Вестник Екатеринбургской духовной семинарии (Jan 2024)
RESTORATION OF THE SMOLENSK CATHEDRAL OF THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS DURING THE TENURE OF BISHOP MIKHAIL (CHUB) OF SMOLENSK AND DOROGOBUZH (1955–1959)
Abstract
The article relates to the history of Smolensk Dormition Cathedral, an outstanding monument of the 17th–18th centuries, which played a pivotal role in the ecclesiastical life of Smolensk diocese (Russian Orthodox Church) in the second half of the 20th century. The author focuses on the archpastor activities of Mikhail (Chub), the Bishop of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh, who governed Smolensk diocese at the dawn of Khrushchev’s initial phase of the persecution of Russian Orthodox Church (1955–1959). Large-scale restoration of outstanding church monuments of Smolensk region was initiated by Bishop Mikhail. First of all it included Smolensk Dormition Cathedral, which required huge financial expenses and painstaking joint work of the church and state institutions. The author’s detailed description of the Cathedral repair and restoration process is based on documents both from church and state archives. Also the study analyses relations between Bishop Mikhail and Patriarch Alexis I, on one hand, and the official of the Council for the Russian Orthodox Church Affairs in Smolensk region, representatives of the USSR Ministry of Culture, and the economic department of the Moscow Patriarchate, on the other hand. The process of the Smolensk Cathedral restoration occurred on the backdrop of rapidly deteriorating church-state relations during the rule of N. S. Khrushchev. Nevertheless, Bishop Mikhail was able to carry out large-scale restoration plans despite the tension between church and state, and also despite opposition from the authorized official of the Governmental Council for the Russian Orthodox Church Affairs and local authorities. Unfortunately, the bishop’s activities carried negative consequences for his future ministry.
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