Yakut period of service of bishop Sofroniy (Arefiev)
Abstract
Using various types of sources — ego-documents, investigative materials and periodicals — this article provides previously unknown data on the stay of Bishop Sofroniy (Arefi ev) at Yakut see in 1919–1921. It shows the signifi cance of his activities which were characterised as the “beginning of the rise” in the religious attitudes of churchgoers and as the revival of diocesan life. The fate of the last bishop of Yakutia and Viliuy Sofroniy refl ects all the vicissitudes in the history of Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century, the hostages of which were representatives of the clergy: he was transferred from one see to another, tried to survive and preserve his clerical rank, did not avoid arrests, exile, temporary fall into Renovationism and, in the end, execution by shooting. The Yakut period in his life was short and lasted only two years. It was a difficult time in the life of the diocese, churchgoers and the archpriest. The article shows that during this period, he managed to gain respect of local residents, which triggered his arrests and the subsequent exile. It is emphasised that the bishop in conditions of the first years of the Soviet state made eff orts to revitalise church activity: he made pastoral trips, supported the structuring of life in monasteries, arranged congregational meetings, readings, discussions, lectures in churches and educational institutions. He organised church singing events, made choirs, ran several church cocerts. Of interest is the information about the desire of the diocesan archbishop to infl uence revolutionary tribunals; F.G. Sivtsev in his diary mentions that local Soviet authorities made executions during periods of his absence. The data gathered in this article are supposed to complement and make more precise our information about Bishop Sofroniy (Arefi ev) and, on the whole, the information about archpriests of the Russian Orthodox Church, about victims of political repression in the fi rst half of the 20th century.
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