The image of the ideal hegumen in the works of Pachomius the Serb

About the authors:

Sergey S. Pashin, Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor, Department of Homeland History, University of Tyumen; eLibrary AuthorID, pashin-s@yandex.ru

Natalia S. Vasikhovskaya, Cand. Sci. (Hist.), Associate Professor, Department of Russian History, University of Tyumen; eLibrary AuthorID, vasichovskay@mail.ru

Abstract:

The article is devoted to the study of hagiographic traditions in Russia in the 15–16th centuries. The authors focused on a part of the creative legacy of Pachomius the Serb (Logothete) — the lives of the founders and hegumens of famous monasteries during the period of the gathering of Russian lands into a single state — Varlaam Khutynsky, Nikon Radonezhsky, Kirill Belozersky, Savva Vishersky. Based on the research tools of the hermeneutic approach in studying and comparing the texts of hagiographic writings, the authors identified direct and indirect quotations from the Bible, the Life of Theodosius of Pechersk, and the Life of Sergius of Radonezh in the works of Pachomius, as well as reference comparisons of the heroes of Pachomius’ writings. The information obtained helps to better understand the degree of influence of Pachomius the Serb and his writing style on the further development of the hagiographic genre, on the creation of images of saints as certain ideals embodying a certain list of qualities necessary for this ideal, as well as techniques for their transmission in the text. The obvious gaps in the biography of the holy ascetic were easily filled by referring to the works of his predecessors. A similar trend is clearly visible in the compilers of the lives of Ferapont and Martinianus Belozersky, whose texts are given in the article as additional sources designed to show the great influence of Pachomius’ work on the scribes of the mid-16th century.

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