In 1407, Photius was appointed Metropolitan of all Russia with the title of Metropolitan of Kiev and Vladimir. In 1408, he was transferred to Moscow and became Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia. In Moscow, however, Photius had to deal with a lot of adversities, such as drought, starvation, pestilence and fires, which had fallen upon Russia. Photius found his metropolitan residence ravaged and ecclesiastictreasury empty. Everything seemed to be in chaos and he didn't know a single word of Russian.
Photius is remembered as a clergyman, who helped the poor and took good care of his Russian flock like none of the foreign bishops. He built a church and the so-called house of silence and prayer on the Sengo Lake not far from Vladimir, where he used to retreat for meditation. In 1430, when Photius was in Vladimir, the Mongols raided the city, but he managed to escape to the lake. He stayed there for 3 months until the Grand Prince of Moscow sent for him.
They say that after his return to Moscow an angel appeared before Photius and told him about his forthcoming death. He died 7 days later.
Moscow was the fourth capital of Russia--the earlier ones being Novgorod, Kieff, and Vladimir--and was the residence of the Tsars from 1340 until the time of Peter the Great in 1711.
Moscow was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1547; in 1571 it was besieged and taken by Devlet-Ghirei, Khan of the Crimean Tatars, and again in 1591 the Tatars and Mongols under Kara-Ghirei for the last time entered and plundered the city, but did not succeed in taking the Kremlin.
Gerasim (1431-5) was the successor of Photius at Moscow, and had correspondence with Pope Eugene IV as to the reunion of the Eastern and Western Churches.
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