"to play the devil's advocate": a Russian equivalent?

[Jules Levin]

This concept goes back to the Catholic Church's procedure for 
determining sainthood.  In addition to the clergy arguing for sainthood, 
a clergyman (priest? cardinal? bishop?) was appointed to argue 
against--he was the "devil's advocate".  If the Orthodox Church had a 
similar procedure, there should be an old authentic term; otherwise, 
however it's said in Russian would be a translation of some western 
language.
Jules Levin

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