The city of Tver is one of the oldest cities in Russia. The foundation of Tver dates back to 1135 AD. In the middle of the 13th century Tver region became a separate principality. In 1264 AD, Prince Yaroslav of Tver became a ruler of Vladimir. Tver flourished at the end of the 13th — beginning of the 14th century, at the time of the reign of Mikhail Yaroslavich.
The Diocese of Tver is one of the oldest in the Russian Orthodox Church. It was established during the reign of Grand Prince Yaroslav Yaroslavich no later than 1271 AD, it was separated from the Diocese of Polotsk. The Archdiocese was established in 1589 AD. The white-stone Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Saviour (1285-1290 AD) in the Tver Kremlin became the first monumental structure built on the Suzdal land after the invasion of the Mongols.
From the first bishop of Tver Simeon to the present day, 79 bishops have succeeded each other on the Throne of the Diocese of Tver. The Metropolitan of Tver and Kashin Ambrose, who has been ruling since 25 August 2020, is the 80th in their row.
Among the bishops who ruled the Diocese of Tver were holy ascetics and confessors of the faith of Christ. First of all, these are St. Arseny I, Bishop Akaky of Tver, Bishop Varsonofy, Archbishop Theoktist, who suffered a martyr’s death. The Diocese of Tver was governed by Archbishop Platon (Levshin), later Metropolitan of Moscow; Archbishop Dimitri (Sambikin), who initiated the glorification of all saints of the land of Tver.
The land of Tver gave birth to more than 150 of its saints and patrons, who represent the glory and honor of the entire Orthodox Russia. Here, being imprisoned in the Otroch monastery, St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, suffered a martyr’s death. Here began his Archpastoral ministry, the well known throughout the Christian world famous theologian, preacher, mentor of youth, Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret (Drozdov). Patriarchs Job and Tikhon, revered by the Holy Church, the Hegumen of the Trinity Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Dionysius, a participant in the feats of the clergy during the Time of Troubles (1612 AD), and the famous historian and theologian Professor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy Vasily Bolotov were all born in the land of Tver. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, later Bishop of Voronezh, was the abbot of the Otroch monastery.
The memory of the Grand Prince Mikhail of Tver is inextricably linked with the memory of all the saints who shone in the land of Tver. He is an example of a faithful son of the Church of Christ, a statesman who was one of the first to prepare the unification of the Russian lands.
In the Nilo-Stolobensky monastery, at the place of the feat of St. Nil Stolobensky, are his relics, and in the Ascension Cathedral of the city of Kashin – the relics of the St. Princess Anna of Kashin. In the Ascension Church of the city of Kalyazin are the relics of St. Makarii Kalyazinsky. The relics of the New Martyr Archbishop Thaddeus (Uspensky) of Tver and Kashin reside in the Ascension Cathedral of Tver. And the relics of St. Sergius (Srebriansky), found in December 2000 AD, are in the Resurrection Cathedral of Tver. In recent years, more than 90 new martyrs of the land of Tver have been glorified.