When was the Russian patriarchate established? When did the patriarchate appear in Rus'? History of the introduction of the patriarchate in Rus'

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PATRIARCHES OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. In 1453, the great Orthodox empire, Byzantium, fell under the blows of the Turks. The Muscovite kingdom, on the contrary, remaining the only independent Orthodox power, acquired the authority of a stronghold of the Orthodox faith. The once powerful Church of Constantinople quickly lost its power and fell into decay. Its authority in Moscow was finally undermined by the conclusion by the Greeks of a union with the Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Florence ( cm. UNIA). Distrust of the Greeks and doubts about their Orthodoxy led to the fact that Russian bishops decided in 1480 not to admit Greeks to episcopal sees. Russian bishops no longer went to Constantinople to ask for the blessing of the patriarch for elevation to the metropolitan rank and were installed in Moscow. In fact, the Russian Church gained complete independence, however, according to the canons of the ancient church, the real independence of the church, headed by the patriarch, is possible only if there is an institution of the kingdom accompanying the priesthood. When Ivan IV was crowned king in 1547 according to the Byzantine rite, the last formal obstacle was removed.

The implementation of this idea took place during the reign of Ivan IV’s son, Fyodor Ivanovich. In 1586, Patriarch Joachim of Antioch came to Moscow for royal alms. Deciding to take advantage of the circumstances of this visit, the tsar declared in the Duma that he wanted to establish “the highest patriarchal throne” in Moscow. Patriarch Joachim volunteered to bring the king’s desire to the attention of the Greek Church, so that when establishing a new patriarchate, the canonical rules, which provided for the participation of all eastern patriarchs, would be observed. In 1588, Patriarch Jeremiah of Constantinople arrived in Russia. The tsar expected that he would bring with him the resolution of the ecumenical council on the establishment of the patriarchate in the Russian state, but at the very first audience it turned out that the main purpose of the visit was to receive financial assistance. Then it was decided to detain the patriarch in Moscow and force him to bless the establishment of the Moscow patriarchal throne. Jeremiah was offered to become the Patriarch of Russia, stipulating that he would not live under the sovereign in Moscow, but in ancient Vladimir, and thus the Russian metropolitan would remain the de facto head of the church. As expected, Jeremiah rejected such a humiliating offer. He also refused to appoint any of the Russian metropolitans as patriarch. Then the Greek was made to understand that he would not be released from Moscow until he conceded. On January 26, 1589, Jeremiah elevated Metropolitan Job to the patriarchal throne, whose candidacy was proposed to the Tsar by Boris Godunov. After this, the Greeks were released from Moscow, having given them rich gifts.

Two years later, Moscow received a letter signed by three patriarchs, 42 metropolitans and 20 bishops, approving the patriarchate in Russia. Recent research has shown that most of the signatures were not genuine. Apparently, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, interested in receiving material support from the Russian Tsar, hastened to confirm the act of the Moscow Council, and therefore the signatures of some patriarchs were reproduced, who were unable, for one reason or another, to sign the letter in person. From now on, the Patriarch of Moscow was to occupy fifth place (after the Patriarch of Jerusalem) and was appointed by a council of Russian bishops. Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich was extremely dissatisfied with the latter circumstance and sent a letter to Constantinople, in which he reminded of the promised third place, after the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Alexandria. However, on this issue the Ecumenical Council remained adamant and in 1593 confirmed its decision on the fifth place of the Moscow Patriarch. All the signatures of the hierarchs on the charter of this cathedral are authentic.

The founding of the patriarchate was an important milestone in the history of the Russian Church. The transformation of the Moscow Metropolis into a patriarchate consolidated the fact of the independence of the Russian Church in the norms of canon law and significantly strengthened the influence of the Russian Church in the international arena. From now on, the ritual of ordination to the rank of Patriarch of Moscow took place in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Election of the Patriarch.

The order of delivery was as follows. On behalf of the tsar or the guardian of the patriarchal throne, letters were sent to all the highest church hierarchs and abbots of the most significant monasteries, notifying them of the death of the saint and inviting them to Moscow to elect a new patriarch. On the appointed day, all those invited were to appear in the Kremlin in the Golden Chamber, where the Tsar opened the cathedral. The patriarch was elected by lot. The king named six candidates. Papers with their names were doused in wax in the presence of the Tsar, sealed with the Tsar's seal and sent to the church where the Council of Bishops met. The lots were placed on the panagia (breast icon of the Mother of God, a sign of the episcopal rank) of the deceased patriarch and were taken out one by one until the last one remained. This lot was handed over unopened to the king, who opened it and named the name of the new patriarch.

In a liturgical sense, the patriarch received certain advantages. During ceremonial exits, not only a cross, but also candles were carried in front of him. Entering the temple, he put on liturgical clothes in the middle of the church, and while in the altar, he sat on a high place and gave communion to the bishops from his own hands. The high priest's vestments were also somewhat different. Like the Metropolitan, he wore a white hood, but the patriarch's headdress was decorated with a cross or cherubs. The patriarchal miter had a cross at the top. The patriarch was supposed to wear a colored robe over his holy vestments.

The introduction of the patriarchate in Russia was accompanied by a reform of the church structure, which was due to the need to bring it into line with that established in the eastern patriarchates. The Church was divided into metropolitan districts, which included several dioceses. All hierarchs in their dioceses were equal and subordinate to the patriarch, as before to the metropolitan.

Job (d. 1607)

He actively began to implement the conciliar decisions, but he did not manage to implement all the decisions. The time of Job's patriarchate was marked by the establishment of several new church holidays in honor of Russian saints (St. Basil, Cornelius of Komel, Roman Ugletsky, Joseph of Volotsky, etc.). The patriarch worked hard and effectively to preserve Orthodoxy among the newly baptized Tatars, in poverty-stricken Georgia, and in the conquered lands of Siberia and Karelia. Despite the fact that Job was actually Boris Godunov’s protege and subsequently contributed greatly to his ascension to the throne, he greatly valued Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich and was extremely devoted to him. After the death of the sovereign, the patriarch compiled his life, glorifying the meek disposition and mercy of the king. When the first False Dmitry appeared on the historical stage, Patriarch Job firmly opposed him. He anathematized him and in his messages proved that False Dmitry was none other than the runaway Miracle monk Grishka Otrepiev. Having taken the Russian throne, the impostor removed Job from the patriarchate and sent him to Staritsa. The procedure for depriving Job of his dignity was reminiscent of the removal of Philip from the metropolitan throne by Ivan the Terrible. Job died in Staritsa on June 19, 1607.

In 1605, False Dmitry, despite the fact that Job formally remained the head of the Russian Church, independently elected a new patriarch. He became Archbishop Ignatius of Ryazan, a Greek by birth, who before coming to Russia occupied the episcopal see in Cyprus. He recognized False Dmitry as prince and was loyal to Latinism (Catholicism). After the overthrow of False Dmitry, Ignatius was defrocked and exiled to the Chudov Monastery.

Hermogenes (1606–1612)

Metropolitan Hermogenes of Kazan, who under False Dmitry was a member of the Senate established by the Tsar and most consistently opposed his pro-Catholic policies, was elected as the new patriarch. Despite the fact that discord soon emerged in the relations of the new patriarch with the boyar tsar Vasily Shuisky, Hermogenes supported him in every possible way as a crowned tsar. In 1609, when the boyars, dissatisfied with Shuisky, seized Hermogenes and at the place of execution demanded his consent to change the king, the patriarch defended Vasily Shuisky. During the Time of Troubles, the patriarch remained one of the few statesmen who remained faithful to Orthodoxy and the national idea. When trying to elevate Prince Vladislav to the Russian throne, Hermogenes made it an indispensable condition for Vladislav to accept the Orthodox faith and protested against the entry of the Polish army into Moscow. From the Kremlin, he sent letters to Russian cities, in which he blessed the militia units that were being formed there. The Poles put the patriarch into custody and imprisoned him in the Chudov Monastery, where he suffered a painful death from hunger. Patriarch Hermogenes is canonized. Cm. HERMOGENES, ST.

