Filaret Romanov is an outstanding personality. This man had the opportunity to play several roles at once and go from a courtier, a purely secular figure, to a patriarch - a representative of the highest spiritual authority. Patriarch Filaret has experienced both dizzying ups and terrible downs in his lifetime - what has never happened to him over the years of his life! Ultimately, his activities as the highest clergyman in Rus' brought considerable benefit to the state, which was just beginning to recover after the terrible years of the Time of Troubles.
Filaret in the world
The future Patriarch of Moscow Fyodor Nikitich Romanov was born in 1553. From his biography we learn: this man was of a noble family, not from an ordinary family, and from an early age he worked at court, therefore, he was well versed in all the intricacies of behind-the-scenes games and court intrigues. The young man’s name at that time was Fyodor, he was the nephew of Ivan the Terrible’s wife Anastasia and the cousin of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich.
Fedor, being a boyar, held important positions and actively participated in government activities. He was the governor of Nizhny Novgorod. As the Pskov governor, he was often sent by the tsar to carry out extremely important assignments - for example, he negotiated with the ambassador of the Austrian emperor. The government trusted Fedor!
When the struggle for the throne began, Fyodor Romanov was one of the very real contenders for the royal throne. He was suitable both in terms of knowledge (in childhood and adolescence, his parents paid a lot of attention to his education, even taught him Latin), and in terms of experience in conducting government affairs, and in terms of family ties. However, Boris Godunov won the battle for the throne.
Godunov, apparently fearing Fyodor as a possible rival, exiled him and his family to the Anthony-Siysky Monastery, where he was forcibly tonsured a monk under the name of Philaret. His wife, whose name in the world was Ksenia, also became a nun. She received a new name Martha. Martha was a match for her husband - according to surviving information, she had amazing strength and fortitude. Looking ahead a little, we note that when the boyars came to invite the Romanov’s son Mikhail to the throne at the Ipatiev Monastery, they asked permission from Martha. And she did not immediately give her consent.
From the moment he was tonsured, a new round began in the fate of Fyodor-Filaret.
Russian Orthodox Church
Feodor Nikitich Romanov-Yuryev was born around 1553-1554, belonged to one of the prominent boyar families, and was the nephew of the first wife of Ivan the Terrible (his father Nikita Zakharyin-Yuryev is the brother of the Tsar’s wife Anastasia Romanovna). Brought up in a court environment, he was widely educated, loved by the people, and took part in state affairs.
The rank books indicate that in February 1586 the future Patriarch had the rank of boyar and served as the Nizhny Novgorod governor. In 1593-1594. mentioned as the Pskov governor. By the end of the reign of Theodore Ioannovich, he had the rank of chief court governor and was considered one of the three leaders of the nearby royal duma.
After the death of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, as his closest relative, he became one of the legitimate contenders for the Russian throne. Subjected to disgrace under Boris Godunov in 1600, he was tonsured a monk with the name Filaret and sent to the monastery of St. Anthony of Siy in the Arkhangelsk province. His wife Ksenia Shestova was also forcibly tonsured into monasticism with the name Martha.
After the death of Boris Godunov in 1606, he was appointed Metropolitan of Rostov, and in the same year he participated in the glorification of the holy Tsarevich Demetrius and the transfer of his relics to the capital.
During the Time of Troubles, the impostor False Dmitry II, having captured Metropolitan Philaret, named him Patriarch of Moscow. In 1610 he was released from Tushino captivity and subsequently appointed to the post of spiritual head of the Russian embassy under Sigismund III. For refusing to write to Smolensk about the surrender of the city to the Poles, Metropolitan Filaret was taken into custody and remained in captivity for almost nine years.
In 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected Mikhail Romanov to the Russian kingdom, and the title of “nominated Patriarch” was approved for his father. On June 1, 1619, he was released as a prisoner exchange in accordance with the terms of the Deulin Truce of 1618 and was solemnly greeted by his son. Arrived in Moscow on June 14, 1619.
On June 24, 1619, the enthronement of the first Patriarch of Moscow was performed by Patriarch Theophan III of Jerusalem, who was in Moscow at that time.
