St. Peter Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Russia

At the end of the 13th century, the throne of the All-Russian Metropolis was moved from Kyiv to Vladimir on the Klyazma. Until 1299, Metropolitan Maxim remained in Kyiv; but this year he moved with all his clergy to the northern capital of the Grand Dukes of the Russians, and transferred the Bishop of Vladimir to Rostov 1. The princes of Galicia, who then dominated the south of Russia, looked at this removal of the Metropolitan from them with indifference. Therefore, when Metropolitan Maxim died, Prince Yuri Lvovich of Galicia sent an embassy to the Patriarch of Constantinople with a request to establish a special Metropolis for the southern Russian regions. This assignment was entrusted to the abbot of the Ratsky monastery in Volyn, Peter, about whom the Prince at the same time, secretly from himself, wrote to the Patriarch so that, in the event of consent to the division of the Metropolis, he would ordain this abbot as Metropolitan 2. Meanwhile, a rival to Peter appeared, a certain abbot Gerontius, probably from Vladimir; Taking with him the clothes and utensils of the saint, he went to Constantinople to ask for the All-Russian Metropolis for himself personally. But God arranged it so that the humble Peter received what the power-hungry Gerontius sought, and who did not seek any throne, was appointed Metropolitan of not only the southern, but also the northern regions of the Russians; for Gerontius, due to stormy sailing on the Black Sea, slowed down on his journey, and the Patriarch, following the previous church order, did not want to divide the Metropolis. St. Peter, although he did not expect such a calling, was not unprepared for high service. From his youth he was a strict devotee of piety. At the age of twelve he entered the monastery, and was a model in fulfilling monastic obediences and in feats of prayer. Honored with the rank of presbyter, he began to study icon painting, because he found pleasure in always looking at the holy images of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Most Pure Mother and the Holy Saints and, looking, ascending in mind to those depicted themselves! Finally, after many years of exploits in this monastery, St. Peter himself founded a monastery in a secluded place of his choice on the Rata River; created a church in it in the name of the Savior, and, having gathered a large number of brethren, taught them in word and deed to live according to God. The new title revealed new virtues in him: he was meek in edification, without anger in denouncing those who sinned, generous and merciful in caring for the poor; if he had nothing else, he gave away his icons to those who demanded them, and gave away his hair shirt. Removed from his peaceful monastery to begin his pastoral ministry (1309), St. Peter, upon entering it, encountered many sorrows. He arrived on his throne in Vladimir 3. But as until then he was not known to the northern princes: there were those dissatisfied with his installation. It took time for his virtues to be revealed to all his flock. The following year, St. Peter, on duty as a shepherd, surveying his Metropolis, was in Bryansk. At that time, the appanage prince of this city, Vasily, was expelled by his uncle Svyatoslav; but, having asked for help from the Khan, he led the Tatars with him against his relative. The meek Saint urged Svyatoslav to share his reign with his nephew, or to completely renounce his claims in order to avoid internecine bloodshed. Svyatoslav did not obey, and lost the battle and his life. The Tatars burst into the city, and St. Peter was forced to seek safety in the church 4. Around the same time, Andrei, Bishop of Tver, from the family of Lithuanian princes, rebelled against the High Hierarch. He secretly sent a denunciation to the Patriarch of Constantinople Athanasius, in which, slandering, he accused his Metropolitan of some serious guilt. The Patriarch did not believe the accusations, but sent one of his clerics to Russia to investigate the case and demanded an acquittal. St. Peter humbly accepted this new temptation, trusting in God, the protector of the innocent. A Council was convened in Pereslavl Zalessky 5; the Bishops of Rostov and Tver, the most noble abbots and priests arrived; The princes were also invited to this court, hitherto unusual in Russia. Grand Duke Mikhail of Tverskoy did not take part in it; but his young children Dimitri and Alexander and other princes were at the council. The denunciation sent to the