Philotheus the Monk’s Theory of “Moscow as the Third Rome”

What they didn't likely teach you in high school is about a 1500s monk spread a theory about Russia being the Third Rome and how such theories continued to underpin Soviet Communism. It is a theory that is held to be based on gross misinterpretation of scriptures. Imagine Moscow as the "New Jerusalem".

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Source/more: Philotheus the Monk’s Theory of “Moscow as the Third Rome" (History of Russian Literature)

According to one source:

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Not many people here in the West are aware of the world-wide royal and religious titles that the Russian Empire is known by. For russian-flag-with-the-coat-of-armsexample, did you know that Russia is called the "Third Rome," or the "New Rome?" This had occurred when the Grand Duchy of Moscow (Russian: ...Velikoye Knyazhestvo Moskovskoye), or Grand Principality of Moscow had successfully succeeded both the first Roman and the second Byzantium Greco-Roman empires approximately 500 years ago. In doing so, the founders of Russia, known as the Rus, along with the original ancient Muscovites of Moscow had also become the defacto "Masters of the Second Jerusalem."

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Related:
Saving the Third Rome. “Fall of the Empire”, Byzantium and Putin’s Russia
Moscow the Third Rome
Russian Messianism: Third Rome, Revolution, Communism and After (book review)

The following is an excerpt of the relevant writing of Philotheus/Filofei

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To you who have been selected to rule, by the highest, the all-powerful and almighty hand of God, by Whose will all rulers on earth govern and Whom all great people praise and about Whom the powerful write the truth, I address these words to you, the illustrious sovereign, Grand Prince [of Muscovy], occupier of the high throne, the Orthodox Christian Tsar and lord of all, the administrator of all Holy Churches of God and of the Holy Universal and Apostolic Church and of the Church of the Holy Mother of God, that has made such honest and illustrious progress that it has been enabled to triumph over the Church of Rome as well as over the Church of Constantinople.

The Apollinarian heresy caused the downfall of old Rome. The Turks used their axes to shatter the doors of all churches of the Second Rome, the city of Constantinople. Now [in Moscow], the new Third Rome, the Holy Ecumenical Apostolic Church of your sovereign state shines brighter than the sun in the universal Orthodox Christian faith throughout the world. Pious Tsar! Let [people of] your state know that all states of the Orthodox faith have now merged into one, your state. You are the only true Christian ruler under the sky!

Tsar! As long as you hold that position, be mindful always of God. Fear God who has bestowed so much on you. Do not rely on gold, wealth, or glory! All of that is collected here and it will remain here on earth. Tsar! Remember the Blissful who held the sceptre in His hand and the imperial crown on His head and said: "Do not turn your heart to wealth that is running away from you." The wise Solomon said: "Wealth and gold are valued not when they are hidden, but when people offer help to those in need"...... Tsar! During your rule remember [an additional] two commandments.... [The first is]: Do not violate the order which was chosen by your great predecessor [emperor] Constantine, the beatific Vladimir, the great and God-selected laroslav, and all other blissful and saintly [rulers] from whom you have descended. [The second is]: Tsar! Do not harm the Holy churches of God and honest monasteries. [Do not expropriate] that which has been given to God in return for eternal blessing of the memory of a family. The Fifth Great and Holy Ecumenical Council issued a very strict injunction [against such action]....

Now I beg you and beg you again, please remember what I have said. For God's sake, please also remember that now all [Orthodox] Christian kingdoms have merged into your tsardom. Henceforth we can expect only one kingdom to come. That kingdom is eternal. I have written this because, admiring you as I do, I have appealed and have prayed to God that He may bless you. Change your stinginess to generosity and your inclemency to kindness. Comfort those who cry and moan day and night. Protect the innocent from their tormentors. I repeat here what I have written above. Pious Tsar! Listen and remember that all Christian kingdoms have now merged into one, your [tsardom]. Two Romes have fallen. The third stands Ifirm]. And there will not be a fourth. No one will replace your Christian tsardom ...

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Now, you have it, the secret behind the "Cold War" has been revealed.

Just in case you've never noticed the similarities between Russian and Greek writing systems...

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