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?

You Might Also Like

With Prayers and Drones
  • April 28, 2025

With Prayers and Drones

Dozens of Orthodox military-patriotic clubs across Russia prepare children for war.
Orthodox Church Rising
  • January 14, 2025

Orthodox Church Rising

The power of the ROC is growing in the government, according to independent publication Verstka.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955