On December 30, 2021, at the age of 82, after a serious long illness, the honorary rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg, professor, rector of the Leningrad Theological Academy in 1986-87 passed away. Archpriest Nikolai Gundyaev, elder brother of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. This is reported by the Patriarchia.ru.

The funeral service for the newly reposed father Nikolai will take place on January 2, 2022. The funeral will take place at the Nikolskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

The future priest was born on November 18, 1940 in Leningrad. Father, Mikhail Gundyaev (1907-1974), was ordained after the war, mother, Raisa Gundyaeva (nee Kuchina; 1909-1984) – a teacher of German at school, in recent years a housewife, grandfather – Priest Vasily Gundyaev (1879-1969 ), the younger brother is His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the younger sister is the vice-rector for culture of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences Elena Gundyaeva. He was married, his son Mikhail became a priest.

During the Great Patriotic War, Nikolai lived with his mother in besieged Leningrad. In 1963 he graduated from the Leningrad Theological Seminary, in 1967 – from the Leningrad Theological Academy with the degree of candidate of theology, was left at the academy as a professor’s fellow. Since 1972 – Associate Professor, since 1975 – Professor of the Theological Academy. Until September 2004, he taught patrology.

He was ordained by the Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod Nikodim (Rotov) in 1966 to the deacon, in 1967 – to the presbyter. In 1971 he was awarded the rank of archpriest.

Since July 19, 1972 – Secretary of the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity and Interchurch Relations. From February 13, 1973 to April 4, 1977 – Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. Since 1977 – Consultant of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. In 1976-1977 – head of the postgraduate study at the Moscow Theological Academy.

From May 25, 1977 to March 2, 1986 – rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Leningrad. From March 2, 1986 – Acting Rector of the Leningrad Theological Academy and Seminary, and from March 15, 1986 to June 22, 1987 – Rector of the LDA. On June 23, 1987, he was again appointed rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral. Since August 11, 2014 – Honorary Rector.