Inok Vassian (monk, in the world - Prince Vasily Ivanovich Patrikeev ; c. 1470 - after 1531 ) - Russian clergyman and political activist, publicist of the 16th century, student of Rev. Neil Sorsky , collaborator and co-author of Rev. Maxim the Greek . Belonged to the course of non-possessors , headed it during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III . The nickname " Oblique ", which is often found in the literature about Vassian, most likely, was given to him by his ideological enemies, the so-called Josephites . Or, as it often happened before, the nickname was given for an external sign.
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Content
- 1 Biography
- 1.1 The early years
- 1.2 Church and political activity
- 1.3 Opal and the last years of life
- 2 notes
- 3 Literature
- 4 References
Biography
The early years
He came from a noble, influential and wealthy family of princes Patrikeev , descending from the second son of Lithuanian prince Gedimin , Narimant , who was baptized into Orthodoxy under the name of Gleb. Grandfather, Yuri Patrikeevich , and father, Ivan Yuryevich , served the great Moscow princes Vasily II Vasilyevich and Ivan III Vasilyevich , held the highest government posts. The young prince Vasily successfully began a diplomatic and military career: in 1493 he was sent with troops to Mozhaysk ; during 1494 he participated in negotiations with Lithuanian ambassadors three times and, after the conclusion of a peace treaty, was granted the boyar ; at the beginning of 1496, Vasily Ivanovich went at the head of the Russian troops on a campaign “against the German troops”, as the Swedes were called in those days. In the period of confrontation for the succession of the throne between the groups of Dmitry - the grandson and Prince Vasily III with his mother, the Patrikeevs took the side of the grandson of Ivan III - Dmitry Ivanovich . In 1499, the Patrickeev family fell into disgrace, whose exact reasons were not specified anywhere, whether it was negotiations with Lithuania or the adoption of the side of Dmitry, the grandson, as a result of which Prince Vasily was tonsured a monk in the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery named Vassian.
Church and Political Activity
“Glorious in the world of military prowess, intelligence and abilities, the monk prince soon became famous in the monastery for his strict life and extensive readiness,” the church writer reports. [1] Soon the monk Vassian begins to share the ideas of Neil Sorsky and adjoins non-possessors who opposed the church’s “acquisition” of lands and other property, while the opponents of non-possessors — the Josephites , expressed the interests of large monastic land ownership. In the treatise “The Collection of a certain Elder,” Vassian calls on “to sit down not to hold, nor to own them, but to live in silence and silence, eating with your own hands,” which shows him as a follower of church asceticism . Vassian directly criticized usury in the church, especially the calculation of compound interest, in particular he wrote:
“We, worried about loving love and insatiability, oppress our brothers living in villages in every possible way, imposing interest on interest”
He was a man who steadfastly and fiercely fought for his convictions, being, unlike his teacher, the Rev. Neil Sorsky, an energetic and passionate figure. [2] Within the framework of this struggle, he was preparing his own edition of the “Pilot Book”.
In 1509, Vassian was returned from exile by Basil III , whose trust and sympathy he managed to win. The Grand Duke called Vassian his "mentor in philanthropy." Together with Metropolitan Varlaam, he stood up for the disgraced and stumbled, thereby gaining universal respect and reverence. He lived in the Simonov monastery.
Vassian, like Maxim the Greek, opposed the views of the Josephians, led by Joseph Volotsky , and in his “Word on the cancellation” criticizes Joseph’s punitive measures, urging not to be afraid of theological disputes with heretics. Vassian appeals to John Climacus: "Weaknesses from heretics do not poison, but the strong converge to the glory of God." Repentant heretics, according to Vassian, should be forgiven. The Word of Heretic, a later document, is distinguished by well-developed argumentation involving canonical sources. Vassian distinguishes between penitent and penitent heretics, while allowing executions, but recognizes them as a matter of secular authorities [36] .
Opal and the Last Years of Life
The religious and social activities of Vassian ended around 1525, Prince A. M. Kurbsky describes the incident as follows:
"The Grand Duke Vasily of Moscow ... having lived with his first wife, Solomonides, was twenty and six years old, cut her off a little, did not want and did not think about her, and imprisoned the monastery far away, more than two hundred miles from Moscow, the land of Kargopol’s lying, and shutting its edge seemed to be a dungeon, ate the needed and despondent fulfilled, to conserve his wife, given to him by God, holy and innocent. And he understood to himself Elena, the daughter of Glinsko, who also forbids him to do this without many saints and Mnichom (monks), but also Sigclitom (synclitus) him; from them there is only one Vasyan, a hermit, a relative related to him by his mother, and by his father, the grandson of the Prince of Lithuania, Patrikiev, and having left worldly glory, he moved into the wilderness, and so cruelly and holyly spent in ministry, similar to the great and glorious ancient Anthony, don’t look at anyone who has the boldness to decide, he has become like John the Baptist with jealousy: he also forbade the Tsar from committing a crime of law, creating lawlessness ... But he, the foregone Basil, the Great, more so because of pride and mercy, Prince not only he listened to the great and deliberate husband On Nadezhda blessed Vassyana, in the flesh of his kinsman, izymav, zatochiti commanded, and is connected holy man, like a villain, unto pregorchayshuyu prison kb like his anger, prezlye Josephites in monastyr ih sent and impending death povelel laughable. They, like his swift novices, and in all the evil covetous ones, are even more imitators, having killed him soon. And other holy men, he was imprisoned for death, from them alone - Maxim the Philosopher, let us know about him in advance; and he commanded the destruction of others, I will leave their names here. "
Metropolitan Daniil , from the Joseph Volokolamsk monastery, raised charges on theology on Vassian, which Vassian did not recognize, accused the monk-prince and Maxim the Greek of heresy at the councils of 1525 and 1531.
Vassian was first imprisoned in the Moscow Simon Monastery, where Maxim Grek and Prince Kurbsky Semyon Fedorovich were temporarily imprisoned, and then in Joseph-Volokolamsky Monastery , where, according to Prince A.M. Kurbsky , he was soon killed by the Josephites .
Notes
- ↑ Maxim the Greek. Creations. Reprint edition at 3 o'clock, Part 1, Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 1996, p. 27.
- ↑ Smolich I.K. Russian monasticism. S.92.
Literature
- Zarezin M.I. Last Rurikovich and sunset of Moscow Russia. - M., 2004.
- Kazakova N.A. Vassian Patrikeev and his works. - L., 1960.
- Dictionary of scribes and books of Ancient Russia . The second half of the XIV — XVI century, part 1. / Ed. D. S. Likhachev . - L., 1988.