?
Правовые акты Русской митрополии при Константине I (1156—1159 гг.)
This article discusses the legal acts that were implemented in the Russian
Church under Metropolitan Constantine I (1156—1159). A thorough analysis of the
evidence found in the chronicles leads us to conclude that immediately upon his arrival
in Kiev, Constantine held a council that took a very strict position with respect
to the person and legacy of Klim Smolyatich, Constantine’s predecessor (who was
uncanonical, according to the view of Constantinople). At this council, all of Klim’s
appointees were deposed, his patron, Great Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich, and possibly
also Klim himself, were anathematized, and the cathedral church of Kiev was most
likely rededicated. Constantine’s harshness also manifested itself in the affair concerning
the dismissal of Nestor, bishop of Rostov, and the appointment of Leon, a Greek,
as his replacement; the article shows that one possible cause for this step was Nestor’s
failure to pay his dues for the period when Klim held the metropolitan see. The strictness
of Constantine’s canonical actions was meant to compensate for the ten-yearlong
canonical gap that resulted from the departure of Metropolitan Michael and
the election of Klim Smolyatich. At the same time, Constantine also showed ability
to adjust his policy depending on the circumstances: thus, the clergy of Kiev and its
environs who were ordained by Klim and then deposed by Constantine, were eventually
reinstated to their positions. The metropolitan also played a role in the Russian
princely politics: he bestowed a solemn blessing to govern upon Great Prince Yuri
Dolgoruky, thus standing at the roots of this tradition in Rus; likewise he intervened
in the affairs concerning prince Ivan Berladnik. Nevertheless, the actions of Constantine
I resulted in a massive ecclesiastical crisis in the diocese of Rostov and Suzdal that
lasted until 1169, and was compounded by the pretensions of the local prince, Andrey
Bogolyubsky, to create his own metropolitan see. Moreover, Constantine himself
eventually had to abandon Kiev. Finally, all of the Russian Church experienced mass
unrest in the course of the disputes on fasting in 1160s, which also should be considered
as an aftermath of Constantine’s policy. Therefore, the unbending strictness of
Constantine’s position prevailed over his ability to compromise, which could be explained
by Constantine’s own personality, as a remarkable representative of the Constantinopolitan
intellectual elite and a strict ascetic at the same time. One must also
take into consideration a special character of his mission that sought to reestablish the
control of the Patriarchate of Constantinople over the Russian Church.