May 25, 2025

A Patriarch by Any Other Name


A Patriarch by Any Other Name
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, with Patriarch Kirill, right. Press Office of the President of Russia.

A recent report by the pro-democracy outlet Nastoyashe Vremya (CurrentTime.tv) revealed that the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has a somewhat-secret "second name": Ivan Zakharovich Prokhorov.

According to the report, having a second "legal" name is a common practice among Russian oligarchs and Putin's inner circle. A second identity can be helpful for hiding property, evading Western sanctions, and creating distance between a public persona and personal actions.

However, this is the first time someone outside of the civil service has been found to use a pseudonym.

Investigators with Nastoyashe Vremya connected Prokhorov with Kirill by comparing data such as tax identification number and date of birth. The data points matched up in publicly accessible tax records.

Kirill and Russian President Vladimir Putin have a long history. And, as Russia becomes only more conservative in the wake of its ongoing War on Ukraine, the church has gained more power as a close partner of the Kremlin.

Patriarch Kirill has also recently braved hot water for appearing in official photographs wearing an Apple Watch despite invectives against technology.

Whitewashed tombs, anyone?

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