Filaret (1619–1634)

From the moment of the death of Hermogenes (1612), for seven years the Russian Church remained without a patriarch. In 1619, Metropolitan Filaret, the father of the newly elected Tsar Mikhail Romanov, returned from Polish captivity. Mikhail elevated his father to the rank of patriarch. Patriarch Theophan IV, who was then in the capital of Jerusalem, elevated him to the rank of Patriarch of Moscow. The accession of Mikhail Romanov and the enthronement of the patriarch marked the restoration of Russian statehood. The power of the patriarch under Mikhail Romanov reached unprecedented heights, but it was during this period that the consonant actions of the tsar and the patriarch, connected by blood ties, most fully corresponded to the ideal ideas about the “symphony” of the kingdom and the priesthood. As the father of the tsar and his de facto co-ruler, Filaret was called the “great sovereign” and took an active part in state affairs. From Polish captivity, Filaret brought out a firm conviction about the inadmissibility of union for the Russian Church and during the years of his patriarchate he made a lot of efforts to protect Russia from Western religious influences. At the same time, Filaret closely followed the development of theological literature in neighboring countries and hatched plans to create a Greek-Latin school and printing house in Moscow. Worried that the unlimited power he had acquired in the future could be identified with the patriarchal rank and this would introduce complications into the relationship between the successors to the throne and the high priestly throne, he himself chose as his successor the Pskov Archbishop Joasaph, whose main virtue was “insolent” loyalty to to the king. Cm. FILARET.

Joasaph (1634–1640)

no longer occupied such a high position as belonged to the tsar’s father, Patriarch Filaret, and did not bear the title of great sovereign.

Joseph (1640–1652)

After Joasaph, Joseph took the patriarchal see. Under him, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich issued Code, aimed at reducing the role of the church hierarchy and the patriarch in government. The Patriarch humbly accepted the document.

Nikon (1652–1666)

Patriarchal power again achieved its former power under Patriarch Nikon. Born into a peasant family, Nikon (in the world Nikita Minov) made a dizzying career from a village priest to the head of the Russian Church and the “lover” and “companion” of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. At first, Nikon imagined the relationship between royal and patriarchal power in the general structure of state life as a co-government of two equal forces. Trusting the patriarch, the tsar left the appointment of bishops and archimandrites at his complete discretion. The will of the patriarch was the final authority in all church matters. The monastic order, which previously limited the judicial power of the patriarch, was inactive under Alexei Mikhailovich. During the Polish-Lithuanian campaigns, Nikon remained the king's deputy. The most important documents were sent to him for signature, in which, with the consent of the tsar, the patriarch was called, as Filaret once was, a great sovereign. Gradually, contradictions emerged in the relationship between the young tsar and the patriarch, primarily due to the fact that Nikon tried to place the patriarchal power above the royal one. Disagreements led to Nikon voluntarily leaving the patriarchal throne in the hope that he would be asked to return. However, this did not happen. After a long period of doubts and hesitations, in 1666 the Council of Bishops, which was attended by the Patriarchs of Antioch and Jerusalem, deposed Nikon, who had voluntarily left the see, and deprived him of his bishopric and priesthood. Alexei Mikhailovich himself acted as the accuser at the council. The “competition” between the patriarch and the tsar for primacy in power, unprecedented in Russian history, led to the fact that in the future the policy of the sovereigns was aimed at limiting the power of the high priest. Already the Council of 1666–1667 paid special attention to the relationship between state and spiritual authorities. The Council decided that the king had primacy in worldly affairs. The spiritual life of the state was given to the patriarch. The resolution of the Council that the patriarch is not the sole ruler of the church organization, but only the first among equal bishops, was dictated by the sharply negative attitude of the bishops to Nikon’s attempt to demand for himself the special status of the patriarch as the highest and not subject to anyone’s jurisdiction. Cm. NIKON.

Joasaph II (1667–1673).

At the end of the Council, they elected a new patriarch, the quiet and modest Joasaph II. From this moment on, the patriarchate begins to lose the state significance that it previously had.

Pitirim (1673), Joachim (1673–1690), Adrian (1690–1700)

occupied the patriarchal throne after Joasaph II. These were patriarchs who did not interfere in state politics, aiming to preserve at least some of the privileges of the clergy, which were consistently attacked by state power. In particular, Joachim managed to achieve the closure of the monastery order. Patriarchs of the second half of the 17th century. They did not welcome Russia’s rapprochement with the West and tried in every possible way to limit the growing influence of foreigners on Russian life and culture. However, they were no longer able to really resist the power of the young Tsar Peter Alekseevich. At the beginning of his patriarchate, the last patriarch Adrian enjoyed the support of the tsar's mother, Natalya Kirillovna, who, in turn, had influence on her son. After her death in 1694, the conflict between the patriarch and the tsar became inevitable. The beginning of their open confrontation was Adrian’s refusal to forcibly tonsure Evdokia Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter Alekseevich, into a nun, and its culmination was the tsar’s public insult of the patriarch, who came to him as an intercessor for the Streltsy sentenced to execution. Peter expelled the high priest in disgrace, thus destroying the ancient custom of the patriarch grieving for the condemned. Consistently pursuing a policy of undermining the authority and power of the church, in 1700 the tsar ordered the preparation of a new code that would destroy all its privileges.

Abolition of the patriarchate.

After the death of Adrian, the tsar, by his will, placed the Ryazan Metropolitan Stefan Yavorsky at the head of the administration of the church with the title of locum tenens of the patriarchal throne, effectively abolishing the institution of the patriarchate. Peter viewed the church exclusively as a governmental institution, so he subsequently replaced the power of the patriarch with the Spiritual College (the Holy Governing Synod), turning the church into one of the state departments that were under the constant control of the monarch. Until 1917, the Holy Synod remained the highest church and government institution in Russia. Cm. JOAKIM.

Restoration of the patriarchate in Russia.

A new era in the history of the Russian patriarchate began in 1917. After the February Revolution, the Holy Synod addressed the archpastors and pastors of Russia with a message, which said that with the changed political system, “the Russian Orthodox Church can no longer remain with those orders that have outlived their time.” " The main issue in the planned reorganization was the restoration of the ancient form of church governance. By the decision of the Synod, the Local Council of 1917–1918 was convened, which restored the patriarchate. The cathedral opened on the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and was the longest lasting in the history of the Russian Church.

Tikhon (1917–1925)

On October 31, 1917, elections were held for three candidates for the patriarchal throne: Archbishop Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kharkov, Archbishop Arseny (Stadnitsky) of Novgorod and Metropolitan Tikhon (Belavin) of Moscow. On November 5, 1917, in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, after the Divine Liturgy and prayer service, Elder Alexy of the Zosimov Hermitage drew lots, and the name of the new patriarch was announced, who became Metropolitan Tikhon of Moscow.

