Ilian Sorokin

Ilian Sorokin was a Russian schemaarchimandrite, abbot of St Panteleimon Monastery from 1958 until his death. He was born in 1885 at Romanov-⁠Borisoglebsk, Yaroslavl province, and reposed on 5 January 1971, aged eighty-⁠eight. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named Ivan Mikhailovich in the world, the son of Anna, at sixteen he entered a monastery at Glinsk. On 25 August 1905 he reached Athos and on 7 March 1908 was tonsured into the mantle with the name Ilian. He worked at the guesthouse and in the chancery. In 1932-1933 he was sent to Serbia to collect gifts and was ordained hieromonk on 12 December 1932 by Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky). In 1953 he was named to the Constantinople metochion, but the Turks did not accept him. On 3 October 1958 he was elected abbot and raised to archimandrite. In June 1962, at the celebrations of the thousand years of Athos, the Moscow Patriarchate awarded him the medal of St Vladimir. He followed the line of his predecessor Iustin, of full restoration of relations with the Moscow Patriarchate. Archbishop Basil (Krivoshein), his spiritual son, called him a man of great spiritual wisdom and kindness, an elder of whom there are few now.