Arcade de Novgorod

Arcade de Novgorod, known in Russian sources as Arkady, was a bishop of Novgorod in the mid-twelfth century. Surviving historical records, chiefly notices in the Novgorod chronicles, offer only limited information about his life. His year and place of birth are unknown, as is common for many churchmen of Kievan Rus' who were not the subjects of full hagiographical lives.

He had embraced the monastic life before being chosen as bishop, consistent with the canonical tradition of the Eastern Church that bishops be taken from among monks. After Bishop Nifont died in Kiev in 1156, the veche of Novgorod elected Arcadius to the episcopal throne. He received consecration from the Metropolitan of Kiev and thereafter administered the large and influential eparchy of Novgorod.

Novgorod in this era was a major commercial centre whose church played a central role in civic as well as religious life. The bishop presided at the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom and exercised authority over a vast northern territory. Arcadius's episcopate lasted until his death in 1163. A vacancy followed until 1165, when Ilya was consecrated; during Ilya's tenure the see was raised to archiepiscopal rank.

Little additional detail about Arcadius's character, writings, or miracles has been preserved in the principal collections of saints' lives. He remains a comparatively obscure member of the succession of Novgorod hierarchs. Any veneration he received appears to have been local and modest in comparison with better-known saints of the same see.