Patriarch was read, and caused great confusion among those present. To tame this confusion, the innocent Saint, like St. Gregory the Theologian, suggested; “I am no better than the prophet Jonah. If it’s because of me that there is such excitement, then cast me out from among you.” But finally the truth triumphed, everyone wanted to know the name of the slanderer. And when he became known, everyone turned against him with reproach. Only St. Peter took him under his protection and said to him, “Peace be with you, child. It is not you who are to blame for this, but the ancient envier of the human race, the devil. From now on, beware of lies, and may God forgive you for the past.” Meanwhile, new hard work was being prepared for St. Peter. After the death of Khan, Tokhtag had to go to the Horde together with the Grand Duke to confirm the new Khan Uzbek's letters, which freed the clergy from Mongol tributes. This was prompted, as the chronicle testifies, by the desire to warn the ambassadors of the Pope, who could ask Khan for advantages of their church in the southern regions of Russia that were harmful to Orthodoxy. God blessed this journey with complete success to the joy of the Church, and St. Peter, received by the Khan with great honors, received from Uzbek confirmation of the previous rights of his clergy 6 . Having arranged the external affairs of the Church, St. Peter was all the more zealously concerned about its internal well-being; traveled around the dioceses, not embarrassed by either physical illness or old age; he taught the flock entrusted to him by word and example, and denounced the opponents of the truth. To this time, the biography of St. Peter dates the denunciation of the heretic Seit (who thought contrary to the teachings of the Orthodox Church) and his condemnation for disobedience to the truth 7 . Of course, with a heart disease, the meek and loving Archpastor saw how disputes over the Great Reign between the Princes of Tver and Moscow tormented Russia; 8 how Volhynia, his fatherland, was devastated and conquered by the Lithuanians, and Kiev itself, the capital city of Orthodoxy, passed into the hands of the pagan Gediminas (in 1321). department from Vladimir to Moscow, and brought with him God’s blessing to the future capital of Russia. The biography of St. Peter narrates that love for the Prince of Moscow John Danilovich, known for his peacefulness, piety and generosity towards the poor, prompted St. Peter to move to Moscow. And according to other news, he was attracted here by his love for a certain monk Alexy. St. Peter, knowing his godly life, wanted to spend the last days of his life at his tomb, over which miracles were performed 10. Be that as it may, in the spring of 1325 St. Peter was already in Moscow; there he ordained the Archbishop of Novgorod; there he soon buried the body of Grand Duke George 11, who was killed in the Horde and brought from the Horde. In August of the following year, according to the conviction of the Saint, a church was founded in Moscow in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Peter, convincing the Prince to create this church, prophetically said: “If you listen to me, my son, then you yourself will become glorified with your family, more than other princes, and your city will be glorious before all the Russian cities, and the Saints will live in it, and his enemies will raise their hands on their shoulders, and God will be glorified in it.” The prince with zeal began to accomplish a work pleasing to God; The walls of the church were quickly erected. But the blessed Saint was approaching his end even more quickly. He just managed to lay a stone coffin for himself in the new church, but did not consecrate it. Some time before the death of St. Peter, Prince John had a dream: he imagined a high mountain and snow on its top. But suddenly the snow melted and disappeared. Telling the Saint about this dream, the Prince heard the following explanation from him: the high mountain is you, Prince; and the snow is me, humble. I must leave this life before you. And four and a half months after the foundation of the church, the Saint reposed into the blessed life (December 21, 1326), devoting all his acquisitions to the accomplishment of the holy. church. Miracles from his relics were revealed at his very burial, and did not stop after that. Therefore, Metropolitan Theognostus, who took his place, with the permission of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the entire Council, solemnly recognized him among the