Metropolitan Bishop Research Articles

No right of prescription. debt recovery for luxury goods in Moldova at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century

Political elites in Moldavia have always had a fondness for luxury items. Even from the beginning of Moldavia’s political existence the merchants who passed through these territories conducted extensive trade-work in this area and among those targeted in such activities were also Moldavian boyars. Having large dominion lands, Moldavian boyars managed to achieve significant profits by selling the goods they had obtained on their fields. Often, the commercial activities were performed on the basis of credit and the goods were purchased under further obligations. The study examines such a case during the reign of Iancu Sasul when Lupul Stroici bought several luxury items from some Greek merchants. The payment for them would be claimed in a few decades from his sons by Bernardo Borisi. In the process will also be involved Moldavia’s incumbent Metropolitan bishop Anastasie Crimca, who would redeem and pay down debt villages for the Moldavian boyar.

Послание папы Зосима епископам Галлий и Семи провинций

The paper includes a publication of a Latin translation of the Epistle Placuit apostolicae of Pope Zosimus to the bishops appointed in the dioceses of Galliae (Northern Gaul) and of Septem Provinciae (Southern Gaul), as well as a historical commentary and an introductory article. At the beginning of the paper, the historical context of the Epistle is described, then its content is considered. The Epistle sheds light on the relationship between the see of Rome and the sees of churches of Gaul (primarily, the Church of Arelate). Placuit apostolicae was written in the early days of the pontificate of Pope Zosimus (March 22, 417), probably as a reaction to the appeal of Patroclus of Arles who wanted to expand his influence and jurisdiction over the province of Viennensis and neighboring provinces of the South Gallic diocese, which contradicted the decisions of the synod of Turin in 398. In his letter to the Gallic bishops, Pope Zosimus expresses support for Patroclus and confirms special rights of the see of Arles: the right of the metropolitan bishop of Arles to ordinate bishops in the provinces of Viennensis, Narbonnensis I and Narbonnensis II; the privilege of issuing to Gallic bishops special cover letters (formatae) and recognition of primacy of the metropolitan bishop of Arles in Gaul (although the latter is not said expressiss verbis, but is implied); transfer of some controversial parishes in favor of Arles. With the help of these decisions, Zosimus was able to strengthen the influence of the Roman see in Gaul. Realizing that administrative decisions alone are not enough to fulfill these aspirations, Zosimus substantiates the rights of the see of Arles by appealing to the authority of Saint Trophimus, who, according to the legend first set forth in the letter, founded the first episcopal see in the Gallic lands and became the first bishop of Arles. It follows from this that the bishop of Arles enjoys the advantage of power in the region as Trophimus' heir. Through this narrative, Zosimus defended the interests of the see of Rome, which had sent Trophimus to christianize Gaul, and in the letter he actually constituted a hierarchical connection between the Churches of Gaul and Rome, asserting for Patroclus the right to issue formatae. Trying to change the ecclesiastical and administrative structure of Southern Gaul, Zosimus delegitimizes the decisions of the synod of Gallic Bishops in Turin.

Paolo Odorico, ed. Études byzantines et post-byzantines, Nouvelle série, Tome II (IX), La culture écrite des périphéries byzantines du Moyen-Âge à l’époque moderne

Paolo Odorico, ed. <i>Études byzantines et post-byzantines, Nouvelle série, Tome II (IX), La culture écrite des périphéries byzantines du Moyen-Âge à l’époque moderne</i>

Two Byzantine Seals from the Excavation of the Medieval Fortress “Malkoto kale” (Yambol Region, Bulgaria)

The present article aims to put into scholarly circulation two new unpublished Byzantine lead seals from the medieval fortress in the area of the village of Voden (municipality of Bolyarovo, Yambol region, Bulgaria). They were handed to the Regional Historical Museum in the town of Yambol as a result of the regular archaeological excavations of the site near the village of Voden, conducted in the period 2012–2019. The first seal dates from the last quarter of the 11th century and has a bust of the Holy Virgin with a halo and a round medallion with the image of the Infant Jesus Christ who blesses with both hands. From the legend on the reverse, it is clear that the bulla belonged to a Byzantine dignitary named Michael Tzitas, who advertises himself with the title of (proto)kouropalates and the position of doux. The second seal dates from the end of the 11th – the beginning of the 12th century and has an interesting and relatively rare iconographic plot depicting three military saints on the obverse, and an invocation to them on the reverse. The seal belongs to a clergyman – a metropolitan bishop of Athens, named Nicetas (Νικήτας).

