PARTICIPATION OF COSSACK STARSHYNA GOVERNANCE IN THE ELECTIONS OF KYIV-PECHERSK LAVRA ARCHIMANDRITE DURING K. ROZUMOVSKYI REGENCY

Abstract

The article examines the Cossack participation in the election of Archimandrite of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra during the reign of Kyrylo Rozumovskyi. The author drew attention to the endeavour of Kyrylo Rozumovskyi and his milieu to return prerogative of the Cossack Hetman, administrative and judicial authorities in the ecclesiastical realm. This participation, inspite of being formal, is evidence of increasing of the Cossack leader status and legitimization of its role in the political and legal realm in the Hetmanate. Cossack starshyna took part in the election of the monastery archimandrites Luke Bilousovych and Zosima Valkevych. The tradition that Hetman legitimize the election of the Church leaders began to emerge at the beginning of the National Revolution in the mid-17th century. Close relationships between the Cossack starshyna and the clergy resulted in lively discussion of urgent ecclesiastical problems. It is not by chance that the restriction of their right to elect freely the clergy, made by Russian authorities, became a major focus of public attention within Ukrainian elite.