Innocent (Giesel)


Innocent Gizel was a Prussian-born historian, writer, and political and ecclesiastic figure active in Kyiv. He adopted Orthodox Christianity and made a substantial contribution to Russian and Ukrainian culture.
Described as one of the greatest intellectual and spiritual authorities of his time, Gizel is known to have supported the unification of Ukraine and Russia, but at the same time defended the autonomy of Kyiv clergy. Innokentiy Gizel is generally credited for writing the Synopsis in 1674, but some researchers reject his authorship.

Biography

Gizel family became prominent serving the noble lords of Volhynia, then part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Innocent Gizel worked as a subordinate of metropolitan Peter Mohyla, managing the printing house of Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Between 1646 and 1656 he served as hegumen of the St. Nicholas Monastery in Kyiv. During the 1640s Gizel was a rector of the Kyiv Mohyla Academy and introduced the first full course of philosophy in the establishment. In 1656, he was appointed archmandrite of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

Works

Publications

In the heraldic poem published as introduction to his work Peace with God for Man Gizel praised tsar Alexis Mikhailovich as a peacemaker.