In this paper, we turn to some materials which shed light on the early history of the Nizhni Novgorod archdiocese under Metropolitan Bishop Filaret (1672-1686). The authors suggest a number of hypotheses to explain the choice of this particular figure as head of the newly established diocese. The most important directions of his activities are systematized and assessed. Filaret’s connection with the so called «case of Nikon» and the complex relationship of secular and ecclesiastical authorities with the «Old Believers» are also examined. The authors emphasize the importance of Filaret’s personality and his influence on the activities of subsequent church hierarchs in the Nizhni Novgorod region.
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