He was the eighth metropolitan in Moscow to be appointed without the approval of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople as had been the norm.

He represented the belligerent ecclesiastic circle that was interested in alliance with the princely authority.

In 1525, bypassing the ecclesiastic canons, Daniel sanctioned the divorce between Vasili III and his childless wife Solomonia Saburova, which caused general discontent in Muscovy.

[1] Daniel was the initiator of a number of church councils (sobory) between 1525 and 1531, which condemned the opponents of the Josephinians - Maximus the Greek and Vassian Patrikeyev.

[2] While on his deathbed, Vasili III asked Daniel to take care of his wife and son.