Pimen of Novgorod was a 16th-century Eastern Orthodox prelate who served as the archbishop of Novgorod. A former monk of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, he was elected to his position in 1552. While he initially supported Ivan the Terrible, helping to facilitate the trial of Metropolitan Philip, he eventually became a victim of the Tsar's wrath. During the suppression of Novgorod in 1571, Pimen was accused of treason and stripped of his clerical rank, leading to his death in exile.
Life and service
During his tenure, Pimen founded the Tikhvin Assumption Monastery and oversaw the construction of several churches. He was also responsible for discovering the relics of Nikita of Novgorod. His written works include a message to the Tsar regarding military victories and a treatise concerning the selection of priestly elders. After being humiliated and deposed by the Tsar, he was sent to the Nikolo-Venevsky Monastery near Tula, where he died in captivity in September 1571.
Veneration
The Russian Orthodox Church recognizes him as a saint. He is commemorated in the Cathedral of the Saints of Novgorod and the Cathedral of the Saints of Tula. His relics were recovered from beneath the floor of the Nikolo Church and are currently kept in a special reliquary within a stone niche, accompanied by an icon of the saint.