Isidore of Kiev - Metropolitan of Kiev

Metropolitan of Kiev

In 1437, Isidore was appointed Metropolitan of Kiev and Moscow and all Rus' by Emperor John VIII Palaeologus to draw the Russian Orthodox Church into communion with the Roman Catholic Church and secure Constantinople's protection against the invading Ottoman Turks. Grand Prince Vasili II met the new Metropolitan with hostility. However, Isidore managed to persuade the Grand Prince to ally with Catholicism for the sake of saving the Byzantine Empire and the Orthodox Church of Constantinople.

After Isidore had received funding from Vasili II, he went to Florence to attend the continuation of the Council of Basel in 1439. He was made a cardinal-presbyter and a papal legate for the provinces of Lithuania, Livonia, all Russia and Galicia (Poland). During this Council, Isidore fervently defended the union between the Churches of East and West, but he was opposed only by the secular representative from Russia - ambassador Foma (Thomas) of Tver. Finally, the union agreement was signed and Isidore returned to Russia. In 1437 he was sent by the Byzantine Patriarch Joseph II (1416–39, a conspicuous friend of reunion, who died a Catholic at Florence) to be Metropolitan of Moscow As soon as he arrived he began to arrange a Russian legation for the council about to be held at Ferrara. The Russian tsar, Vassili II (1425–62), made difficulties about this, and let him go eventually only after he had promised to come back with "the rights of Divine law and the constitution of the holy Church" uninjured. Syropulus and other Greek writers charge Isidore with perjury because in spite of this he accepted the union.