Kirill II, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Russia

The wounds inflicted on the Church by the Russian hand of the Mongols were deep. Thousands of her children died from the enemy’s sword, and those who remained had to bear the yoke of slavery. Churches and monasteries were destroyed, priests were beaten or taken into captivity. One Bishop, Vladimir, burned with many of his spiritual children in the church; the other, Pereyaslavsky, was killed by the Mongols. The Metropolitan himself passed away. It is not known whether Joseph died during the capture of Kyiv, or retired to another place and died there. Even the Patriarchs of Constantinople could not provide ambulance to the suffering Russian Church; they themselves were forced to retire from their throne. Constantinople was ruled by the Latins. The Pope attempted to subjugate the Russian Church to himself, sending his legates to the Russian Princes with an offer to accept the Roman teaching and with flattering promises. This is how he tempted Prince Daniel of Galicia and then the noble Prince of Novgorod Alexander 1. In these difficult times, Kirill was called to the throne of the All-Russian Metropolis. Daniel, deceived in expecting help from the Pope, drove away the papal legate Albert, and sent Cyril to the Patriarch of Constantinople in Nicaea for confirmation in the rank of Metropolitan 2. According to the conviction of Bela, the King of Hungary, who sought through him to enter into an alliance with Daniel, Cyril went to Greece through the Hungarian possessions. Returning from Nicaea and having married the son of Daniil Leo with the daughter of Bela, Cyril hurried to Kyiv, and from here, without hesitation, set off to survey the northern dioceses of his Metropolis; visited Chernigov, Ryazan, Vladimir, and finally Novgorod 3. Everywhere they greeted the High Hierarch as a father. But he did not have a permanent, reliable shelter. Kyiv, which had lost its former significance since the founding of the new capital in the north, was devastated by the Mongols and abandoned by the Princes, was not safe from new devastation from enemies. Two Episcopal sees near Kiev, Belogorodskaya and Yuryevskaya, were closed or connected to Polotsk even before Batu’s invasion. The third, Pereyaslavskaya, soon also needed to be connected to another 4. Thus, in Kiev, the Metropolitan could not have close advisers in Church affairs, as was the case before. Princes Daniil Galichsky and Vasilko Volynsky were famous for their courage: but their region was too far from the northern Russian principalities. While in Vladimir, Kirill could be closer to the most populous Churches of his Metropolis, and could see the Grand Dukes there more often. That is why he chose this city for his stay in the north 5; at least according to the chronicles, we most often find the Metropolitan in Vladimir 6. From here, from time to time, he undertook trips to Novgorod, Kiev and other cities. The removal of the Metropolitan to the north apparently threatened the Orthodoxy of southern Russia. Yielding to the convictions of his mother and the Polish princes, Daniel agreed to accept the Royal crown, which was offered to him for the second time by the papal legate along with a promise of help from the Pope against the Mongols 7 . But in vain they expected the King of Galich to change his faith. And when Daniel saw that the Pope’s promises were false, he cut off all relations with the Roman throne, not fearing either his excommunication or threats of arms 8 . Meanwhile, Cyril, staying in the north, guarded the peace of the Russian land, outraged at times by the self-will of the Novgorodians. In 1256, after visiting him, the son of Grand Duke Vasily, who had previously been expelled by them, was accepted by Novgorod 9 . – In 1270, the Novgorodians expelled the Grand Duke Yaroslav Yaroslavich, complaining about his violence. Yaroslav agreed to satisfy their demands, but the Novgorodians persisted. Both sides took up arms. Then Cyril sent a letter to Novgorod, in which he demanded in short but strong words that the bloodshed be stopped. “God has entrusted me with spiritual power in the Russian land. You must listen to God and me. Don't shed blood. If you kissed the cross against the Prince; I accept penance for violating the oath and answer for it before God” 10. And the admonition of the Archpastor was crowned with success. The pacifier of the fatherland had the consolation of seeing respect for the Church on the part of the very enslavers of Russia. The clergy were not