Eugene (Reshetnikov)

Metropolitan Eugene (, secular name Valery Germanovich Reshetnikov, ; born October 9, 1957, Esil District, Akmola Region, Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic) is a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, and primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (since 2018), former rector of Moscow Theological Academy (1995-2018) and Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Holy Synod (1994-2018).
Biography.
Early life.
Born on October 9, 1957 in Kazakhstan. He spent his adolescent and youthful years in Kirov. After completing eight year of high school he studied at the Kirov builder's college (Кировский строительный техникум). In 1977-1979 he served in the Soviet Army. After demobilization, he worked in the Kirov diocesan administration, while acting as subdeacon of Bishop Chrysanth (Chepil) of Kirov.
In 1980, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary. He performed the job of subdeacon of the Rector of the Moscow Theological Schools, Bishop Alexander (Timofeyev). In 1983 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary and entered the Moscow Theological Academy. In 1987,he received his doctorate in theology, after defending his thesis "The Pastorhood in the Russian Church in X-XIII centuries" (Russian: "Пастырство в Русской Церкви в X-XIII веках").
On July 27, 1986, archimandrite Benedict (Knyazev) tonsured him a monk with the name Eugene in honour of hieromartyr Eugene of Chersonesus. On August 3, he was ordained hierodeacon, then on August 28 he was ordained hieromonk.
In March 1988, the day of Pascha, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen. On January 1, 1989 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Moscow Theological Schools for administrative work. On November 16, 1990 was appointed inspector of Moscow Theological Seminary.
On August 6, 1991 by decree of Patriarch Alexius II he was appointed rector of the Stavropol Theological Seminary.
On February 28, 1994, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed Acting Chairman of the Education Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church with the dismissal of the Rector of the Stavropol Theological Seminary and elected bishop of Vereya, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese.
Titular bishop of Vereyа.
On April 16, 1994 he was consecrated Bishop of Vereyа, vicar of the Moscow diocese.
On July 18, 1995 was appointed rector of the Moscow Theological Schools with preservation of the post of Chairman of the Education Committee.
On July 18, 1998 the Holy Synod approve him as Chairman of the Education Committee.
On February 25, 2000, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow elevated him to the rank of archbishop.
Guided by the decisions of the Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as definitions of the Holy Synod and the instructions of the Patriarch, he headed the reform of theological schools of Russian Orthodox Church to transform theological seminaries as higher education schools, and theological academies as specialized educational institutions for training of scientific and theological personnel and teachers of theological and educational institutions. The process of reforming theological education was worked out in Moscow theological schools, the experience of which was then applied in other religious educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 2004-2007 he was member of the dialogue commission between the Moscow Patriarchate and Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
On March 22, 2011 he became member of then established Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia.
On May 5, 2018 at the meeting of the Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate he was elected one of the two candidates for the post of Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church approved this decision at a meeting on May 14. On May 29, 2018, an Extraordinary Council of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate elected him its Primate. On 3 June 2018, during the divine liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia elevated him to the rank of Metropolitan and awarded the right to wear the second Panagia within the Estonian Orthodox Church. On July 14, the Holy Synod dismissed him Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church and rector of the Moscow Theological Schools.
After becoming , he began to study Estonian language and applied for a residence permit in Estonia.