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. Akaki died at the age of 110 and 106 days on 30 January 1984 in the last night of his last eucharist.