Spotkania chrześcijaństwa Wschodu i Zachodu w Rzeczypospolitej Obojga Narodów. Część 2. W poszukiwaniu „nowej unii” – dole i niedole prawosławia w epoce Wazów
Meetings of Eastern and Western Christianity in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Part 2. In Search of a 'New Union' – The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Orthodoxy in the Era of the Vasa Dynasty

Author(s): Hieronim Grala
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Cultural history, Studies of Literature, Polish Literature, Theory of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Union of Brest; Orthodox Church; Vasa dynasty; Kyiv Metropolis; Cossacs
Summary/Abstract: The situation of the Orthodox Church in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the reign of the Vasa dynasty was shaped by two key events with profound socio-political implications: the establishment of the Moscow Patriarchate in 1589 and the Union of Brest in 1596, which placed the institutional “Greek Church” under the authority of the Holy See. The acceptance of Moscow’s new patriarchal status by Eastern Christian hierarchs elevated its clergy, posing a challenge to the historical rights of the Kyiv Metropolis. This thwarted ambitions of creating a separate Orthodox patriarchate within the Commonwealth, despite earlier negotiations involving both Constantinople and Rome. The Union of Brest failed to meet the expectations of its supporters due to resistance from Orthodox clergy, influential nobles, and Protestant factions wary of Catholic political dominance. Tensions escalated in 1620 with Patriarch Theophanes of Jerusalem’s unauthorized consecration of Orthodox bishops in Kyiv, a move that reinforced Cossack involvement in religious affairs. Later, King Władysław IV sought reconciliation, supporting figures like Metropolitan Petro Mohyla. However, both Rome and the increasingly autonomous Cossacks obstructed these efforts. The situation drastically changed with the Chmielnicki Uprising (1648) and Moscow’s intervention, culminating in the 1686 transfer of the Kyiv Metropolis to Moscow’s jurisdiction. This marked a turning point, leading many Ruthenian clergy in the Commonwealth to embrace the Union as a means of preserving religious and political identity.

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