In accordance with church canons, the Local Council of 1917–1918 granted the patriarch the right to convene church councils and preside over them, communicate with other autocephalous churches on issues of church life, take care of the timely replacement of episcopal sees and bring guilty bishops to church court. The local council also adopted a document on the legal position of the church in the state system. However, the October Revolution of 1917 entailed fundamental changes in the relationship between the church and the new atheistic state of the Soviets. By decree of the Council of People's Commissars the church was separated from the state, which was regarded by the council as the beginning of persecution of the church.

Patriarch Tikhon occupied the cathedral during a difficult period for the Russian Orthodox Church. The main direction of his activity was the search for a way to establish relations between the church and the Bolshevik state. Tikhon defended the right of the church to remain the One Catholic and Apostolic Church, emphasizing that it should be neither “white” nor “red.” The most important document aimed at normalizing the position of the Russian Church was Appeal Patriarch Tikhon dated March 25, 1925, in which he called on the flock to understand that “the destinies of nations are arranged by the Lord,” and to accept the advent of Soviet power as an expression of the will of God.

Despite all the efforts of the patriarch, an unprecedented wave of repression hit the church hierarchy and the believing people. By the outbreak of World War II, the church structure throughout the country was almost destroyed. After Tikhon's death, there could be no talk of convening a council to elect a new patriarch, since the church existed in a semi-legal position, and most of the hierarchs were in exile and imprisonment.

Sergius (d. 1944)

According to the will of the saint, Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky) of Krutitsky took over the management of the Church as the patriarchal locum tenens. Then this feat was taken upon by Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) of Nizhny Novgorod, who called himself the deputy of the patriarchal locum tenens. The official act of transferring the duties of locum tenens to him took place only in 1936, when the news of the death of Metropolitan Peter (who was shot in 1937) arrived, which later turned out to be false. Nevertheless, in 1941, on the very first day of the war with Nazi Germany, Metropolitan Sergius wrote a message to his flock, in which he blessed the believers to defend the Motherland and called on everyone to help the country’s defense. The danger looming over the country prompted the Soviet state, led by Stalin, to change its policy towards the church. Churches were opened for worship, many clergy, including bishops, were released from the camps. On December 4, 1943, Stalin received the Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Sergius, as well as Metropolitans Alexy (Simansky) and Nikolai (Yarushevich). During the conversation, Metropolitan Sergius announced the church’s desire to convene a council to elect a patriarch. The head of government said that there would be no obstacles on his part. The Council of Bishops took place in Moscow on September 8, 1943, and on September 12 the newly elected Patriarch Sergius was enthroned. Cm. SERGY.

Alexy I (1945–1970)

In 1944, the high priest of the Russian Church died. In 1945, the Moscow Council elected Metropolitan Alexy (Simansky) as Patriarch. At the same council it was decided Regulations on the management of the Russian Orthodox Church, which finally legalized the institution of the church and streamlined the relationship between the church and the Soviet state. During Alexy's patriarchate, relations between the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and other autocephalous churches were restored, and the publishing activities of the Moscow Patriarchate were resumed, but during his presidency there was a difficult period of new persecution of the church under N.S. Khrushchev. Cm. ALEXIY I.

Pimen (1970–1990)

After the death of Alexy (1970), Metropolitan Pimen of Krutitsky and Kolomna was elevated to the rank of patriarch. During the patriarchate of Pimen in 1988, under the conditions of “perestroika,” the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus' took place. The celebrations dedicated to this event took on a nationwide character and marked the onset of a new era in the history of the Russian Church, which, after a long period of direct and hidden persecution, found hope for freedom. Cm. PIMEN.

Alexy II (1990–2009)

Since 1990, the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church has been Patriarch Alexy II - the fifteenth patriarch from the beginning of the patriarchate, whose activities were aimed at reviving and strengthening the traditions of church life in the context of the beginning of the process of democratization of society. Cm. ALEXI II.

Kirill (2009)

In 2009, by the decision of the Local Council, the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, was elected Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church - the sixteenth Patriarch from the beginning of the Patriarchate.

In 1589, the Russian Church achieved complete independence, being organized in the form of a special patriarchate. In practice, she lived an independent life since the time of Metropolitan Jonah. But there still remained the nominal dependence of the Russian metropolitan on the patriarch. Now she too has turned out to be inappropriate, since Russia became a powerful power, and the patriarch was a subject of the Turkish Sultan. Added to this was further suspicion regarding the integrity of Orthodoxy in Greece: around 1480, the bishop’s oath included a promise not to accept anyone from the Greeks either to the metropolis or to the bishopric. In 1586, the Patriarch of Antioch arrived in Moscow for alms. Joachim; This was the first time one of the patriarchs came to Moscow. Taking advantage of his arrival, Tsar Theodore, at the council of the boyars and clergy, proposed a decisive idea: is it possible, through the help of the visiting saint, to organize a own patriarchal throne. This idea was approved by everyone. Joachim also approved of it, but noted that its implementation required the consent of all the Eastern patriarchs, and upon leaving Moscow he promised to try to do this.

Summer 1588 arrived in Moscow myselfConstantinople patriarchJeremiah, and the Russian government hastened to take advantage of his arrival for moredecisive formulation of the question of the Russian patriarchate. Jeremiah himself was first offered the position of patriarch in Moscow. But at the same time, they took into account the extreme inconvenience of having a Greek patriarch, who was treated with distrust, and who, moreover, did not know either the Russian language or Russian customs; on the other hand, neither the Tsar nor Godunov, who ruled over all affairs, wanted to remove Metropolitan Job, in whom they both felt complete trust. Therefore, the patriarch was offered to live not in Moscow, where Job was still left, but in Vladimir. Jeremiah did not agree to this, saying: what kind of patriarchy is this, that one should not live under the sovereign? Then they directly suggested that he put Patriarch Job. The ceremony of installation took place on January 26, 1589. When leaving Moscow, Jeremiah left here laid down the document on the establishment of the patriarchate by him and promised, upon returning to the east, to carry out this matter through the council of eastern hierarchs. The council took place in Constantinople in 1590, but, since the Patriarch of Alexandria was not on it Meletia Pigas(and this influential patriarch did not approve of the actions of Patriarch Jeremiah in Moscow, as committed without the authority of other patriarchs), then A council on the Patriarchate of Moscow was convened in Constantinople again in 1593 with the participation of Meletius. The Russian patriarchate was confirmed with the appointment of a fifth place for the new patriarch, after that of Jerusalem; the right to appoint Moscow patriarchs was entirely given to a council of local bishops.

44. Time of Troubles. Hieromartyr Patriarch Hermogenes. Election of the king.

At the end of the 16th century, the Rurik family died out , having cast out a holy martyr from among his midst, Dimitry IoannovichUglitsky, killed by supporters of Boris Godunov (1591). After the death of the last Rurikovich, Tsar Theodore (1598), he sat on the Moscow throne boyar Godunov, but did not manage to become the founder of a new dynasty. The mysterious impostor, the shadow of the murdered Demetrius, stopped this dynasty at its very beginning, and the Time of Troubles , a time of difficult trials for both the Russian land and the Russian Church, but at the same time also a time of discovery of their irresistible inner power.

The appearance of an impostor was a terrible event, both for the state and for the Orthodox Church, because he became an instrument of the Jesuits and Catholic propaganda. Wanting to find support for himself in the powerful Jesuit order, he allowed himself to be converted to Catholicism. At the beginning of 1604 in Krakow, the papal nuncio took an oath of obedience to the Roman throne from him. In his message to the pope, False Demetrius promised to convert all of Russia to Catholicism.

