Vassian Patrikeyev
Encyclopedia
Vassian Patrikeyev, also known as Vassian Kosoy (Вассиан Патрикеев, Вассиан Косой in Russian
; real name - knyaz
Василий Иванович Патрикеев, or Vasili Ivanovich Patrikeyev) (c. 1470 - between 1531 and 1545) was a Russian ecclesiastic and political figure and writer
. Patrikeyev traced his male-line descent to Duke Patrikas
of Korela and to Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania.
(grandson of Ivan III
) in a struggle against Sophia Paleologue
's son Vasili
for succession to the throne.
In ecclesiastic matters, the boyar party was generally closer to heretical
and freedom-loving circles.
In 1499, Ivan III found out about the conspiracy
against Vasili and ordered arrests (interestingly enough, the tsar first favored Dmitry Ivanovich). Vassian Patrikeyev was forced to take monastic vows and sent to Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
.
, Patrikeyev became a student of Nil Sorsky
and absorbed his philosophy. It appears that in 1503 Patrikeyev and Sorsky came to Moscow
to attend a church council (sobor). During this ecclesiastic meeting, the two demanded leniency for the heretics and opposed Joseph Volotsky
's views on this issue, subsequently inflaming a dispute between the two parties in the form of personal letters.
During the reign of Vasili III, Patrikeyev reached an important status. Due to his rising influence, many heretics escaped severe punishment. At some point, the tsar even forbade Volotsky to defame Patrikeyev. It appears that Varlaam
, who had been close to Nil Sorsky and his followers, was elected Metropolitan bishop
with some assistance from Vassian Patrikeyev.
In about 1517, Patrikeyev began his work on revision of the so-called Кормчая книга (Kormchaya kniga, or Book of guidelines; see Canon law
), a code of ecclesiastic decree
s and laws by the Byzantine emperors. In 1518, Maximus the Greek
came from Mount Athos
to take part in his work, gathering opposition
ary people around him, including Vassian Patrikeyev.
In 1523, a Josephinian hegumen
from Volokolamsk
named Daniel
was elected metropolitan. Soon after this, the church commenced prosecution of the opposition.
A few years later, Patrikeyev's influence began to weaken due to, among other things, his open disapproval of Vasili's divorce. In 1531, Vassian was summoned to appear before the church council as a defendant
. Metropolitan Daniel accused Patrikeyev of unauthorized revision of the Kormchaya kniga; insertion of Hellenistic ideas; arbitrary removal of passages which had asserted the right of the monasteries to own patrimonies
; revilement of miracle workers, e.g. Saint Makarius Kalyazinsky and Metropolitan Jonas
; "heretic lines" in his translation of Simeon Metaphrastes' Life of St. Mary. The church council found Patrikeyev guilty and sent him to a hostile Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery
, where he would die a decade later.
Patrikeyev’s date of death is uncertain. He died no later than 1545 and a violent death, if one is to believe Ivan the Terrible's closest associate Andrei Kurbsky.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
; real name - knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
Василий Иванович Патрикеев, or Vasili Ivanovich Patrikeyev) (c. 1470 - between 1531 and 1545) was a Russian ecclesiastic and political figure and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. Patrikeyev traced his male-line descent to Duke Patrikas
Patrikas
Patrikas Narimantaitis was a grandson of Gediminas who exchanged his lands in and near Starodub in Siveria for the Korela and Oreshek fortresses in the Novgorod Republic. He also founded the town of Yamburg in Ingria...
of Korela and to Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Political action
He was known to have been one of the leaders of the boyar party, which supported tsarevich Dmitry IvanovichDmitry Ivanovich (grandson of Ivan III)
Dmitry Ivanovich was Grand Prince of Moscow between 1498 and 1502.Dmitry's parents were Ivan the Young, crown heir of Moscow, and Elena, daughter of Stephen III of Moldavia. After his father's death in 1490 he became heir presumptive of Moscowy...
(grandson of Ivan III
Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III Vasilyevich , also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and "Grand Prince of all Rus"...
) in a struggle against Sophia Paleologue
Sophia Paleologue
Zoe Palaiologina , later changed her name to Sophia Palaiologina , Grand Duchess of Moscow, was a niece of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI and second wife of Ivan III of Russia. She was also the grandmother of Ivan the Terrible.- Biography :...
's son Vasili
Vasili III of Russia
Vasili III Ivanovich was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1505 to 1533. He was the son of Ivan III Vasiliyevich and Sophia Paleologue and was christened with the name Gavriil...
for succession to the throne.
In ecclesiastic matters, the boyar party was generally closer to heretical
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
and freedom-loving circles.
