Rus' Orthodox Church
Encyclopedia
Rus' Orthodox Church or Ruthenian Orthodox Church - the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
during the existence of states: Kievan Rus'
, Kingdom of Rus' (Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia), Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Rus' and Samogitia. From name of Rus' or Ruthenia
. Gradually the name of Rus' is replaced by the name of Ukraine
.
In 988 Volodymyr the Great established Christianity in its Byzantine-Slavic rite as the national religion of his country, Kievan Rus'. The Kievan Church inherited the traditions of the Byzantine East and was part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Though Constantinople and Rome had their disputes, the Kievan hierarchy tried to work for Christian unity. Representatives from Rus participated in the Western Councils of Lyon (1245) and Constance (1418). Isidore
, the Metropolitan of Kiev, was himself one of the creators of the Union of Florence (1439).
While the Kievan Metropolitanate was working towards reunion, a new metropolitanate arose north of Kiev, in Moscow. The Church of Moscow refused to accept the Union of Florence and separated from the ancient metropolitanate in Kiev, announcing its autocephaly (self-governing status) in 1448.
In the 1458, the primacy over the Ukrainian church was restored to Kiev, under the title "Metropolitan of Kiev, Halych and all Rus'".
In 1589, with Greek Orthodoxy and Constantinople subject to Turkish domination, the Church of Moscow became a patriarchate.
The Kiev Metropolitanate was a component part of the Constantinople Patriarchy from 988 to 1686 when it was illegally, not according to the terms of church canons withdrawn from Constantinople and became part of the Moscow patriarchy. The Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarch does not recognize this joining till nowadays.
In 1686, the Ottomans, acting on the behalf of the regent
of Russia Sophia Alekseyevna
, pressured the Patriarch of Constantinople
into transferring the Orthodox Church of Kiev and all Rus' from the jurisdiction of Constantinople to the Patriarch of Moscow, established a century prior to that. The legality of this step is occasionally questioned to this day along with the fact that the transfer was accompanied by graft and bribery, which in church affairs amounts to an ecclesiastical crime.
The Patriarchate was abolished by Peter the Great in 1721 and replaced by the Holy Governing Synod, and the Bishop of Moscow came to be called a Metropolitan again. The Patriarchate was restored in 1917 and suspended by the Soviet authorities in 1925. It was reinstituted for the last time in 1943 during WWII by the initiative of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin
.
Now Russian Orthodox Church
officials insist that the term of Rus' Orthodox Church belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate.
Ukrainian historians, representatives of clergy and scholars argue that the Rus' Orthodox Church it is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the beginning of his historical existence.
Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Ukrainian Orthodox Church may refer to:*Ukrainian Orthodox Church , established in 1990*Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, established in 1992*Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, established in 1921...
during the existence of states: Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
, Kingdom of Rus' (Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia), Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Rus' and Samogitia. From name of Rus' or Ruthenia
Ruthenia
Ruthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
. Gradually the name of Rus' is replaced by the name of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
In 988 Volodymyr the Great established Christianity in its Byzantine-Slavic rite as the national religion of his country, Kievan Rus'. The Kievan Church inherited the traditions of the Byzantine East and was part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Though Constantinople and Rome had their disputes, the Kievan hierarchy tried to work for Christian unity. Representatives from Rus participated in the Western Councils of Lyon (1245) and Constance (1418). Isidore
Isidore of Kiev
Isidore of Kiev, also known as Isidore of Thessalonica was a Greek Metropolitan of Kiev, cardinal, humanist, and theologian. He was one of the chief Eastern defenders of reunion at the time of the Council of Florence.-Early life:...
, the Metropolitan of Kiev, was himself one of the creators of the Union of Florence (1439).
While the Kievan Metropolitanate was working towards reunion, a new metropolitanate arose north of Kiev, in Moscow. The Church of Moscow refused to accept the Union of Florence and separated from the ancient metropolitanate in Kiev, announcing its autocephaly (self-governing status) in 1448.
In the 1458, the primacy over the Ukrainian church was restored to Kiev, under the title "Metropolitan of Kiev, Halych and all Rus'".
In 1589, with Greek Orthodoxy and Constantinople subject to Turkish domination, the Church of Moscow became a patriarchate.
The Kiev Metropolitanate was a component part of the Constantinople Patriarchy from 988 to 1686 when it was illegally, not according to the terms of church canons withdrawn from Constantinople and became part of the Moscow patriarchy. The Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarch does not recognize this joining till nowadays.
In 1686, the Ottomans, acting on the behalf of the regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Russia Sophia Alekseyevna
Sophia Alekseyevna
Sophia Alekseyevna was a regent of Russian Tsardom who allied herself with a singularly capable courtier and politician, Prince Vasily Galitzine, to install herself as a regent during the minority of her brothers, Peter the Great and Ivan V...
, pressured the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
into transferring the Orthodox Church of Kiev and all Rus' from the jurisdiction of Constantinople to the Patriarch of Moscow, established a century prior to that. The legality of this step is occasionally questioned to this day along with the fact that the transfer was accompanied by graft and bribery, which in church affairs amounts to an ecclesiastical crime.
The Patriarchate was abolished by Peter the Great in 1721 and replaced by the Holy Governing Synod, and the Bishop of Moscow came to be called a Metropolitan again. The Patriarchate was restored in 1917 and suspended by the Soviet authorities in 1925. It was reinstituted for the last time in 1943 during WWII by the initiative of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
.
Now 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...
officials insist that the term of Rus' Orthodox Church belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate.
Ukrainian historians, representatives of clergy and scholars argue that the Rus' Orthodox Church it is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the beginning of his historical existence.
See also
- History of Christianity in UkraineHistory of Christianity in UkraineThe History of Christianity in Ukraine dates back to the earliest centuries of the apostolic church. It has remained the dominant religion in the country since its acceptance in 988 by Vladimir the Great , who instated it as the state religion of Kievan Rus', a medieval East Slavic state.Although...
- List of Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Ukraine