THE CONTEXTS OF VASYL STEFANYK`S LETTER ABOUT THE STRUGGLE FOR THE UKRAINIAN UNIVERSITY

The aim. To do a research through Vasyl Stefanyk’s epistles into his views on important social-historical and national-political phenomena and processes developing in Halychyna, namely in Lviv, at the beginning of the XXth century. It deals, first and foremost, with the need of starting a Ukrainian university in Halychyna as well as the participation of the metropolitan bishop of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Andrii Sheptytskyi in this important campaign.&#x0D; The research methods. With the aim of elucidating the declared social-political problem the following methods are employed: cultural-historical and biographical. &#x0D; The results. The article analyses the contexts of Vasyl Stefanyk’s letter, written in December 1901, to Father Kyrylo Hamorak. It is underlined that it is this letter that is an extremely interesting testimony of that epoch, that demonstrates the interest of both Stefanyk and his future father-in-law in political events concerning the struggle of the intelligentsia from Halychyna in order to create a Ukrainian university in Halychyna. The letter persuasively demonstrates the Ukrainian community’s special attention to the figure of Andrii Sheptytskyi, the metropolitan bishop of Halychyna. It is revealedthat the fight to create a Ukrainian university lasted throughout several decades but was not settled neither in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy nor in the Second Partition of Rzeczpospolita. The matter of the Ukrainian university was that first political event, in which, as wrote Vasyl Stefanyk in his letter, Bishop Sheptytskyi demonstrated that he “adheres to Rusyny in a loyal way”. &#x0D; The scientific novelty: for the first time the attention is accentuated on Vasyl Stefanyk’s separate epistle, giving an insight into the multifaceted activities(foremost, social-political ones) of the writer and activist from Pokuttia, into his understanding of the need of establishing a Ukrainian university in Lviv and the participation of the metropolitan bishop Andrii Sheptytskyi in that.

Роль схимитрополита Ювеналия (Тарасова) в возрождении Курской православной духовной семинарии

The role of metropolitan bishop Juvenal (Tarasov) of Kursk and Rylsk in the revival of the Kursk orthodox theological seminary is examined. The stages of the revival of the Kursk Orthodox Theological Seminary are shown: the opening of the Kursk theological college, its transformation into the Kursk theological seminary. The activity of lord Juvenal in the organization of the educational process in the theological seminary is explored: the selection of the seminary teaching staff, interaction with the Kursk State Pedagogical University. The names of the first teachers of the theological seminary and a list of the disciplines they taught are given. The conditions in which the seminary existed in the first years after its opening are studied. The activities of lord Juvenal to improve the financial situation of the theological seminary and expand its territory are shown. The activities of the heads of the pastoral, icon painting, and regency departments for the development of the Kursk orthodox theological seminary are investigated. The work of Andrey M. Makhorenko, the first head of the regency department for its development is shown. The activities of archpriest Valentin Grebenkov and archpriest Alexander Filin on the development of the icon painting department of the theological seminary are studied.