Patriarch Filaret became the closest adviser and de facto co-ruler of Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov. In government decrees, the name of the Patriarch stood next to the name of the Tsar; he bore the title “Great Sovereign, His Holiness Patriarch Filaret Nikitich.” In fact, it was under Patriarch Filaret that the relationship of power between the Tsar and the Patriarch took shape, which later began to be perceived as the ideal rule of the “Wise Two” for the Orthodox state. The years of his Patriarchate were marked by a number of significant church and state reforms.
Patriarch Filaret made a lot of efforts to restore statehood in the country after the period of Troubles. He achieved a land census, thanks to which taxes were fairly distributed, which increased treasury revenues while easing the tax burden of the common people. With the help of the church court, the Patriarch strengthened discipline in the state. Economic and cultural relations with foreign countries were resumed. The reform of the army began, new factories were built.
The activities of the new Patriarch consisted of protecting the purity of Orthodoxy, persecuting religious freethinking and moral laxity, and reforming church administration. Patriarch Filaret paid special attention to foreign policy.
Filaret sought to organize the management of the Patriarchal Court on the model of the sovereign's court. A new class of patriarchal nobles and boyar children was created, who received local salaries for their service. On May 20, 1625, Filaret, as a sovereign, issued a royal decree, according to which the Patriarch received the right to judge the clergy and peasant population of the Patriarchal region in all matters except theft and robbery. Thus, under Filaret, the Patriarchal Region was finally formed.
The Patriarch took care of the organization of schools and called on archbishops to establish schools at their bishops' houses. With his blessing, a Greco-Latin school was opened at the Chudov Monastery in Moscow.
The High Hierarch paid a lot of attention to printing and correcting liturgical books. During the period of his primacy, the Moscow printing house, expanded by decree of Patriarch Philaret, published many publications, including a full range of liturgical books. The books were sent to monasteries and churches at the price it cost to print them, without profit, and to Siberia - free of charge.
In 1620, with the blessing of the Patriarch, the Tobolsk diocese was established, which was of great importance for the spread of Christianity among the peoples of Siberia.
Under Patriarch Filaret, relations between Moscow and the Eastern Churches, interrupted during the Time of Troubles, were resumed, and numerous representatives of the clergy of these Churches came to Moscow for alms.
During the reign of Patriarch Philaret, an official view of the events of the Time of Troubles was formed, which was based on the idea of the need to preserve the faith of our ancestors; Moscow was recognized as the only guardian of ancient piety. The experience gained in Polish captivity convinced Patriarch Philaret of the inadmissibility of union for the Russian Church, and, occupying the Patriarchal throne, he made every effort to protect Russia from Western religious influences.
During the Patriarchate of Philaret, Macarius of Unzhensky (1619) and Abraham, Bishop of Galicia (1621) were canonized. In 1625, the ambassador of the Persian Shah presented the Patriarch with a golden ark containing part of the Lord's robe. The shrine was placed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, and a celebration was established in its honor on March 27. Currently, the shrine is located in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
Patriarch Filaret died on October 1, 1633. His Holiness himself designated a successor for himself - Archbishop Joasaph of Pskov. Patriarch Filaret was buried in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
Troubles
The participation of the future patriarch in the events of the Time of Troubles was very active, and not always of his own free will.
At first, False Dmitry the First came to power. Boris Godunov died, Fyodor was killed, False Dmitry sat on the throne, but the throne under him, figuratively speaking, was shaking. In order to somehow strengthen his position in the Time of Troubles, False Dmitry tried to rely on those who were in disgrace during the time of Godunov. One of these individuals was Filaret.
False Dmitry releases Philaret, who was kept under supervision in the monastery, and appoints him Metropolitan of Rostov.
The power of the former defrocked Grishka Otrepyev did not last long. After the inglorious and terrible death of the impostor tsar, False Dmitry II appears on the political arena. Filaret becomes patriarch. But the second impostor also dies.