In 1499, Ivan III found out about the conspiracy
Conspiracy (political)
In a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
against Vasili and ordered arrests (interestingly enough, the tsar first favored Dmitry Ivanovich). Vassian Patrikeyev was forced to take monastic vows and sent to Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery , loosely translated in English as the St. Cyril-Belozersk Monastery, used to be the largest monastery of Northern Russia. The monastery was dedicated to the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, for which cause it was sometimes referred to as the Dormition Monastery...
.
Ecclesiastic career
At the monasteryMonastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
, Patrikeyev became a student of Nil Sorsky
Nil Sorsky
Nil Sorsky was a leader of the Russian medieval movement opposing ecclesiastic landownership . Nil Sorsky is venerated as a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church. His feast day is on the anniversary of his repose on May 7.-Early life:Before becoming a monk, Nil Sorsky worked as a scribe and was...
and absorbed his philosophy. It appears that in 1503 Patrikeyev and Sorsky came to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to attend a church council (sobor). During this ecclesiastic meeting, the two demanded leniency for the heretics and opposed Joseph Volotsky
Joseph Volotsky
Joseph Volotsky — also known as Joseph of Volotsk or Joseph of Volokolamsk ; secular name Ivan Sanin — was a prominent caesaropapist ideologist of the Russian Orthodox Church who led the party defending monastic landownership.He is a saint ; his memory is celebrated on 9 September and 18...
's views on this issue, subsequently inflaming a dispute between the two parties in the form of personal letters.
During the reign of Vasili III, Patrikeyev reached an important status. Due to his rising influence, many heretics escaped severe punishment. At some point, the tsar even forbade Volotsky to defame Patrikeyev. It appears that Varlaam
Varlaam, Metropolitan of Moscow
Varlaam was Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus' from 1511 to 1521. From 1506 he was archimandrite of the Simonov Monastery in Moscow.He was selected by Grand Prince Vasily III on July 27, 1511 and consecrated Metropolitan on August 3, 1511. He was said to be austere, never sycophantic to the...
, who had been close to Nil Sorsky and his followers, was elected Metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
with some assistance from Vassian Patrikeyev.
In about 1517, Patrikeyev began his work on revision of the so-called Кормчая книга (Kormchaya kniga, or Book of guidelines; see Canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
), a code of ecclesiastic decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
s and laws by the Byzantine emperors. In 1518, Maximus the Greek
Maximus the Greek
Maximus the Greek, also known as Maximos the Greek or Maksim Grek , was a Greek monk, publicist, writer, scholar, humanist, and translator active in Russia...
came from Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
to take part in his work, gathering opposition
Opposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
ary people around him, including Vassian Patrikeyev.
In 1523, a Josephinian hegumen
Hegumen
Hegumen, hegumenos, igumen, or ihumen is the title for the head of a monastery of the Eastern Orthodox Church or Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the one of abbot. The head of a convent of nuns is called hegumenia or ihumenia . The term means "the one who is in charge", "the leader" in...
from Volokolamsk
Volokolamsk
Volokolamsk is a town and the administrative center of Volokolamsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Gorodenka River, not far from its confluence with the Lama River, northwest of Moscow. Population: -History:...
named Daniel
Daniel, Metropolitan of Moscow
Daniel was Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia in 1522–1539 and representative of the belligerent ecclesiastic circles interested in alliance with the princely authority....
was elected metropolitan. Soon after this, the church commenced prosecution of the opposition.
A few years later, Patrikeyev's influence began to weaken due to, among other things, his open disapproval of Vasili's divorce. In 1531, Vassian was summoned to appear before the church council as a defendant
Defendant
A defendant or defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute...
. Metropolitan Daniel accused Patrikeyev of unauthorized revision of the Kormchaya kniga; insertion of Hellenistic ideas; arbitrary removal of passages which had asserted the right of the monasteries to own patrimonies
Property
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
; revilement of miracle workers, e.g. Saint Makarius Kalyazinsky and Metropolitan Jonas
Jonas
- Jonah name :* Jonah Metropolitan of Moscow , also known as Saint Jonas* Jonah, Old Testament prophet-Places:* Jonas , a hamlet in the municipalities Epe and Apeldoorn in the Netherlands* Jonas, Pennsylvania- Other :...
; "heretic lines" in his translation of Simeon Metaphrastes' Life of St. Mary. The church council found Patrikeyev guilty and sent him to a hostile Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery
Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery
Joseph Volokolamsk Monastery is a monastery for men, located 17 km northeast of Volokolamsk, Moscow Oblast. In the 15th and 16th century, it rivaled the Trinity as the most authoritative and wealthy monastery in Russia...
, where he would die a decade later.
Patrikeyev’s date of death is uncertain. He died no later than 1545 and a violent death, if one is to believe Ivan the Terrible's closest associate Andrei Kurbsky.