The article deals with the issue of the appointment of the igumen of the Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery Ioasaph as a metropolitan in 1539. Interfering in the court struggle that broke out after the death of the ruler Grand Duchess Elena Vasilyevna Glinskaya, Metropolitan Daniel was deposed from the throne by the group of princes Shuisky who seized power. They were able to push aside those courtiers who were guided by Prince I. F. Belsky. Daniel was among the losers. He was forced to leave the metropolitan throne. In historiography there is an opinion that Joasaph was put under the direct pressure of the new boyar rulers. In addition, it is believed that he was close to the intra-church grouping of “Nestiazhateli” and this played a role in his fate. However, the new metropolitan was elected by lot from three abbots of monasteries. And the election and installation of the new metropolitan took place without pressure from the rulers. The existence at this time of the “Nestiazhatels” as an influential group of clergy is not confirmed by sources. At the same time, Daniel, deposed from the throne, signed the abdicated charter after Joasaph had been elected as the new metropolitan. This made the position of the high priest doubtful from the point of view of the church canons, which was probably one of the reasons why Joasaph (Skripitsyn) was able to retain the metropolitan throne only for a relatively short time, until January 1542.