Vera Gagarina

Research topic: Penitentials and the question of their canonical authority in Rus’ in the 15-16 centuries

Supervisor: Prof. Simon Franklin

My primary research interest lies in exploring the informal aspects of religious life in Medieval and Early Modern Rus’. In my research, I explore the interplay between official religious doctrines and the less formal practices that shaped religious life during this period. In my master’s dissertation, I focused on the folk veneration of Saint Philip II, metropolitan of Moscow and all Rus’, during the 16th-17th centuries. This study examined the veneration of St. Philip beyond the metropole and the official state line, with a particular emphasis on the regions of the Russian North and the devotion of pilgrims and laymen. Expanding on my research interest in the informal aspects of religious life, my doctoral thesis is dedicated to studying the informal component of ecclesiastical law in Rus’ through the analysis of penitentials. Penitentials - anonymous lists of rules, often authored by local individuals such as lower-ranking priests in regional monasteries and churches - offer unique insights into the practical application and evolution of ecclesiastical law at the local level. My research revolves around the exploration of penitentials and the question of their canonical authority. Despite facing criticism in official sources and being considered among prohibited books due to containing a significant number of apocryphal texts, penitentials continued to be used and copied. This ambiguity underscores the significance of penitentials for studying the concepts of canonical and non-canonical texts, revealing the tension between the official position of the Church and the widespread popularity of these texts in manuscripts.

Languages:

Russian (native); English (advanced); French (advanced); Ancient and Medieval Greek (advanced); Church Slavonic (advanced); Latin (intermediate); German (intermediate)

Scholarships/Prizes:

Hill Foundation Scholarship Trinity College Research Studentship The Gaillard Lapsley Prize in Medieval Studies The Gaillard Lapsley Grant