Patriarch Job rebelled against the impostor with all his firmness. He sent letters to Prince Ostrog, the Polish nobility and clergy with an admonition not to believe False Demetrius, anathematized him, ordered a letter to be read in all churches, which proved that False Demetrius was none other than the runaway monk of the Chudov Monastery Grigory Otrepiev , and all who stand for him were given over to damnation. After the death of Boris, the patriarch began to act just as zealously in favor of his son Boris Theodora. IN 1605 Having taken possession of Moscow, the followers of the impostor, first of all, began to overthrow the patriarch: Having burst into the Assumption Cathedral during the liturgy, they tore Job’s holy clothes off, dressed him in the cassock of a simple monk and took him to the Staritsky Monastery, where he remained until his death.(+ 1607). Tsar Theodore was killed, and an impostor ascended the Russian throne.

In Job's place, the new king himself, without a council of saints, erected Ryazan ArchbishopIgnatius,originally a Greek, inclined towards union. Jesuits came from Poland and, in one house allocated for them, began to freely perform their Catholic services in the Kremlin itself. The new tsar, having surrounded himself with Poles and Germans, from the very beginning of his stay in Moscow began to offend the Orthodox and patriotic feelings of the Russians: he allowed people of other faiths to freely enter Orthodox churches, prayed poorly to God, and did not observe fasts. There were rumors among the people that he was a heretic; there were people who accused him of heresy to his face; their willingness to suffer for truth and faith clearly showed how alarmed the masses were.

From the pope, one after another, messages were sent to him with persistent exhortations to quickly enlighten the Russian people, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. Meanwhile, False Demetrius had to ask the pope to allow Marina herself, the future queen, to conceal her Catholicism under the guise of observing Greek rituals. In Rome they were angry about this, but in Moscow it turned out to be difficult to leave Marina as a secret Catholic. Kazan Metropolitan Hermogenes and Kolomna bishop Joseph They resolutely demanded that Marina be rebaptized into Orthodoxy before her marriage, otherwise the Tsar’s marriage to her would be illegal. The king managed to get rid of these strict zealots by forcing Joseph to remain silent and sending Hermogenes from the capital to Kazan. But it was not so easy to get rid of the people's excitement. Marriage to Marina became a fatal event for the impostor. During the wedding celebrations, the Polish gentry who came to Moscow irritated the entire people with their riots. On the night of May 17, 1606, general irritation finally broke through with a popular uprising, among which the impostor was killed. Following this, he was immediately overthrown andPatriarch Ignatius.

The culprit of the coup, the prince, ascended the throne Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky, A Hermogenes of Kazan was elected patriarch. Before his priesthood in Kazan, he was a priest of the Kazan Gostinodvorsky Church of St. Nicholas, and in this rank he was the first to serve in 1579 the appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, receiving it from the land where it was found, then he took monastic vows in the Kazan Spassky Monastery and was an archimandrite here, finally, in 1589 he was made metropolitan of Kazan. During his patriarchate, he was an unshakable pillar of church and state. In his honest frankness, he was not entirely at odds with the petty and two-minded Shuisky, but these personal relationships did not prevent him from firmly standing for the latter as a God-given king.

Even before the election of the patriarch, when rumors began to circulate about a second impostor, there were The relics of Tsarevich Dimitri were solemnly transferred to Moscow from Uglich. The new patriarch, first of all, sent letters of admonition throughout Russia to the people and to the rebels themselves, who rose up in the name of the new impostor in Seversk Ukraine; then, together with the king, he resorted to a new means of influencing the people, appointing in the Assumption Cathedral a ceremony of popular repentance. The already blind and decrepit Patriarch Job was deliberately summoned from Staritsa for her. A touching letter was drawn up, which set out on behalf of the people the confession of treason, perjury, murder, desecration of the shrine and other zemstvo sins since the death of Tsar Theodore. But this ceremony did not produce the desired results. The excitement in the name of Demetrius was growing, even though the impostor himself was not yet present. Finally, such a person was found and, with the help of Poles, Cossacks and various Russian traitors, he approached Moscow and established himself 12 versts from it in the village. Tushino. The noble Pan Mniszech recognized him as his son-in-law, and Marina as her husband; Jesuit brothers also appeared around him. In Poland they wrote him a whole order on how to act to spread Catholicism in Russia.

Patriarch Hermogenes approved of the tsar, exhorted the boyars and people to be faithful, pointed out the dangers for Orthodoxy from the Poles and cursed the traitors to the faith and the lawful tsar. But, on the other hand, it had an extremely seductive effect on Moscow and Tushino, breeding treason in it and undermining the importance of Vasily Shuisky.

Taking advantage of the turmoil that arose in Russia, King Sigismund demanded the Moscow crown for his son Vladislav And in the fall of 1609 he besieged Smolensk. The people of Smolny vowed to stand for the faith and the tsar until death. Of the Russians, the Tushins were the first to side with Sigismund. Abandoned by the Poles and the weakened impostor, they entered into an agreement with Sigismund and recognized Vladislav as king. Then a party was formed in favor of the prince in Moscow itself. Even at the beginning of 1609, those dissatisfied with the king dragged Hermogenes to the execution place and, shaking him by the collar, demanded his consent to change the king. The Patriarch was not afraid of the crowd and honestly stood up for Shuisky. This time the attempt to overthrow Vasily failed. But when the tsar was suspected of the mysterious death of Skopin, when the Russian troops, having lost their beloved leader, were defeated by the Poles, it was no longer possible for the patriarch to save Vasily. In July 1610, crowds of people, raised by Zakhar Lyapunov, Saltykov and other boyars, overthrew him from the throne; then the overthrown king was forcibly tonsured a monk.

Thereupon he immediately stood up the question of electing a new king; the mob wanted the Tushino thief; the patriarch proposed to choose a tsar from among the boyars, Prince. Vasily Golitsyn or Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov, son Filaret; The boyars were drawn to Poland, they wanted Vladislav to be king. The last game won. Ambassadors were sent to Smolensk for final negotiations with the king. The Patriarch had to agree to the wishes of the dominant party and only managed to insist that the ambassadors make Vladislav’s conversion to the Orthodox faith a necessary condition. The ambassadors stood firm in their demands that Vladislav convert to Orthodoxy. In April 1611, the ambassadors, by order of the irritated king, were sent to Marienburg as prisoners. Smolensk still continued to defend itself, reinforced by Voivode Shein and the admonitions of the ArchbishopSergius. When he was finally taken, Shein and Sergius were also taken to Lithuania.

Rumors about the claims of the Poles to the Moscow state and about future dangers to the faith created great excitement among the people. The Patriarch appealed to the Orthodox for paternal protection. A touching letter was sent out from Moscow everywhere, in which, exhorting cities to unite against a common enemy, Muscovites exposed the religious unity of all Russian people and the sacred significance of Moscow. The Patriarch stood at the head of the entire zemstvo movement; Apart from him, the cities did not want to know any other authorities. Saltykov, Masalsky and other boyars of the Polish party in Moscow were very angry with Hermogenes. At the same time as the ambassadors were taken prisoner, the Poles and Saltykov made a last attempt to persuade the patriarch to return the zemstvo army marching towards Moscow, and heard a decisive refusal from him. “I bless everyone,” said the patriarch, “to complete the work begun, for I see the trampling of the true faith from heretics and from you, traitors, and the destruction of God’s holy churches, and I cannot hear the singing of Latin in Moscow.” After that he was put into custody in the Chudov Monastery and deprived of all means of communicating with the people.

