Rev. Hieromonk Gury and Astrakhan Diocesan Committee (Orthodox Missionary Society): Analyzing Materials from the State Archive of Astrakhan Oblast

Abstract

Goals. The article aims to explore some unpublished documents relating to the interaction between Rev. Hieromonk Gury, Associate Professor of the Kazan Theological Academy, and Astrakhan Diocesan Committee of the Orthodox Missionary Society, the former contained in Collection 597 ‘Astrakhan Diocesan Committee of the Missionary Orthodox Society’ (State Archive of Astrakhan Oblast). Materials and methods. The study analyzes a set of archival documents of 1907 narrating about the cooperation between Astrakhan Diocesan Committee and Kazan Theological Academy, including ones describing scientific and teaching endeavors of Rev. Hieromonk Gury. The article employs comparative and historical-descriptive methods of historical research. Results. The paper examines and introduces into scientific circulation a number of documents dated 1907 — a petition by Associate Professor of Kazan Theological Academy hieromonk Gury to Bishop Georgy of Astrakhan, resolution of the Bishop, decision of Astrakhan Diocesan Committee, letter of Hieromonk Gury to Bishop Georgy of Astrakhan, the latter’s appeal to the Committee, and Rev. Gury’s notification confirming the delivery of publications — from Collection 597 of the State Archive of Astrakhan Oblast. The documents are an important historical source on missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kalmyk Steppe, interaction between Astrakhan Diocesan Committee and Kazan Theological Academy, and are most instrumental in discovering additional data pertaining to the biography of the prominent Mongolist Rev. Hieromonk Gury.

Keywords

• christianization
• historical source
• archive
• missionary activity
• kalmyk steppe
• astrakhan governorate
• astrakhan diocesan committee
• kazan theological academy
• rev. gury