On December 2, 1375. – The Bulgarian monk Kyprian was ordained as Metropolitan of Kyiv and Lithuania.
He was born in Veliko Tarnovo. “Weaned by Bulgaria, donated to Russia” – his nephew, Gregory Tsamblak, said of him six centuries ago, in the Council of the Dormition. He was born in 1330. He comes from the family of Grigoriy Tsamblak. His journey begins in the Kilifarev Monastery of St. Theodosius of Turnovsky, then went to Constantinople, and later – in the Holy Mountain. As a monk of Athos, Cyprian was distinguished by his holy way of life, as evidenced by the message of St. Patriarch Euthymius to Monk Cyprian – “Euphimia”.
His good qualities were noticed by the Patriarch Philoteus of Constantinople, who attracted the monk and made him his confidant – “approximate monk”. Patriarch Philotei is one of the most energetic defenders of the ideas of St. Gregory Palamas, pursuing a policy of uniting all Orthodox, ending feuds, achieving unity in the Russian and Orthodox Church in general.
The first appearance of Cyprian in Russia was in 1373, in his capacity as a patriarchal envoy. He investigated the relations of Metropolitan Alexius with the Western Russian churches. Patriarch Philoteus ordained on December 2, 1375. Cyprian for Metropolitan of Kiev, Russia and Lithuania and decided after the death of Metropolitan Alexius that Cyprian would become Metropolitan of all Russia.
On May 23, 1381, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Metropolitan Cyprian was welcomed in Moscow with special solemnity. Soon, however, in the fall of 1382, he fell into disgrace and was removed to Kiev. Calmer times for him came at the end of 1387, when in Constantinople it was determined that “metropolitan of Kiev and of all Russia will be and will be called Kyr Cyprian, who will hold this post until the end of his life” . This decision of Patriarch Nil was confirmed in February 1389. by his successor, the patriarch Antony.
In the fall of 1390, during the fourth week of Great Lent, Metropolitan Cyprian solemnly entered Moscow. After 14 years of effort and hardship, he gets more than he ever wanted – Metropolitan Kyprian succeeded in uniting the divided parts of the Moscow Metropolis and ruled it in his capacity as Metropolitan of All Russia until his death.
Saint Cyprian was buried in the Dormition Council in 1406.
On October 1, 2006 the 600th anniversary of the death of the Russian Holy Metropolitan Kyprian Bulgarin was celebrated with a divine holy liturgy celebrated at the Assumption Council in the Kremlin.