Are the words or thoughts of historical figures often distorted to please the ruling party or ideology? Take, for example, Nietzsche's harmless doctrine of the superman, the God within us. It led Germany and the whole world to a world war, as well as the idea of universal equality - to the war for independence and gay parades. The history of Russia is rich in such concepts: they pop up every time a people stands at a crossroads. One such theory is the legend of the Third Rome. Why is Moscow the Third Rome, how to understand it today, did the modest monk think that they would speculate on his words for centuries? Let's talk about it in our article.
How it all began: Filofey's letters
Once upon a time, in the first decades of the 16th century, the Pskov clergyman Philotheus wrote a series of epistles. The first - about the sign of the cross - he addressed to the Grand Duke Vasily, the second - against the astrologers - to the deacon, the prince's confessor. These were letters of warning against the dangers of that time: astrologers, heretics and sodomists. In an address 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, forminghere is the spiritual Orthodox center - the "Roman Kingdom", 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 Filofey was the founder of this concept. According to some reports, Metropolitan Zosima's letters de alt with 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 clergy had in mind, you need to plunge into the history of that time.
Historical situation
In 1439, the Patriarch of Constantinople signed the Union of Florence with Rome, recognizing the supremacy of the Pope and keeping 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 against the invaders, but the help never came.
In 1453 the capital fell, the patriarch and the emperor were killed. It was the end of the Eastern Roman Empire.
The position of the Russian Orthodox Church
Until this moment, only the patriarch, the vicar of God on earth, could anoint the supreme ruler of the Russian local church and tsars, and only in Constantinople, this human incarnation 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 Zoya (Sophia) Paleolog, the daughter of the last Byzantine emperor. With herIvan took the double-headed eagle as a symbol of the new state. Formally, he had the right to a fiefdom - 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 this with the invasion of Muslims. The Romaic kingdom - Christ's fiefdom, 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 Romes
According to Philotheus, the First Rome is the ancient Eternal City, which was destroyed in the 9th century. nomads after the division of churches into western and eastern. The Latins were mired in the "heresy of Apolinaria", betrayed the ideals of Christ. The Roman Empire passed to Constantinople.
Second Rome stood strong until the 16th century, and then was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks as punishment for spiritual betrayal. The conclusion of the Florentine Union was perceived as a heresy, from which the Russian Grand Duke, later the Tsar, had to protect Russia.
Third Rome is Moscow
Was there a political calculation in Filofei's words? Certainly, the kingdom of God must have a strong central authority and influence in the international arena. But the Pskov monk was not concerned about the political situation.
After the Russian Church inherited the rights of the Byzantine Patriarchate, it:
- Became independent, the metropolitan did not have to bow to Constantinople, he was appointed from the localclergy, not from the Greeks.
- The Russian lord was able to crown 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 four earthly kingdoms and four beasts. The first - pagan - perished in the times 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, as it will be destroyed by the Antichrist himself and thereby herald the end of the world.
In the monk's messages there was more fear of the apocalypse than pride in the rise 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 anointed to the throne, must protect the true faith from infidel Muslims and heresy, including Catholicism.
How was Filofei's words accepted in society?
Unlike the pessimistic author, Russian churchmen 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 in stories and parables, the monk's words were retold in every way:
- The Novgorod "Legend of the White Klobuk" (1600) says that in ancient times, Constantine the Great gave Metropolitan Sylvester a hat - a symbol of high church rank. The Russian clergyman was embarrassed and did not accept the gift, but the relic returned to Moscow again via Novgorod, where it was rightfully accepted by the new lord.
- The parable of Monomakh's crown: about how to Russianot ecclesiastical, but secular royal regalia, which passed to the legitimate anointed of God - the first Tsar 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, it can be concluded that the idea was fashionable among the clergy, who defended the independence of the church, their privileges. For a very long time, this theory had no political significance.
Third Rome and Nikon
In the original sound of Philotheus there was a protest not only against Muslims, but also against heresy. It meant science and any innovations. Nikon's reform to unify church rites was also a departure from tradition. The supporters of Avvakum perceived Nikon as the Antichrist - the fourth beast that would destroy the last Roman kingdom.
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, because they proved the legitimacy of the Old Believers' rules. The schismatics took this idea with them to Siberia and distant monasteries. Until now, the Old Believers believe that the Third Rome is the old Old Testament Moscow church, which exists as long as they are alive - its true and only representatives.
What happened next?
It seemed that both the church and the political elite had forgotten about the concept of the Third Rome. But in the second half of the 19th century, it received a new birth. In connection with the establishment of the Patriarch althrone in Russia and the fact that the Russian people urgently needed a unifying idea, Filofei's letters were published. The theory became public: "Moscow is the Third Rome", the essence of which has changed a little: 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: after the fall of Byzantium, Moscow took its rightful place in international relations, it 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 the theory
From now on, Russia is called the Third Rome as a stronghold of humanity, attributing to it a great mission. The Slavophiles and Pan-Slavists did their best to strengthen this idea. V. Solovyov, for example, believed that Russia had a key role in uniting East and West, all Christians under the auspices of Russian Orthodoxy. Historian I. Kirillov wrote that the theory of Moscow as the Third Rome is the same Russian idea, national self-determination, self-consciousness, which the country has been lacking all this time. The Orthodox must not only unite all the fraternal peoples around themselves, but also strike at the Muslim Ottoman Empire so that it does not attack first. During the liberation wars in the Balkans, ideas became extremely popular among the people.
From now on, the words of Philotheusfinally became political, spiritual and ecclesiastical meaning was squeezed out of them.
In Soviet times
The theory was interpreted in different ways during the formation of the Soviet state, but already with the advent of Stalin, studies were carried out, chronicles and legends were studied. It has been proven that the concept of the Romanian kingdoms concerned only spiritual matters.
This is understandable. The great Soviet state did not need other theories than the victory of communism throughout the world in order to rally the neighboring peoples around itself. Yes, religion was banned. The tales of the Pskov monk were even removed from textbooks.
Our days
The USSR collapsed, the people turned to God and again began to look in their history for hints of the Russian path. All studies and publications were resurrected, from Philotheus to Berdyaev and Solovyov, explaining why Moscow is the Third Rome. The theory has entered into all history textbooks as a political theory, which since the New Age has shown the Russian people the right direction of development. Nationalists again started talking about Russia's mission in world history.
Religion today is separated from the people, nevertheless, the first persons of the state often go to church, Orthodoxy lessons are introduced in schools and universities, the Patriarch is listened to when making diplomatic decisions. How can one be surprised that Western political scientists sometimes use the concept of the Third Rome to explain Russia's place in the international arena!
So, pan-Slavism, Bolshevism, Soviet expansionism, Russian national idea, 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 wide application? If you study the context (the complete recording of the messages) and the historical situation, you can see that there is no big political connotation in the theory. Only religious, apocalyptic, ecclesiastical fear for the independence and strength of the Russian Church. However, for several centuries, the words of Philotheus were still mercilessly exploited by those who benefited from a different interpretation, and acquired a different meaning. How should “Moscow – the Third Rome” be understood today? As with all other historical ideas, everyone must decide for himself whether to consider it a product of that time or to explain the current state of affairs with a theory.
