Niphont (Novgorod)

Niphont ( Russian Нифонт ; † 1156 ) was Bishop of Novgorod (1130-1156). He was the author of Kirik's Questions ( Вопрошание Кирика ), one of the earliest Old Russian theological treatises. Niphont is venerated as a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church , his feast day is April 8 and the feast day of the Pskov saints.

Life

The year of birth and a secular name are unknown.

Niphont became a monk in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra . In 1130 he was appointed Bishop of Novgorod.

1147 Niphont opposed the non-canonical appointment of Clemens (Kliment) of Smolensk as Metropolitan of Kiev by Grand Duke Isjaslav II without the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople . For this he was detained in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. He was only released again in 1149 after Yuri Dolgoruki had captured Kiev . In a letter from the Patriarch he was compared with the old holy fathers for his advocacy of the right Orthodox faith and dubbed him archbishop.

Niphont had the St. Sophia Cathedral painted in Novgorod . He founded the Mirosh Monastery in Pskow and the St. Clement Church in Ladoga .

Niphont died in Kiev in 1156. He is buried in the cave monastery. In 1549 he was canonized.

Web links

Remarks

↑ This approval would have been necessary because only the Patriarch could appoint bishops of the Rus.
↑ He did not have this rank, but this would have given him greater autonomy from the Metropolitan of Kiev.

personal data
SURNAME	Niphont
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Нифонт
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Bishop of Novgorod (1130-1156)
DATE OF BIRTH	11th century or 12th century
DATE OF DEATH	1156

[1] This approval would have been necessary because only the Patriarch could appoint bishops of the Rus.

[2] He did not have this rank, but this would have given him greater autonomy from the Metropolitan of Kiev.