St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia, the wonderworker (in the world Eleutherius) was born in 1292 (according to other sources, 1304) in Moscow in the family of boyar Theodore Byakont, a native of the Chernigov principality.
The Lord early revealed to the future saint his lofty destiny. In the twelfth year of his life, Eleutherius spread his nets for catching birds, imperceptibly dozed off to himself and suddenly clearly heard a voice: "Alexy! Why are you working in vain? You're going to catch people." From that day on, the boy began to retire, often attend church, and at the age of fifteen decided to become a monk.
In 1320, he joined the Moscow Epiphany Monastery, where he spent more than twenty years in strict monastic exploits. His leaders and friends were the remarkable ascetics of this monastery – Elder Gerontius and Stephen, brother of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Then Metropolitan Theognost ordered the future saint to leave the monastery and manage the judicial affairs of the Church. The saint fulfilled this position for 12 years with the title of metropolitan vicar. At the end of 1350, Bishop Theognost consecrated Alexy as Bishop of Vladimir. After the death of Theognostos, Patriarch Philotheos appointed Alexy metropolitan. The patriarch's desk letter to the new metropolitan dates back to June 30, 1354. According to it, Alexy, not being a Greek, was elevated to the rank of metropolitan as an exception, for his virtuous life and spiritual virtues. At that time, the Russian Church was torn apart by great unrest and strife, in particular, due to the claims of Metropolitan Roman of Lithuania and Volhynia. In 1356, in order to put an end to the troubles and worries, the saint went to Constantinople to the Ecumenical Patriarch. Patriarch Kallistos gave Alexy the right to be considered the archbishop of Kiev and Greater Russia with the title of "all-honorable Metropolitan and exarch". On the way back, during a storm at sea, the ship was in danger of being destroyed. Alexy prayed and vowed to build a temple to the saint on the day on which the ship would dock. The storm subsided, the ship docked on August 16. Moscow enthusiastically welcomed the saint.
Despite all the troubles, St. Alexy took care of his flock in every possible way – he appointed bishops, organized cenobitic monasteries (modeled on the Trinity Monastery founded by St. Sergius), and established relations with the Horde khans. More than once, the saint himself had to travel to the Golden Horde. In 1357, the khan demanded from the grand Duke that the saint come to him and heal the blind Taydula– his wife. "The petition and the deed exceed the measure of my strength," said Saint Alexy, "but I believe the One Who gave sight to the blind, He does not despise the prayer of faith." And indeed, by his prayer, sprinkled with holy water, the khan's wife was healed.
When Grand Duke John died, the saint took under his care his infant son Dimitri (the future Donskoy). The holy bishop had to work hard to reconcile and humble the obstinate princes who did not want to recognize the power of Moscow. At the same time, the metropolitan did not abandon the work on the construction of new monasteries. He founded in 1361 the Monastery of the Saviour of the Uncreated Image on the Yauza in Moscow (Andronikov, named after the disciple of St. Sergius, the first abbot of the monastery Andronikos) according to a vow he made when the ship was in distress during his trip to Constantinople; Chudov is in the Moscow Kremlin, and two ancient monasteries have been restored – Blagoveshchenskaya in Nizhny Novgorod and Konstantino-Eleninskaya in Vladimir. In 1360, in Serpukhov, he founded the Vladychny Convent in honor of the Introduction of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple and also built a women's cenobitic monastery named after him (Alekseevskaya).
Saint Alexy reached a great old age – 78 years old, having been at the metropolitan see for 24 years. He died on February 12, 1378 and was buried according to his will in the Chudov Monastery. His relics were found 50 years later miraculously, after which they began to honor the memory of the great saint and prayer book for the Russian land.