Vasily Kalika
Encyclopedia
Vasilii Kalika was Archbishop of
Novgorod the Great and Pskov
from 1330 to 1352. He is in large part responsible for reinvigorating the office after it had fallen into decline to some extent following the Mongol Invasion
.
on Slave Street north of the Detinets
in Novgorod before his archiepiscopate
. The name Kalika means "pilgrim" in Russian (there is another word, Palomnik) and indicates that he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land sometime prior to his archiepiscopate. He, in fact, mentions this in a famous letter he wrote to Bishop Fedor of Tver' in 1347 which has been inserted into two Russian chronicles, the Sofia First Chronicle
and the Novgorod Second Chronicle. In one redaction of the Novgorodian First Chronicle, he is referred to as Kaleka (rather than Kalika), a word meaning "lame" or "cripple." Thus, he is sometimes referred to as "Vasilii the Lame" in some hagiographic literature, although the vast majority of scholars consider his surname to be Kalika; if he was lame, there is no other indication of it in the sources.
after the retirement of Archbishop Moisei (1325–1330; 1352–1359). At the time of his election, he was a monk at the Holy Angels' Monastery in Novgorod. The following year, he was sent to Vladimir-in-Volynia
to be consecrated by Metropolitan Feognost
, who lived in Volynia for several years. According to a Greek-language register, Vasilii was then canonically-elected from among three candidates by a council of bishops there in Volynia.
Very soon after his consecration, Vasilii built a stone wall along the northeast side of the Detinets
(along the river) between 1331-1333. He also renovated the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom
redoing the roof and setting up an iron fence around the cathedral, as well as commissioning a number of icons inside the cathedral and hanging the Vasilii Gates in the cathedral in 1335.
Vasilii showed himself over the years to be both an astute political player and a fearless and tireless religious leader. In 1339, he sent his nephew as party to a Novgorodian embassy to sign a peace with Sweden
, in which he sought to protect the Orthodox
Karelia
ns from being killed if they crossed over to Novgorod. In 1342, when Ontsifor Lukinich
caused a riot in the city, Vasilii and his vicar, Boris, brought peace between the warring parties. In 1348, when King Magnus Eriksson of Sweden
demanded that the Novgorodians debate his theologians over the true faith, Vasilii, in consultation with the posadnik, told Magnus to send his theologians to Constantinople
, since that is where the Russians had acquired their understanding of Christianity.
That being said, several modern scholars have accused Vasilii of not having done enough to fight the Strigolniki
heresy that spread through Novgorod and Pskov in the fourteenth and into the fifteenth century. His letter to Bishop Feodor of Tver' has been interpreted as dualist (that is, similar to the Strigolniki) in nature. However, the building projects that he undertook and his vigorous political activity, fully utilizing the church's wealth and property as it were, would have violated the beliefs against clerical or ecclesiastical ownership of land that the Strigolniki held.
In 1352, he was sent by the Novgorodian government to rebuild the fortress of Orekhov
, which had recently been destroyed in fighting between Novgorod and Sweden
. The remnants of the stone wall he had built (it had been previously a wooden fortress) were excavated in 1969 and can be seen in the courtyard of the fortress today. Later in 1352, he was called to Pskov
, which was at that time ravaged by plague. He went to the city and held a number of processions and liturgies until the plague subsided. On his return trip to Novgorod down the Shelon River
he himself took ill with plague and died at the Monastery of St. Michael the Archangel on the Shelon' on July 3. His body was brought back to Novgorod and interred in the Martirievskaia Porch in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom where many of his predecessors and successors are buried. He is a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church
(and is commemorated in the Orthodox Church in America
and in some of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church as well). His feast day is July 3 (OS)/July 16 in the Gregorian Calendar.
Archbishop of Novgorod
The Archbishop of Novgorod is the head of the eparchy of Novgorod the Great and is one of the oldest offices in the Russian Orthodox Church. The archbishops have, in fact, been among the most important figures in medieval Russian history and culture and their successors continued to play...
Novgorod the Great and Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
from 1330 to 1352. He is in large part responsible for reinvigorating the office after it had fallen into decline to some extent following the Mongol Invasion
Mongol invasion of Rus
The Mongol invasion of Russia was resumed on 21 December 1237 marking the resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked the medieval powers of Poland, Kiev, Hungary, and miscellaneous tribes of less organized peoples...
.
Background
His baptismal name was originally Grigorii and he had been a priest of the Church of Cosmas and DamianChurch of Cosmas and Damian
The Church of St. Cosmas and Damian on Kholop Street , was a church in medieval Novgorod the Great located in the Nerev End, just north of the Detinets. It was a wooden church first built by Fedor Khotovich in 1271. It was rebuilt in 1303, probably after a fire in the Nerev End...
on Slave Street north of the Detinets
Novgorod Kremlin
Novgorod Kremlin stands on the left bank of the Volkhov River about two miles north of where it empties out of Lake Ilmen.-History:...
in Novgorod before his archiepiscopate
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
. The name Kalika means "pilgrim" in Russian (there is another word, Palomnik) and indicates that he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land sometime prior to his archiepiscopate. He, in fact, mentions this in a famous letter he wrote to Bishop Fedor of Tver' in 1347 which has been inserted into two Russian chronicles, the Sofia First Chronicle
Sofia First Chronicle
The Sofia First Chronicle is a Russian chronicle associated with the St. Sophia Cathedral, Novgorod, Russia. Its copies exist in two versions: Early Redaction , which ends by 1418 and Later Redaction , with sporadic additions up to 1471, and up to 1508 in one of the copies.Together with the...
and the Novgorod Second Chronicle. In one redaction of the Novgorodian First Chronicle, he is referred to as Kaleka (rather than Kalika), a word meaning "lame" or "cripple." Thus, he is sometimes referred to as "Vasilii the Lame" in some hagiographic literature, although the vast majority of scholars consider his surname to be Kalika; if he was lame, there is no other indication of it in the sources.
