Доклады Международного конгресса ИИСАА. Т. 1

II. Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia / Ближний Восток, Кавказ и Центральная Азия Доклады Международного конгресса по источниковедению и историографии стран Азии и Африки. Т. 1. 2020 265 As for Makarius’meeting with the Russian Patriarch, it was really warm because, contrary to the haughty air of Dionysius during his meeting with the Patriarch Joachim Ḍaww, Nikon was very respectful to the Patriarch of Antioch and asked him for the blessing. The Patriarch was moved and blessed Nikon on his forehead, chest and shoulders . This shows great respect for the Patriarch of Antioch, who represented for the Russians at the time the successor of Paul, the Judge and the oldest Patriarch. According to the “Voyage of Makarius”, at that time “they did not call the [Patriarch of] Constantinople aykumenikus , i. e. the Patriarch of the Earth, but arshiyabiskus only”, which means they did not recognize him as the Ecumenical Patriarch 1 . Nikon celebrated several masses with Makarius, that Paul described in detail, mentioning that the Patriarch of Moscow was very attached to the Greek rites. He also reported the presence of the Jesuits in Russia at that time, who represented for him heretics ( Yazīdīs ), and who tried to convert the Cossacks who were very attached to Orthodoxy 2 . This first voyage of Makarius was reported in the work written by his son Paul, which exists in several handwritten copies, scattered in libraries both in the East and in the West. It has been published several times, and translated into several languages by many historians, but it still lacks a critical edition based on all the copies available, which would highlight the importance of this book, both for Russia and other East European countries visited by Makarius and his son Paul, as well as for the Christian East 3 . The first voyage of Makarius was followed by another one in 1666–1668. He was invited to Russia by Tsar Alexis himself to give his opinion on the activities of the Russian Patriarch Nikon. The latter occupied the Patriarchal seat of Moscow since 1632. On the one hand, he declared the independence of the Church from the State, but on the other hand, he allowed himself to intervene in the affairs of the State to protect the faithful. This provoked the indignation of Tsar Alexis, who ordered the assembly of the synod to which Makarius was invited. This further confirms the respect of the Russians for Patriarch of Antioch, and the confidence that Tsar Alexis had in him. The synod was convened in 1667 and was presided over by Tsar Alexis. Makarius participated, as well as Patriarch of Alexandria Paisios (1757–1678), and his friend Paisios Ligarides, Metropolitan of Gaza. A decision was taken at this synod that accepted the changes made by Patriarch Nikon, but forced him to resign. This decision was put into practice, but the schism of the “Old Believers” was very strong; in fact, it remained strong even in the early twentieth century. Nikon’s resignation did not pass easily and after he was 1 Juliette al-Rassi. Riḥlat Makāriyus Ibn al-Zaʿīm. P. 79–80 (I quote from Ri ḥ lat Makāriyus Ibn al-Za ʿ īm . MS 802–805, British Library, London). 2 Ibid.. P. 79–86. 3 Ibid. P. 72–77.