The first urban uprising failed. After the death of the zemstvo leader Prokopija Lyapunova, killed by the Cossacks, the militia dispersed, and the misfortunes of the Russian land increased even more. Moscow remained in the hands of the Poles. But after the first zemstvo militia, another soon rose up, formed at the appeal of the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo elder Kozma Minina and under the command of the princePozharsky. Patriarch Hermogenes from his prison blessed the zemstvo army for the last time and soon (January 17, 1612) died, as they think, of starvation. At the head of the Russian Church, on the advice of all ranks of people, Kazan was installed metropolitanEphraim (however, without the patriarchal rank). On October 22, 1612, Moscow was finally liberated.

Moscow was cleared, but the royal throne remained empty. Letters were sent to cities with an invitation to send authorities and elected officials to Moscow for a great cause. After three days of fasting began cathedrals. They began to choose among their own. One day, a nobleman from Galich brought a written opinion to the council, which said that he was closest in kinship to the former kings Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov, he should be elected king. The voices of dissatisfied people were heard: “Who brought such a letter, who, where from?” At this time, the Don Ataman comes out and also submits a written opinion. “What did you submit, chieftain?” - Prince Dimitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky asked him. “About the natural king Mikhail Feodorovich,” answered the ataman. The same opinion expressed by the nobleman and the Don Cossack had a strong effect on voters. On February 21, 1613, the week of Orthodoxy, there was the last council: each rank submitted a written opinion, and all these opinions were found similar, all ranks pointed to one person - Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov. Then Ryazan Archbishop Theodoret, Trinity cellarer Abraham Palitsyn, Novospassky Archimandrite Joseph and boyar Vasily Petrovich Morozov went to the execution place and asked the people filling Red Square: who do they want as king? - The people unanimously exclaimed: “Mikhail Feodorovich.”

The ambassadors of the Zemsky Sobor arrived in Kostroma on March 14, raising icons brought from Moscow, and miraculous Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God, from the Kostroma Assumption Cathedral, everyone went in procession to Ipatiev Monastery, where the chosen king lived with his mother, nun Martha Ivanovna. They met the image behind the monastery; but when the ambassadors told them why they had been sent, Mikhail answered “with great anger and crying” that he did not want to be a sovereign, and his mother Martha added that she did not bless her son for the kingdom. In the church, the ambassadors presented Michael and his mother with letters from the cathedral and made speeches as ordered, but received the same answer. Finally, the sacred ranks, holding up honorable crosses and miraculous icons in their hands, approached Michael with them, and Theodoret firmly said: “Do not resist the will of God: it was not we who undertook this feat, but the Most Pure Mother of God loved you; be ashamed of Her coming.” . Then Michael threw himself to the ground in front of the miraculous icons of the Mother of God and, sobbing, said: “If it is Your will, I am Your servant, save and keep me.” Then, standing up and turning to the ambassadors, he said: “If it is the will of God for this matter, so be it.” So it happened accession of Mikhail Feodorovich in the Kostroma Ipatiev Monastery on the 14th day of March 1613, from that very time until now solemnly celebrated by the Church in honor of the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God.

The establishment of the patriarchate in Russia took place in 1589. Metropolitan Job became the first Russian patriarch. At this time, Boris Godunov actually ruled the country. For his government, this was an important achievement and strengthened Russia’s authority in the international arena.

The situation in the Orthodox world

The establishment of the patriarchate in Russia was preceded by a difficult situation in the Christian world. Back in the 14th century, Byzantium fell and Constantinople was captured. After this, most of the eastern churches became dependent on the Turkish sultans. Russia remained virtually the only independent Orthodox state in the world.

Since then, the Christian East has often looked at Russia as the main defender of Orthodoxy.

Joachim's visit

Knowing about Godunov’s ambition, one cannot help but admit that he was a true patriot and statesman. He carried out a number of important reforms, the establishment of the patriarchate was one of them. All of them were aimed at strengthening the power and international influence of the Russian state.

The first step in establishing the patriarchate was the organization of the visit of Patriarch Joachim to Moscow in 1586. He was greeted with great honor. This was the first time that the Eastern Patriarch came to Moscow.

During this visit, Godunov showed miracles of sophisticated diplomacy. Joachim was received with honor in the Kremlin; he was expecting a meeting with the Moscow Metropolitan Dionysius, but he was clearly in no hurry to see him. At the same time, the guest was invited to dinner with the king, which was incredibly honorable. While waiting for the meal, he was sent to the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, where Dionysius was performing a service. Obviously, everything was carefully thought out. As soon as Joachim entered the cathedral, Dionysius was the first to bless him, this was unheard of insolence. His indignation fell on deaf ears; moreover, he was not even invited to go to the altar. The Patriarch stood at the back pillar of the Assumption Cathedral throughout the service.

The meaning of the action, which is believed to have been directed by Godunov, was to make it clear to Joachim that the Greek patriarchs come to the Russian Church exclusively for help and support, finding themselves in the role of supplicants. The Eastern patriarchy was clearly asked to think about correcting this injustice.

After this scandal, Joachim did not want to see Dionysius; further negotiations were conducted by Godunov himself. The guest was clearly not ready for the proposal to establish a patriarchate in Moscow, moreover, he could not make a decision on his own, but promised to consult with other Eastern patriarchs. The final word remained with Constantinople.

Delegation from Constantinople

In 1588, Jeremiah II arrived in Moscow, who held a post in Constantinople. As most historians believe today, on his way to the capital he did not yet imagine that he was expected to establish the patriarchate in Russia. He did not have time to discuss this with Joachim.

Soon after his arrival, Jeremiah found himself virtually under house arrest. All this time, complex and protracted negotiations were conducted, during which they tried to convince the Patriarch of Constantinople to transfer the rank to Moscow.

At that time, the country was ruled by the Tsar, the son of Ivan the Terrible, but the actual ruler was Prince Boris Godunov. It is believed that the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia was precisely his idea and merit. Therefore, even though Fyodor Ioannovich was the formal king, he did everything that his close associate advised him to do. Now you know under which tsar the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia became a reality.

Apparently, it was not easy to break the Constantinople delegation; it took almost a year. You will learn the date of establishment of the patriarchate in Russia from this article.

Jeremiah gives up

It was not until early 1589 that Jeremiah surrendered. The establishment of the patriarchate in Russia took place in February, and here we will continue to use a new style of chronology.

Patriarch Jeremiah was received with honor and respect. He was placed at the Ryazan courtyard, but, to his surprise, the guest was surrounded not only with honor, but also with supervision. The Patriarch was forbidden to communicate with anyone, especially with foreigners. He found himself in the situation of a bird caught in a golden cage.

At the same time, Jeremiah soon met with the king, he was presented with money, cups, velvet and sables. He, in turn, brought the relics of the saints. Further negotiations with the patriarch were conducted by Godunov. Boris acted subtly but persistently. It was necessary to convince that it was necessary to establish a patriarchate in Moscow. We managed to cope with this difficult diplomatic task brilliantly. They started by leaving Jeremiah alone in the courtyard for a very long time. He lived in complete prosperity, but did not see anyone, essentially being under house arrest.

At first, he categorically rejected the idea of ​​the Moscow patriarchate, arguing that he could not resolve such an important issue alone. But the longer the imprisonment lasted, the greater the concessions Jeremiah made. Then Godunov invited him to stay in Russia and become the first patriarch. It is obvious that the conditions in which he lived were much better than those that he could afford in Constantinople. As historians suggest, this proposal was not made by Godunov himself, but by his people who were assigned to the Patriarch of Constantinople, so their opinion was unofficial, did not oblige anyone to anything, but still influenced the foreign guest.