John William Colenso’s Collection of Psalms and Hymns for St Peter’s Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg: Context, Analysis and Christological Implications

In 1866, Bishop John William Colenso published a collection of hymns which he compiled for use at St Peter’s Cathedral in Pietermaritzburg. He had recently returned to Natal from England after defending himself in the legal debates which surrounded his status as Bishop of Natal. His controversial commentaries on Romans and the Pentateuch had been the catalyst of his denouncement by his metropolitan bishop, Robert Gray. While Colenso had been in England, Gray had visited the Diocese of Natal. While there, he introduced the recently published Hymns Ancient and Modern to parish churches. Colenso was a strong critic of Hymns Ancient and Modern, mainly on account of its ritualist tendencies, and he was annoyed to find that Gray had introduced the book in his absence. In response, he created a collection of hymns, a number of which he edited in order to conform to his evolving Christology. The collection sparked something of a media frenzy both in Natal and Britain, so much so that it was still being discussed four years after Colenso’s death. This article provides the historical context of the collection and its subsequent revisions; an analysis of its contents, paying special attention to hymns that were modified in some way; and a critique of the letters and reviews the collection received in the press. The article suggests that Colenso’s notoriety ensured that the collection received far more attention than it warranted. In essence, it served as a proxy battle ground for deeper concerns about the impact of biblical criticism on Christology.

Socio-Cultural Impact of Church Building in Russia (the Case of the Cathedral of Saint Martyr Catherine in Ekaterinburg)

In recent years, Russia has been going through a boom of church building. In 2009, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) had 29,263 parishes and by 2019 this figure had risen to 38,649. In the last decade, the growth in the number of Orthodox religious organizations and places of worship has by far exceeded that of other assets of social infrastructure. While the number of churches is growing, however, the number of schools, kindergartens and hospitals is steadily falling. Unlike other elements of social infrastructure, church building is funded not from the state budget but is financed by donors, sponsors and by the ROC itself, with some of the funds coming from payments for religious rites (baptism, weddings etc).This article analyzes the historical significance and socio-economic impact of church building by focusing on the case of the Cathedral of Saint Martyr Catherine in Ekaterinburg. The right choice of the construction site for the cathedral - the choice that would be agreeable to the metropolitan bishop, municipal government, businesses and sponsors, local community and opinion leaders - will ensure not only that the project will be duly completed but also underline the fact that local communities are able to establish consensus and recognize each other’s interests in local decision-making. One of the possible locations considered for building St.Catherine’s Cathedral in Ekaterinburg was a former industrial site in the centre of the city. Eventually, it was chosen as the most suitable place for this large-scale project. Redevelopment of an underused or abandoned industrial site, resulting in the improvement in the quality of urban environment, can be seen as an effective instrument of project realization, contributing to the building’s social and economic significance.

The Emergence of the Russian state Controlled by the Church as a New Model of a Political Entity

The article unveils the political role of Alexander Nevsky in the formation of a new (at the time) state structure of a church-controlled Russian government, which was formed as a result of numerous victories of “defence-conciliatory” political forces over “defence-marshalling” camp. This circumstance has led to subsequent subdual of Ancient Rus’ to an Emperor of the Horde. It was effectively deciding the character of the following discrediting of Duchy-Nobilities system of feudal governing as well as the traditions of councils of “Veche” in favour of self-owning merger in which the key role belonged to one ruler. Its church-controlled nature of such institution dictated the leadership of ecclesiastic powers, led by a Metropolitan Bishop, as well as a strict orientation to Church Law and its values and objectives in the normative, cultural, and ideological subsystems of the state government.

The Testamentary and Philanthropic Value of the Settlement Bequeathed to All Saints’ Monastery by Its Founder, Saint Anthim the Iberian, Metropolitan Bishop of Wallachia

Anthim the Iberian (1650 -1716) was a Georgian theologian, scholar, calligrapher, philosopher and one of the greatest ecclesiastic figures of Wallachia, led the printing press of the prince of Wallachia, and was Metropolitan of Bucharest in 1708-1715. Alongside his literary output, the cleric was the builder of the All-Saints Monastery in Bucharest - nowadays known as the Anthim Monastery in his memory. Established between 1713-1715 years, the monastery was bestowed by the founder with properties, necessary for the maintenance of the monastic congregation and the assistance of those in need. The holy metropolitan endowed it with an extremely inspired and coherent organizational status. This Settlement with a Testamentary value contains a number of 32 chapters whose content represents a veritable spiritual monument in which cult and culture, liturgy and philanthropy , homily and school, serving God and people are admirably interwoven. By his will, the Metropolitan ordained a beautiful work of social assistance from the monastery’s income. This testament may be considered a rule to live by, a guideline to the organization and management of living together both for monks and for family men, which has not lost its present interest.

