Editing Ivan I of Moscow (section)

===Religious affairs===
[[File:Frescos in Cathedral of the Archangel in Moscow - south wall 02.jpg|thumb|Fresco of Ivan Kalita and his son Simeon in the [[Cathedral of the Archangel]] in Moscow, 1652–1666]]
The [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodox]] metropolitan, [[Peter of Moscow|Peter]], allied himself with the prince of Moscow and began looking for a new residence, where he singled out Moscow despite the fact it was "small and had a small population", according to his biographer Cyprian.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|pages=150–151}} He then writes that the city of Moscow "was ruled by the pious Grand-prince Ivan, son of Daniel, grandson of the blessed Alexander [Nevsky], whom the blessed Peter saw resplending in Orthodoxy, merciful to the poor, honouring the holy churches of God and the clergy, loving divine Scriptures, well instructed in the teachings of the books. So the holy hierarch of God [Peter] loved him very much".{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=151}} Peter established his residence in Moscow, at the start of Ivan's reign.{{sfn|Crummey|2014|page=40}}{{sfn|Hughes|2006|p=282}} During Peter's tenure in Moscow, Ivan laid the foundation for the first stone church in Moscow, the [[Dormition Cathedral, Moscow|Dormition Cathedral]], on 4 August 1326.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=153}} Peter intended to make Moscow his burial place and the religious center of the country, and he died there on 20 December 1326.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=153}} Moscow became the new spiritual center of Russian Orthodoxy.{{sfn|Crummey|2014|p=40}}

Peter was succeeded by [[Theognostus of Kiev|Theognostus]], who, like his predecessor, supported the rise of the Moscow principality.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=156}}{{sfn|Fennell|2023|page=192}} During the first four years of his tenure, Moscow  continued to develop as masonry building progressed, leading to the completion of the Dormition Cathedral and four additional stone churches.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=156}}{{sfn|Favereau|2021|page=229}} During the reign of Grand Duke [[Gediminas]] of Lithuania, a separate metropolitanate was established in Lithuania, likely soon after his accession;{{sfn|Fennell|2023|page=129}} however, by the end of 1331, Theognostus was able to restore ecclesiastical control over Lithuania and he closed the metropolitan sees of Galicia and Lithuania, thus frustrating the efforts of Gediminas at territorial expansion.{{sfn|Fennell|2023|page=134}} Theognostus also proceeded with the [[canonization]] of Peter in 1339, and requested an official document from [[John Calecas]], the [[patriarch of Constantinople]], to sanction Peter's liturgical [[veneration]], which helped to increase Moscow's prestige.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=156}} This request to the patriarch was a demonstration by Theognostus of his loyalty and allegiance to the patriarch.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=156}} Theognostus also remained the sole metropolitan "of all Russia" for the rest of his tenure and he received the title of [[exarch]] from the patriarch — a designation reserved for only senior Byzantine metropolitans and not granted to his successors.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=156}}

According to the historian [[John Lister Illingworth Fennell|John L. I. Fennell]], it may be questioned whether Theognostus was acting primarily in the interests of the ecumenical patriarch or wholly identified himself with Moscow's political aspirations; however, "it cannot be denied that he proved the staunch and effective friend of Ivan of Moscow and a thorn in the flesh of Gedimin of Lithuania".{{sfn|Fennell|2023|page=134}} He also says that Theognostus likely enjoyed at least some support or protection from Özbeg Khan during Ivan's reign.{{sfn|Fennell|2023|page=134}} According to the theologian [[John Meyendorff]], most Byzantine diplomats and ecclesiastics were distrustful of Lithuania and believed that Moscow's policy of appeasing the Mongols better matched Byzantine interests.{{sfn|Meyendorff|2010|page=157}}