TRIAL OF METROPOLITAN PETER IN THE EYES OF CONTEMPORARIES AND SCRIBES OF THE XVI CENTURY

The article presented to the attention of readers is devoted to the question of the attitude of the clergy and other contemporaries of the events of the XIV–XVI centuries to the problem of material abuse of bishops. As an example, we consider a set of sources related to the history of the trial of Metropolitan Peter of Moscow, who was accused by the Tver Bishop Andrei of accepting fees for the services and ordinations performed. The main sources of news about those events are hagiographic news published by scribes of the XVI century. in the most important collections of the time in the Great Reading for Months and the Book of Degrees of Thus, these hagiographic texts contributed to the formation of ideas about the rights of the Metropolitan among readers on the example of the history of Peter the Great. Examination of the hagiographic text allows us to conclude that the circumstances of the court described in the life quite accurately record the socio-political situation in which the cathedral was assembled. These texts extremely adequately convey the procedural side of the proceedings. An analysis of the reports allows us to conclude that the accusations against Metropolitan Peter were not unfounded, and the attitude towards the bishop on the part of the Grand Duke and part of the higher clergy remained openly negative. The investigation was conducted by the patriarchal ambassador. There is every reason to believe that the case ended with the reconciliation of the parties. An inquiry into Metropolitan Peter showed that the position of the Metropolitan, supported by the Allies, was stable. Peter not only was able to turn the tide, but later
managed to deal with his opponents. Obviously, the social status of the metropolitan was high and granted the Russian first hierarchs de facto jurisdiction over matters of material abuse.