the same time, he wrote the theological and philosophical sermons which were seen by the Kiev governor-generals Dmitry Golitsyn and Alexander Menshikov. In 1707, he became Prefect of the Kiev-Mogila Academy. In 1711, Prokopovich gave a sermon on the occasion of the anniversary of the Battle of Poltava. The Tsar of Russia, Peter I, was struck by the eloquence of this sermon, and upon his return to Kiev, Feofan Prokopovich was appointed rector of the Kiev-Mogila Academy and a professor of theology. At the same time, he also became abbot of the Kiev Brotherhood Epiphany Monastery. He entirely reformed the teaching of theology there, substituting the historical method of the German theologians for the Orthodox scholastic system. In 1716, he went to Saint Petersburg. From that point, Prokopovich spent his time explaining the new scholastic system and justifying its most controversial innovations from the pulpit. Despite the opposition of the Russian clergy, who regarded the "Light of Kiev" as an interloper and semi-heretic, he became invaluable to the civil power. He was promoted to bishop of Pskov in 1718, and archbishop of Novgorod in 1725. He died in Saint Petersburg. As the author of the spiritual regulation for the reform of the Russian Orthodox Church, Feofan is regarded as the creator of the spiritual department superseding the patriarchate, better known by its later name of the Holy Governing Synod, of which he was made vice-president. A pitiless enemy of superstitions of any kind, Prokopovich continued to be a reformer even after the death of Peter the Great. He simplified Russian preaching, introducing popular themes and a simple style into Orthodox pulpits. Notes References Sources I. Chistovitch, Theofan Prokopovich and his Times (Rus.; Petersburg, 1868) P. Morozov, Theophan Prokopovich as a Writer (Rus.; Petersburg, 1880) External links Funerary sermon on Peter I (in English) Nikolay Kostomarov's article on Prokopovich (in Russian) Encyclopædia Britannica online article Oleksiy Barbaruk-Trypilsky, "Feofan Prokopovych created the Russian Empire", Hazeta Po-Ukrainsky, June 30, 2006, in Russian, in Ukrainian. 1681 births 1736 deaths Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy from Catholicism Rhetoricians Russian theologians Russian religious leaders Russian male poets Honorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy alumni Academic staff of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Religious leaders from Kyiv People from the Cossack Hetmanate Ukrainian philosophers Russian people of Ukrainian descent Ukrainian Orthodox bishops 17th-century Eastern Orthodox Christians 18th-century Eastern Orthodox