Saints and ordered his memory to be celebrated in the Russian Church 12. Soon the Saint's prophecy about Moscow began to be fulfilled. His beloved Prince John was recognized by the Khan as the Grand Duke. Under him, Moscow began to rise above the older capital cities. Metropolitan Theognostus and his successors did not look for another city for their throne other than Moscow. With the assistance of the Saints of Moscow, the autocratic power of the Grand Duke of Moscow in the descendants of John grew and strengthened, until it was finally clothed with the royal purple. Faithful Moscow, reverently honoring the memory of its first Saint, keeping him holy. The relics, as a guarantee of her well-being, were preserved by St. icons painted by him, his panagia and pastoral staff. 13 For the pious children of his flock, time has also preserved a monument to the Saint - his short message to the clergy of his flock. The ancient shepherds of the Russian Church had the custom, except for special cases that required their attention, to send general edifying messages to the clergy and princes. An example of the latter is the message of Nicephorus, Metropolitan of Kyiv to the Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh 14, on the occasion of the onset of Pentecost. Explaining the reason why he decided to write, the Metropolitan says: “there is a church custom and rule to tell princes about something useful at this time. I realize that I want to heal, being myself enfeebled by sins and covered with pus: but the word does not suffer any harm from this. Although we are such, the Word of God, which is in us, is sound and whole.” An example of the epistles of the Saints to the clergy is the teaching to the priests attributed to Metropolitan Kirill 15. In one of the manuscripts belonging to the Library of the Moscow Theological Academy, between teachings on different days of the week, there is a teaching from the Shepherd to all the people, where the Mentor, pointing to his difficult times 16, says: “For this reason I am writing to you in small numbers to the whole great Priesthood of God, so that in all things they may hold according to the dignity of the rank of the great Priesthood of God.” And after the instruction on abstinence he commands: “from now on, the writings for every day would naturally be diligent in coming to God, singing prayers morning and evening for the health of the noble and pious Russian Princes and for the haste of the Christ-loving army and for Christian silence.” Then he turns with instructions to the laity, whom he exhorts to visit St. churches, to give alms, to guard against all uncleanness, etc., in order to be Orthodox not only in name, but also in deeds. The same kind of instructive messages of Metropolitan Photius (1407 - 1131), one to the priestly and monastic rank about the great Divine Priesthood, the other to the Abbot and monks of the Pechersk Monastery 17. Among such messages should also be included the Word of St. Peter, a precious monument to his pastoral care for the flock of Christ. We present this message to the pious attention of our readers 18 . A chronicle that serves as a continuation of Nestor. M 1784. p. 58. Life of Saint Peter. It was written by one of St. Peter’s successor, Metropolitan Cyprian, in glorification of the memory of the Saint and in gratitude for deliverance from the misfortunes and illnesses he suffered in Constantinople. Placed in the Degree Book Part I. pp. 410 – 424. Here he installed David, Archbishop of Novgorod, June 5, 1309. Novgorod First Chronicle, p. 69. Nikon Chronicle T. III. Page 106. Svyatoslav was killed on April 2, 1310. The time of the Council is determined by: 1, by the fact that Patriarch Athanasius, who ruled the Church of Constantinople from 1304 to 1310 or 1311, took part in this matter; 2, by the fact that, according to the remark of the biography of St. Peter, Bishops of Rostov Simeon and “Reverend Prokhor, then abbot,” were present at the Council. But Simeon abdicated the throne in 1311, and at the same time Prokhor was elevated to his place. So the Council should be no later than 1311. True, Cyprian notes that Grand Duke Michael was not present at this Council, since he was in the Horde at that time. And Mikhail went to the Horde in 1313 and stayed there until 1315. But either the biography writer had introduced another journey of Mikhail, not known from the chronicles, or indicated this reason for Mikhailov’s evasion from participating in the Council only by conjecture. Andrew left his throne in 