Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature 1607-6192 2713-2226 IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2023-22-29-63 Research Article Articles Unknown Pages of the Metropolitan of Gaza Paisius Ligarides’ History of the Patriarch Nicon’s Trial: Introduction to Book 3. Sevastyanova Svetlana K. old-rus@imli.ru Rylik Polina A. old-rus@imli.ru Bondach Albert G. old-rus@imli.ru 2023 22 29 63 Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 The article examines the unknown pages of the metropolitan of Gaza Paisius Ligarides’ history of patriarch Nicon’s trial. The Metropolitan of Gaza, Paisius Ligarides (1610–1678) was а highly significant representative of Greek Church in the 17th Century. During his time in Moscow (from 1662) he compiled some narratives, one of them describing the Patriarch Nicon’s (1605– 1681) trial. Ligarides, alongside other Greek hierarchs, was present at the trial which took place during the Great Moscow Synod 1666–1667. This narrative has never before been translated into Russian in its entirety. The first two books of the Synod’s History, as it is referred in the article, had selectively been translated into Russian in the middle of the 19th Century. The translation was based on a Greek manuscript found in the Moscow Synodal library, which dates back to 1670s. The same manuscript was also used by British theologist W. Palmer who published in 1873 a more comprehensive albeit incomplete English translation. It appears that this English edition, and not the original Greek, had been used as the source for the Russian translation of the 3rd book of the Synod’s History. Until now the extensive Introduction had remained untranslated with the short English summary, made by W. Palmer being the only part rendered into Russian. After detailed and complex historical and literary research, we are delighted to publish for the first time the original text of the Introduction to the 3rd book of the Synod’s History, based on the Greek manuscript no. 371 (675) of the Romanian Academy Library, and its contemporary translation into Russian. We have attempted to identify the original sources and to clarify author’s intentions while adhering to his rhetorical technique and Ligarides’ literary device — an appeal to antiquity. The publication of the text is accompanied by factual commentary.