Of humble social origin, but endowed with remarkable and varied intellectual and artistic talents, a brilliant orator, a leading educator and administrator, Platon began his ecclesiastical career in the mid eighteenth century, eventually rising to the top of the Russian church hierarchy. Concurrently, he made his mark on the broader cultural scene as an enlightened prelate, devoid of superstition or any trace of religious obscurantism, one capable of finding a common ground between the philosophical currents of his age and sincere religious belief. Appointed at age twenty-six as tutor in religion to Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, the son and heir of Catherine the Great, he was closely associated for several years with the court at Saint Petersburg. This association exposed him to the most advanced current intellectual trends and provided opportunities for close contact with several prominent contemporaries, frequently resulting in lasting bonds of friendship. These ranged from...