Are the words or thoughts of historical figures often distorted to please the ruling party or ideology? Take, for example, Nietzsche’s innocuous doctrine of the superman, God within us. It led Germany and the whole world to a world war, as well as the idea of universal equality - to a war for independence and gay parades. The history of Russia is rich in such concepts: they pop up every time people stand at a crossroads. One of these theories is the legend of the Third Rome. Why is Moscow the Third Rome, how to understand this today, did the humble monk think that he would speculate in his words for centuries? Let's talk about this in our article.
How it all began: Filofei’s letters
A long time ago, in the early decades of the 16th century, the Pskov churchman Filofei wrote a series of letters. The first - about the sign of the Cross - he addressed to the Grand Duke Vasily, the second - against the stars, to the clerk, the princely confessor. These were warning letters against the dangers of the time: astrologers, heretics and husbands. In an appeal to the ruler, he calls him “the guardian of the church throne” and “the king of all Christians”, he calls Moscow “the kingdom”, in which all Christian lands converged, forming here the spiritual Orthodox center - the “Roman Empire”, Rome. And further: “The first Rome and the second fell; the third is standing, but the fourth will not happen. ”
It is not known whether Filofei was the founder of this concept. According to some reports, Metropolitan Zosima's letters addressed the theory of the Third Rome 30 years before the Pskov monk. Describing the essence in the same way, Zosima called Moscow "the successor of Constantinople." To understand what the Russian churchmen had in mind, you need to plunge into the history of that time.
Historical situation
In 1439, the Patriarch of Constantinople concluded the Union of Florence with Rome, recognizing the primacy of the Pope and preserving only formal rites from Orthodoxy. It was a difficult period for Byzantium: the Ottoman Turks stood on the threshold, threatening its independence. Constantinople hoped for the support of the Western kings in the war with the invaders, but did not wait for help.
In 1453, the capital fell, the patriarch and the emperor were killed. This was the end of the Eastern Roman Empire.
The position of the Russian Orthodox Church
Until that moment, only the patriarch — the viceroy of God on earth — could anoint the supreme lord of the Russian local church and kings, and only in Constantinople, this human embodiment of the kingdom of Christ. In this sense, the Russians were dependent on their eastern neighbor. The Grand Duke for a long time claimed the royal title. In 1472, Ivan III even married Zoe (Sophia) Paleolog, daughter of the last Byzantine emperor. With her, Ivan took the double-headed eagle as a symbol of the new state. Formally, he had the right to the estate - the inheritance of his wife.
From the point of view of the Russian clergy, the union was a betrayal of the Orthodox Church, a departure from the true faith. The empire paid for it with an invasion of Muslims. The Roman Empire - the patrimony of Christ, and with it the rights of the patriarch, passed to the only remaining stronghold of Orthodoxy - the Russian Local Church. And here now stands the Third Rome - this is the earthly kingdom of God on earth.
First and Second Rome
According to Philotheus, First Rome is an ancient Eternal City, which was destroyed in the 9th century. nomads after the division of churches into western and eastern. The Latins are mired in the "heresy of Apolinaria," betrayed the ideals of Christ. The Roman Empire passed to Constantinople.
The second Rome stood firmly until the sixteenth century, and then was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks in punishment for spiritual betrayal. The conclusion of the Union of Florence was perceived as a heresy, from which the Russian Grand Duke, later the Tsar, was to protect Russia.
The Third Rome is Moscow
Was there a political calculation in Filofei’s words? Of course, the kingdom of God must have a strong central authority and influence in the international arena. But it was not the political situation that worried the Pskov monk.
After the Russian Church inherited the rights of the Byzantine Patriarchate, she:
- It became independent, the metropolitan did not need to bow to Constantinople, he was appointed from the local clergy, and not from the Greeks.
- The Russian lord was able to marry the prince to the kingdom and demand his protection.
The idea of the Third Rome was proved by the author from prophetic books - Old Testament tales of the four earthly kingdoms and four beasts. The first - pagan - disappeared in the days of Egypt, Assyria and old Europe. The second kingdom is Latin (Ancient Rome), actually the first Christian; the third is Byzantium. The fourth - earthly - should be the last, since the Antichrist himself will destroy it and thereby usher in the end of the world.
In the epistles of the monk there was more fear of the apocalypse than pride in the exaltation of the Russian Church. If Moscow collapses, not only Christianity will fall - it will be the end of humanity. Therefore, the prince, whom the Russian metropolitan has anointed for the kingdom, must protect the true faith from unfaithful Muslims and heresies, including Catholicism.
How did Philotheus say in society?
