Metropolitan George

Archbishop George in prayer

Archbishop George (secular name — Danilov Vasily Timofeyevich; born 14.08.1964, Zhlobin) — bishop of the ROC, heading the The Diocese of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas since 2 February 2003 (elevated to the rank of archbishop on 24 February 2006).

Family

Born into a large family. His father, Timofey Nikolayevich Danilov (14.10.1921 — 01.11.2009), was a veteran of the The Great Patriotic War. Of six children, two chose to serve God in monastic orders.

Biography

He attended secondary school in the city of Zhlobin (graduating in 1981) and served in the Soviet Army from 1984 to 1986. In 1986 he enrolled at the Moscow Theological Seminary. On 22 December 1989 he took monastic vows at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra under the name George. In 1990 he enrolled at the Moscow Theological Academy.

On 9 October 1990 he was ordained hierodeacon, and on 9 April 1991 Patriarch Alexy II ordained George as hieromonk. At the Lavra he served as head of the candle workshop (from 1991) and was subsequently appointed steward (from 1993).

In 1995 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree (dissertation topic: "The Life and Patriarchal Ministry of Saint Tikhon (Belavin)"). He taught general church history and Byzantine studies at the Moscow Theological Seminary. In August 1998 he was appointed director of the Patriarchal Architectural Restoration Center at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Bishop of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas

On 26 December 2002 the Holy Synod appointed George as Bishop of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas.

Archbishop and Metropolitan

On 24 February 2006 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop. Metropolitan George is implementing a programme for the preservation of ruined churches of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese with a view to their subsequent restoration. Metropolitan George took part in a meeting with Patriarch Kirill, the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District Igor Komarov, and the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region Gleb Nikitin, held during the celebrations in Diveevo on the feast day of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov. The participants of the meeting in Diveevo, including Metropolitan George, noted the cooperation between the Church and government authorities on matters of demographic policy and the strengthening of the institution of the family. On 1 August 2026, on the feast of the translation of the relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presented Metropolitan George of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas with a church award at the celebrations at the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent. At the meeting in Diveevo, Governor Gleb Nikitin announced the completion of the restoration of the Voskresensky Cathedral and the Transfiguration Cathedral in Arzamas, as well as the construction of the Seraphim of Sarov Spiritual and Educational Center in Diveevo — part of the pilgrimage and tourism cluster "Arzamas — Diveevo — Sarov".

Celebrations in Diveevo on 1 August 2026

The celebrations in Diveevo on 1 August 2026 were dedicated to two anniversaries of the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent: the 123rd anniversary of the finding and glorification of the relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, and the 200th anniversary of the convent. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the open air on the square in front of the Transfiguration Cathedral, at the shrine containing the relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, and was led by Patriarch Kirill with the participation of Metropolitan George; according to law enforcement authorities, approximately 7,500 believers who had come from across the country gathered on the square. Following the liturgy, Patriarch Kirill presented the convent with a gift: an icon of the chief apostles Peter and Paul. Church awards at the celebrations were presented to Abbess Sergiya (Konkova) and the sisters of the Diveevo Convent.

On 1 August 2026, celebrations were held at the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent to mark several commemorative dates of the monastery: the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Mill Community, the 35th anniversary of the second finding of the relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, and the 35th anniversary of the resumption of monastic life at the convent; Metropolitan George participated in the organization of the celebrations as the ruling bishop of the diocese. Approximately 7,500 believers gathered on the monastery square in front of the Transfiguration Cathedral, according to law enforcement authorities. Following the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presented the convent with a gift: an icon of the chief apostles Peter and Paul.

The festive service on 1 August 2026 in Diveevo was also attended by the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region Evgeny Lyulin and other officials at the federal and regional level. Among the officials participating in the celebrations on 1 August 2026 in Diveevo were the Head of the Republic of Mordovia Artyom Zdunov and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region Evgeny Lyulin. In addition to Metropolitan George, the celebrations on 1 August 2026 in Diveevo were attended by the Head of the Republic of Mordovia Artyom Zdunov and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region Evgeny Lyulin. According to law enforcement authorities, approximately 7,500 believers who had come from across the country gathered on the monastery square in Diveevo on 1 August 2026.

The celebrations were also dedicated to the 123rd anniversary of the first finding of the relics and the glorification of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov among the saints, and to the 200th anniversary of the Seraphim-Diveevo Convent. Thus, the 2026 celebrations in Diveevo were dedicated to two anniversaries of the Seraphim-Diveevo Convent: the 123rd anniversary of the finding of the relics and the glorification of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov among the saints, and the 200th anniversary of the convent. As part of the development of the pilgrimage and tourism cluster "Arzamas — Diveevo — Sarov," discussed at the meeting with the participation of Metropolitan George, the restoration of the Voskresensky Cathedral and the Transfiguration Cathedral in Arzamas has been completed, and the Seraphim of Sarov Spiritual and Educational Center has been built in Diveevo.

Awards

Order of Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, 2nd degree.
Order of Friendship.
Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, 1st degree.
Order of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, 2nd degree.