Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature 1607-6192 2713-2226 IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2025-24-451-474 Research Article Articles RUSSIAN CHURCH PRIMATES’ DEPICTION IN THE MAZURINSKY CHRONICLE Trofimova Nina V. old-rus@imli.ru 2025 24 451 474 Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 The article examines the Russian church primates’ depiction in the Mazurinsky Chronicle. The Mazurinsky Chronicle, a work of the early 80s of the 17th century, contained the idea of divine patronage of Russia as the guardian of the true Orthodox faith. In the system of characters in the chronicle, a significant place is given to clerics, first of all, the primates. The completeness of the facts and the emotionality of the narratives about the primates of the past depended on the amount of information provided by the sources of the chronicle, the significance of their activities for the church and Russia as a whole, and the perception of the characters by the chronicler Isidor Snazin. In the absence of a large number of facts in previous writings, the scribe mentioned one or two events in brief notes, so they do not contain complete images of the primates. If there is enough information, then the chronicler chose the main ones, the most significant for the fate of Russia. Such characteristics may contain the author’s estimation, most often in the form of epithets, or they may be deprived of them. The Moscow holy metropolitans and Patriarchs Hermogenes and Filaret are depicted the most consistently and vividly, because their activities and personal qualities determined the course of the most important events. The complex of chronicle reports about them creates ideal images of true pastors. The depiction of the Snazin’s contemporary patriarchs, Nikon and Joachim, differs significantly. Both characters are shown laconically and mostly in ceremonial events, without any direct estimates. The chronicler also depicted images of primates who have departed from Orthodoxy, but the attitude towards them is different. Isidore, who tried to bring Uniatism to Russia, is condemned ironically and with few epithets, and the heretic Zosima is depicted more as an erring than as a false shepherd. Probably, to the chronicler of the 17th century heresy seemed to be a completely eradicated phenomenon, and Catholicism seemed to be a real danger. Tropes, author’s remarks and assessments by other characters are rarely used in the depiction of all the primates, characterization through actions and in some cases through speeches is the predominant means. 1. Bogdanov, P. Letopisets i istorik kontsa XVII veka: Ocherki istoricheskoi mysli “perekhodnogo vremeni” [Chronicler and Historian of the End of the 17th Century: Essays on the Historical Thought of the “Transitory Time”]. 2nd ed., rev. and exp. Moscow, Berlin, Direkt-Media Publ., 2019. 218 p. DOI: 10.23681/495856 (In Russian) 2. Istoriia russkoi tserkvi [The History of the Russian Сhurch]. Sortavala, Spaso-Preobrazhenskii Valaamskii monastyr’ Publ., 1991. 735, [1] p. (In Russian) 3. Rudi, T.R. “O kompozitsii i topike zhitii prepodobnykh” [“On the Composition and Topic of the Monks’ Lives”]. Trudy Оtdela drevnerusskoi literatury [Proceedings of the Department of Old Russian Literature], 57. St. Petersburg, Dmitrii Bulanin Publ., 2006, pp. 431–500. (In Russian)