The history of the Russian Orthodox Church begins with the Christianization of Kievan Rus' at Kiev, the date of which is commonly given as 988; however, the evidence surrounding this event is contested. In 1316 the Metropolitan of Kiev changed his see to the city of Vladimir, and in 1322 moved again to Moscow. In 1589, the see was elevated to a Patriarchate. The Patriarchate was abolished by the Church reform of Peter the Great in 1721 and replaced by the Most Holy Governing Synod, and the Bishop of Moscow came to be called a Metropolitan again. The Patriarchate was restored in 1917 and suspended by the Soviet government in 1925. It was reintroduced for the last time in 1943, during World War II by the initiative of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin .
Metropolitans of Kiev and all Rus (permanent residence in Moscow, 1325–1461)
No.
Primate
Portrait
Reign
Notes
1
St. Peter
1308–1326
Seat vacant 1326–1328
2
St. Theognostus
1328–1353
3
St. Alexius
1354–1378
Mikhail (Mityay)
1378–1379
Locum tenens
Seat vacant 1379–1381
4
St. Cyprian
1381–1382
First tenure
5
Pimen
1382–1384
6
St. Dionysius I
1384–1385
Seat vacant 1385–1390
St. Cyprian
1390–1406
Second tenure
Seat vacant 1406–1408
7
St. Photius
1408–1431
Seat vacant 1431–1433
8
Gerasim (ru)
1433–1435
9
Isidore
1436–1441
Seat vacant 1441–1448
10
St. Jonah
1448–1461
Metropolitans of Moscow and all Russia (1461–1589)
No.
Primate
Portrait
Reign
Notes
1
Theodosius
1461–1464
2
Philip I
1464–1473
3
Gerontius
1473–1489
4
Zosimus
1490–1494
5
Simon
1495–1511
6
Varlaam
1511–1521
7
Daniel
1522–1539
8
Joasaphus
1539–1542
9
St. Macarius
1542–1563
10
Athanasius
1564–1566
11
St. Herman
1566
12
St. Philip II
1566–1568
13
Cyril III (IV)
1568–1572
14
Anthony
1572–1581
15
Dionysius II
1581–1587
16
St. Job
1587–1589
Elevated to Patriarch
Patriarchs of Moscow and all Russia (1589–1721)
No.
Primate
Portrait
Reign
Notes
1
St. Job
1589–1605
Ignatius
1605–1606
2
St. Hermogenes
1606–1612
Seat vacant 1612–1619
3
Philaret
1619–1633
4
Joasaphus I
1634–1640
Seat vacant 1640–1642
5
Joseph
1642–1652
6
Nikon
1652–1658
Pitirim
1658–1667
First tenure; locum tenens
7
Joasaphus II
1667–1672
8
Pitirim
1672–1673
Second tenure
9
Joachim
1674–1690
10
Adrian
1690–1700
Stefan
1700–1721
Locum tenens
Metropolitans and archbishops of Moscow (1721–1917)