MINISTRY OF THE ORTHODOX CLERGYMEN-DEANS IN THE URALS IN THE 1960–1980S

Abstract

The article analyzes the content of reports of the clergymen who performed the duties of deans in the Perm diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church during 1960–1980s. The biographies of these priests are rather well known. Deans were appointed from among the clergy having higher spiritual education, many years of experience in pastoral service, and the necessary experience of administrative work in a diocese or parish. However, the activities of the deans were undeservedly forgotten; those reports were not published, and their content was not subjected to scientific analysis. The author of the article has revealed special significance of the reports stored in the archives of the Perm Diocesan Administration as a documentary source that is a valuable historical evidence of the era experienced by the clergy, of the deans’ parish activities and personal life. The analysis of the reports made it possible to identify the peculiarities of the ministry of the clergymen-deans and a wide range of parish problems that the clergy, church councils and believers faced during the period of Brezhnev’s “stagnation”. The large territory of the diocese and the remoteness of the parishes forced the deans to make long trips around their deanery districts. Due to the shortage of clergy, the deans themselves often replaced the missing parish priests. At the request of the diocesan leadership, the deans had to sort out parish conflicts and complaints against clergy, to monitor the proper management of parishes, and also to provide the bishop with necessary information and propose measures in order to resolve problems. The reports raised mainly the problems of moral decline of the clergy and church employees, as well as poor management of the parishes. The study found that the consequences of the parish administration reform of 1961 and the acute shortage of clergy forced the diocesan authorities to reduce the requirements regarding the official discipline and moral character of the clergymen, who, in turn, were not afraid of strict punishments and violated the church order. In some cases, too active work of the deans caused fair criticism and complaints against them. The characteristics of the church life of the Perm diocese reflected in the deans’ reports are important for understanding the true picture of religious life in the Urals during the Soviet period. In their reports, the deans appear as good shepherds and caring people who show us an example of true Christian love and service to the Church.

Keywords

• dean
• orthodox clergy
• parish conflicts
• parish management
• perm diocese