Father Akaki

Father Akaki, civil name Andrei Kuznetsov (October 27, 1873 – January 30, 1984 Heinävesi) was a Russian monk and when he died he was the oldest person of Nordic countries and Finland's oldest person before Aarne Arvonen. As a teenager, Kuznetsov went to a monastery because he wanted to avoid the Russian Army. Kuznetsov went to Solovetsky Monastery on the island in White Sea. He worked as horse keeper and as stable boy. In 1898 he went to Petsamo's Pechenga Monastery where he became a monk in 1913 after 15 years of being in the monastery. He took the name Akaki after Akathist the Bishop of Malta. Petsamon monastery became the centre of culture and spiritualism. Monk Akaki continued as stable boy.