Роль Східних Православних Патріархів в організації Хмельниччини (The role of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs in the organization of Khmelnitsky Uprisins)

The article shows that since the end of XVI and the first half of the XVI century Ukrainian lands were under attention of the highest dignitaries of the Eastern Orthodox churches. They visited Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem patriarchs and other hierarchs. It was one of the elements of a geopolitical game of the Ottoman Empire in Eastern Europe. This state tried to use the religious (now Orthodox) factor in their goals. In particular, the Eastern patriarchs implemented steps to prevent the union of Orthodox Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with Catholics. The Ottoman Empire was interested in destabilizing the situation in the Polish- Lithuanian Commonwealth through fomenting a conflict between Orthodox and Catholics. In fact, higher Orthodox clerical establishment of the Ottoman Empire was preparing and realizing the explosion of Cossack rebellion directed by Bohdan Khmelnitsky