1315 and died in 1323. History of the Russian State T. IV. Ave. 247 and 280 History of the Russian State vol. IV. Ave. 245. The label is signed in 1315. (See about the reliability of the khan's letters, Mr. Grigoriev, p. 9). And St. Peter went to the Horde in 1313, and it is noted in the chronicle that he was “soon released.” Probably, the label was issued upon departure from the Horde of the Grand Duke, who returned to Russia in 1315 The name Seita among the Tatars, who professed the Mohammedan religion, belonged to their religious teachers. Histor. G. Ross. T. VII pr. 263. Narrative of Russia, Artsybasheva, book 4. pr. 1029. In the handwritten Alphabet located in the Library of the Moscow Theological Academy, the word seites is interpreted by lords. For Byzantine Historians, Σε ΐ τιδες means the Persian and Turkish monks Du Gang. Gloss. Grace. T. 2 p.m. 1315. In Russian chronicles, Seites are often mentioned among the Tatars. History of the Russian State Volume VII pr. 181. VIII. pr. 256. IX. pr. 644. Was not the mentioned heretic one of the baptized Seites? And isn’t that why Tatishchev calls this heretic Protopop? Tatishchev adds to this that Seit rejected the existence of paradise on earth and rebelled against monasticism. It is unknown where these details were taken from. Slich. Reasoning about heresies and schisms that occurred in the Russian Church. M. 1838 pp. 69 – 73. On the occasion of these disputes, Grand Duke Mikhail of Tverskoy accepted the crown of martyrdom in the Horde. Grand Duke Georgy Danilovich of Moscow was also killed there. Narbut in the History of the Lithuanian People 1838. T. IV pp. 484 - 491, where, following the Chronicle of Bykhovets, he corrects the narrative of Stryikovsky, whom Karamzin did not trust in this case. This is what Herberstein, who visited us at the beginning of the 16th century, writes. De rebus Moscoviticis, ed. a Starzcewsky. First Chronicle of Novgorod, p. 73. Degree Book Part I pp. 421 – 432. Monument to Moscow Antiquities, Snegirev. Page 12, 16, 26 and 171. Published in Russian Monuments, Part I. M. 1815. pp. 67 et seq. Printed in the Addendum to the Works of the Holy Fathers, 1843, pp. 428 et seq. Rukop. common menaea, leaf. 116 per rev. This is probably an excerpt from an entire teaching. It begins like this: “You know, sons, how in these last times, and especially now, sin for the sake of our sorrows has multiplied upon us (instead of sorrow they have multiplied), first by famine and vain deaths and pestilences, and by violence and captivity from the filthy.” The first in the manuscript of the Synodal Library, under the title of the messages of the Russian Metropolitans. l. 112 et seq. The latter is found in some copies of the Patericon of Pechersk, belonging to the Trinity Lavra Library. Here, by the way, Photius writes: “In those who came (including those who preceded) the years of your love, I spoke the word about spiritual punishments. And now again, like a debtor who has been spiritual, always talk.” The Epistle of St. Peter is borrowed from the manuscript of the Academic Library, called the general menaion, No. 77, on sheet paper, late 15th century. It is collated with the list of the Library of the Volokolamsk Joseph Monastery, No. 282, on paper number 4, which previously belonged, according to the inscription, to Leonid Bishop of Ryazan (mentioned in 1581. See Act. Histor. T. I. note to the gram. No. 216.). In addition to this message, in the same manuscript of the Volokolamsk Monastery, a teaching is also attributed to Peter Metropolitan of Kyiv, beginning like this: “To the bishop and priest and archimadrite, abbot and deacon and to all Orthodox peasants, how to walk according to the peasant law. Avoid drunkenness...” But due to many rude expressions and false thoughts, it is incompatible with the spirit of the meek Shepherd and the purity of his teaching. In the lists of acts of the Council, the so-called hundred-headed Council, under the name of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Kyiv, the rule is given that widowed priests should not serve the liturgy (Chapter 76). The prohibition against priests serving as priests actually existed in the ancient Russian Church, as the definition of the Moscow Council of 1503 shows, and at this Council they also witnessed the teaching of Metropolitan Peter on the non-service of widowed priests and deacons. (Acts of the Archaeographer Commission T. I. pp. 485, 486). But this rule is not visible in the ancient lists of our Helmsman’s Book. You might be interested in: