The Ethos of the Orthodox Clergy on the Example of the Omsk Eparchy in the End of XIX — beginning of XX Century

Abstract

The paper considers the problem of moral and ecclesiastical image of the Orthodox clergy on the example of the Omsk eparchy in1895-1917. The analysis of the moral status of the parish clergy is relevant for researching the historical past of Russia. On the basis of the clerical records of the Omsk eparchy found on the Russian State Archive it was stated that the population density in the Omsk eparchy as well as the geographical conditions were extremely heterogeneous. In big cities the population was highest, and the distance between the parishes was minimal, however a considerable part of churchmen conducted their services in the conditions of remote, poorly funded parishes — the areas where Christianity was expected to be established, or where the service process was associated with specific natural and geographical difficulties. These were remote, just about to be developed territories, located in the area of the Trans-Siberian railway, where the processes of migration and the Church building came together. The results of the research help to identify the problems of the eparchial authorities in their personnel policy. Among these problems are low level of professionalism, lack of training and, as a consequence, the low moral character of the clergy of the Omsk eparchy.

DOI 10.14258/izvasu(2015)4.2-19