Filaret participated in events that are reflected in all history textbooks. He took the side of those representatives of the boyar elite who believed that it was possible to place a foreigner on the Russian throne. Probably, in this way they tried to maintain their own positions at the top of the government. Filaret initially supported this point of view, but then learned that the Polish prince Sigismund III, scheduled for the role of Russian sovereign, would remain a Catholic. If you follow the logic of the chroniclers of that time, it turns out that Filaret was not against the Pole Tsar, as long as he changed his faith to Orthodox. Most likely, this was just a clever move on Filaret’s part: it is unlikely that he seriously agreed to the actual subordination of the Russian state to the Poles, whose encroachments he only managed to get rid of.
The result of Filaret’s decisive refusal to sign a document supporting the Polish pretender to the Russian throne was the captivity of the metropolitan.
The statesman remained in captivity until 1619. He managed to return to Russia 6 years after the election of his son Mikhail to the kingdom.
Church governance reforms
The events of the patriarch's life polished him into a political businessman and a subtle diplomat. Interests in strengthening dynastic power stimulated him to devote all his energies to managing the affairs of the state, in which he was a capable and tactful leader. But, being deprived of theological education, he was especially reserved and cautious in church affairs. In this area, Filaret cared about the protection of orthodoxy and looked out for the main danger beyond the Polish-Lithuanian border. Otherwise, he followed the immediate needs of the church and never took steps forward. Thus, Philaret’s political activity was more fruitful and active than his church activity. From 1619 to 1633, state power strengthened under him, and the Romanov dynasty gained support among wide circles of the population, and this is the historical merit of Fyodor Nikitovich.
On all issues related to religion and church structure, he preferred to consult with the Moscow clergy, which earned himself considerable fame among them.
Relations with Russia
Filaret was the most likely candidate for the post of primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, but not everyone was happy with his candidacy. His faulty moral character, lust for power, manners, rudeness and worldly lifestyle caused particular censure and indignation.
During the elections of the new patriarch, the struggle of the UOC for its autonomy intensified greatly. And even after the adoption in 1990 by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church of a new position and granting the Ukrainian Exarchate more rights in self-government and the manifestation of national traditions in the church sphere, granting independence and autonomy in the management of the UOC, and Philaret - the title of “His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine” - he never stopped fighting for the independence of Ukrainian religious ideology, now in the sphere of public and secular life.
Patriarch Filaret considers Russia the main aggressor in the conflict in southeastern Ukraine, arguing that Russia, as an enemy of the Ukrainian people, is doomed to defeat.
The mutual addresses of Patriarch Kirill of All Rus' and Patriarch Philaret of All Ukraine are widely known. In a letter to the Ukrainian bishop, the Moscow Patriarch called for a balanced and methodical approach to the issue of continuing to support the conflict in the southeast of Ukraine, and called for the entire Russian church to unite in this difficult, alarming time against the dark side of the human personality, performing universal Christian prayers. However, in his response to the Moscow Patriarch, Filaret spoke extremely negatively about the position of the Russian Orthodox Church, speaking in harsh terms about the impossibility of unifying these churches, and the arrogant position of the Moscow Patriarchate in relation to the Kyiv Patriarchate.
Recently, in connection with the increasing trips of the Patriarch of All Rus' Kirill to the church halls of Ukraine, Patriarch Filaret has maintained a cautious distance in relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, rightly believing that he may be removed from the political arena.
Patriarch Filaret of Kiev: birth and family
This clergyman is from Ukraine. Filaret Patriarch of Kiev, in the world Mikhail Antonovich Denisenko, was born into a mining family on January 1, 1929. The place of birth is indicated in the village of Blagodatnoye, located in the Amvrosievsky district of the Donetsk region.
Despite the mandatory requirements of a vow of celibacy, according to media reports, Filaret publicly lived openly with his family - his wife Evgenia Petrovna Rodionova, who died in 1998, and three children - daughters Vera and Lyubov, as well as son Andrei - are mentioned.
Positions and titles held
In 1952, Denisenko received a candidate of theology degree and remained at the Moscow Theological Seminary to teach the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament. At the same time, Filaret was acting dean of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. He received the title of associate professor in March 1954.
In August 1956, Filaret, being abbot, became an inspector of the Saratov Theological Seminary, then of the Kyiv Theological Seminary. He began managing the affairs of the Ukrainian Exarchate in 1960, while in the rank of archimandrite.
