Raphael Zaborovsky was an influential Eastern Orthodox bishop who served as the Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia, and Little Russia. Born in Zboriv in 1677, he received his education at both the Kiev Academy and the Moscow Theological Academy. His clerical career included serving as a naval chaplain and an archimandrite before rising to high ecclesiastical positions. He eventually became a member of the Holy Synod and played a central role in the administration of the church during the eighteenth century.
Ecclesiastical career
After teaching rhetoric in Moscow, he was appointed bishop of Pskov in 1725. He later ascended to the rank of archbishop of Kiev in 1731. Zaborovsky successfully petitioned church authorities to restore the metropolis status of the Kiev archeparchy, allowing him to assume his final title in 1743. During his leadership, he implemented various synodal regulations and supported the policies of the imperial government.
Academic legacy
He significantly enhanced the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy by updating its curriculum with modern disciplines and publishing new statutes. Through his financial support, he funded scholarships for underprivileged students and expanded the academy's physical structures. His influence was so great that the institution was briefly known as the Mohyla-Zaborovsky Academy. He also oversaw the construction of several notable baroque buildings in Kiev, including the Zaborovsky Gate.
Veneration
The Metropolitan died in Kyiv on October 22, 1747. In March 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine canonized him as a saint. His feast day is observed on November 4, marking the anniversary of his death.