TWO COLLECTIONS OF LETTERS OF KYIV METROPOLITAN ARSENII MOHYLIANSKYI 1762—1766: PERSONS, EVENTS, SYMBOLS AND GESTURES

Abstract

The purpose of the study is showing the difference in the metropolitan’s personality towards persons of varying degrees of closeness and importance to him, with special attention to facts of emotional connection (through special phrases, terms, intimate details of the content, gifts) on the basis of the correspondence of Arsenii Mohylianskyi from 1762—1766, revealing the manifested and unmanifested symbols and gestures in the epistles of His Eminence Arsenii and his addressees. Methodology is based on modern developments in epistolary studies, history of everyday life, intellectual history’ and historical anthropology. Novelty. The study introduces a corpus of letters, only few of which have been previously published and included in specialised works. Through the prism of the correspondence reveals the traits of character, interests, intellectual intentions, sacred and material priorities of Arsenii Mohylianskyi. For the first time, the symbolism of the sacred and secular things and artefacts associated with him is considered. Conclusions. In his correspondence with church leaders, Arsenii Mohylianskyi manifested himself in different ways: in relation to close persons (Metropolitan Tymofii Shcherbatskyi, the royal confessor) quite openly in the ‘person to person’ system, in relation to other hierarchs according to etiquette (as required by the communication between bishops), with the subordinate clergy as demanding but a lenient leader. When trying to fulfil the requests of the addressees, the metropolitan nevertheless (even in relation to very close people) did not violate the established norms, looking for legal ways to achieve the desired result. His attitude towards the clergy of the East was focused not so much on the individuals themselves, but on their status and personification of iconic Orthodox centres (Jerusalem, Sinai, Athos). Forms and gestures of the sacred world of Arsenii Mohylianskyi are especially evident in his veneration and promotion of the shrines of St. Sophia Cathedral. In all cases, he acted exclusively as a bishop whose human manifestations are ‘hidden’ behind the symbolism of words, gifts, and gestures.