Paisij Velickovskij (1722-1794) and his Work. Return of Hesychasm and Fate of ancient Idea of Spiritual Father in the Russian Orthodoxy

• Applicant: Dr. Anna Briskina-Müller
• Subject Area: Protestant Theology ; Roman Catholic Theology
• Term: from 2014 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 251620026

The unique phenomenon of the Russian Elders in 19th century can be explained as a result of enormous influence of1. translations of patristic hesychac texts (4th-14th cent.) by Paisij Velickovskij 2. his own comments to the translated patristic texts and his own statements and expositions (about the hesychastical prayer, monastical obedience, role of spiritual father),3. reforms of monasticism done by Paisij in scale of his own monastery, 4. his work of persuasion in background (in his correspondence). All these contribueted to the emergense of phenomenon of the Russian elder. The spiritual father (elder) represents one of mostly distinctive caracteristics of the Orthodox ascetisc.Despite of existing interest under research of ascetics there are no investigations about the crucial figure which established a scool und stood in the background of emergence of these phenomens in the Orthodox Church of the Modern Times. The profot of my project will consist in:1. presentation of the figure of Paisij (person and work) who is unknown or hardly known in Germany; the emphasis will be done on his theological ideas, not primarily (as till today in many international researching works) on his philolocial merits, 2. tracking down of patristic strands between the ancient eastern christian idea of spiritual father and the prosperity of 'elderdom' in Russia of 19th century; tracking dawn of role of Paisij in this process and of the modification of the ancient idea of elder in Slavonic world.3. edition of Slavonic sources and their translation into German .

• DFG Programme: Research Grants