Isidore of Kiev
Byzantine prelate who pushed church union and whose deposition sparked Russian autocephaly.
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A supporter of union with Rome, he attended the Council of Ferrara–Florence and later proclaimed the union at Hagia Sophia. His deposition in Moscow and rejection of the union by the Russian Church contributed to the Russian Church's declaration of autocephaly in 1448.
Lore & Background
He was well-connected and had the patronage of the Palaiologos dynasty. His education likely took place in Constantinople, where he studied the scriptures, Church Fathers, and ecclesiastical law, and trained in ancient Greek. Claims that he studied alongside Italian humanists like Guarino da Verona remain unsubstantiated.
Reader's Guide
Isidore's significance lies in his role as a catalyst for the separation of the Russian Orthodox Church from Constantinople. His support for the union with Rome, formalized at the Council of Florence in 1439, was rejected by Grand Prince Vasily II and the Russian clergy. After the fall of Constantinople, he returned to Rome, where he held high offices in the Latin Church, including cardinal bishop of Sabina and Latin Patriarch of Constantinople. His legacy is that of a figure who, through his actions, inadvertently helped establish an independent Russian Orthodox Church.
Did You Know?
- Isidore was made cardinal and Apostolic Delegate for Lithuania, Livonia, Russia, and parts of Poland after the Council of Florence.
- His journey from Florence to Moscow took nearly twice as long as his journey to Ferrara.
More in Medieval & Renaissance Theologians
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Isidore of Kiev (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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