subject to wholesale tribute; Church estates were exempt from all taxes. Metropolitan Kirill received from Khan Mapgu-Temir a confirmation label for this, the first of the previously known Khan labels to the clergy 11. Recognizing all the previous rights of the Church as inviolable, Khan declared the Faith of Christ inviolable. “Whoever blasphemes their Faith, the label says, or will swear at it; he will not apologize in any way, and will die an evil death.” It is clear that natural respect for religion had power over the heart of a pagan who was not completely depraved; he was ready to honor the unknown God (Acts 17:23). “For his part, the Metropolitan did not leave the good deed without a reward worthy of Pavlova’s jealousy. He installed a Bishop in Sarai, the capital of the Khan (1264). And the history of Mongol rule over Russia represents not only Christian martyrs in the Horde, but also those converted to the Faith of Christ from paganism and Mohammedanism. Having surveyed the internal state of the Russian Church during his distant visits, the Metropolitan, to his regret, noticed in places significant disturbances both in the life of the clergy and the people, and in the correction of church rites. Sacrilege has increased; they were ordained to the clergy without due discrimination, without testing life and morals; The priests, in performing the liturgy and other sacraments, did not follow the correct order, but local customs, which were not always correct. At the same time, the morals of the people required correction; Some games and customs have taken root that are contrary to Christian morality. Such a disorder in the clergy and the people occurred, as the Metropolitan himself notes, partly from unreason, partly from the negligence of the Pastors and not visiting their Churches, and partly, finally, from the fact that the Church rules, defining the range of pastoral activities, were incomprehensible to many 12. To eliminate the last cause of disorder, Cyril demanded from the Bulgarian dignitary Jacob Svyatislav a list of complete Church rules with an interpretation, which was received from the Patriarch of Constantinople himself 13 . Then, having visited Kyiv and taking from here the rector of the Pechersk Monastery, Serapion, well-known for his pastoral zeal, for consecration as Bishop of Vladimir, he established a Council in Vladimir with two northern and two southern bishops (in 1274). Here, having depicted the duty of the Shepherds to ensure the fulfillment of the rules and regulations of the Church, he presented in strong terms what disasters the fatherland was subjected to for deviating from the path of truth. “What benefit have we received,” he said, by neglecting the Divine rules? Hasn't God scattered us across the face of the whole earth? Weren't our cities taken? Have not our mighty fallen at the edge of the sword? Have our children been taken captive? Have not the saints of God desolated the churches? Are we not tormented every day by godless and wicked people? And all this befell us because we do not keep the rules of our Holy Fathers” 14. Paying attention to the most deviations from these rules, the Metropolitan at the Council decided: neither for elevation to the degree of abbot, nor for ordination to the rank of priesthood should one demand any lessons or gifts, with the exception of the established seven hryvnias for the cathedral clergy, as had already been established before in the Metropolis, following the example of the Greek Churches; - to test the behavior of those chosen through close witnesses of their lives from infancy, and to ordain no other way than having received certification of the impeccability of the behavior of the chosen one from the spiritual father and seven other priests with good witnesses; - do not appoint either running tributes or slaves as priests before they receive letters of release from their masters; not suddenly elevate him to the rank of priesthood, but, having first ordained him as a reader, force him to study the entire rite of the church under the guidance of the oldest clergyman - then to the deacon, etc. d. – Having corrected the disorder in the celebration of the liturgy and the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, the Council instilled in everyone reverence for the shrine and demanded from those of clergy a life worthy of high service; He ordered the Bishops to cast out the priests living disorderly. With the same severity, the Council prohibited disorderly folk games on holidays and battles, subjecting