b o o k i n 1 6 3 3 i n a n a d v a n c e d a g e , r e g r e t t e d b y h i s i o n a n d th e
■ / j w h o l e k i n g d o m .
The laft of thefe patriarchs was Adrian, at whofe demife,
in 1699, Peter, attentive to the true interefts of his crown,
could never be prevailed upon to nominate a fucceffor; and
in 1 7 2 1 the patriarchal dignity was formally aboliihed.
In a former chapter I obferved, that there are no feats in
the Ruffian churches, the ceremonial of the Greek worfhip
requiring all perfons to ftand during the performance of divine
fervice. In this cathedral, facred to the Affumption of
the Virgin Mary, I obferved two elevated places'near the
ikreen, enclofed with rails without feats: one of them is
appropriated to the fovereign, the other was formerly de-
ftined for the patriarch, whofe ftate and grandeur were in
fome inftances not inferior to thofe of the tzar himfelf.
Upon fome public occafion the archbiihop o f Novogorod,
who afpired to have the patriarchal dignity revived in his
perifon, pointing to the place formerly occupied by the
patriarch, remarked to Peter, “ Sire, that ftru&ure is now
“ ufelefs ; will not your majefty order it to be removed r”
Peter was iilent; but upon the archbiihop’s repeating the
queffion, turned to him and faid, “ That place ihall not be
“ removed, nor ihall you fill it.”
The Ruffians reckon eleven patriarchs from the firft
eftabliihment of the dignity in the perfon of Job, to its final
abolition after the death of Adrian. O f thefe the greateft
and moft confpicuous was the celebrated Nicon, whom, as he
is the only patriarch not interred in this cathedral, I could
not mention upon contemplating their tombs. It is hoped
that no apology needs be offered for the following account
of a man, whom fome Ruffians ftill abhor as Antichrift, a n d
others
others adore as a faint; and whofe extraordinary character c^ p*
has never been faithfully reprefented to the Englifh reader. <— ,__>
Nicon was born in 16 13 , in a village of the government
of Niihnei Novogorod, of fuch obfcure parents,, that their
names and ftation are not tranfmitted to pofterity.. He re*
ceived, at the baptifmal font, the name of Nikita, which afterwards,
when he became monk, he changed to Nicon, the
appellation by which he is more generally known. He was
educated in the convent of St. Macarius, under the care of a *
monk. From the courfe of his fludies, which were almoft
folely directed to the Holy Scriptures, and the exhortations
of his preceptor, he imbibed, at a very early period, the
ftrongeft attachment to a monaftick life ; and was only prevented
from following the bent of his mind by the perfua-
fions and authority of his father. In conformity, however,
to the wiihes of his family, though contrary to his own inclination,
he entered into matrimony ; and, as that fiate precluded
him from being admitted into a convent, he was ordained
a fecular prieft.
With his wife he pafled ten years ; firft as a parifh-prieflr
in fome country village, and afterwards at Mofcow in the
fame capacity ; but lofing three children, whom he tenderly
loved, his difguft for the world and his propenfity to folitude
returned with redoubled violence; and, having perfuaded his.
wife to take the veil, he entered into the monaftick order.
He chofe for his own retreat a fmall ifland of the White-
Sea, inhabited only by a few perfons, who formed a kind of
ecclefiaftical eftabliihment, as remarkable for the folitude of
their fituation as for the aufterity of their rules: about
twelve monks dwelled in feparate cells fcattered at equal
diftances from each other *, and from the church which flood:
* Tw o verils, or a mile and an half.
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