Friday, January 9, 2026

It is the 9th of January 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

Here at 1517, when it comes to the 16th century, we tend to have our eyes focused on Western Europe, and you understand why.

But elsewhere on the globe, we find momentous events that will shape the church, such as in the nascent kingdom centered around Muscovy. It was only in the 1450s that Constantinople fell to the Turks, and so Moscow and the Russians would find themselves in the driver's seat as the leaders of the Orthodox churches in the East.

If you jump to the year 1547, you can see that the Grand Prince, Ivan, has now fancied himself the “Tsar” (or “Caesar” of this new “Rome”). Remember, Constantinople saw itself as the heir of the original Rome, and Russia saw itself as the heir of Constantinople and thus the “3rd Rome”.  

This Ivan is the infamous “Ivan the Terrible”- but he’s “terrible” in the sense of “awesome” but not “awesome as rad”… you get it? He was “awe-inspiring,” and much of it was very bad, but he was a complicated guy who also did good.

The story goes that Ivan, as a young prince, had been friends with another young noble called Theodore. Theodore’s family had aspirations at court for the young man but he felt called to more eternal matters. He ends up hearing a sermon about how no one can serve two masters and flees secretly to an obscure village to live for a time as a shepherd. From there, he goes to the Solovetsky monastery, where he is eventually tonsured and given the name Philip. The story goes that Philip serves in menial jobs, becomes an expert in metalworking and baking, and then goes on to become an abbot.

The monastery grows as Philip helps to build a hospital, canals, etc., Philip’s reputation is one of piety and as a popular organizer. It was in 1550 that Philip was invited to a council in Moscow that would be headed by the new Grand Prince, who had now styled himself Tsar- Ivan the Terrible. Philip (who was once Theodore)’s old friend.

Ivan sees in Philip an opportunity to blend both the national and religious arms of the budding empire. Ivan, who himself was deeply ambiguous when it came to his faith and his totalitarian impulses, may have seen Philip as a means of personal absolution and theological cover for his tyranny.

But Philip would resist… until he couldn’t. He had long condemned the oprichniki - or secret police but by 1566 conspired to find a middle way between the Tsar and the Church, such that he accepted the position as the Metropolitan of Moscow and all the Rus’.

But Theodore, now Philip, and soon-to-be-St. Philip would quickly realize how deeply corrupt the new Tsar had become. As an old friend, or at least acquaintance of Ivan, there was an agreement that Philip would be able to oppose the Tsar- but this was put to the test in 1568 when Philip publicly condemned the Oprichniki and their reign of terror.

Unlike his enemies, whom he would have murdered by the Oprichniki, the case of the Metropolitan, who preached against them, would be more difficult for Ivan. He instead had Philip brought up on charges of heresy- he would be removed as metropolitan and moved from monastery to monastery- away from his supporters who kept a close watch on him. But his presence as a popular critic of the Tsar would prove too much- in late 1568, Ivan had one of his henchmen strangle the former head of the Russian church. Philip II, the Metropolitan of Moscow, now St. Philip of Moscow, would become a martyr for the church and a symbol of the church’s resistance to the Tsar in the coming centuries of the Russian Empire and Russian Orthodoxy.

St. Philip was once remembered on the day he was put to death in December of 1568, but that has migrated to today, the 9th of January, and the Orthodox remember their St. Philip of Moscow, the 16th-century metropolitan and martyr.

 

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary, and finishing yesterday’s story, we started in Acts 9:

 

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

 

 

X This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 9th of January 2026, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who imagines at one point that “Ananias” became a less popular name for Christians… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by who- true story- made a borscht whilst reading Russian history for this episode… I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.