those killed to a curse. “This happens as a reproach to God’s holidays,” said the Council, and to annoyance to the Churches of God, or even more so to our Savior himself, who delivered us from mortal leprosy and from the burden of the devil, who gladdened our hearts with holy holidays, so that we would remember the sacraments of our salvation and sing praises to God” 15. Having arranged the affairs of the Church in the north, the Metropolitan found it necessary to again be in Kiev, where he had recently been 16. In 1279, he opened relations with Constantinople, sending there the Bishop of Sarai, Theognostus 17. But although Constantinople at this time was already in the hands of the Greeks; however, neither Emperor Michael Palaiologos nor Patriarch John Vekkos were defenders of Orthodoxy 18; therefore there could be no close communication between them and the Russian High Hierarch. Meanwhile, the Pope again attempted to subjugate the southern Russian Churches. Nicholas III gave his legate in Hungary, Philip Bishop of Firman, the right to rule in Galicia and Volhynia with the same autocracy as in Hungary and Poland, where the Roman religion was accepted 19 . All the vigilance of a zealous Shepherd was needed, the closest and fastest orders were needed to protect the flock from the dangerous intrusions of alien power and alien teaching. Before the end of his life, the elderly Shepherd wished to once again visit his northern dioceses. Meekness and peacefulness accompanied him everywhere. Having learned that the Rostov Bishop Ignatius, on some charges, ordered the body of the Prince of Rostov Gleb Vasilkovich, whom he himself had buried here nine weeks before, to be taken out of the cathedral church to the monastery, Metropolitan Kirill denounced the untimely jealousy of the Shepherd. “Repent until you die,” said Metropolitan Ignatius. When the Prince was alive, you shared meals with him and accepted gifts from him. And now you condemn a dead man before God’s judgment.” The reason for Ignatiev’s action is not known; but it is clear that he did not act without reason. Glebov's nephew, Prince Dimitri Borisovich of Rostov, stood up for him, and Ignatius did not lose his place until his blessed death 20. During this detour, while in Pereyaslavl Zalessky, Metropolitan Kirill died on December 9, 1280. His body was first transported to Vladimir, then to Kyiv, and there they laid it in the cathedral church. Here is some information about the long-term and beneficial labors of this Hierarch for the benefit of the Russian Church. To restore what was destroyed by the devastators, to pacify those at war, to protect the flock entrusted to him from the influence of Rome, to correct the unrest that has crept into the life of the clergy and flock, to establish the government of the Church on the rules of St. Councils and Fathers: this is what the wise Archpastor constantly strived for! He was assisted by the pious Russian Princes, especially St. Alexander Nevsky, whom he himself called the sun of the Russian land, and the Shepherds of the Russian Church, such as Kirill Bishop of Rostov, his successor St. Ignatius, Serapion of Vladimir and others. This Metropolitan Kirill is credited with teaching the priest, known in manuscripts, 21. Among the manuscripts of the Rumyantsev Museum it is found in four lists; in Kormcha under N CCXXXI with the name of Kirill, but previously ruled by Kirill the Metropolitan, decreed at the Council of Vladimir, in Kormcha under N CCXXXIII and CCXXXIV without the name of Kirill, directly following the rules of the Council; in Kormchay under N CCXXVIII with the name of Cyril and after the Council, but not directly. This teaching is also found in the manuscript from which the Words of Serapion, Ep. Vladimirsky 22, also in two lists of Helmsmans belonging to the Lavra Library. But Kirill's name is not shown anywhere. In the Golden Chain, the teaching is inscribed as a word and a teaching to the priests; in the Helmsman the teaching of the Bishop to the Hierome, and, moreover, in the Helmsman several articles below the rules of the Council. In the teaching itself, the speech comes from the person of the Bishop to the priests of his flock. In case of any confusion or anyone’s resistance to the Church rules, the Bishop demands that the priests bring this to his attention and ask his permission. Therefore, it must be concluded that if this was written by the Metropolitan, it applied only to his diocese, or could only be a model for other Bishops; for the priests of other dioceses, according