Rules and Practices of Diocesan Missionaries in the Late 19th – Early 20th Centuries (Based on the Stavropol Diocese)

Introduction. The article examines the organization of diocesan missionaries in the late 19th – early 20th centuries, using the Stavropol Diocese as an example. The study analyzes the regulatory framework that defined the foundation of missionary activity. The problems and difficulties in organizing the institution of diocesan missionaries are examined. The inconsistency of their activities, which contributed to instability in the organization of schism and sectarianism prevention, is demonstrated. Materials and Methods. The article rests on objectivity and historicism and employs traditional historical research methods. The work utilizes archival materials from the State Archives of the Stavropol Krai. Chronological, historicalcomparative, and descriptive methods are used. Analysis. The significance of this issue is determined by the fact that missionary work developed not only as an instrument of state policy in the region but also as a response to the religious needs of the population, playing an important role in strengthening Orthodoxy. In the context of general imperial processes, the author analyzes changes in the approaches of diocesan authorities to missionary work. Results. The analysis revealed that diocesan policy toward missionary work was not static, but underwent significant changes in response to sociocultural conditions in the region and the religious policy. By demonstrating a compromise approach, diocesan authorities were able to maintain the high status of the Orthodox Church in the North Caucasus.  

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