Andrey Sergeevich Usachev,
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Metropolitan Philip (Kolyschev) and Bishop of Kolomna Iosif
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2024-2-7
The article deals with the possible reasons of repressions against the cathedra of Kolomna in the period of oprichnina (probably, in 1568). The main attention is paid to the executions of the bishop’s lay servants. The peculiarities of the structure of the executed servants were established. Firstly, for not numerous bishop’s office there were many victims (4). Secondly, they belonged to the highest ranks of the bishop’s court: among victims there were konyushiy, boyarin, kravchij, d’yak. The court of the Kolomna bishop had suffered stronger than more numerous courts of the Novgorod archbishop and metropolitan, losing the comparable number of servants. Looking for the possible reasons of such “attention” of authorities to the Kolomna cathedra the author focuses on the interesting fact. On January, 12, 1567 metropolitan Philip (Kolychev) (1566–1568) charged the Kolomna bishop Iosif (1565–1569) with the consecration of priest on the territory of the Kostroma desyatina of the metropolitan’s area. It meant breaking of tradition: as a rule in the 16th century such charges of metropolitan were addressed to the nearest assistant, bishop of Krutitsy. In this period Galaktion (1565–1568) originated from the Volotsky Monastery of St. Josef was the Krutickiy bishop. The author supposes that Philip didn’t belong to the influential groups of the Volotsky Monastery of St. Josef, the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery and preferred to rely on the Kolomna bishop Iosif who also wasn’t connected with these groups. His spiritual origins were connected with the monasteries of Rostov and Yaroslavl. From author’s point of view the executions of Iosif’s servants, his resignation and residence in the Svensky monastery (till November, 22, 1569) were connected with his close relations with Philip who was forcedly removed as metropolitan in November of 1568. The article is based on the chronicles, acts, memorial lists of victims of the Oprichnina, feed books and the books of donations of the Russian monasteries, descriptions of possessions, documents on the appointment of priests.
Publishing: 28/04/2024
The article has been received by the editor on 20/01/2024
How to cite: Usachev A.S. Metropolitan Philip (Kolyschev) and Bishop of Kolomna Iosif // Historical Courier, 2024, No. 2 (34), pp. 99–113. [Available online: http://istkurier.ru/data/2024/ISTKURIER-2024-2-07.pdf]
The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant No. 20-18-00218, https://rscf.ru/project/20-18-00218/
Links: Issue 2 2024
Keywords: 16th century; Russian Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Philip (Kolychev) (1566–1568); Bishop Iosif of Kolomna (1565–1569); Kolomna diocese; Oprichnina; Ivan IV; bishop’s servants