Jonas - Definition and Overview

Jonas (Иона in Russian) (? ? 1461), Metropolitan of Moscow since 1448.

Since the late 1420s, Jonas had been living in the Simonov Monastery. He was close to Metropolitan Photius, who would make him Bishop of Ryazan and Murom. After Photius's death in 1431, Grand Prince Vasili II nominated Jonas for the post of Metropolitan. Due to Vasili's war with the appanage princes, Jonas left for Constantinople only in the end of 1435. However, the Patriarch of Constantinople had already chosen Isidore the Apostate to become the Metropolitan of Russia before Jonas's arrival.

After Isidor had been condemned by the Russian Orthodox Church for his propensity towards Catholicism in 1441, Vasili II confirmed Jonas's nomination for the metropolitan post, however, continuing internecine wars were to blame for the delay of his appointment. Jonas became Metropolitan only in 1448 and without the consent of the Patriarch of the Constantinople. This signified the establishment of the autocephaly of the Russian Orthdox Church (Jonas received Patriach's benediction only after Constantinople's collapse in 1453). In 1451, Jonas took under his control Lithuanian diocese.

Jonas was canonized by the Russian Church.