Most Holy Synod
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Святѣйшій Правительствующій Сѵнодъ | |
St. Petersburg | |
Successor | Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church |
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Formation | January 25, 1721 |
Founder | Peter I of Russia |
Dissolved | 1917 |
Type | Governing body |
Purpose | Highest governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church |
Region | Russia |
Membership | 10-12 |
Part of a series on the |
Eastern Orthodox Church |
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Overview |
The Most Holy Governing Synod (
Background
A series of reforms by
Road to the Synod
When the conservative
After
In 1711, reform allotted the Senate jurisdiction over all peoples, including ecclesiastical subjects. This meant that the state now had authority over issues that had been previously reserved for church authorities. With this power came the ability, in certain situations, for the state to determine clerics for administration in religious positions.[4]
In 1716 Peter formulated an oath for the bishops-elect of Vologda and Astrakhan and Yavorskii. The oath, divided into seven parts, served as a supplement to the present oath. The first two parts regard the appropriate method for dealing with heretics and oppositionists. The third section designates that monks of their dioceses were not to travel outside diocese limits, unless for an urgent matter, and only then with written permission. The oath prohibited the building of any unnecessary churches (point 4) and the hiring on of any unessential clerics (point 5). The oath required clergy to visit their diocese at least once a year in order to dispel superstition or apostates and to congregate believers (point 6). Finally, the oath compelled bishops to swear that they would not become involved in secular affairs or legal proceedings.[5]
Peter's attitude towards the Church
Peter was determined to westernize Russia during his reign, and the church was an integral part of his campaign. As mentioned earlier, the new structure of the church in many ways resembled that which was current in European countries with established churches, such as Sweden and Germany.
Peter used the Synod to find and punish dissident Russians. An addition in 1722 to the Ecclesiastic Regulation, which replaced the patriarch as the church head, required clerics to report any seditious confessions.[8]
Before the creation of the Most Holy Synod, Peter was concerned personally with improvements in the church. He was particularly interested in improving the education of the clerics, since many were illiterate and unable to administer sacraments.[9]
At the time Peter established the synod, he also issued the Spiritual Order, mentioned above. One key aspect of this edict was that it disregarded or denied the divinity of the church and characterized it as a state institution.[10]
Formation
The Holy Synod replaced the job of the patriarch with ten, and later twelve, clerics. The chief procurator (Ober-Prokuror), the first of whom was Colonel I. V. Boltin, oversaw the synod in order to verify the legality of their actions and the prompt and orderly fulfillment of their responsibilities.[11] Peter required priests to report traitorous confessions, but he did not push his ability to control to the limit; for example, he refrained from secularizing church lands. Under the synod, the church became more tolerant of various denominations, even extending this policy to the Old Believers for a period of time. Intermarriage between Orthodox and Western Christians was permitted starting in the year of the Synod’s formation.[12]
The synod was intended, presumably, to mirror the church-state relationship in the
In November 1718, Peter formed an Ecclesiastical College in St. Petersburg, as it was the center of civil government. Soon, its name was changed to “Most Holy All-Ruling Synod”.[14]
Duties
The synod functioned under the Ecclesiastical Regulation statute with the goal of administrating and reforming the church. The statute stated that the eleven members of the college were to be of varying classes and ranks. One president, two vice-presidents, four councilors and four assessors comprised the council and each member would get one vote when determining a dispute.[15]
Formed as a reaction to Peter’s views of Russia as compared to Western Europe, the synod was a concentration of clerics who had received extensive formal higher education. It worked to gain as much of the disputed church property as possible, and after assuming control of the patriarchal domain the synod was accountable for the lives of 6000 people. It was to be revered absolutely in all things and possessed “patriarchal power, honour, and authority”.[16]