They claim that Jeremiah actually decided to stay in Russia, not realizing that it was just a trap. Godunov did not need him in the role of Moscow patriarch. With this, real negotiations began, not about the move of the patriarch from Constantinople to Moscow, but about the establishment of his throne here. At the same time, modern historians do not rule out that perhaps this possibility was also considered as a backup option.

On the one hand, this would be beneficial for Moscow and the Orthodox world as a whole. received actual confirmation of succession from Constantinople, at the same time Western Rus', which was under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople, would come under the authority of Moscow.

But this project also had obvious disadvantages, which nevertheless forced Godunov to seek the local patriarchate, and not be content with Jeremiah’s move. After all, it was unknown how the Turks and Greeks would react to this. A new patriarch could be elected in Constantinople. In addition, Rus' has long been suspicious of the Greeks and did not trust them. It would have been too difficult for the Russian Tsar or Godunov himself to influence such a patriarch, and Boris needed a reliable ally in this place.

After weighing all the pros and cons, Godunov’s government decided to seek the establishment of the Russian patriarchate. Then subtle diplomacy came into play again. They began to offer Jeremiah to stay in Russia, but to live not in Moscow, but in Vladimir. Explaining this by the fact that in Moscow Job is already sitting on the metropolitan’s see, and also claiming that Vladimir is formally considered the first see in Rus', which had not been lost to Kyiv by that time.

Jeremiah really wanted to live in honor and wealth, without fear of new persecutions and humiliations from the Turks, which he could be subjected to in Constantinople. But at the same time, he understood that moving to Vladimir was absolutely unacceptable. It was a provincial, provincial town that was the ancient capital of the Russian Church in the distant past. Therefore, Jeremiah categorically rejected this option. He insisted that the patriarch must always be close to the sovereign, as was always the case in Constantinople, so he insisted on the option with Moscow.

New negotiations began, during which, apparently, he found himself in a hopeless situation, having made certain promises that he could not then refuse. The envoys of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich began to insist that if Jeremiah himself did not want to be the Russian patriarch, then he should leave the patriarch from the local clergy.

Jeremiah tried to object, insisting that he could not make such a decision on his own, but eventually gave in. Long-term imprisonment certainly played a role.

As a result, in January 1589, Fyodor Ioannovich convened the Church Council and the Boyar Duma, declaring that Jeremiah did not want to be the patriarch in Vladimir, but for his sake to remove such a worthy metropolitan as Job from the Moscow see. impossible. In addition, the tsar noted that without knowledge of the peculiarities of Russian life and language, it would be difficult for him to fulfill his duties. After this, the question of establishing the patriarchate was considered virtually resolved by everyone.

Job was promoted to patriarch in the royal chambers, and not in the Assumption Cathedral, as the Patriarch of Constantinople proposed to do. And that was the intent. If the ceremony took place in the cathedral, then both Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich and Job should have thanked Jeremiah for the honor that he showed them. Therefore, it was decided to hold the ceremony in the royal chambers, so as not to raise the authority of the Patriarch of Constantinople too high.

After this solemn event, a ceremonial dinner took place in the sovereign's chambers. During it, Job left from time to time to travel around Moscow, sprinkling it with holy water. Everything came true as Godunov and his entourage had planned.

With the beginning of Great Lent, Jeremiah began to ask to leave for Constantinople. Godunov tried his best to dissuade him at first, citing the spring thaw and the need to complete all the documents necessary for the patriarch. As a result, Jeremiah agreed to draw up a Charter, which stated that all Eastern patriarchs agreed with the establishment of the patriarchate in the Russian state. Thus, the patriarchate was finally and officially assigned to the Russian Orthodox Church.

The councils in Constantinople, which took place in 1590 and 1593, confirmed that the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia is a legal act and cannot be disputed by anyone. In this regard, corresponding letters were sent to Russia.

First Moscow Patriarch

Metropolitan Job became the first Moscow patriarch. From this article you already know in what year the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia officially took place. Let's tell you more about the life of the first Russian patriarch.

Job himself was born in 1525. He was born in the town of Staritsa in the territory of modern Tver region.

At the local Assumption Monastery he received the makings of an education, and in 1556 he was accepted under the name Job. It is believed that Archimandrite Herman influenced him. At the monastery, Job studied reading and writing and the Bible.

In 1566, he began his ascent through the ranks of the Russian Orthodox Church. To begin with, he became abbot of the Assumption Monastery. Staritsa at that time was one of the centers of the oprichnina, which was established by the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible. The ruler drew attention to the intelligent and active abbot, appointing him archimandrite.

In 1571 he was transferred to Moscow, to the Simonov Monastery. And after 4 years he became the archimandrite of the Novospassky monastery, which the tsar himself visited more often than others.

In 1581, Job received the status of Bishop of Kolomna, and 5 years later he became Archbishop of Rostov.

Rapprochement with Boris Godunov

In the mid-1580s, Job became close to one of the tsar's favorites, Prince Boris Godunov, who subsequently actually seized power in the country. It was with the assistance of Godunov that the patriarchate was established in Russia in 1589. By that time, Job was already the Metropolitan of Moscow and the main contender for this position.

Having taken the place of the head of the Orthodox world, Job invariably supported Godunov in all his affairs and endeavors. Among the important events that his reign is remembered for, it is worth highlighting the canonization of St. Basil the Blessed, the spread of Christianity in the Volga region and Siberia, which Ivan the Terrible conquered. During the reign of Boris Godunov, these territories were finally and officially annexed to Russia.

The year of the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia became an important starting point for the growth of the country's influence in the Orthodox world. The number of printed liturgical books grew, and some neighboring countries even specifically turned to Russia for missionaries who were supposed to teach people the Orthodox faith. In particular, the Georgian Tsar Alexander made such a request.

The establishment of the patriarchate in Russia took place in 1589, shortly after the death of Ivan the Terrible, one of the most influential and cruel rulers at that time. The Patriarch of Moscow appeared at a time when the weak and sickly Fyodor Ioannovich, who was the complete opposite of his father, sat on the throne. The authorities needed to take urgent measures to regain popular respect.

The Fall of Job

The history of the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia is briefly outlined in this article. It is worth noting right away that Job did not manage to occupy this place for a long time. In 1605, his main patron, Boris Godunov, died. He was replaced by the impostor False Dmitry I, who tried by all means to eliminate Job from Moscow as soon as possible.

Job categorically refused to recognize False Dmitry as the son of Ivan the Terrible. Instead, he called on the people to confess their loyalty to the son of Boris Godunov, Fedor. He anathematized False Dmitry and his supporters.

From historical documents it is known that Grigory Otrepyev was Job’s secretary for several years. It is believed that this particular historical character was hiding behind the mask of False Dmitry I. One of the arguments in favor of this version is the desire of the impostor to get rid of Job as soon as possible. After all, he was afraid of exposure.

In official letters, Job called False Dmitry the defrocked, Grishka Otrepyev, who lived at the Romanov court. As a result, Job was removed from the pulpit and imprisoned in a monastery in his native Staritsa.

After Fyodor Godunov was killed, Job was arrested, stripped of his patriarchal regalia and sent into exile. The Greek Ignatius became the new Patriarch of Moscow, who joined the supporters of False Dmitry I.

At the same time, it is believed that Job was not officially deprived of his patriarchal rank; all the actions of False Dmitry and his minions were illegal.

Job was rehabilitated by Vasily Shuisky, the patriarch even visited Moscow, but since by that time he was completely blind, he renounced the patriarchal throne, returning to the monastery in Staritsa. He died in 1607.