Archiepiscopate
Vasilii was elected by the Novgorodian vecheVeche
Veche was a popular assembly in medieval Slavic countries.In Novgorod, where the veche acquired the greatest prominence, the veche was broadly similar to the Norse thing or the Swiss Landsgemeinde.-Etymology:...
after the retirement of Archbishop Moisei (1325–1330; 1352–1359). At the time of his election, he was a monk at the Holy Angels' Monastery in Novgorod. The following year, he was sent to Vladimir-in-Volynia
Volodymyr-Volynskyi
Volodymyr-Volynsky is a city located in Volyn Oblast, in north-western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative centre of the Volodymyr-Volynsky District, the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
to be consecrated by Metropolitan Feognost
Theognostus
Theognostus was Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus'.Theognostus was born in Constantinople and later in his life became Peter's successor as Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus'...
, who lived in Volynia for several years. According to a Greek-language register, Vasilii was then canonically-elected from among three candidates by a council of bishops there in Volynia.
Very soon after his consecration, Vasilii built a stone wall along the northeast side of the Detinets
Novgorod Kremlin
Novgorod Kremlin stands on the left bank of the Volkhov River about two miles north of where it empties out of Lake Ilmen.-History:...
(along the river) between 1331-1333. He also renovated the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod
The Cathedral of St. Sophia in the Kremlin in Veliky Novgorod is the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Novgorod and the mother church of the Novgorodian Eparchy.-History:...
redoing the roof and setting up an iron fence around the cathedral, as well as commissioning a number of icons inside the cathedral and hanging the Vasilii Gates in the cathedral in 1335.
Vasilii showed himself over the years to be both an astute political player and a fearless and tireless religious leader. In 1339, he sent his nephew as party to a Novgorodian embassy to sign a peace with Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, in which he sought to protect the Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
ns from being killed if they crossed over to Novgorod. In 1342, when Ontsifor Lukinich
Ontsifor Lukinich
Ontsifor Lukinich was a posadnik of Novgorod the Great in 1350–1354. He came from a Novgorodian boyar family that gave a number of posadniks to the city. He is most famous for reforming the office in 1359, increasing the number of posadniks and creating a ruling collective in the city.- Life...
caused a riot in the city, Vasilii and his vicar, Boris, brought peace between the warring parties. In 1348, when King Magnus Eriksson of Sweden
Magnus IV of Sweden
Magnus Eriksson as Magnus IV was king of Sweden , including Finland, as Magnus VII King of Norway , including Iceland and Greenland, and also ruled Scania . He has also vindictively been called Magnus Smek...
demanded that the Novgorodians debate his theologians over the true faith, Vasilii, in consultation with the posadnik, told Magnus to send his theologians to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, since that is where the Russians had acquired their understanding of Christianity.
That being said, several modern scholars have accused Vasilii of not having done enough to fight the Strigolniki
Strigolniki
The Strigolniki were followers of the first Russian heretical sect of the middle of the 14th and first half of the 15th century, established in Pskov and later in Novgorod and Tver....
heresy that spread through Novgorod and Pskov in the fourteenth and into the fifteenth century. His letter to Bishop Feodor of Tver' has been interpreted as dualist (that is, similar to the Strigolniki) in nature. However, the building projects that he undertook and his vigorous political activity, fully utilizing the church's wealth and property as it were, would have violated the beliefs against clerical or ecclesiastical ownership of land that the Strigolniki held.
In 1352, he was sent by the Novgorodian government to rebuild the fortress of Orekhov
Shlisselburg
Shlisselburg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated at the head of the Neva River on Lake Ladoga, east of St. Petersburg. From 1944 to 1992, it was known as Petrokrepost...
, which had recently been destroyed in fighting between Novgorod and Sweden
Swedish-Novgorodian Wars
Swedish–Novgorodian Wars were a series of conflicts in the 12th and 13th centuries between the Republic of Novgorod and medieval Sweden over control of the Gulf of Finland, an area vital to the Hanseatic League and part of the Varangian-Byzantine trade route...
. The remnants of the stone wall he had built (it had been previously a wooden fortress) were excavated in 1969 and can be seen in the courtyard of the fortress today. Later in 1352, he was called to Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
, which was at that time ravaged by plague. He went to the city and held a number of processions and liturgies until the plague subsided. On his return trip to Novgorod down the Shelon River
Shelon River
Shelon River is a river in the northwest part of European Russia, one of the main tributaries of Lake Ilmen. It has a length of 248 km and drains a basin of 9710 km².The river flows through the Novgorod Oblast and the Pskov Oblast.- History :...
he himself took ill with plague and died at the Monastery of St. Michael the Archangel on the Shelon' on July 3. His body was brought back to Novgorod and interred in the Martirievskaia Porch in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom where many of his predecessors and successors are buried. He is a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
(and is commemorated in the Orthodox Church in America
Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. Its primate is Metropolitan Jonah , who was elected on November 12, 2008, and was formally installed on December 28, 2008...
and in some of the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church as well). His feast day is July 3 (OS)/July 16 in the Gregorian Calendar.