In the 17th century, Orthodoxy remained the spiritual and religious foundation of Russian society. It determined many aspects of life (from everyday issues to state ones) and intervened in the everyday life of both a simple peasant and a noble nobleman.
Starting in
1589, the patriarch is at the
head of the church . In his submission were the metropolitans, bishops, archbishops, black monks and white clergy of villages and cities. For almost a century, many have changed. But not one of them left such a mark in church history as Patriarch Nikon.
Way to power
The future patriarch from the very beginning was a bright figure. His path to the treasured pulpit is amazing. Nikita Minich (worldly name Nikon) was born in 1605 in the poorest peasant family. He was orphaned early and spent most of his childhood in the Makaryev Zheltovodsky Monastery. Over time, he took the priesthood and first served in the Nizhny Novgorod region, and since 1627 - in Moscow.
After the death of three young children, he persuaded his wife to go to the monastery, and he himself also received tonsure at the age of 30. In 1639, Nikon left the Anzersky Skete, left his mentor, the stern elder Eliazar, after which he lived for 4 years as a hermit near the
Kozheozersky monastery. In 1643, he became a mentor of this monastery. In 1646, he went to Moscow for church affairs. There, the future Patriarch Nikon met Vonifatiev and warmly accepted his program. At the same time, his own mind, views and energy made a strong impression on the king. According to Alexei Mikhailovich Nikon, they were approved as archimandrite of the Novospassky Monastery, which was the court house of the Romanovs. From that moment on, his path to the rank of patriarch was swift. He was elected to them 6 years after arriving in Moscow - in 1652.
The activities of Patriarch Nikon
He himself perceived it much broader than a simple transformation of church life, a change in rites and the editing of books. He sought to return to the basics of the doctrine of Christ and permanently establish the place of the priesthood in Orthodoxy. Therefore, his first steps were aimed at improving the moral state of society.
The patriarch initiated the issuance of a decree that banned the sale of alcohol in the city on fasting days and holidays. Especially it was impossible to sell vodka to priests and monks. Only one drinking house was allowed to leave the whole city. For foreigners, in whom Patriarch Nikon saw the bearers of Protestantism and Catholicism, a German settlement was built on the banks of the Yauza River, where they were evicted. This is about social change. Inside the church, there was also a need for reform. It was associated with differences in the rites of Russian and Eastern Orthodoxy. This issue also had political significance, so at that time the struggle with
the Commonwealth for Ukraine began.
Church Reform of Patriarch Nikon
They can be summarized in several paragraphs:
- Editing biblical texts and other books that are used during worship. This innovation resulted in a change in some formulations of the Creed.
- The sign of the Cross should now be made up of three fingers, and not of two, as before. Small earthly obeisances were also canceled.
- Also, Patriarch Nikon ordered the processions to be held not on the Sun, but against.
- The triple pronunciation of the exclamation “Hallelujah!” Replaced the double.
- Instead of seven prosphora, five began to be used for proskomedia. The mark on them has also changed.