Relacja arcybiskupa Antoniego Baraniaka o sytuacji polskiego duszpasterstwa w Anglii z listopada 1972 r.

Archbishop Antoni Baraniak (1904–1977), metropolitan bishop of Poznań, was among the most important figures in Church hierarchy in Poland after World War II. He was outstanding in his work within the Episcopal Conference of Poland, a loyal and faithful associate of cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, courageous and uncompromising in relations with communist government. Recently many papers treating these threads of his biography were published. Still, there are fields of his pastoral activity that were not yet deeply analised, such as his relations with Polish emigrants in different parts of the world and the aid he was giving to his compatriots abroad. In years 1933–1948, when he was secretary and eventually chaplain of primate cardinal August Hlond, he kept vivid relationship with Polish emigrants in Great Britain, especially with priests. Only once he could visit a few places in British Islands in November 1972 coming for an invitation of Fr Władysław Staniszewski (1901–1989), the rector of Polish Catholic Mission in England and Wales. In source edition there are reflections of the archbishop, written after his coming back from this visit.

АРХІВНА СПАДЩИНА ШЕПТИЦЬКИХ У ФОНДАХ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОГО ДЕРЖАВНОГО ІСТОРИЧНОГО АРХІВУ УКРАЇНИ У ЛЬВОВІ: ДО ПИТАННЯ ФОРМУВАННЯ АРХІВНИХ ЗБІРОК

The article demonstrates, based on valid sources, that archives of Metropolitan Bishop Sheptytskyi and his closest associates, as well as collections of documents from church institutions, which existed on St. George Hill, were in 1946 divided into at least three parts. The biggest part (that had a potential investigative basis), was moved to the accounting and archival department of NKVD, and from there in 1954, 1972 and 1976 it was transferred to CSHAL. Route of the second part is closely related to archival institutions specifically. During the first post-WWII years documents of the abolished UGCC ended up in the State Archive of Lviv Oblast, as during that time it was a central archival foundation in Lviv. Further movement of these materials to archival institutions in Kyiv (namely, CSHAK, VNLU) during the second half of 1940s and their return to Lviv at the beginning of 1950s is well traced due to accompanying documentation present. Third part of documents essentially didn’t leave Lviv. It was kept in the Metropolitan Palace during 1946–1951, and was later moved to CSHAL for safekeeping. Some parts of it were and still are in various libraries and museums throughout the city. Constant migration of documents, related to the figure of Metropolitan Bishop Andrey Sheptytskyi and the history of UGCC, as well as barbaric treatment of this archival heritage from people not qualified to handle it during first post-war years led to quite negative consequences — internal structures of collections of documents were damaged, their integrity violated, and as a result — loses were imminent. Due to documents arriving at CSHAL haphazardly at different times, they were assembled into newly created fonds using an intricate thematic and chronological approach. Highlighting the problem of moved documents of the church allows not only for further search for scattered archival fonds and collections, but in a larger sense — for a new look at the history of scientific institutions that kept and are still keeping safe the handwritten heritage of the past. Keywords: Metropolitan Bishop A. Sheptytskyi, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, archive fonds, moved materials.

Relacje arcybiskupa gnieźnieńskiego Jarosława Bogorii ze Skotnik z zakonem krzyżackim w Prusach

The paper concerns the relations between the archbishop of Gniezno Jarosław Borogia of Skotniki with the Teutonic Order in Prussia in the years 1342–1374. The first challenge the new metropolitan bishop had to face was the conclusion of a peace treaty between king Casimir III the Great and the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order Ludwig König in Kalisz in 1343. His success allowed him to strengthen his position in the relationship with the Teutonic Order and, in consequence, led to the reorganisation of the “table estate” (bona mensae regiae) located on the territory of the Teutonic Order. In June 1349 Jarosław was, on the Polish side, one of the two negotiators of the delineation treaty concluded in Trzęsacz. He most likely went to Marienburg in the autumn of 1365 with the king. An interesting aspect, which should be viewed through the prism of the good relations with the Order, is that after Jarosław resigned from the position of archbishop, the property that was to be his sustenance remained in the territory of the State of the Teutonic Order.

