He stayed in Russia for a long time, became Russified, and the memory of his Greek origin was almost lost.

In 1464, he was appointed Metropolitan of Moscow, hand-picked by Theodosius at the time of his resignation, just as Theodosius had been picked by his predecessor, Iona[1] In the 1470s, Philip was actively engaged in a struggle against the Polish–Lithuanian influence over Novgorod, particularly the influence of the Metropolitan of Lithuania and the fear that Novgorod would defect to him and eventually go over to Catholicism.

[3] That same year, Philip started reconstructing the Cathedral of the Dormition in the Moscow Kremlin.

The original cathedral, built by Metropolitan Petr in 1326, was in a dilapidated state; Philipp hired inexperienced workers and soon after his death the building collapsed.

[4] Metropolitan Philip died on 5 April 1473 and was buried in the Cathedral of the Dorimition in the Moscow Kremlin.