The role of Boris Godunov

The date of the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia occupied an important place in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. In fact, its updated history began from then on.

Godunov’s role in this became one of the key ones. It is worth noting that not everyone abroad reacted positively to this decision. The reaction in the Orthodox East was different.

In particular, the authoritative theologian Meletius Pigas, who became patriarch in Alexandria in 1590, was categorically against it, challenging the legality and legality of this decision. He tried to prove that the decision that Jeremiah made in the Russian capital was due to cunning and violence on the part of the Russians, which is confirmed by numerous historical studies.

It is worth noting that by 1593 he too had resigned himself, signing the charter establishing the patriarchate in Russia. The results of this can be observed today, when Russia remains one of the key Orthodox countries in the world.

Of great importance in this is the Charter of 1589, which declares the concept of “Moscow - the third Rome”, previously also known from other sources.

It is worth emphasizing that the authenticity of the letters confirming the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia was repeatedly questioned by contemporaries and many descendants. In the 20th century, graphological examinations were carried out, according to which most of the signatures in the 1590 charter were forged. At least 70 of the 105 signatures were not genuine.

At the same time, such violations and forgeries could not be identified in the charter of 1593.

The meaning of the patriarchate

What significance did the establishment of the patriarchate have for Russia, and why did Boris Godunov and the rulers of that time strive to achieve this? Let's try to answer this question.

The historical significance of the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia lies in the receipt of official independent status for the Moscow Metropolis from the Greek Church. The Russian Church acquired a unique and exclusive role in the Orthodox world of that time, and it continues to this day. It became more numerous and influential, and most importantly, it became closely connected with the only Orthodox state in the world at that time.

For many it was obvious that sooner or later the year of the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia would come. Previously, this was hampered by very tense and difficult relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which did not want to recognize the authority of Rus', seeing how quickly all influence in the Orthodox world was passing to it. Obtaining the consent of the Eastern Patriarchs was a prerequisite; without it, it was impossible to independently proclaim the Metropolitan Patriarch of Moscow. As a result, historical circumstances turned out well; now, if you are asked to indicate the date of the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia, you can answer that it was February 5, 1589.

It is worth immediately noting that the reasons for the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia differ among secular and spiritual researchers.

The first claim that the initiative belongs exclusively to Boris Godunov; this was one of the moments to amuse his exclusivity and pride.

Church historians fundamentally disagree with this point of view. But at the same time, different versions are put forward. For example, some believe that the matter is the desire of Patriarch Jeremiah to please the Russian sovereign, so this was a proposal that came from the Constantinople delegation itself. Others see the reason in the desire of Fyodor Ioannovich, who wanted to elevate the Russian Empire against the backdrop of the Orthodox East.

In any case, today the importance of the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia is difficult to overestimate.

The Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on January 27-29, 2009 will elect the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The elections will be held in connection with the death of Patriarch Alexy II on December 5, 2008.

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' is the title of the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Patriarchate was established in Moscow in 1589. Until this time, the Russian Church was headed by metropolitans and until the middle of the 15th century belonged to the Patriarchate of Constantinople and did not have independent governance.

The patriarchal dignity of the Moscow metropolitans was personally assigned to the Ecumenical Patriarch Jeremiah II and confirmed by the Councils in Constantinople in 1590 and 1593. The first patriarch was Saint Job (1589-1605).

In 1721 the patriarchate was abolished. In 1721, Peter I established the Theological College, which was later renamed the Holy Governing Synod - the state body of the highest ecclesiastical authority in the Russian Church. The patriarchate was restored by the decision of the All-Russian Local Council on October 28 (November 11), 1917.

The title “His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'” was adopted in 1943 by Patriarch Sergius at the suggestion of Joseph Stalin. Until this time, the patriarch bore the title “Moscow and All Russia”. The replacement of Russia with Rus in the title of the patriarch is due to the fact that with the emergence of the USSR, Russia officially meant only the RSFSR, while the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate extended to the territory of other republics of the Union.

According to the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church, adopted in 2000, His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' “has primacy of honor among the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church and is accountable to the Local and Bishops’ Councils... has care for the internal and external welfare of the Russian Orthodox Church and governs it jointly with the Holy Synod, being its chairman."

The Patriarch convenes Bishops' and Local Councils and presides over them, and is also responsible for the implementation of their decisions. The Patriarch represents the Church in external relations, both with other churches and with secular authorities. His responsibilities include maintaining the unity of the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church, issuing (together with the Synod) decrees on the election and appointment of diocesan bishops, and he exercises control over the activities of bishops.

According to the charter, “the external distinctive signs of patriarchal dignity are a white cap, a green mantle, two panagias, a great paraman and a cross.”

The Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' is the diocesan bishop of the Moscow diocese, consisting of the city of Moscow and the Moscow region, the Holy Archimandrite of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, governs the patriarchal metochions throughout the country, as well as the so-called stauropegial monasteries, subordinate not to local bishops, but directly to the Moscow Patriarchate.

In the Russian Church, the title of Patriarch is given for life, and this means that until his death the patriarch is obliged to serve the Church, even if he is seriously ill or in exile or imprisonment.

Chronological list of Moscow Patriarchs:

Ignatius (June 30, 1605 - May 1606), was appointed False Dmitry I during the living Patriarch Job and therefore is not included in the lists of legitimate Patriarchs, although he was appointed in compliance with all formalities.

Hieromartyr Hermogenes (or Hermogenes) (June 3, 1606 - February 17, 1612), canonized in 1913.

After the death of Patriarch Hadrian, no successor was elected. In 1700-1721, the guardian of the patriarchal throne (“Exarch”) was Metropolitan Stefan (Yavorsky) of Yaroslavl.

Moscow patriarchs in 1917-2008:

Saint Tikhon (Vasily Ivanovich Belavin; according to other sources Bellavin, November 5 (18), 1917 - March 25 (April 7), 1925).

The 14th century was a turning point in the history of Orthodoxy. After the capture of Constantinople by the Turks and the fall of Byzantium, Russia, which did not have its own patriarch, found itself the only independent one in the world. All eastern churches were under the control of the Turkish authorities. The created situation contributed to the fact that the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Job was appointed to serve, recognized as equal among the other four Orthodox patriarchs.

Childhood of the youth John

The name of the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', which he received at holy baptism, is John. Regarding his birth, information has been preserved that he was born in the thirties of the 16th century. According to available data, the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' was born into a family of ordinary people who belonged to the so-called posad class. History has preserved for us only the name of the mother, which she adopted after accepting monasticism - Pelageya.

At an early age, the youth John was sent to a nearby monastery, where he was to be taught literacy and the basics of faith. This may indicate both the piety of the parents, who wished to instill in their child a love of the fatherly faith from childhood, and their certain wealth, since in those years need often forced children to start working from a very early age. However, studies at the holy monastery awakened in the young man a deep religious feeling and a desire to become a monk. Before the future first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' took the path he had chosen, he had to test the firmness of his intentions.

Church tradition tells that his father, doubting his son’s ability to bear the hardships of monastic life and wanting to turn him away from his plans, found him a bride and persuaded him to marry. Having never contradicted his parents before, John did not dare to object this time either, but on the very day of the wedding he asked permission to go to the monastery and visit the cell of his spiritual mentor.

Ascent to the path of monasticism

He never returned to his home. After a conversation with Archimandrite Herman, the young man firmly decided that his place was not in the vain world, but within the walls of the holy monastery. On the same day, he underwent the rite of tonsure and received the name Job, which he took in honor of the saint Job the Long-Suffering, who was ardently revered by him.

