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==Life==
Little is known of the early life of John who is not to be confused with Abp. [[John of Novgorod and Wonderworker|John of Novgorod]] in the twelfth century who often is referred to as Ioann in hagiographic literature, but was apparently called Ilya during his archiepiscopate. Upon the retirement and with the blessing of his predecessor, Abp. Alexsei, John was elected by the Novgorod veche[[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/624300/veche]] in 1388. John came to office as Moscow began to gain hegemony over Novgorod in a growing dispute that would continue for the next century.
In his position as the [[archbishop]] of Novgorod, John became a partisan in the dispute between Novgorod and supporters of Metr. Cyprian of Kiev in his attempt to become Metropolitan of Moscow that continued from 1376. Initially, named as Metropolitan of Moscow, Cyprian was forced to flee Russia until he later returned and was supported and appointed Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia by Prince Basil II. <ref>[[John Meyendorff]], ''Byzantium and the Rise of Russia'' (Crestwood, NY: [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Seminary]], 1989), 214-221.</ref> However, after Cyprian was [[enthronement|enthroned]] he was still not allowed to hear appeals from the archbishop's court in Novgorod or gather a tax, which was the metropolitan's customary right. As consequence of the dispute, no [[metropolitan]] of Moscow visited Novgorod for almost the next four decades.