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15th-century icon of Metropolitan Peter of Moscow

Metropolitan Peter, with Scenes from His Life, 15th-century icon by Dionisius

A church dedicated to Metropolitan Peter in Pereslavl

Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia (Russian: Пётр; died on December 20, 1326) was the Russian metropolitan who moved his see from Vladimir to Moscow in 1325. Later he was proclaimed a patron saint of Moscow. In spite of the move, the office remained officially entitled "Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus'" until the autocephalous election of St. Jonah in 1448.

Peter was born in Galicia–Volhynia. He founded a monastery on the Rata River, tributary to Western Bug, and became its abbot. In 1308 king Boleslaw-Yuri II of Galicia nominated and the Patriarch of Constantinople appointed Peter to the vacant see of Kiev and all Rus'. Mikhail Yaroslavich, Grand Prince of Vladimir and Tver, wanted to advance his own candidate for this position. Peter's nomination caused prolonged animosity between Mikhail and Peter to the point that the latter had to ask for protection from the Prince of Moscow in 1325.

Peter's alliance with Moscow helped assert his own authority and contributed to the rise of the House of Moscow. Peter transferred his metropolitan duties from depopulated Kiev to Vladimir and then to Moscow, where he received property estates. The move strengthened the political position of Moscow and established it as the spiritual capital of fragmented Russia.

After Peter's move to Moscow, the Cathedral of the Dormition and several other stone churches were built by Ivan Kalita in the Moscow Kremlin. The foundation of the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery in Moscow is ascribed to Peter. He also authored a few sermons and epistles. He is credited with painting a wonderworking icon of the Theotokos known as the Icon of the Mother of God of St Peter of Moscow (commemorated on August 24).

After his canonization by Metropolitan Alexis, his veneration was propagated all over Moscovy. Accordingly, many churches were dedicated to Peter the Metropolitan in Moscow and other cities of Russia. His feast day is celebrated on August 24 (the translation of his relics to the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow) and October 5 (in common with Metropolitans Jonah and Alexis)

[edit] External links

• Translation of the relics of St Peter the Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia Orthodox icon and synaxarion
• Synaxis of Peter, Alexis and Jonah, Metropolitans and Wonderworkers of All Russia

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