Alexander Vvedensky (religious leader)

[1] Vvedensky's paternal grandfather was according to unclear data a Jewish convert to the Russian Orthodox Church and served as a psalmist (cantor) in the Diocese of Novgorod.

While a student at St. Petersburg, he played the piano and frequented the salon of Dmitry Merezhkovsky and Zinaida Gippius, important figures in the symbolist movement.

[2] Vvedensky decided to enter the priesthood in 1910 and, as unmarried priests were forced to take monastic vows, he married prior to his ordination, though accusations of marital infidelity plagued him for the rest of his life.

He received a diploma from the St. Petersburg Spiritual Academy in 1914, but was refused ordination due to his Jewish background and perception in intellectualism.

[3] In May 1922, Vvedensky and group of priests named the Living Church (Russian: Живая церковь) were brought to Moscow with the assistance of the GPU.

[4] The same evening of the Politburo meeting, Vvedensky with several other renovationist priests confronted Patriarch Tikhon, at that time under his house arrest, with evidence that his anti-Soviet activities were leading to chaos in the Church.

Bishop Antonin (Granovsky) was proclaimed the president of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Administration (Russian: Высшее церковное управление) with Vvedensky as the vice-president.

Returning to activity, he discovered a sharp antagonism between the two leaders of the Renovationist schism - Metropolitan Antonin (Granovsky) and Vladimir Krasnitsky.

After the failure of negotiations with Antonin (Granovsky), Vvedensky created Renovationist association, named "Union of the Communities of the Ancient Apostolic Church" (SODATs), headed it, wrote its program documents, and thanks to his fame, he contributed to the opening of its branches in many regions of the USSR.