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Metropolitan Kornelius
Sergei Minin

Metropolitan Kornelius Metropolitan Cornelius (secular name Vyacheslav Nikolayevich Yacobs) was born in 1924 in Tallinn, in the family of tsar army colonel. After the revolution the family emigrated to Estonia. He was ordained a priest in 1948. In 1951 he graduated from the Leningrad Seminary (by correspondence). In 1951-1957 he belonged to the clergy of Vologda diocese. On 27 February 1957 he was arrested by KGB and charged for "anti-Soviet agitation" (possession of religious books, conversations with believers). On 16 May 1957 he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, served his sentence in the political camps of Mordovia. In 1960 the Supreme Court reduced the sentence to 5 years. On 7 September 1960 by the resolution of the Supreme Court of Mordovia he was released from custody ahead of time and put on probation. (He was rehabilitated on 14 October 1988). In November 1960 he came back to Estonia and became rector of John the Forerunner Church in Tallinn. In 1990 he was appointed Bishop of Tallinn, vicar to His Holiness Patriarch. On 21 August 1990 he took monastic vows in the Monastery of the Dormition at Pechery near Pskov and obtained the name of Cornelius; on 6 September 1990 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. On 15 September 1990 he was ordained bishop at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn. Upon the decision of the Holy Synod to grant autonomy to Estonian Orthodox Church he became the head of Estonian Orthodox Church with the title of Bishop of Tallinn and all Estonia. In 1995 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop. In 2000 he became Metropolitan of Tallinn and all Estonia.

Sergei Minin, Sergei Minin was born in 1954 in Russia. He is a painter, graphic artist and an icon painter. He has graduated from art school and art institute in Moscow. Minin has been involved in many expositions in Russia, Estonia, Germany, Finland, Latvia, France, Zambia, Zimbabwe, USA and elsewhere. In total, his works have been displayed at 191 exhibitions while he has had 30 personal expositions. Minin has spent a large share of his artistic life in Africa. At the blessing of Metropolitan Kornelius, Minin has been the curator of many expositions of Christian art in Tallinn. During 2005-2008 he painted the iconostasis of the Church of Propher Elijah at Vasknarva and from from 2002-2006 he authored the icons of the Armenian Church in Tallinn. In 2008-2009, Minin prepared a book entitled Õigeusu ikoon Eestis [The Orthodox Icon in Estonia]. At present, he lives in Tallinn and is a member of Estonian Artists’ Association.

Lecture: Monasticism as an Icon
Lecture: The Second Council of Nicaea – Opponents and Proponents of the Icon:
Neljapäev, 28. oktoober kell 11.30