In the history of Russia of the 17th century, the figure of Epiphanius 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 Servant led to a split in Russian Orthodoxy and the emergence of the Old Believers.
Person under cover of mystery
It is not known exactly when and where the theologian Epiphanius Slavinetsky was born. There is no reliable information even about his worldly name. Some biographers are inclined to consider him a Ukrainian or a Belarusian, but even these theories have no iron proof. 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 Epiphanius Slavinetsky was assigned to him in the church. It was taken at a tonsure in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. It is also believed that Epiphanius studied at a local fraternal school. Historians came to this conclusion based on the fact that the monk was fluent in Greek, the center of teaching of which was precisely this institution. In addition, the novice knew Latin very well, which may indicate his studies abroad.
Translator and Grecophile
Having received his education, Epiphanius Slavinetsky himself began to teach at the Kiev fraternal school. He taught ancient Greek, Church Slavonic and Latin languages. The fame of his knowledge reached Moscow. In 1649, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich asked him and the priest Arseny Satanovsky to move to the capital. In Kiev, St. Andrew’s Monastery was built for Kiev scientists on the Sparrow Hills, where a school was organized in which young clerks were taught foreign languages.
In 1651, Epiphanius Slavinetsky finally moved to the capital. He settled in the Kremlin Miracle Monastery. This place was not chosen by chance. In the second half of the 17th century, the Miracles Monastery was a stronghold of the party of Greco-Philosophers - a religious and philosophical movement that focused on Orthodox Byzantine culture and opposed Catholic Western European and Old Believer influence.
Rapprochement with Nikon
Once in the capital, Hieromonk Epiphanius Slavinetsky attracted the attention of the most powerful people in the church, including Patriarch Nikon. The reputation of an expert and a connoisseur of languages allowed him to take on the most responsible work in life. The patriarch made Epiphanius a translator of documents left after the Council of Constantinople in 1593. For the Russian Orthodox Church, it has become a landmark. It was at this council that the eastern patriarchs decided to create an independent Moscow patriarchy.
Despite the importance of that event, the translation of books related to it, even by the middle of the XVII century, was never carried out. The rich language of Epiphanius Slavinetsky and many talents allowed him to seriously take up this 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 amendments to the Charter and an updated text of the Servant.
New Serviceman
Ruling the old books, Epiphanius used the Venetian editions in Greek that were modern at that time, which were very different from Russian traditional liturgical literature. His choice led to the fact that in 1655 the transition to triple, the four-pointed cross on prosphors and other innovations was legalized, which ultimately entailed a split in the Orthodox Church and the emergence of Old Believers.
Although the reforms of the mid-17th century are usually associated with the name of Patriarch Nikon, it was the editing and translation of books by Epiphanius that became one of the reasons for radical religious changes. The publication of the new edition of the Servant caused a storm of indignation among the flock. The 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 repressions against those who disagree with the new order.
Religious views
Although the important translation of Epiphanius Slavinetsky could play into his hands while climbing the hierarchical ladder in the church, he never showed ambitions to become a bishop, remaining a modest hieromonk all his life. Most of his free time was spent reading theological as well as philosophical books.
In his views, Epiphanius was not just a conservative Greek dogma - he did not even try to understand the features and specifics of the Russian understanding of Orthodoxy. An important sign of this alienity was the lexicon of the hieromonk. Epiphanius often used foreign verbal constructions, even when he wrote and translated into Russian.
Latinist and preacher
Although the hieromonk was a grecophile, this did not prevent him from remaining one of the best Latinists in the country. He had to work with many Catholic Venetian books. In addition, as a theoretical philologist, Epiphanius prepared the Latin Lexicon. In its niche, it was the best textbook in Russian. Epiphanius compiled it on the basis of a dictionary written by Ambrosius Kalepin.
The scholarly interest in the church lexicon led to the fact that as a preacher, the hieromonk taught his flock much more than he preached to it. Researchers at Epiphanius's work note that his texts have always been dry and abstruse.
Between the king 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 a rivalry between the power of the monarch and the patriarch. In this confrontation, Epiphanius Slavinetsky also played an important role. The biography of the hieromonk was equally connected with both Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Nikon. When the two began to figure out what was more important - the "kingdom" or "priesthood", Epiphanius took a compromise position.
By that time (early 1660), the translator was no longer just the ruler of theological texts. He had considerable weight throughout the church, although he rarely used his position. An exception was the very dispute between the king and the patriarch over which of them is the most important and powerful figure. Epiphanius considered the monarch the only peak in the pyramid of power. After him, the philosopher recognized the right to convene councils, decide the affairs of the church, and even distribute the main ranks within its hierarchy. At the same time, Epiphanius advocated restricting the authority of hierarchs below the patriarch and believed that they (metropolitans, archbishops, etc.) did not have the right to judge Nikon. It was the authority of Epiphanius that allowed the head of the church to stay in place for some time.
Writer's Legacy
Although Epiphanius was engaged in church reforms, as well as the settlement of disputes between the king and the patriarch, his most important work has always been translations. Hieromonk left behind only about 150 works. These were both translations and original, own works. The last group includes 60 sermons, as well as 40 syllabic songs.
Epiphanius also translated Andreas Vesalius ("Anatomy") and Erasmus of Rotterdam ("Citizenship of Children's Customs"). He was engaged in theoretical issues of lexicography - his authorship is the Greek-Slavic-Latin Lexicon and the 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 of Polotsk, who possessed no less than an encyclopedic education, can correspond to the scale of his personality. Epiphanius Slavinetsky died on November 19, 1675 in Moscow.