Kliment Smoliatich

Klim (Kliment) Smoliatich (Russian: Клим (Климент) Смолятич; Ukrainian: Клим (Климент) Смолятич; Belarusian: Клім (Клімент) Смаляціч); (born ? in the Smolensk region, died after 1164) was an Ancient Rus Orthodox metropolitan (official title: Metropolitan of Kiev and All-Rus').

A Kiev metropolitan (1147–1154) and church figure from the Smolensk region (from which his surname is derived), Belarus. A monk of the Zarub Monastery, Klym was elected metropolitan by a synod of the hierarchy of the Rus' church under pressure from Prince Iziaslav Mstislavich. However, his election was never confirmed by the Patriarch of Constantinople.

Klym was also opposed by Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy, Iziaslav's rival, and the bishop of Novgorod the Great, Niphont. After Iziaslav's death he was forced to abdicate as metropolitan and became bishop of Volodymyr-Volynskyi. Klym was an erudite sermonizer and philosopher. His best-known work is Poslaniie do presvitera Khomy (Letter to Presbyter Khoma), which has survived in two manuscript forms. It contains a symbolic explanation of the Holy Scriptures, and demonstrates his knowledge of Homer, Plato, and Aristotle. Other works are also attributed to him.

References

• Klym Smoliatych at the Encyclopedia of Ukraine

Preceded by Michael II of Kiev

Metropolitan of Kiev and All-Rus' 1147–1154

Succeeded by Constantine I of Kiev