ON S. JONAS THAUMATURGUS,
METROPOLITAN OF KIEV IN RUSSIA.
From the Triptych & Synaxarion of the Russians.
ABOUT MCCCCLXX.
CommentaryJonas Thaumaturgus, Metropolitan of Kiev in Russia (S.)
D. P.
After the Greek-Moscow Ephemerides,
prefixed to our first Tome of May, I have exhibited to be seen two Triptychs of Moscovite piety; Among three holy Metropolitans painted in the triptych the last, on the right wing of the first & better of which (the left the unskilled Engraver made to be seen in inverted order) are represented standing in a double series & looking at Christ, sitting in the middle tablet on the tribunal, ten Saints: & in the upper order indeed stand these five, S. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra; S. Stephen, Deacon Protomartyr: SS. Peter, Alexius, Jonas, all in Metropolitan habit: for they were Archbishops of Kiev in Russia; the First indeed Peter, in the order of Metropolitans the ninth, dead at the beginning of the XIV century, & brought back into the Fasti on XXI December; flourished after the middle of the 15th century as on XII February taught Godfrey Henschen, treating of the second of the aforenamed S. Alexius, who about the year MCCCXXX ordained, held the Throne for nearly XXXIV years. The same then says, how the successor of Alexius Phosyaeus, wholly intent on introducing the Greek Schism, merited to be deposed in the Council, which was celebrated at Novogradek in Lithuania, in the year MCCCCXV; & to him in order succeeded Gregory, Misael, Jonas Hlesna, & three others, all alien from the said Greek schism until the year MDXX, when another Jonas created Metropolitan, raised up the schism, in those parts almost finished.
[2] in the Ephemerides not expressed, The Birthdays of Peter & Alexius are noted in the most ample form in the figured Ephemeris of the Moscovites, & also the finding of that very Alexius XX, May: Jonas nowhere there appears: because namely the tables of those Ephemerides were sculpted in the year MCCCCXLIX. This after those edited, I first observed, noted at the end, of the first month of the Moscovite year September, by the notes θ μ᾽: which referring to the century then running, because the tables of these were sculpted in the year 1449: I find to signify the year XLIV, with the note Ἰνδ. βί of Indiction XII; but such concurrence, after the year MCXLIX, is first found in the year which I said MCCCCXLIX; nor until now has it yet returned or will return before the year MDCCXLIX. But who there could not have a place S. Jonas, has it in the Ruthenian Menology, which in the year MDCLXXIX, Indiction II, in the month of August printed at Moscow, under Duke Theodore Alexiades & Patriarch Joachim, in the year MDCLXXXVIII left to us, & with various Mss. collated, into Latin rendered the prenoble & generous Lord John Gabriel Baron of Sparwenfeld the Swede, for a long time among the Moscovites in his King's businesses engaged.
[3] but in the Synaxarion of the year 1679 known with the title of Thaumaturgus. There, on this day, after the commemorated Translation of S. Theodore Sycaeotes, which on XXII April escaped us; we read these words: Likewise of S. F. N. Jonas, Metropolitan of Kiev & of all Russia Thaumaturgus: which so distinguished a title, & not except on account of frequent & everywhere known miracles accustomed to be attributed to anyone, no one (I believe) will suspect can suit him, who was author or innovator of the Schism. For although someone may have presumed to attribute some things to this one, as if done above the powers of nature; it is impossible however without contradiction of anyone to feign so many, that one whole nation, however tenacious of its error, conspire in a fiction so palpable, as would be needed for the use of such a title to be established. Let it stand therefore, that Jonas is orthodox, & thus truly Saint, so proposed; & let us wish to obtain his life & miracles, if anywhere written they exist.
Acta Sanctorum: Appendix June II