Alexius, Metropolitan of Kiev

Alexius (before 1296–1378) was Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus' from 1354 and a patron saint of Moscow. The son of a Chernigov boyar, he became a monk around 1313 and Bishop of Vladimir in 1352 before his election as metropolitan.

As spiritual tutor of the young Dmitry Donskoy, he led the Muscovite government as regent and backed Dmitry against Tver and Nizhny Novgorod. In 1357 the Golden Horde khan Jani Beg summoned him to cure his blind mother.

He founded the Andronikov and Chudov monasteries. He tried in vain to persuade Sergius of Radonezh to succeed him, and was canonized in 1448.