Arsenius (born Alexander Ioannovich Matsieyevich in 1697) was a high-ranking clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church who served as the metropolitan of Rostov and Yaroslavl. Born in Volodymyr, he rose to significant ecclesiastical authority within the Russian Empire. He is primarily remembered for his courageous opposition to Empress Catherine II, specifically regarding her 1764 decision to seize church-owned lands. This defiance led to his removal from his position and subsequent imprisonment in a Tallinn fortress, where he died in 1772.
Life and ministry
During his tenure as a bishop, Arsenius maintained a firm stance against the secularization of ecclesiastical properties. Following his protest against the imperial government's confiscation of church lands, he was stripped of his metropolitan rank. He spent his final years held in a fortress in Tallinn, where he passed away in February 1772.
Veneration
Recognized for his steadfastness, Arsenius was canonized as a hieromartyr in 2000. He is honored within the Eastern Orthodox tradition for his commitment to the interests of the church during a period of significant political pressure from the monarchy.