LIFE AND COMMUNITY MINISTRY OF JACOB (DOMSKY). THE EMINENT BISHOP OF YAKUTSK AND VILYUYSK

Abstract

The article considers the peculiar features of the selfless service in the far regions of the Russian Empire. The analysis is carried out on the example of the life and ministry of missionary, educator, teacher, preacher, Bishop Jacob (Domsky). His participation in the process of improving spiritual schools, the conditions of teaching and mentoring, developing new and improving old educational programmes contributed to the solution to one of the most important tasks - the training of highly educated Ministers of the Church. These graduates were able to serve the Fatherland in Siberia, the Far East, the Russian mission in China and Japan, in the vast territory of the Aleutian and Alaska dioceses. The opening of rural parish and parochial schools, the establishment of women’s diocesan schools, public library and translation activities - all these facts are about the life of Jacob (Domsky). As the Bishop of one of the most distant and great foreign dioceses, he did much to establish Orthodoxy and raise the authority of the Orthodox priesthood. Based on the brief analysis of the main theological works, among which is “Russian preaching, historical review and contemporary perspective on its direction”, the article shows the importance of the heritage of the missionary in the development of the Church historiography. For example, the activities of Bishop of Jacob (Domsky) reveal the role of Russian spiritual warriors in the organization and development of librarianship, education and spiritual enlightenment of the indigenous peoples of Siberia and the Far East.

Keywords

• Bishop Jacob (Domsky)
• history of the Russian Orthodox Church
• missionary activities
• eparchial journal (diocesan Gazette)