CHAPTER XVIII
SINGLE RULE ESTABLISHED
Foti, the metropolitan, died in 1431. His successor was Iona, who was born at Soli-Galitch, a place north of the Volga. The late metropolitan had favored Iona, and foretold his elevation. On Foti’s death the Grand Prince wished to make Iona metropolitan. He was appointed, and needed only ordination by the Patriarch, but civil war in Moscow delayed this. In view of Moscow disorders, another metropolitan was chosen in Western Russia and Lithuania. The Smolensk bishop Gerásim was ordained to the office in Tsargrad. But in 1435 Gerásim met a tragic death, because of his negotiations with Sigismund of Poland,—Vitold’s successor, Svidrigello, seized the metropolitan and burned him at the stake. Then Vassili of Moscow, in agreement with the Lithuanian Grand Prince, sent Iona to Tsargrad, but before he arrived there the Emperor and Patriarch had made Isidor, a Greek, metropolitan of Russia.
The Emperor Ioann was well known for his discussions with Rome touching union of the Churches. Surrounded by the Osmanli on every side, he sought safety in church union, trusting that the Pope would bring aid to him from all Europe. Church union had been a question at Basle, to which council Ioann had sent three envoys, who agreed on conditions for union. One of these three, the most zealous for union, was Isidor. Wishing to involve Russia in the union, the Patriarch made Isidor metropolitan of Kief and all Russia. He came to Moscow with Iona. The Grand Prince was dissatisfied; still he received the new metropolitan, not knowing the plans of the Emperor and Patriarch. Isidor was barely in office when he asked to make a journey to Italy to be present at the Eighth Oecumenical Council, assembled in Ferrara at that time, 1437, to unite the two Churches. The Grand Prince was very [[428]]unwilling to grant the metropolitan leave of absence, and demanded from him a promise to preserve Orthodox purity in church belief.
At Ferrara were the Byzantine Emperor, with his brother Dmitri and the Patriarch Iosif. The Council was opened 1438. Pope Eugene IV presided. Some months later the plague appeared at Ferrara and the Council was taken to Florence. Two parties were acting among the Greek members; one favored union with Rome, hoping thus to get aid against Islam, while the other would not sacrifice religion to politics for any cause. This party refused to recognize papal supremacy, procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son as well as the Father, and some other articles of faith. The soul of the party was Mark, metropolitan of Ephesus. At the head of the other, and more numerous party, stood the Emperor and the Patriarch. Its most eloquent representative was Vissarion, metropolitan of Nicaea. Isidor, the metropolitan of Russia, was attached to this man through long friendship; he was bound heart and soul to his project of union, and did much for its temporary triumph.
In July, 1439, in the Cathedral of Florence, was proclaimed the union of Churches. One of the cardinals read the Latin text of the bull containing the decision of the Council, and Vissarion read the Greek version. Among the names of the twenty metropolitans who signed the bull is that of Isidor. The Greek minority, headed by Mark of Ephesus, refused every signature. Eugene IV appointed Isidor papal legate for Livonia, and Eastern and Western Russia; with this title he left Florence in October. In Western Russia his first act was to publish the decision of the Council. On his return to Moscow a Latin crucifix was borne in front of him. This confused people greatly. In his first mass he prayed for the Pope before others, and at the end of the service the bull was read announcing Church union. In this bull those doctrines were proclaimed which, according to Russian ideas, form the main errors of Latinism. This reading produced immense scandal among both the clergy and laity. The Grand Prince denounced Isidor as a wolf, not a pastor and teacher. He commanded that he should be removed from office at once, and conveyed to the Chudoff monastery. Then he assembled bishops to judge the recreant.
This was in 1440. Isidor did not await a decision; he fled from [[429]]the monastery, and, going through Tver and Lithuania, halted not till he reached the Pope’s palace. The Grand Prince did not pursue him, being satisfied, it seemed, with ending the matter in that way.
In Tsargrad the union of Florence met firm resistance. The Emperor and Patriarch dared not proclaim it in the Sophia Cathedral. The new Patriarch, Gregory Mana, a determined advocate of the union, was forced from his office, and withdrew to Rome. Events showed very soon that the plans made in Rome were fruitless. The Turk was not driven from Europe. The Pope roused Yagello’s son, Vladislav, to attack the Osmanli, but Vladislav fell in battle. In 1444 the Christian army was thoroughly defeated by Murad II at Varna. The remnant of the Byzantine Empire received no aid from Western nations.
Isidor was welcomed by the Pope with open arms, and made cardinal. He continued, however, to call himself metropolitan of Russia. The next Pope, Nicholas V, favored Isidor also, who was perhaps the chief agent between Rome and Byzantium. After the death of Gregory, who had been driven from his office by adhering to the union, the Pope appointed Isidor Patriarch. Of course the position was titular only.
There was no obstacle now to the installation of Iona. The Grand Prince sent an envoy to the Patriarch to explain Isidor’s heresy, and ask him to install a new metropolitan. But while the envoy was on the road tidings met him from Mount Athos that the Patriarch and Emperor had joined the church union, hence he returned to Moscow, and for eight years there was no metropolitan in Russia.