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Commemorated on May 27
The Uncovering and
Transfer of Relics of Sainted-Hierarchs Kiprian, Photii and Jona occurred
on 27 May 1472 during the time of construction of the new stone
Uspensky-Dormition cathedral in the Kremlin, under Metropolitan Philip (+ 1473,
Comm. 9 January) and GreatPrince Ivan III (1462-1505). Separate days of memory
of the saints are also made: Metropolitan Kiprian (+ 1406, Comm. 16 September),
Metropolitan Photii (+ 1431, Comm. 2 July), Metropolitan Jona (+ 1461, Comm. 31
March).
Sainted Kiprian, Metropolitan of
Kiev and All Russia, was by origin a Serb, and asceticised at Athos. By his
pious life and education he came to the attention of the Constantinople
Patriarch Philotheos (1354-1355, 1362-1376), who in 1375 ordained Kiprian as
Metropolitan of Kiev and Lithuania. At the Constantinople Council it was
decided, to avoid a fragmentation of the Russian metropolia, that "upon
the death of Sainted Alexei, he should become the Metropolitan of All Rus'".
At Moscow Saint Kiprian endured many a sorrow from the great-prince, and
therefore initially he lived either in Lithuania or at Constantinople. Only in
the year 1390, during the time of Great-prince Vasilii Dimitrievich, was he
accepted as primate at Moscow. Saint Kiprian concerned himself over the
correction of the Divine-service books. There are preserved autographic
manuscripts of certain Slavonic translations by the saint, witnessing to his
great scientific work. And by his pastoral epistles he encouraged the faith of
the Church. His activity in the translation of liturgical literature is widely
known.
Sainted Photii,
Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia, was by birth a Greek from the
Peloponnesian city of Monembaseia (Malbasia). While still in his adolescent
years he entered a monastery and took tonsure under the monastic-elder Akakios,
a great ascetic (afterwards becoming the metropolitan of Monembaseia). In 1408,
when Photii was in Constantinople with the Patriarch on matters entrusted by
the metropolitan, the question arose about a replacement for the Russian
cathedra-chair after the death of Saint Kiprian (+ 1406, Comm. 16 September).
The choice of Patriarch Matthew (1397-1410) fell upon Photii, known for his
learning and holiness of life. On 1 September 1408 Saint Photii was made
metropolitan and in the next year arrived in Rus'.
He spent half an year
at Kiev (September 1409-February 1410), concerning himself over the settling of
affairs in the southern dioceses of the Russian Church, included then within
the principality of Lithuania, or more precisely as they then called it, of
Lithuania and Russia. The saint perceived that the throne of the metropolitan
– the spiritual centre of churchly life in Rus' – could not remain in the
Kiev lands, where everything increasingly fell under the dependence of Catholic
Poland. Following the example of former Russian metropolitans, who transferred
their place of dwelling first to Vladimir, then to Moscow, in 1410 on the day
of Holy Pascha, Metropolitan Photii arrived in Moscow.
For 22 years the
saint asceticised in the difficult service of arch-hierarch of the Russian
Church. In grievous conditions of war, fratricidal strife, and pillaging
incursions of Tatars he knew how to highly advance the spiritual significance,
the material prosperity and well-being of the churches under the Moscow
cathedra. Favourable conditions in the Church allowed for Saint Photii to
render great assistance to the increasingly impoverished Constantinople
Patriarch, and to strengthen the international position of the Russian Orthodox
Church and the Russian realm. The enemies of Orthodoxy more than once tried to
subvert the churchly-patriotic service of Saint Photii. In the Spring of 1410,
when Saint Photii arrived in Vladimir from Moscow, khan Edigei, having laid
waste this portion of the Russian Land for two years, undertook a new campaign
with the intent of taking captive the metropolitan himself. A Tatar detachment,
headed by the princeling Talychoi "the Exile", suddenly and quickly
took Vladimir. But God preserved His righteous saint: the evening before, not
suspecting danger, the saint had gone off to the Svyatoozersk monastery beyond
the city. When the Tatars attempted pursuit, he concealed himself in a small
settlement, surrounded by impassable swamps, at the River Sen'ga. Unable to
capture the metropolitan, the rapacious Tatars gave themselves over to a
plundering of Vladimir, and especially the Uspensk cathedral church. The
doorsman of the cathedral, Patrikei, endured terrible torments and accepted a
martyr's death from the plundering Tatars, but he did not reveal the place,
where the church sacred items and treasury were hidden.
Through the efforts
of holy Metropolitan Photii was restored the canonical unity of prayer of the
Russian Church: the separate Lithuanian metropolitanate, established on the
initiative of prince Vitovt for the southern and western eparchies (dioceses),
was abolished in the year 1420. The saint this same year visited the returned
eparchies and greeted the flock with a Circular Missive of teaching. The wise
and highly-erudite pastor left behind many an instruction and missive. Great
theological significance was had in his denunciation against the heresy of the
Strigol'niki, which had arisen at Pskov prior to his time. By his wise efforts
the heresy was put to an end (in 1427).