Description of Νecropolis in “The Commoners’ Council”: Issue of Sources

Both in the magazine publication of 1846 (“Kyivan Pilgrims of the 17th Century”) and in the Russian 1857 version of “The Commoners’ Council” Panteleimon Kulish claimed that the epitaphs from the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra were taken from Afanasii Kalnofoyskyi’s “Teraturgema” (1638) and translated into Russian. However, the comparison of the texts shows that the translations were actually taken from Mykhailo Maksymovych’s paper “On Tombstones in Pechersk Monastery” (1840). Other quotations with references to the “Teraturgema” were borrowed from the work of metropolitan bishop Yevhenii (Bolkhovitinov) “Description of Kyiv Perchersk Lavra” (1826).&#x0D; The Kyivan episodes of “The Commoners’ Council” were mainly based on two Maksymovych’s papers from “Kiievlianin” (“The Kyivan”) almanac (1840), the aforementioned one and “Overview of Old Kyiv”. Kulish did not mention any of these sources in the novel’s footnotes. This fact should be considered in the context of the system of references that the writer built in “The Commoners’ Council”. Unlike many authors who worked in Walter Scott tradition, Kulish didn’t use footnotes in “The Commoners’ Council” in order to acknowledge and justify certain anachronisms and time distortions.&#x0D; The writer referred to the testimonies of the witnesses of historical events, even after he had received an information from the people of the 19th century (Shevchenko, for instance), to the folkloric texts, and his own observations. The works of historians were important for him as far as they offered published collections of the authentic documents, but not as the sources of concepts. No intermediaries could stand between the historian novelist and the depicted age.&#x0D;

There and back again: on the influence of Psellos on the career of Mauropous

Abstract Some aspects of the life of John Mauropous are still unclear. It is often assumed that his nomination as metropolitan bishop of Euchaita was a disguised exile from the imperial Court. However, it took him more than twenty years to come back to Constantinople after quitting his bishopric. The close analysis of the relationship between Mauropous and Psellos, another exile from Constantine Monomachos’ Court, will lead us to reconsider the conditions of the departure and the return of Mauropous. If his nomination was not the described exile, his resignation was conditioned with the willing of Psellos, who was his main support in the capital but was not as reliable friend as he seemed to.

Parenetic principles in the homiletic work of the Metropolitan Bishop Firmilian Marina

Parenetic principles in the homiletic work of the Metropolitan Bishop Firmilian Marina

«Русская идея» в болгарской общественно- политической жизни последней четверти XIX века (на примере взглядов и деятельности высших церковных иерархов)

The article is devoted to the main issues of expression of the “Russian idea” in the social and political life of Bulgarians in the last quarter of the 19 th century. The relevance of the study is determined by the increased interest in the spread of Russian influence in the modern world and, in particular, within the South-Eastern Europe, which in the 20 th century was the sphere of influence of the USSR. The author analyzes the historical significance, the scope and content of the “Russian idea” in the life of the Bulgarian society and state on the example of the attitudes and activities of the Supreme Church hierarchs (Exarch Joseph I and the Metropolitan Bishop Clement of Tarnovo). “Russian idea” is considered in the work not just as a structural element of a certain system of socio-political views, but also as a way of organizing the historical and political space of Bulgaria, as a special principle in the strategic modeling of the direction of its historical development with a certain geopolitical perspective on the basis of Slavs and Orthodoxy. It is concluded that the “Russian idea” in the last quarter of the 19 th - early 20 th centuries was a key element of the socio-political life of Bulgaria, the most important historical characteristic of its socio-cultural space and national consciousness. However, despite this, the “Russian idea” could not become a political choice of the Bulgarian state, as in the early 20 th century in the political space of Bulgaria prevailed anti-Russianism, supported by a narrow group of the ruling elite.

