yakov Sergeevich Nikolsky)
Здравомыслов К. Я. Иерархи Новгородской епархии от древнейших времен до настоящего времени: Крат. биогр. очерки. Новгород, 1897 Theological Academy
Alexander Nevsky Lavra
Synod
Russian Geographical Society
Nikolskoe Cemetery