Important
Church-historical sources compiled by Saint Photii are his "Order of
Selection and Installation of Bishops" (1423), "Discourse on the
Seriousness of the Priestly Dignity and the Obligations of
Church-servers", and also the "Spiritual Testament", in which he
relates about his life. A great work of the saint was likewise the compiling
under his guidance of the Obscherussk (All-Russian) Chronicle collation (in
about the year 1423).
On 20 April 1430 the
holy arch-pastor was informed by an Angel about his impending end and he
reposed peacefully in the time allotted him by the Lord, on the feastday of the
Placing of the Robe of the Mother of God, on 2 July 1431. His relics were
uncovered in the year 1471. In the Armoury Palace of the Moscow Kremlin are
preserved two dalmatic-robes ("sakkos") of holy Metropolitan Photii.
Sainted Jona,
Metropolitan of Moscow and WonderWorker of All Russia, was born in the city
of Galich into a pious Christian family. The father of the future saint was
named Feodor. At twelve years of age the youth took monastic vows in one of the
Galich monasteries, from which he transferred to the Moscow Simonov monastery,
where for many years he fulfilled various obediences. One time Sainted Photii,
Metropolitan of Moscow (Comm. 27 May and 2 July), visited at the Simonov
monastery and after the molieben, having blessed the archimandrite and
brethren, wanted also to bless the monks fulfilling obedience at the monastery
tasks. When he came to the bakery, he saw then the monk Jona asleep from much
work, and the right hand of the fatigued monk was bent in a gesture of
blessing. Sainted Photii asked not to wake him; he blessed the sleeping monk
and prophetically predicted to those present, that this monk would be a great
hierarch of the Russian Church and would guide many on the way to salvation.
The prediction of the
Saint was fulfilled. After several years Saint Jona was made bishop of Ryazan
and Murom.
In 1431 Saint Photii
died. Five years after his death, Saint Jona was chosen Metropolitan of All
Russia for his virtuous and holy life. When the newly chosen metropolitan
journeyed to Patriarch Joseph II (1416-1439) in Constantinople, in order to
accept confirmation as metropolitan, it turned out then, that shortly before
this the nefarious Isidor, a Bulgarian by descent, was already established as
Russian metropolitan. Spending a short while at Kiev and Moscow, Isidor
journeyed to the Council of Florence (1438), – where he accepted Uniatism. A
Sobor / Council of Russian hierarchs and clergy deposed metropolitan Isidor,
and he was compelled to flee secretly to Rome (where he died in 1462). Saint
Jona was unanimously chosen Metropolitan of All Russia. His consecration by the
blessing of the Constantinople Patriarch Gregory III (1445-1450) – was the
first time that it was done by Russian hierarchs in Moscow. On 15 December 1448
Saint Jona became Metropolitan and with arch-pastoral zeal he began to assert
piety among the flock, encouraging the Orthodox faith in the land by word and
by deed. And beneathe his exalted dignity he continued as before with his
personal monastic efforts.
In 1451 the Tatars
unexpectedly advanced on Moscow; they burned the surroundings and prepared for
an assault on the city. Metropolitan Jona with clergy made procession along the
walls of the city, with tears beseeching God for the salvation of city and
people. Beholding the dying monk Antonii of the Chudov monastery, – who was
noted for his virtuous life, Saint Jona said: "My son and brother Antonii!
Pray to the Merciful God and the All-Pure Mother of God for the deliverance of
the city and all Orthodox Christians". The humble Antonii replied:
"Great hierarch! We give thanks to God and His All-Pure Mother, – She
hath heard thy prayer and hath besought Her Son, – the city and all Orthodox
Christians wilt be saved through thine prayers. The enemy will soon take
flight. Only I alone am destined by the Lord to be killed by the enemies".
Just as the elder said this, an enemy arrow struck him.
The prediction of
Starets Antonii occurred: on 2 July, on the feast of the Placing of the Robe of
the Most Holy Mother of God, confusion broke out in the ranks of the Tatars, and
in unexplained fear and terror they turned to flight. Saint Jona built in his
courtyard a temple in honour of the Placing of the Robe of the Most Holy Mother
of God , – in memory of the deliverance of Moscow from the enemies.
The blessed end of
Saint Jona followed in the year 1461. By the grave of the Saint began to occur
numerous healings.
In 1472 the relics of
holy Metropolitan Jona were opened undecayed and placed in the Uspensky Sobor /
Cathedral of the Kremlin (the feast of Transfer of the holy Relics is
celebrated 27 May). A Sobor of the Russian Church in 1547 established the
individual day of memory to Sainted Jona, Metropolitan of Moscow. In 1596
Patriarch Job established the celebration to Sainted Jona in the Sobor /
Assemblage of other Moscow Hierarchs, on 5 October.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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