Monastic life is not easy for any newly tonsured monk. Too much connects him with the past and directs his thoughts to what he left in the world, having committed his most important act in life. It can be difficult to get used to the harsh conditions of staying in a monastery, but it is even harder to force yourself to obey not your own will, but exclusively the commands of the mentor who has taken charge of the spiritual development of the newcomer.

The future first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Job was one of those workers who, with equal humility, fulfill any obedience entrusted to them. Before rising to the heights of church power, he went through all stages of monastic service - from a simple novice to the abbot of a monastery. It is known that in 1569, during a visit to the monastery by Ivan the Terrible, he made a favorable impression on the Tsar and after a short time, at his command, he became an archimandrite.

Stages of the Path of Church Ministry

At the end of 1570, he moved to Moscow and became abbot of the Simonov Monastery. Heading one of the largest monasteries in the country for five years, Saint Job took an active part not only in the religious but also in the political life of the country.

In the subsequent period, he heads several more monasteries, and then follows his ordination, first as Bishop of Kolomna, and then as Archbishop of Rostov the Great. Saint Job reached the highest level of power of that period in 1587, becoming Metropolitan of Moscow. However, a new, higher title awaited him - the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Establishment of the Patriarchate in Russia

The opportunity to have its own patriarch in the country was due to many factors, the main one of which was the increasing role of Russia among other Orthodox states that were at that time under the Turkish yoke. As mentioned above, the former stronghold of the Eastern Church - Byzantium - fell in 1453 under the onslaught of invaders.

It is known that the Turks did not prohibit the activities of the Christian Church in the territories they captured, but behaved extremely unceremoniously towards its representatives, arbitrarily seizing any property they liked. Such expropriations, carried out with constant constancy, took on the character of outright robberies and ultimately led the church organizations located in the occupied territories to complete impoverishment.

Lacking the funds to restore the destroyed churches and support the clergy, the head of the Byzantine church was forced to turn to the Russian Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich for financial assistance. The Russian autocrat took advantage of this favorable opportunity, since, according to the Church Charter, only the existing high priest could install a new patriarch, and in order for the person the tsar needed to become the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', his blessing was required.

The greatest event in the life of the church

The head of the Byzantine church arrived in the Mother See in 1588 and, according to contemporaries, was amazed by the luxury of the royal palace and the splendor of the services held in the capital's churches. In addition, as is known from the same sources, he was indelibly impressed by the manifestation of piety by the Russian people, which he constantly witnessed.

Every day, wherever the patriarch appeared, he was surrounded by dense crowds of people demanding blessings. Not feeling the right to ignore such an ardent expression of religious feelings, he was forced to remain on the street for hours, surrounded by a ring of believers.

Historians note that his initial plans included only receiving financial assistance from the king, and nothing more was discussed. However, realizing that by refusing to fulfill the autocrat’s request to install a patriarch in the Russian church, he would leave empty-handed, Jeremiah was forced to agree, and as a result, on February 5, 1589, the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' ascended to the newly formed patriarchal see. The election of Metropolitan Job for this high mission occurred by the will of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, who favored him and showered him with royal favors.

Activities of the new patriarch

The recently elected first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', whose powers extended to all spheres of religious life, immediately began internal church reform. Innovations affected both the establishment of additional metropolitanates and increased discipline among the clergy. He saw his main task in strengthening Orthodoxy and the spiritual power of the state. Church historians note that after Metropolitan Job became the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', Russian Orthodoxy was raised to a previously unattainable level.

Activities of the Patriarch during the Time of Troubles

In 1598, the country was plunged into chaos, called the Time of Troubles. The First Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', whose title obligated him to be at the head of the people, actually led the resistance to the Lithuanian and Polish invaders who poured into Russian borders. He sent letters to all corners of the country, in which he called for resistance to foreigners.

When the hordes led by False Dmitry approached Moscow, the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Job was among those who refused to recognize the impostor. According to researchers, at a certain period Grigory Otrepyev was Job’s secretary, so he, like no one else, understood the deception going on. He publicly cursed False Dmitry and all his followers.

When in April 1605 the city was surrendered to the impostor, Saint Job refused to swear allegiance to him and was deposed. In August of the same year, supporters of False Dmitry destroyed the patriarchal chambers, and the primate himself, after numerous beatings and humiliations, was sent as a simple monk to the Staritsky Monastery, where he spent two years in unceasing prayer for the fate of the Fatherland.

The end of the life of the first patriarch

Poor health did not allow him to ascend to the Primate Throne again. He died in 1607 and was buried in the Assumption Monastery, the same one where he once began his monastic service. In 1652, the relics of the deceased were transported to the capital and placed in the Assumption Cathedral. Already in our days, in October 2012, the first Holy Hierarch Job of Moscow and All Rus' was glorified among the saints. It was a natural act that expressed the result of his activities as

Editorial changes to the patriarchal title

It should be noted that the patriarchal title has undergone a number of editorial changes over the centuries, and the title now used in relation to St. Job - the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' - is not entirely correct. The fact is that in the period preceding the reign (until 1652), the country was indicated in the title as “Russia”, and only later the form “Russia” was adopted. In pre-Petrine times, the title contained the words “and Patriarch of all northern countries.”

As for the title that Saint Job bore, in historical documents there are other editions in which Moscow is indicated as the “reigning city”, and Russia is called the “great kingdom”. Other options are also known, found in documents signed by the primates of the Russian Church in different historical periods. It should be noted that such discrepancies are caused mainly by the lack of uniformity in the preparation of official papers in previous centuries - both religious and secular.

Powers of the Patriarch

According to the current charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the powers of the patriarch include mainly administrative functions that ensure the ability to govern the Church. He is entrusted with the responsibility of convening the Local and Bishops' Councils, as well as scheduling meetings of the Synod. The Patriarch appoints all senior church officials, including heads of religious educational institutions at all levels. Among other patriarchal powers, a special place is occupied by the duty to represent the Church before the government and foreign organizations.

Deputies of the Patriarch

The fulfillment of the functions entrusted to the patriarch would be impossible without a reasonable distribution of responsibilities between his deputies - vicars. Each of them is responsible for organizing church life in a separate district of the vast Moscow diocese. The first vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', who is in charge of its central part, is also the direct deputy of the patriarch and, in the event of his illness, death or retirement, temporarily performs his functions until the election of a successor.

Propaganda of religious knowledge

Since Saint Job, the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', ascended to the First Hierarchal Throne, the history of the Russian patriarchate, interrupted during the time of Peter I and resumed under Stalin, has included sixteen primates of the Russian church. Thanks to their tireless labors, Orthodox life in our country acquired those forms that allowed it to become the basis of the spiritual connection of many generations of Russians.

It would not be amiss to note that as much as Russian history, including church history, honors its heroes, it also tries to erase from the memory of the descendants of traitors to the Fatherland. An example of this is the notorious Patriarch Ignatius, who swore allegiance to False Dmitry in 1605 and became an accomplice of the Polish occupiers. His name was forever crossed out from the list of patriarchs and erased from people's memory.

During the period of atheistic persecution of Orthodoxy, everything related to religious doctrine and church history was excluded from school curricula. This caused significant gaps in the knowledge of these disciplines by modern Russian citizens. Even a simple question: “Name the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'” puzzled many. However, nowadays, in most parishes there are also adults, and extensive educational work is being carried out aimed at correcting the current situation.