Unlike the pessimistic author, Russian clergymen highlighted the positive side of the concept: pride and greatness. The Third Rome is the pillar of all Christianity. It is not surprising that, up to the Nikon reform, monastic words were retold in all tales and parables in every way:
- Novgorod's “The Legend of the White Cowl” (1600) suggests that in ancient times, Constantine the Great handed the cap to Metropolitan Sylvester - a symbol of high church rank. The Russian clergyman was embarrassed and did not accept the gift, but the relic through Novgorod again returned to Moscow, where it was rightfully accepted by the new lord.
- The parable of the Monomakh crown: how not secular, but secular royal regalia came to Russia, which passed to the righteous anointed of God - the first king John the Terrible.
Despite the fact that it was a difficult time for the unification of Russian lands into a single Russian state, the concept of the Third Rome does not sound anywhere in official documents. Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the idea was fashionable among the clergy, which defended the independence of the church, its privileges. For a very long time this theory had no political significance.
Third Rome and Nikon
The original sound of Filofei was a protest not only against Muslims, but also against heresy. It was understood as science and any innovations. Nikon's reform of the unification of church rites was also a departure from tradition. Supporters of Habakkuk Nikon was perceived as the Antichrist - the fourth beast that will destroy the last Roman Empire.
The writings of Philotheus and all the legends and parables that directly or indirectly pointed to the theory of the Pskov monk were officially banned, for they proved the legitimacy of Old Believer rules. The schismatics carried this idea with them to Siberia and remote monasteries. Until now, the Old Believers believe that the Third Rome is the old Old Testament Moscow church, which exists while they are alive - its true and only representatives.
What happened next?
It seemed that both the church and the political elite forgot about the concept of the Third Rome. But in the second half of the XIX century, she received a new birth. In connection with the establishment of the Patriarchal throne in Russia and the fact that the Russian people urgently needed a unifying idea, Filofei’s letters were published. The theory became publicly available: “Moscow - The Third Rome”, the essence of which has changed a bit: all references to heresy were removed, only words about Muslims remained.
The Russian philosopher V. Ikonnikov proposed an interpretation that strengthens the imperial claims and ideology of Russia: Moscow, after the fall of Byzantium, took its rightful place in international relations, she is the savior of Christianity and humanity, because there will be no “fourth Rome”. This is her historical role, her mission, on this basis, she has the right to be a world empire.
Subsequent Transformations of Theory
From this point on, the Third Rome is called Russia as a stronghold of mankind, attributing to it a great mission. Especially to strengthen this idea, the Slavophiles and Pan-Slavinists tried. V. Solovyov, for example, believed that Russia had a key role in uniting the East and the West, all Christians under the auspices of Russian Orthodoxy. The historian I. Kirillov wrote that the theory of Moscow, as the Third Rome, is the very Russian idea, national self-determination, self-awareness that the country has been lacking all this time. The Orthodox must not only unite all fraternal peoples around themselves, but also strike the Muslim Ottoman Empire so that it does not attack first. During the liberation wars on the Balkan Peninsula, ideas became extremely popular among the people.
Since then, the words of Philotheus have finally become political, spiritual and church significance has been supplanted from them.
In Soviet times
The theory was interpreted differently during the formation of the Soviet state, but with the advent of Stalin, research was carried out, chronicles and traditions were studied. It was proved that the concept of the Romance kingdoms concerned only spiritual matters.
This is understandable. The great Soviet state did not need other theories besides the victory of communism throughout the world in order to rally neighboring peoples around itself. And religion was banned. The legends of the Pskov monk were even removed from textbooks.
Our days
The USSR collapsed, people turned to God and again began to look for hints on the Russian path in their history. All studies and publications were resurrected, from Filofei to Berdyaev and Soloviev, explaining why Moscow is the Third Rome. The theory entered into all history textbooks as political, which from the New Age has been indicating to the Russian people the right direction of development. Nationalists again spoke of Russia's mission in world history.
Religion today is separated from the people, nevertheless, the first persons of the state are often in churches, Orthodox lessons are introduced in schools and universities, they listen to the Patriarch, making diplomatic decisions. How surprising is the fact that Western political scientists sometimes explain the place of Russia in the international arena with the concept of the Third Rome!
So, Pan-Slavism, Bolshevism, Soviet expansionism, the Russian national idea, the true path, historical mission - all this was explained by the concept of the Third Rome, described by the monk Philotheus in 1523-1524. Did the churchman know that his words would find such widespread use? If we study the context (a complete record of the messages) and the historical situation, we can see that there is no big political connotation in the theory. Only religious, apocalyptic, church fear for the independence and strength of the Russian Church. However, over the course of several centuries, the words of Philotheus were mercilessly exploited by those who benefited from a different interpretation, and acquired a different meaning. How today should we understand “Moscow - the Third Rome”? As with all other historical ideas, everyone must independently decide whether to consider this a product of that time or explain the current state of affairs by theory.