Russian Orthodox Saint. The first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), Metropolitan Philaret Voznesensky was born in Kursk, Russia, the son of an Orthodox priest, Nicholas Voznesensky and his wife Lydia Vasilievna. Moving along with his family to Blagoveschensk on the Amur river in Siberia in 1909, he graduated from the local gymnasium. Following the death of his mother, his father accepted tonsure as a monk with the name of Dimitri, later becoming archbishop of Hailar, dying in 1947 shortly after repatriating to the Soviet Union. Entering the the Russo-Chinese Polytechnic Institute, the future metropolitan graduated in 1927 as an electromechanical engineer before initiating studies in pastoral theology at the University of Saint Vladimir. Upon graduating from the latter in 1931, he was also tonsured as a monk, with the name Philaret, being ordained hieromonk the following year. Elevated to igumen and to the rank of archimandrite in 1937, during this period he lectured New Testament, pastoral theology and homiletics at the named University of Saint Vladimir. When the Communist Chinese and Soviet forces took over Manchuria at the end of the Second World War, Philaret remained with the Orthodox believers in Manchuria, firmly rejecting all attempts to accept a Soviet passport and fearlessly denouncing the communists. Placed in grave danger through such a position, an attempt to burn him alive in his monastic cell left him scarred with severe burns. When in 1962 the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia was able to acquire for him an exit visa allowing him to reach Hong Kong, he quickly traveled to Brisbane, Australia, where his followers soon petitioned the ROCOR synod to appoint him their bishop. With the active support of the ailing Archbishop Sava of Sydney, Philaret became bishop of Brisbane and vicar of the Australian diocese, being consecrated by the named Sava on May 26, 1963. Chosen by the ROCOR Council of Bishops as successor to Metropolitan Anastassy, he was enthroned as the first hierarch of ROCOR on May 14, 1964, an office he held until his death twenty one years later. Passing away of cancer on November 21, 1985, he was initially buried at the Dormition church in the cemetery of the Holy Trinity Monastery at Jordanville until the synod decided to transfer his relics to a new vault specifically constructed under the altar of Holy Trinity Cathedral at Jordanville in November 1998. When his tomb was opened, his body was found to be incorrupt, with the skin, beard and hair completely preserved. The vestments and the Gospel book were, except for their metal clasps which were rusted through, likewise preserved, even though they had lain thirteen years in a particularly damp basement crypt. It is noteworthy that the metal clasps of the Gospel in the coffin fell to dust on being touched, witnessing the dampness of the crypt, yet in such conditions nothing except these clasps had suffered damage. Even the white cloth that had covered his body had preserved its whiteness, something that amazed the undertaker who was present at the opening of the coffin, stating such a cloth should have had turned black after three years in the coffin. Successively, the coffin was carried to the main monastery church and placed into a new one that was covered with the original blue mantle which was also found in perfect state of preservation. Following liturgy, his remains were lowered into the new nine feet deep vault in the north-western crypt under the altar. The grave was not filled and only a small amount of soil was poured on top of the coffin. The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad glorified Metropolitan Philaret on October 23, 2009 at the Holy Transfiguration Skete, as was previously done by the True Orthodox Church of Greece in May 2001.