to the rules of the Church, had to relate to their Bishops. But if we take into account that Metropolitan Kirill for the most part is at a distance from his diocese, then it is difficult to agree that he ordered priests to contact him directly for clarification of confusion. For this purpose, of course, there was a Viceroy 23 at the Metropolitan’s department. Moreover, not a single list of teachings in the inscription contains the name of the Metropolitan, whereas in the inscription of the rules of the Council of Vladimir, Kirill is called Metropolitan. Based on these observations, it seems most likely that this teaching belongs to Cyril the Bishop. From the teaching it is clear that he lived the same way as the Metropolitan during the enslavement of Russia, for he says: if the priests follow the rules of the Church, then their prayer will be heard by God, and taxes from the filthy will be quelled on our land. Who was this Kirill? Probably the Bishop of Rostov, a contemporary of Metropolitan Kirill. About this Cyril Bishop, the modern chronicler testifies that he “in no way left behind those who were in Rostov-Leontius the Saint, the holy Bishop Isaiah and Nestor; not only teaching in word, but also in deed, teaching all those who come from the surrounding cities to St. an assembled church, who listens to his teachings, and who wants to see the adornment of the church of our Lady Theotokos; Her decoration would be wonderful, unlike that of the former Bishops. Saint Leonty blessed the city of Rostov with baptism, this same Bishop Kirill decorated the Church of the Mother of God with valuable icons, the power of which cannot even be told.” The chronicler himself says about himself that he “amazed at the teaching and diligence of this Cyril, listening with fear and submission in a certain manner.” 24 About his death, the chronicle says “the blessed teaching Bishop Kirill of Rostov reposed. Behold the true Shepherd, shepherding the people of the land of Rostov with meekness” 25. In the life of Peter Tsarevich, taken by Cyril himself from the Horde and drawn to the Faith of Christ, it is said that during Cyril’s time, in Rostov, “in the Church of the Holy Mother of God, the left one was wearing a Greek belt, and the right one was wearing a Russian one” 26 . Cyril ascended the throne in 1231 and died in 1262. The teaching to the priests, which has the form of a district epistle 27, is worthy of the pious zeal and enlightenment of the Hierarch of Rostov. At least, we do not know of another Cyril Bishop after the Mongol invasion, to whom it could have belonged with greater right. But even if this message does not belong to Metropolitan Kirill, it is likely, with his permission, that it was honored to take a place in the collection of rules and regulations of the Russian Church. It is found in many lists of Helmsmen, at different times, in different places written; track. not by chance, but deliberately included in this book. When could this have been more convenient if not then, when the name and deeds of the pious Shepherd of Rostov were still fresh in memory? The search for measures at the Vladimir Council to improve the moral state of the clergy could have aroused in Cyril’s successor, St. Ignatius, the desire that the pastoral letter written to the clergy of the Church of Rostov not only become known to other Bishops, but also be a guide for the entire Russian clergy. Metropolitan Kirill could only fulfill this desire - to add this message to other Russian articles in Kormchay 28. Here this teaching is presented according to the list found in the Golden Chain, collated with others 29. Relations with Daniel began in 1245, through Planocarpini, sent by the Pope to the Khan of Mongol; Encouraged by some initial success, Innocent IV appointed the Prussian Archbishop Albert as legate to Russia. Raynald. annal Ecclesiastic. 1246 n. 28 – 30. 1247. n. 28. 29. 1249. n. 15. Historica Rossiae monimenta, depromta a Tuigenevio. T. I, No. LXII – LXXVII. Letter to St. Sent to Alexander early 1248. Ibid. No. LXXVIII. Those sent with the letter were to return without any success. Histor. State Ross. ed. Einerling books. 1. Volume IV. page 43. Probably, before his appointment as Metropolitan, Cyril was the Bishop of Chelm, for even during the Mongol invasion of the Galich reign (about 1243), it was noted in the Volyn Chronicle that Daniel, fleeing from the enemy, “drove to his brother and took Cyril the Metropolitan with him.” But the same chronicle speaks of Cyril’s elevation to the rank of Metropolitan later (around 1250). Complete collection of Russian Chronicles. 