ARCHIMANDRITES OF VECHEVOY NOVGOROD
This work is the first comprehensive historiographic study of the institute of Novgorod archimandrites during the period of Novgorod independence; in particular, the author analyzes the mentions of archimandrites previously unnoticed by scholars in the metropolitan epistles and in the news of the annals of Abraham in 1458; moreover, the author traces the evolution of the institute of Novgorod archimandrites and denotes their functions and does not stand aside from such debatable and key issues as the time of the emergence of institutes of Novgorod archimandrites, the relationships of archimandrites with archbishops and the Veche , the number of archimandrites in Vechevoy Novgorod, and the correlation of posts of archimandrite and hegumen of St. George Monastery. At the same time, no less the author tried to trace the fate of individual archimandrites. For the first time in historiography, the appendix presents a complete list of Novgorod archimandrites from the time of Novgorod independence. In conclusion, main changes, that the institute of Novgorod archimandrites underwent in the Moscow period, are considered.