Philaret, Vasily Drosdov

Philaret or Filaret, Vasily Drosdov

(both: vəsē`lyē drəsdôf` fēlərĕt`), 1782?–1867, Russian prelate, author, and preacher. He became archbishop of Tver and a member of the holy synod in 1819 and metropolitan of Moscow in 1826. He long urged the abolition of serfdom and is generally considered the author of the Edict of Emancipation promulgated by Alexander IIAlexander II,
1818–81, czar of Russia (1855–81), son and successor of Nicholas I. He ascended the throne during the Crimean War (1853–56) and immediately set about negotiating a peace (see Paris, Congress of).
..... Click the link for more information.
 in 1861. Philaret also wrote a standard catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church.