Roman, Metropolitan

Roman, Metropolitan [Роман], b ?, d 1361. Metropolitan. After the death of Metropolitan Theognostos of Kyiv in 1353, a struggle for control over Kyiv metropoly began between Muscovy and Lithuania. The Lithuanian prince Algirdas, supported by the princes of Tver, dispatched Roman to Constantinople to be consecrated. Theognostos, however, had earlier appointed Aleksei, archbishop of Vladimir, as his successor. The Patriarch of Constantinople resolved the conflict by installing Roman as metropolitan of Lithuania and Volhynia in 1354, with his see in Navahrudak. His jurisdiction was extended to include Halych eparchy, Kholm eparchy, Lutsk eparchy, Peremyshl eparchy, Polatsk and Turiv eparchy, and Volodymyr-Volynskyi eparchy (but not Kyiv eparchy or any eastern or northern eparchies). Both Algirdas and Roman were dissatisfied with this solution and attempted to win control over the rest of the metropoly. Roman also attempted to have the see of the metropolitan of Kyiv and all Rus’ moved from Moscow back to Kyiv. Upon his arrival in Kyiv (which remained in Algirdas's jurisdiction) Roman proclaimed himself metropolitan. He died suddenly shortly thereafter.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 4 (1993).]