Saint Philip of Moscow (Whirledge) Icon - S680

Saint Philip II served as Metropolitan of Moscow (1566-68) during the reign of Tsar Ivan IV "the Terrible."

He was born with the name Fyodor (Theodore) in 1507 to a leading Russian noble family. He grew up in close proximity to the royal court, but was not drawn to it. At age 30, he took to heart the Lord's word, "No man can serve two masters," and entered the monastic life without even bidding farewell to his relatives.

He entered the Solovetsky Monastery on the White Sea in northern Russia, near the Arctic Circle, where he received the monastic name of Philip. He undertook difficult obediences and progressed in prayer and fasting. After nine years, Archbishop Theodosius of Novgorod appointed Fr. Philip the abbot of the brotherhood. Under his leadership the monastery flourished with spiritual revival, with several other recognized saints receiving their formation under his guidance. 

In 1566, Saint Philip was consecrated as the Metropolitan of Moscow, becoming the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. He had refused this position for a long time, but came to an agreement with Tsar Ivan that was acceptable to both men.

The Tsar was a man of contradictions, and at one point declared his intention to enter the monastic life. He confessed his many murders and seemed to follow the path of repentance. But Saint Philip also learned of new waves of unjust executions undertaken by Ivan out of fear, and he decided to oppose the Tsar.

On the Sunday of the Cross in 1568, the third Sunday of Lent, Ivan attended services at the cathedral. When he approached Metropolitan Philip for his blessing, the saint refused, and instead denounced his crimes. Furious, Ivan called a trial and brought false witnesses against Saint Philip. To end the proceedings, he attempted to resign, but it was not accepted.

The Saint was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was first ordered to serve a final Divine Liturgy in the cathedral. In the middle of the service, the Tsar's bodyguards dragged Saint Philip out of the church and stripped him of his vestments. He was taken from monastery to monastery in chains, and was finally driven to the Otroch Monastery in Tver. A year later, the saint was killed by the notorious Malyuta Skuratov, one of the Tsar's minions.

In 1590, his relics were found to be incorrupt. He was glorified as a saint in 1652, with his feast day established on December 23, the day of his death. In 1660, his feast was transferred to January 9, where it remains today. He is also commemorated among the Holy Hierarchs of Moscow on October 5.

This icon is offered by Legacy Icons with the permission of the iconographer, Brian Matthew Whirledge.