Third Rome
Quick Summary
The "Third Rome" is a political and religious doctrine that emerged in Muscovite Russia, asserting Moscow as the successor to Rome and Byzantium as the center of true Orthodox Christianity. This idea gained prominence after the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Key aspects include:
* Succession: Following the fall of the first Rome (considered heretical) and the second Rome (Byzantium, under Turkish rule), Moscow was seen as the last bastion of Orthodox faith.
* Imperial Symbolism: Grand Prince Ivan III adopted Byzantine imperial ceremonial and the double-headed eagle, symbolizing a claim to imperial authority.
* Patriarchate: In 1589, the metropolitan of Moscow was elevated to patriarch, solidifying Moscow's religious leadership within Orthodoxy.
While tsars considered themselves protectors of Orthodoxy, the relationship between the patriarch and the tsar differed from Byzantium's "symphony" model, with the state's secular goals often taking precedence. This ideology influenced Russian political thought and its role in protecting Orthodox Christians in other regions.12
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