Hilarion of Kiev

Hilarion or Ilarion ( _ru. Иларион, _uk. Іларіон) was the first non-Greek Metropolitan of Kiev. While there is not much verifiable information regarding Ilarion's biography, there are several aspects of his life which have come to be generally accepted.

According to the Primary Chronicle Ilarion served as a priest or monk in the princely residence of Berestovo ("Berestov") near the Rus' capital of Kiev. He acquired the reputation of well-educated scholar and upon the death of Metropolitan Theopemptus in 1049, Ilarion was proclaimed the metropolitan of Kiev by Yaroslav the Wise, the Grand prince of Kiev, who thus challenged the old Byzantine tradition of placing Greeks on the episcopal sees.

Hilarion's appointment met with stiff opposition from Luka Zhidiata, Bishop of Novgorod (r.1135-1160). Zhidyata openly opposed probably because it was the prerogative of the Patriarch of Constantinople to appoint the Kievan metropolitan and thus Ilarion's appointment was uncanonical. For his opposition, Luka was confined in the Kievan Caves Monastery for three years until his death, at which time his remains were taken back to Novgorod and buried in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom there. [Michael C. Paul, "A Man Chosen By God": The Office of Archbishop in Novgorod, Russia 1165-1478" (Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Miami, 2003).]

It appears as though Ilarion did not serve an extended term as the Kievan metropolitan, as some chronicles began mentioning Metropolitan Yefrem in 1055. Nevertheless, Ilarion remains the best known of all the ancient Kievan metropolitans, not only because he was the first native to ascend to that position, but also because of his writings.

Ilarion is credited as the author of four works:
* "Sermon on Law and Grace",
* "Confession of Faith"
* "Sermon on Spiritual Benefit to All Christians"
* a short collection of instructions for priests called ( _ru. Слово к брату столпнику).

References

External links

* [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pagesILIlarionMetropolitan.htm Ilarion, Metropolitan] in the [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/ Encyclopedia of Ukraine]
* [http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/ilarion.html Hilarion] at [http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/imena.html list of biographies] and [http://hrono.ru "ХРОНОС"]
* [http://www.rulex.ru/01090186.htm Hilarion, the Metropolitan of Kiev] at the [http://www.rulex.ru/ Rulex.ru Portal]
* [http://www.krotov.info/spravki/persons/11person/ilarion.html Hilarion of Kiev] by Alexander Men
* [http://www.portal-slovo.ru/rus/history/85/5070/ Hilarion, the Metropolitan of Kiev] , by [http://www.portal-slovo.ru/rus/about/editors/perevezentsev/ Sergey Perevezentsev]
*"Sermon on Law and Grace" by Hilarion with notes and comments [http://www.upm.orthodoxy.ru/library/I/Ilarion_slovo.htm by M. Maslin] , [http://www.ymk.ru/2005/rusklassicbibl/xi-02.htm from the online library of Russian Classics]