“Enough with fraternal blood!”: Orthodox Church in Tsaritsyn in 1917
Abstract
The article discusses the reaction of the clergy of a typical Russian city to the revolutionary events of 1917. It shows changes in the role of the Orthodox Church in Tsaritsyn in the situation of a national crisis. The analysis is based primarily on materials of those local newspapers which under the circumstances of the proclaimed freedom of press could reliably refl ect the problems of society and presented diverse points of view on their solution depending on political preferences of the editorial offices. The article identifi es the main diffi culties in the activity of parishes, i.e. the increase in anti-church attitudes, lack of agreement among the clergy, deterioration in the financial situation of the Church, confl icts both within the clergy and between priests and the church-goers. During the First World War, the Church in Tsaritsyn managed to organise assistance to the needy and consolidate all the forces of society, but after the fall of the monarchy in Russia, a great deal of time and eff ort was spent on participating in rallies, marches, and public prayers in support of the Provisional Government. The consistent position of the clergy as to preserving civil peace did not find much response in the people, and the new authorities did not ensure interaction with the Russian Orthodox Church which was excluded from solving current issues at the local level. The democratisation of parish life and the activity of the clergy in the election process did not lead to the strengthening of the position of the Church in society, but, on the contrary, contributed to the involvement of priests in political strife. The authority and role of Orthodox pastors in preserving the moral foundations of the population was steadily declining. The main reason for the strengthening of this trend was the inability of priests to respond to the challenges of the revolutionary time, their absorption in ensuring their daily subsistence and petty squabbles, especially over the preservation of their own positions. The local clergy did not become the driving force of the revolution in 1917, although they supported the Provisional Government en masse. The advent of Bolsheviks to power was a complete surprise for the Orthodox Church, which is perfectly illustrated by the example of the situation in Tsaritsyn.
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