Ustanowienie stosunków dyplomatycznych między odrodzoną Rzeczpospolitą Polską a Stolicą Apostolską

The process of establishing diplomatic contacts between the Second Polish Republic and the See of Rome is a testimony to the efforts of the metropolitan bishop and the member of the Regency Council archbishop Aleksander Kakowski concerning the arrival of the See’s diplomatic representative to the Kingdom of Poland. The representative was hoped to help the Polish bishops in rebuilding shattered church organization and religious life of the congregation. In reply to the Polish bishops’ plea of 25 May 1918, Pope Benedict XV nominated the prefect of the Vatican Library prelate Achilles Ratti as an inspector in the Warsaw metropolis, whose jurisdiction was soon expanded to former Russian territories. Despite the fact that the inspector’s visit was of religious character, after Poland’s regaining of independence Ratti was in contact with Polish state authorities. He facilitated the See of Rome’s recognition of Poland and on 6 June 1919 Benedict XV nominated him a papal nuncio in Poland. Józef Piłsudski, the marshal of Poland, was handed the nomination letters on 19 July 1919.

The date of the Martyrdom of Simeon bar Sabba’e and the persecution of Christians in Persia under Shapur II

Abstract:The article is a contribution to the more than one-hundred-year-long discussion on the date of death of Simeon bar Sabba’e, metropolitan bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, and the beginning of the persecution of Christians in Persia during the reign of Shapur II. The author stresses the point that the main source on Simeon’s martyrdom is a hagiographical work and, as such, it should be interpreted strictly on the basis of the principles relevant to the genre. Taking some of the hypotheses formulated to date into consideration, the author holds the view that it is not possible to determine the precise date of Simeon’s death. It could only be assumed that it must have occurred somewhere between February 344 and July 345, most likely in late 344.

Prywatna korespondencja unickich hierarchów metropolii kijowskiej w XVIII wieku jako źródło badań dziejów Cerkwi unickiej w Rzeczypospolitej

Private correspondence of the hierarchs from the metropolis of Kiev in the 18th century as a source for study the history of the Unite Church in the Republic of Poland An important source for researching the history of the Uniate Church in the second half of the 18th century is correspondence exchanged among its hierarchs (Piotr Bielański, Stefan Lewiński, Jason Smogorzewski). Letters were both a form of distance communication and a means of dealing with particular matters. The subject matter most decidedly dealt with was appointment of bishopric hierarchs, both in terms of candidates as well as circumstances. The analysis of these letters shows that the selection of the staffing of bishoprics was perceived as a result of efforts within the circles of the royal court. A lack of qualifications was not an obstacle in assuming the position of a Uniate bishop in the Republic of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The correspondence shows that the party rigorously standing up for adhering to legal norms in filling the posts was the Holy See, decidedly rejecting solutions not justified by the law and having a temporary nature.The contents of the letters illustrates the Uniate Church hierarchs’ confusion, lost between tradition and modernity. An example being the Lewiński’s reference to a custom not used for a long time, practised in the Uniate Church, of summoning Uniate hierarchs to an election meeting in order to elect the Metropolitan Bishop. The contents of the correspondence between Uniate hierarchs expresses numerous doubts related to legal background of activities carried out by the Uniate Church and a lack of clear guidelines. These letters illustrate transformations of bishops’ attitudes in the face of a choice between their own tradition, whose knowledge was sometimes unsatisfactory, and adopting solutions related to changes caused by the spread of new ideas of the Renaissance and adapting to current changes in the social and political life, e.g. changes in the calendar leading to a decreased number of holidays and unification of the Liturgy calendar with the Gregorian calendar. The bishops’ correspondence reflects anxieties of a social nature in Wołyń and Podole during the Great Sejm, in the 19th-century historical writings as ‘the Wołyń fear’. The analysis of the correspondence carried out by the Episcopate of the Kiev Uniate Metropolis shows a huge interest in social and family life by selected representatives of social elites. The ideas which we learn from the correspondence are evidence of the feeling of separateness and own identity of faithful and clergy and hierarchs of the Uniate Church.