Vassian Toporkov

Years of birth and death unknown. Bishop of Kolomna from 1525.

Vassian Toporkov was a nephew of Iosif Volotskii and a zealous follower of his teaching. He was also an ally of Metropolitan Daniil, together with whom he argued against the nonacquirers. After the death of Elena Glinskaia, the wife of Grand Prince Vasilii III and regent for her son Ivan IV, attempts were made by the boyars, who were the supreme ruling power in Russia until Ivan IV came of age, to become friendly with Vassian Toporkov. In May 1542, Vassian Toporkov became abbot of the Pesnosha Monastery in the Dmitrovsk District. In 1553, Ivan IV paid a visit to Vassian Toporkov; according to the testimony of Prince A. M. Kurbskii, Vassian Toporkov suggested that it was necessary for the tsar to break off relations with his closest supporters, A. F. Adashev and Sil’vester. It is assumed that Vassian Toporkov lived on into the times of the oprichnina.