Epiphany Slavinetsky - theologian, philosopher and translator

In the history of Russia in the 17th century, the figure of Epiphany Slavinetsky occupies a special position. He translated many theological and philosophical books, and also had a great influence on the church life of the country. His new edition of the Counselor led to a split in Russian Orthodoxy and the emergence of the Old Believers.

Personality under the cover of secrecy

It is not known exactly when and where the theologian Epiphany Slavinetsky was born. There is no reliable information even about his mundane name. Some biographers tend to consider him a Ukrainian or Belarusian, but these theories do not have any iron proofs. The date of birth can be determined only approximately - this is the end of the XVI or the beginning of the XVII century.

The name of Epiphany Slavinetsky entrenched him in the church. It was taken at vows in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. It is also believed that Epifanius studied at a local brotherly school. To this conclusion, historians came from the fact that the monk was excellent in the Greek language, the teaching center of which was exactly this institution. In addition, the novice knew Latin perfectly, which could indicate his studies abroad.

Translator and Greekophile

After receiving his education, Epiphanius Slavinetsky himself began teaching at the Kiev Brotherhood School. He taught the Ancient Greek, Church Slavonic and Latin languages. The glory of his knowledge reached Moscow. In 1649, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich asked him and the priest Arseny Satanovsky to move to the capital. In Moscow, for Kiev scientists, the St. Andrew's Monastery was built on Vorobyovy Gory, where a school was organized in which foreign languages were taught to young scribes.

In 1651, Epiphany Slavinetsky finally moved to the capital. He settled in the Kremlin's Chudov Monastery. This place was not chosen by chance. In the second half of the 17th century, the Chudov Monastery was the mainstay of the Grekofil party, a religious and philosophical movement oriented toward Orthodox Byzantine culture and opposing the Catholic West European and Old Believers influence.

Convergence with Nikon

Once in the capital, Hieromonk Epiphany Slavinetsky attracted the attention of the most powerful persons of the church, including Patriarch Nikon. The reputation of an expert and a connoisseur of languages allowed him to take up the most responsible work in life. The patriarch made Epiphanius a translator of the documents left after the Council of Constantinople in 1593. For the Russian Orthodox Church, it became epochal. It was at this cathedral that the Eastern patriarchs decided to create an independent Moscow Patriarchate.

Despite the importance of that event, the translation of books relating to it, even by the middle of the 17th century, was never realized. The rich language of Epiphany Slavinetsky and many talents allowed him to take seriously this massive array of texts. In addition, according to the decision of the Local Council of 1654, he was involved in the editing of obsolete liturgical books. After several months of careful work, the hieromonk presented to the bishops' court his own program of changes in the Charter and an updated text of the Book.

New Service Book

By ruling the old books, Epiphanius used the modern Venetian editions in Greek as a reference point, which were very different from the Russian traditional liturgical literature. His choice led to the fact that in 1655 the adoption of the triesterties, the four-pointed cross on prosphora and other innovations was legalized, which eventually led to a split in the Orthodox Church and the appearance of the Old Believers.

Although the reforms of the middle of the XVII century are usually associated with the name of Patriarch Nikon, it was the correction and translation of the books by Epiphany that became one of the reasons for the cardinal confessional changes. The edition of the new edition of the Bookmaker caused a storm of indignation among the flock. Appeared Old Believers (or schismatics) demanded to preserve the old traditions of worship. The Russian Orthodox Church considered them heretics and began a wave of repression against those who disagree with the new order.

Religious views

Although the important translation of Epiphany Slavinetsky could play into his hands when climbing the hierarchy in the church, he never showed ambition to become a bishop, all his life remaining a modest hieromonk. Most of his free time passed in the reading of theological, as well as philosophical books.

In his views Epiphany was not just a conservative Greek dogmatist - he did not even try to understand the specifics and specifics of the Russian understanding of Orthodoxy. An important sign of this alienation was the lexicon of the hieromonk. Epiphanius often used foreign verbal constructions, even when he wrote and translated into Russian.

Latinist and preacher

Although Hieromonk and was a Greek philosopher, this did not stop him to remain one of the best Latinists in the country. He had to work with a lot of Catholic Venetian books. In addition, as a philologist-theorist, Epiphany prepared "Lexicon Latin." In its niche this was the best textbook in Russian. Epiphanius compiled it on the basis of a dictionary written by Ambrosius Kalepin.

The scholarly interest in the ecclesiastical lexicon led to the fact that as a preacher, the hieromonk much more taught his flock than preached to her. Researchers creativity Epiphany note that his texts have always been dry and abstruse.

Between the tsar and the patriarch

The middle of the 17th century was marked not only by the appearance of the Old Believers, but also by the emergence of rivalry between the power of the monarch and the patriarch. Epifaniy Slavinetsky played an important role in this confrontation. The biography of the hieromonk was equally connected both with Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Nikon. When these two began to find out what is more important - "kingdom" or "priesthood", Epiphanius took a compromise position.

By the time (the beginning of 1660) the translator was no longer just a pravoschikom theological texts. He possessed considerable weight throughout the church, although he rarely used his position. An exception was the very dispute between the tsar and the patriarch about who of them is the most important and powerful figure. Epiphanius considered the monarch to be the only top of the power pyramid. Behind him, the philosopher recognized the right to convoke cathedrals, decide the affairs of the church and even distribute the main ranks within her hierarchy. At the same time, Epiphanius favored limiting the powers of hierarchs below the patriarch and believed that they (the metropolitans, archbishops, etc.) had no right to judge Nikon. It was the authority of Epiphany that allowed the head of the church to stay in place for some more time.

The legacy of the writer

Although Epiphany was involved in church reforms, as well as the settlement of disputes between the tsar and the patriarch, his translations were the most important of his work. Hieromonk left behind only about 150 works. It was like translations, and original, own works. The last group includes 60 sermons, as well as 40 syllabic songs.

Also Epifanius translated Andreas Vesalius ("Anatomy") and Erasmus of Rotterdam ("Citizenship of customs of children"). He dealt with theoretical issues of lexicography - his authorship belongs to the "Lexicon Greek-Slavic-Latin" and "Philological Dictionary." In fact, Epiphanius was one of the first professional writers in Russia. In the literature of the 17th century, only the figure of Simeon Polotsky, who possessed no less than encyclopedic education, can correspond to the scale of his personality. Epifaniy Slavinetsky died on November 19, 1675 in Moscow.