Metropolitan Photius of Kiev () (died July 2 or February 7, 1431), was the Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus' in the Patriachate of Constantinople of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was of Greek descent. Early life Photius was born in the town of Monemvasia (Despotate of Morea, Byzantine Empire), located on an island near the southeastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. He became a monk in his youth. From 1397 he served with Metropolitan Akakios of Monemvasia. Career On 1 September 1408, Patriarch Matthew I of Constantinople consecrated him in Constantinople as Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Rus'. He was given the right to rule the whole metropolis excluding the Metropolis of Halych. By that time, only two of the five dioceses remained in Halych. On 1 September 1409, Photius arrived in Kyiv, and by Easter (April 22, 1410) - in Moscow. North-eastern Rus', including the Metropolitan region, was devastated by the invasion of Khan Edigu in 1408, resulting in famine and pestilence. Photius found his metropolitan residence ravaged and that the ecclesiastic treasury was empty. Everything seemed to be in chaos and he didn't know a single word of Russian. Photius made efforts to restore the church economy and the finances of the metropolis, turning to the Grand Duke of Moscow — Vasily I — for help. The metropolitan was concerned about the state of church discipline and morality. Numerous letters were written to him (mostly dated 1410-1420s). In 1414, Vytautas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, attempted to re-establish the Metropolis of Lithuania. He arranged for a synod of bishops to elect Gregory Tsamblak as the Metropolitan of Lithuania. The consecration took place without the consent of Patriarch Euthymius II of Constantinople who deposed and anathematized him and who confirmed the same in letters to Photius, Emperor Manuel II Palaeologos and Grand Prince Vasily I. After Gregory’s death in the winter of 1419–1420, Photius made peace with Vytautas. As a result, the entire metropolis, including Halych, was unified under Photius until his death in 1431. Veneration He was canonized in 2009 by including his name in the Synaxis of all saints of Moscow. Feast Day 27 May – commemoration of uncovering and translation his relics in 1472 by Philip I, tenable, until the new Dormition Cathedral in Moscow was built in 1479 (He was moved with: Theognostus, Cyprian, Jonah) 2 July – commemoration of his death anniversary, the