The liturgical reforms of Patriarch Nikon (1654-1666) and Church-state relations (on materials to repair the Breviary)

Patriarch Nikon is one of the most controversial figures in the history of Russian statehood, which is connected not only with the contradictory assessments of the liturgical reform, causing the schism, but also with its relations with the state authorities. A lot to talk about the political activity of Nikon, which is explained by the principle of the Patriarch of the «priest-hood is more.imprtant than the Kingdom», in which highlights the political aspect, and the relationship of the Church and the state are considered outside the context of the activities of the Patriarch on the reform of the divine service, which was his main. It seems that such an approach is in contradiction with what we know about the personality of Patriarch Nikon, differing integrity. In this regard, the question arises about the connection of political ambitions of the Nikon with a religious context. To clarify this question we need to turn to the Church activity of Patriarch Nikon and his liturgical reform. One of the main directions of the reform was the correction of the liturgical texts. Religious-political aspect of Nikon's reforms to the greatest extent reflected in the corrections.of the the Breviary, is closely related to the everyday life of believers. In the book of needs there is a large group of the changes associated with the introduction of new ideas of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. First of all, the raising of status of the bishop in relation to the priest, but there are also raising of status of the priest in relation to the parishioner. The most demonstrative in this respect, the Repentance rite, which, as before the reform not only the repentance of a sinner, but also an act of humility and repentance of the priest, receives a new vision: the sacrament is performed by not just a man, but by the bearer of the grace of priesthood. In the same context should be considered and included in the texts of the expansion and increase in the number of prayer requests of the Patriarch and the Tsar. In general, the text changes to the building and structuring of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, in the liturgical texts of the significantly more than the changes in the understanding of the Royal power. Therefore, the understanding of the Imperial power as a «Holy» is located in the overall context of the attempts at structuring of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, which have to be taken in the process of correction. It is clear, therefore, that, since the Kingdom of heaven is above the earth, so far, by Patriarch Nikon, and the «priesthood is more important than the Kingdom.» However, the sharp change in the understanding of the priesthood, of the Patriarchate, the tsarist authorities caused misunderstanding: the Tsar's government took this as a manifestation of political ambitions, in General, the believers do not understand the meaning and direction of the reform in terms of the structuring of the spiritual hierarchy. Thus, the views of Patriarch Nikon lost the support of both public and folk, which contributed to a sharp fall in the ecclesiastical authority and, in the future, the subordination of the Church to the state.

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