1843. Volume. II. p. 181. This is confirmed by consideration of subsequent events. The Hungarian King Bela began to seek an alliance with Daniel, upon his return with the mercy of the Khan from the Horde. And Daniel was in the Horde in 1245. Consequently, after 1245 Bela could ask Cyril, who was going to Greece to be appointed Metropolitan, that Daniel would create peace with Hungary. Histor. State Ross. Volume. IV. pr. 86. Bishop Alexy of Polotsk in 1231 is called together Belogorodsky and Yuryevsky. East. G.R. Vol. III. pr 369. And the Pereyaslavl department is connected to the newly opened Saransk. Volume. IV. pr 108 and 147. However, Cyril did not move his see from the south, for from the chronicles it is clear that Vladimir had its own Bishops until the end of the 13th century. Cyril’s stay in Vladimir is mentioned in 1255, 1263, 1274. Letop. Ipatievsk. in full Collection Russian letop. Volume. II. page 191. Dlugossi. Histor. Polonic. L. 7. p. 705. 706. Lips: 1711. Historica Ross. monimenta. Volume I. No. XCV. Detop. Novgorod. 1. under 1256 in the Complete Collection. Years. T. III. page 56. It was printed in perfect condition during G. Grigoriev’s research on the authenticity of the labels given by the Khans of the Golden Horde to the Russian clergy. Moscow. 1812, p. 124. However, on the copy of this label, the meaning is not clear due to omissions and rearrangements of words. It could be restored from the list from this label, located in the library of the M.D. Academy. From this list it is clear that all the Khan's labels were collected and presented to the Emperor on the occasion of the Council on Church Estates in 1500. Russian Landmarks Part I p. 107. This can be seen from a letter to Metropolitan Kirill from Jacob Svyatislav himself, which was preserved in some lists of the Slavic Helmsman. The letter was written between 1262 and 1270. The list of rules is called Zonaro by Svyatoslav. Description manuscripts of Rumyants. Museum pp. 200 – 202. Review of the Helmsman. books. Rosenknpf. 1829 pp. 56 – 60. Russian Monuments page 107. The acts of this Council are published in Russian Monuments, published. Society of Russian History and Antiquities 1815. Part I. pp. 106 – 118. Addition to these acts from the list of Helmsmen of the Rumyantsev Museum - in the Description of manuscripts of this museum p. 321. Letop. Novgorod. 1st Pod 1274 East. State Ross. T. IV. p. 95. pr. 181. Pachymer Histor. Michael. Paleologi. lib. V. Raynaldi, annal. Tom. III. 1279 n. 23. East. State Ross. T. IV. p. 94. pr. 179. The monastery where Gleb’s body was transferred - Spassky, his matter was arranged. There, pr. 147. St. Ignatius died in 1288, pr. 182. Review of the Helmsman's Book, Rosenkampf pp. 191. 192–215. and Description of hands. Rumyantsevsk. Museum page 280. (second account). In addition, a message to the Grand Duke, the son of St., is attributed to Metropolitan Cyril. Alexander Nevsky, (1st year to Dimitri Alexandrovich (for Andrei Alexandrovich became the Grand Duke after the death of Metropolitan Kirill). This message offers a request for the decoration of the cathedral Vladimir Church, which was in disrepair Review. Kormch p. 216. Description. Director. Rumyants. Music. p. 28 I. 282). But since the writer of this message calls himself the Bishop of Vladimir, and Kirill Metropolitan does not occupy the see of Vladimir, then this message cannot belong to him. Above pp. 97–111. 193 –205. The Governors are also mentioned in the rules of the Vladimir Cathedral. page 112 Hand. M D Acad. At the see of the Bishops of Rostov, and after the devastation of the Mongol, there were many Greek books. Epiphanius, a student and collaborator of St. Stephen, Bishop of Perm (in the 14th century), testifies about him that he “while still young, was tonsured as a monk in the city of Rostov by St. Gregory the Theologian in the Monastery, called the Shutter near Episkopie, as many books were written.” Here St. Stephen “learned Greek literacy.” Rk. The Chet-Minea in the library of M.D.A. - The word Shutter explains the words of the chronicler in the j sz1b place. Be that as it may, only this message was actually subsequently included in the instructions to newly ordained priests, which was usually handed to them by the Bishop upon release to the Church entrusted to them. Acts of History. T. I. p. 160. It is with two lists of Helmsmen from the library of Tr. Serg. Laurels and with a list of Helmsmen of the Rumyantsev Museum. You might be interested in: