The Kyiv-Pechersk Patericon in the Context of Judaica: Its Potential as a Source and Some Historiographical Observations

Abstract

The author considers the Kyiv-Pechersk Patericon as a source for the reconstruction of the image of the Jews in the milieu of the Orthodox men of letters. The study discusses Christian-Jewish relations in Kyivan Rus’ in the 11th to 13th centuries, provides an overview of the recent literature on the subject, and identifies problem areas in historiography. In connection with the latter, two potential directions for the exploration of the subject are singled out. First, the author proposes to study the Patericon in the context of the history of ideas and perceptions, which will allow us to immerse ourselves in the system of views and attitudes of East Slavic men of letters. Second, a broadening of the source base is needed. Among the texts of the Patericon, the historiographical tradition has mainly focused on “The Tale of Eustratius Postnik,” the most prominent in its anti-Jewish stance. The paper draws attention to three other narratives in the Patericon, which also to some extent reflect the Judeophobic views of the Orthodox clergy. Among them are “The Tale of Lavrenti the Hermit,” “The Tale of Nicetas the Hermit” and “The Tale of Sviatosha.” The author stresses the unique nature of the references to the Jews in the latter two sources. Thus, the existing materials indicate that the subject of the Jews was brought up, as a rule, with a polemic or didactic purpose. The paper shows the affinity of certain anti-Jewish invectives and topoi with the traditions of the New Testament and the Holy Fathers, which significantly influenced the worldview of the men of letters in Kyivan Rus’. The author suggests that this evidence should be considered and analyzed in conjunction with other landmarks of Kyivan-Rus’ Orthodox literature, in particular Hilarion’s Sermon on Law and Grace and the Tale of Bygone Years.