Alexius, whose name at birth was Eleutherius, was a son of Феодор (Theodore) Biakont and Mary,[2] his father was a boyar from Chernigov who settled in Moscow and founded the Pleshcheev boyar family. He took monastic vows at the Epiphany Monastery of Moscow around 1313, at which time he was given the religious name of Alexius. In 1333 or so, he joined the household of Metropolitan Theognostus. In 1340, Alexius was appointed the metropolitan's deputy in Vladimir and twelve years later was consecrated as Bishop of Vladimir.
In 1357, Alexius was summoned by Jani Beg, the Khan of the Golden Horde, to cure his mother Taydula Khatun of blindness. The metropolitan's success is held to have prevented a Tatar raid on Moscow.
12 February, (the day of his repose), 20 May, (the day of the uncovering of his relics) and 5 October, (Synaxis of the Hierarchs of Moscow).[3] His relics are venerated in Ephiphany Cathedral in Elokhovo.[4]
Popular culture
The 2012 film The Horde is a highly fictionalised narrative of how Alexius healed Taidula from blindness.