[3] Menesius came from an old wealthy Scottish family of Catholic and traditional background from Aberdeen, who were forced by religious persecution to immigrate to France in 1639.
Menesius with his linguistic skills and Catholic faith was enlisted as an ambassador and sent in 1672, to Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, Venice and Rome.
The Pope was not convinced that Alexis professed the faith in such a manner as to give any assurance of his Catholic intentions.
[7] In 1684, along with Patrick Gordon and Alexander Livingston, fellow Scottish soldiers in the Tsar's service, Menesius signed a petition for the opening of a first Roman Catholic congregation in Russia.
[citation needed] Menesius, till his death in 1694, enthusiastically defended the interests of Russia, but still remained a staunch Catholic and Scottish patriot.