In 1961, Denisenko was appointed rector of the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Alexandria under the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
In 1962, Filaret received the rank of Bishop of Luga, vicar of the Leningrad diocese. At the same time, he was appointed administrator of the Riga diocese; in the summer of 1962 - vicar of the Central European Exarchate; in November of the same year he became Bishop of Vienna and Austria.
In 1964, Filaret received the position of vicar in the Moscow diocese and, as Bishop of Dmitrovsky, became the rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary.
A member of the Holy Synod elevated him to the rank of Archbishop of Kyiv and Galicia in 1966. In December of the same year, Filaret became head of the Kyiv Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. At this time, as part of the delegations of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Exarchate, he repeatedly traveled abroad, participating in congresses, conferences and assemblies. In 1979, Filaret received an award in the form of the Order of Friendship of Peoples, and in 1988 - the Order of the Red Banner of Labor for active peacekeeping activities.
After the death of Pimen - Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' - in the spring of 1990, Filaret became the locum tenens of the Patriarchal throne and one of the most likely candidates for patriarch, for whose election a local council was convened. In June 1990, the council elected a new head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Alexy II. However, traditionally it was Philaret, Patriarch of Kiev and All Ukraine, who was considered the next most important bishop of the Russian Church and the most influential permanent member of the Holy Synod.
↑ Filaret after the Time of Troubles
The troubled time in Russian history ended in 1613, when the Zemsky Sobor was convened. The result of the Zemsky Sobor was the beginning of the ruling Romanov dynasty. Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov became the new Tsar of the Russian state. Mikhail was the son of Filaret. He treated his father very warmly and reverently; he was the greatest authority for the monarch.
For many years it was not possible to rescue my father from captivity. The Poles deliberately delayed negotiations, realizing that without his father it would be very difficult for Mikhail to cope with the internal and external enemies of the state.
Filaret returned to Russia only in 1619. The Russians and Poles exchanged prisoners. Among the returnees to their homeland was Filaret. For the Russian people, Filaret became an example of masculinity and perseverance. After all, he endured the horrors of Polish captivity with honor, did not break down and remained true to his moral, moral and ethical ideals, did not give in to the Orthodox faith and the Fatherland.
After returning to Russia, the metropolitans named Philaret Patriarch.
Historical significance of Filaret
Being the regent of the young Tsar Michael and in fact the ruler of the country, Patriarch Filaret signed state charters on his own behalf and also held the title of Great Sovereign.
When speaking about Patriarch Filaret, historians mostly talk about his patronage of printing. Since 1621, the clerks of the Ambassadorial Prikaz began producing the first Russian newspaper, “Newsletters,” especially for the Tsar.
The Patriarch understood the value and favored the development of the weapons and metallurgical industries. Therefore, Andrei Vinius in 1632 received permission from Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich to found the first iron smelting, iron parts and weapons factories in Russia near Tula.
Talents, profession, career
Choice of profession:
He has the mentality necessary to comprehend the highest wisdom, organize information, and analyze. A man named Filaret is a talented person with an interest in the unknown. This name is worn by clergy and scientists. He successfully completes all his projects.
Welfare:
knows the value of money, but at the same time he is not stingy.
Angel Philaret Day:
The name Filaret celebrates name days twice a year:
- January 12 (December 30) - St. Martyr Philaret, son of the Nicomedia prefect, was distinguished by his remarkable physical beauty, suffered for the faith of Christ under the emperor Diocletian (IV century).
- December 14 (1) - St. Philaret the Merciful was rich, but, having become poor, he did not grumble at God, but patiently helped the poor with whatever he could, even with his last clothes, for which the Lord again rewarded him with honors and wealth.
Signs:
On Filaret, December 14, the morning is red - December will be clear.
Character of the name Filaret
Positive characteristics of the name:
He usually has a sense of harmony, calmness and agreement with himself. A guy with this name is a reasonable, logical person who tends to carefully analyze everything that happens.
Negative characteristics of the name:
Emotional coldness and limitation, meticulousness, pedantry. A man named Filaret strives to sort everything out. He is inclined to subject even his feelings to microscopic analysis, and sometimes attaches great importance to insignificant details.
