Why did princes allow physical violence against the Russian metropolitans of the 14th century? Similarity of 1358 and 1378 events

The article shows connection between the two plots: St. Alexy's being beaten by Prince Olgerd in Kiev in 1358 and St. Cyprian's being beaten by Prince Dmitry in Moscow in 1378. The incident with Metropolitan Alexy was the culmination of his conflict with the Lithuanian prince, which had begun with glorification of three Lithuanian martyrs. Presented is parallel analysis of the historiography of the issues of veneration and glorification of these martyrs in Russia and Byzantium. Apart from other things, considered is the source problem of both plots because the first one is described only in the conciliar act of 1381, while the second one is described in the second epistle of Metropolitan Cyprian of 1378. Analysis of the second epistle of Metropolitan Cyprian brings to the conclusion that the influence of the Great Russian “monastic party” at the time of the conflict seems to be somewhat exaggerated. The connection of the plots considered in the article is also confirmed by the subsequent events.