СOLLECTIVE PORTRAIT OF THE CHISINAU DIOCESANS DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE XIX-th CENTURY AND THE BEGINNING OF THE XX-th

AUTHOR: Vera TSERKOVNAYA

Danubius, XXXV - Supliment, Galaţi, 2017, pp. 13-26.

Abstract

An important conceptual direction of modern historical science is the study of the personality principles in historico-cultural phenomena and processes (“history in faces”), creation of collective portraits of various social or professional groups expanding the social and cultural information through the worldview and activities of individual representatives of the region.

A significant place in the social history and structure of the population of Bessarabia in the XIXth century was kept by the clergy.

The article attempts to create a collective portrait of the Chisinau diocesans during the period between the XIXth century and the beginning of the XX-th. The author has analyzed leading clergymen personnel. Their biograms has been distinguished by means of such criteria as: social and national origin, education, scientific inquiries, career way, outstanding service for the community, authority among the local population and church fratry.

The conducted analysis of biographical information gives us generalized collective portrait of the Chisinau diocesans of the XIX-th and the beginning of the XX-th century. It was a clergyman from one of Russian provinces, who received an academic clerical education. Prior to the appointment to the department, the future bishop passed several levels of the church hierarchy, he was assigned to the department at the age of 56, the average length of stay in the diocese was 8 years. Traditionally, the Chisinau bishops paid serious attention to education, book printing, raising the level of education of the clergy, improving worship services, building and preserving church buildings. Each of them contributed to the development of the Chisinau diocese, most of the bishops had authority among the flock and the clergy. Biographies of some lords require clarification and further research.

Download