Hilarion of Kiev
Hilarion or Ilarion (Russian: Иларион, Ukrainian: Іларіон) was the first non-Greek Metropolitan of Kiev. While there is not much verifiable information regarding Ilarion's biography, there are several aspects of his life which have come to be generally accepted.
According to the Primary Chronicle Ilarion served as a priest or monk in the princely residence of Berestovo (Berestov) near the Rus' capital of Kiev. He acquired the reputation of well-educated scholar and upon the death of Metropolitan Theopemptus in 1049, Ilarion was proclaimed the metropolitan of Kiev by Yaroslav the Wise, the Grand prince of Kiev, who thus challenged the old Byzantine tradition of placing Greeks on the episcopal sees.
Hilarion's authority met with stiff opposition from Luka Zhidiata, Bishop of Novgorod in 1135-1160. Zhidyata openly opposed Ilarion and was confined in the Kievan Caves Monastery for three years until his death, at which time his remains were taken back to Novgorod and buried in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom there.
It appears as though Ilarion did not serve an extended term as the Kievan metropolitan, as some chronicles began mentioning Metropolitan Yefrem in 1055. Nevertheless, Ilarion remains the best known of all the ancient Kievan metropolitans, not only because he was the first native to ascend to that position, but also because of his writings.
Ilarion is credited as the author of four works:
- Sermon on Law and Grace,
- Confession of Faith
- Sermon on Spiritual Benefit to All Christians
- a short collection of instructions for priests called (Russian: Слово к брату столпнику).
External links
- Ilarion, Metropolitan in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine
- Hilarion at list of biographies and "ХРОНОС"
- Hilarion, the Metropolitan of Kiev at the Rulex.ru Portal
- Hilarion of Kiev by Alexander Men
- Hilarion, the Metropolitan of Kiev, by Sergey Perevezentsev
- Sermon on Law and Grace by Hilarion with notes and comments by M. Maslin, from the online library of Russian Classics
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