The Patriarchate in Russia was established in 1589 during the reign of Fedor Ivanovich. In May of that year, Ecumenical Patriarch Jeremiah II ordained the Moscow Metropolitan Job as the patriarchal dignity. The decision was confirmed by the cathedrals held in Constantinople in 1590 and 1593.
The emergence of ideas
The first to establish the Patriarchate in Russia was publicly expressed personally by Tsar Fedor Ivanovich. This happened under very interesting circumstances.
In May 1586, the Antioch Patriarch Joachim arrived in Moscow. That was the first visit of a clergyman of this rank. None of the four eastern patriarchs used to come to our country.
They met the patriarch with great honors. On June 25, Joachim was invited to the royal palace. At the end of the official part of the audience, the exchange of letters and gifts, the king invited the patriarch to dine. And before lunch, visit the liturgy, which was held in the cathedral church by Metropolitan Dionysius.
Dionysius stood in the middle of the Assumption Cathedral in full vestment, surrounded by bishops, archimandrites, abbots and other clergy. When Joachim went to the metropolitan, Dionysius descended from his place a whole fathom and first blessed the patriarch.
The actions of the metropolitan in words were more clearly expressed by the tsar. He said that he had consulted with Tsarina Irina and the boyars and asked Patriarch Joachim to help the other patriarchs "in order to arrange the Russian Patriarch in Moscow in our state."
It is worth noting that a similar idea was hardly invented by the king or queen spontaneously. Thought was already widespread among educated people. All that was lacking was a suitable occasion to express it resolutely.
Implementation of the idea
This is not to say that in Constantinople they were delighted with the idea. Despite the efforts of Patriarch Joachim and the constantly sending alms and allowances, the matter was progressing neither shakily nor swell.
Soon, the Turkish sultan overthrew the Ecumenical Patriarch Theolipt. For the third time, the throne was taken by Jeremiah II, who was rescued from opal.
The Patriarchate of Constantinople was then in serious financial difficulty. In order to correct them, Jeremiah decided to travel to Russia.
To the bewilderment of the Russians, he did not bring a letter on the establishment of a patriarchate, which they were waiting for. Therefore, the high priest was suspicious. Although they settled him in luxurious conditions. But limited his contacts with the outside world.
Negotiations went on for a long time. Finally, after about six months, Jeremiah expressed a desire to remain a patriarch in Russia. However, the courtiers offered him a chair in the ancient capital, the original center of Russian Christianity, Vladimir. At the same time, they told him, Vladimir, “a terrible hole”. Worse than the place where the Sultan kept him in exile.
Jeremiah did not want to be a patriarch in Vladimir. He agreed to fulfill the tsar’s will and was named Metropolitan of Job by the Moscow Patriarch. And he, having received rich gifts, safely departed to Constantinople.
