Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature 1607-6192 2713-2226 IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2024-23-245-262 Research Article Articles TRANSFORMATION OF HAGIOGRAPHIC CANON IN THE MENAION VITA OF JOSEPH VOLOTSKY: ON THE ISSUE OF “JOSEPHITE” TOPICS Ivanov Igor E. old-rus@imli.ru 2024 23 245 262 Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 The article examines the transformation of hagiographic canon in the menaion vita of Joseph Volotsky: on the issue of “Josephite” topics. In the 16th century, the scribes of the Volokolamsk Monastery, the disciples of St. Joseph Volotsky, conducted a fierce polemic both with “non-possessors” and with representatives of other major monastic corporations in Russia: the Trinity-Sergius and Cyril-Belozersky monasteries. Within the framework of this polemic, the Josephite scribes created a significant body of texts that reflected those issues that were related to the activities of Joseph Volotsky and especially worried contemporaries: problem of relationship between Church and state, right of monasteries to land ownership, need for physical punishment of heretics, conflict of the Volokolamsk abbot with Archbishop Serapion of Novgorod. In an effort not only to substantiate and develop the views of their teacher, but also to achieve the canonization of Abbot Joseph, the Volokolamsk scribes formed their own book tradition, supported by the relevant topic, which is found both in the Life (Vita) of Joseph Volotsky, and in the Life (Vita) of Paphnutius Borovsky, the teacher of the Volotsky abbot. In addition, the Volokolamsk paterik and the lives of famous Josephite saints: Cassian the Barefoot and Photius of Volotsky are involved in the analysis. The task of the work is to analyze exactly those toposmotifs that can be attributed to the Josephite book tradition.