When Sainthood Is Not Enough—Biblical Legitimization of Dynastic Power in Kyivan Rus’

Abstract

Early hagiography in Kyivan Rus’ shows a characteristic typology of saints. Aside from the relevant lives of monastic fgures, whose exemplary deeds were the inspiration to members of the many monastic communities, and placed them closer to the traditional startsy, all other saints lives are connected to the ruling dynasty. While the Rus’ imported all hagiographic literature from Byzantium after its Christianisation, the literary genre soon fourished and local saints’ lives were produced in the newly created monasteries. Moreover, particular developments of the wider genre of the vita permitted the recategorization of princely lives as hagio-biographies. This specifc local form of princely hagiographies betrays a coherent adoption of Orthodox ideas on sainthood and on political theology, as formulated by the Eastern Fathers. This chapter focuses on the theological, textual and sociopolitical aspects that contributed decisively to the specifc fourishing of a genre in Kyivan Rus’ aimed at legitimizing the sacrality of the ruling dynasty.