The primary duties of the synod were to supervise the direction of the Orthodox faith, instruct people on religious matters, celebrate feasts and determine questions of order and ritual. As mentioned before, the synod also suppressed heretics, judged miracles and relics and prevented Russian citizens from practicing witchcraft. The synod was in control of church property and was thus responsible for the creation of monasteries and churches.[17]
Prime Members (Chairmen)
- 1721–1722 Stephan (Yavorsky), Metropolitan of Ryazan
- 1722–1725 (acting) Theodosius (Yanovsky), Archbishop of Novgorod
- 1725–1726 (acting) Theophan (Prokopovich), Archbishop of Novgorod
- 1726–1736 Theophan (Prokopovich), Archbishop of Novgorod
- 1736–1740 none
- 1740–1745 Ambrose (Yushkevich), Archbishop of Novgorod
- 1745–1753 Stephan (Kalinovsky), Archbishop of Novgorod
- 1753–1754 Platon (Malinovsky), Archbishop of Moscow
- 1754–1757 Sylvester (Kulyabka), Archbishop of Saint-Petersburg
- 1757–1767 Demetrius (Sechenov), Archbishop of Novgorod (since 1762 – Metropolitan)
- 1767–1770 Gabriel (Kremenetsky), Archbishop of Saint-Petersburg
- 1775–1799 Gabriel (Petrov), Archbishop of Novgorod (since 1783 – Metropolitan)
- 1799–1818 Ambrose (Podobedov), Archbishop of Saint-Petersburg (since 1801 – Metropolitan of Novgorod)
- 1818–1821 Michael (Desnitsky), Metropolitan of Saint-Petersburg (since 1818 – of Novgorod)
- 1821–1843 Seraphim (Glagolevsky), Metropolitan of Novgorod
- 1843–1848 Anthony (Rafalsky), Metropolitan of Novgorod
- 1848–1856 Nicanor (Klementievsky), Metropolitan of Novgorod
- 1856–1860 Gregory (Postnikov), Metropolitan of Saint-Petersburg
- 1860–1892 Isidore (Nikolsky), Metropolitan of Novgorod
- 1892–1898 Palladius (Rayev), Metropolitan of Saint-Petersburg
- 1898–1900 Joannicius (Rudnev), Metropolitan of Kiev
- 1900–1912 Anthony (Vadkovsky), Metropolitan of Saint-Petersburg
- 1912–1917 Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky), Metropolitan of Saint-Petersburg, (since 1915 – of Kiev)
- 1917–1917 Platon (Rozhdestvensky), Archbishop of Kartli and Kakheti (later – Metropolitan of Tbilisi and Baku)
See also
References
- ^ Riasanovsky, Nicholas Valentine, and Mark D. Steinberg. “The Reign of Peter the Great.” A History of Russia. Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. 211-29. Print. pp. 215-219
- ^ Riasanovsky, Nicholas Valentine, and Mark D. Steinberg. “The Reign of Peter the Great.” A History of Russia. Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. 211-29. Print. page 230
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print pages 114-115.
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print. page 137
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print. page 141
- ^ Riasanovsky, Nicholas Valentine, and Mark D. Steinberg. “The Reign of Peter the Great.” A History of Russia. Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. 211-31. Print. pages 230-231
- ^ Cracraft, James. "Diplomatic and Bureaucratic Revolutions, Revolutions and Resistance." The Revolution of Peter the Great. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2003. 60-65, 120-130. Print. page 62
- ^ Cracraft, James. "Diplomatic and Bureaucratic Revolutions, Revolutions and Resistance." The Revolution of Peter the Great. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2003. 60-65, 120-130. Print. page 120
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print.
- ^ Krindatch, Alexey. "Changing relationships between Religion, the State, and Society in Russia." GeoJournal 67.4 (2006): 267-282. Print. page 269
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print. page 175
- ^ Riasanovsky, Nicholas Valentine, and Mark D. Steinberg. “The Reign of Peter the Great.” A History of Russia. Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. 211-29. Print. pages 230-231
- ^ Riasanovsky, Nicholas Valentine, and Mark D. Steinberg. “The Reign of Peter the Great.” A History of Russia. Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. 211-29. Print. pages 230-231
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print. page 153
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print. page 165
- ^ Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print. pages 183 and 230
- Robert Appleton Company, 1910.
Sources
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Holy Synod". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- Statesman's handbook for Russia. 1896.
- Cracraft, James. "Diplomatic and Bureaucratic Revolutions, Revolutions and Resistance." The Revolution of Peter the Great. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2003. 60-65, 120-130. Print.
- Cracraft, James. The Church Reform of Peter the Great. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1971. Print.
- Krindatch, Alexey. "Changing relationships between Religion, the State, and Society in Russia." GeoJournal 67.4 (2006): 267-282. Print.
- Riasanovsky, Nicholas Valentine, and Mark D. Steinberg. “The Reign of Peter the Great.” A History of Russia. Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. 211-29. Print.
- The Catholic Encyclopedia volume 7, entry by Adrian Fortescue, publisher: Robert Appleton Company, 1910.