The Church does not single out any profession as much as military service. The reason is clear: the military, and representatives of law enforcement agencies in general, devote not only their strength and knowledge to their work, but, if necessary, their very lives. Such a sacrifice requires religious understanding.
By the 19th century, the institution of military clergy had developed in Russia. He united the priesthood, which looked after the army and navy, into an independent church-administrative structure. Several years ago, the state and the Church took a step towards reviving this institution: full-time military chaplains again appeared in the army. In St. Petersburg, the work of the Church with the army and navy is coordinated by the department for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of the St. Petersburg diocese, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2015.
The emergence of spiritual "special forces"
The first written mention of the priesthood in the Russian army dates back to the Kazan campaign of John IV (the Terrible) in 1552. A long siege was being prepared, and the king took care of the spiritual support of the soldiers. The Liturgy was served in the camp camp. Many warriors, led by the king, took communion and “prepared to begin the mortal feat clean.” Some researchers believe that priests previously accompanied the people's militia, but at first they were parish priests. After military campaigns they returned to their dioceses.“Special purpose” priests appeared in Russia in the middle of the 17th century, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, when the standing army that had been born two centuries earlier began to rapidly increase.
The development of the military clergy was further promoted by Peter I, who created a regular army and navy in Russia, and with them a full-time regimental and naval clergy. During hostilities, the first was subordinate to the field chief priest appointed in the army (usually from the “white” clergy), the second to the naval chief hieromonk. However, in peacetime, military priests were under the control of the bishops of the diocese to which the regiment or crew of the ship was assigned. Double subordination was ineffective, and in 1800 Paul I concentrated all control of the military clergy in the hands of the chief priest of the army and navy. The newly created position was filled by Archpriest Pavel Ozeretskovsky, with whose name the beginning of the institution of military clergy is associated.
Military priests went through with honor all the battles of the 19th century that befell Russia in abundance. By the end of the century, the protracted process of forming a spiritual department was completed. The main power in it again began to belong to one person - the protopresbyter of the army and navy. Further, the vertical control looked like this: the main priests of the districts - the main priests of the armies - divisional, brigade, garrison deans - regimental, hospital and prison priests. As a church administrator, the protopresbyter of the army and navy was comparable in position to the diocesan bishop, but had more rights. The first to occupy this high post was Archpriest Alexander Alekseevich Zhelobovsky.
I serve the Fatherland: Earthly and Heavenly
The most numerous spiritual “detachment” before the revolution was the regimental priesthood. In the tsarist army, the priest was considered the main educator; he was supposed to inspire soldiers to be loyal to the Tsar and the Fatherland to the point of being ready to lay down their lives for them, setting an example in this. Russian priests took up arms only in exceptional cases, subsequently bringing church repentance for this. However, history has brought to us many cases when a priest with a cross in his hands led an attack that threatened to choke or walked under bullets next to a timid soldier, supporting his spirit. This was the field of ascetics unknown to the world, ardent servants of the faith.Military priests conducted services and monitored their attendance (by order of the troops, all personnel had to take communion at least once a year). They performed funeral services for their fallen fellow soldiers, informed their relatives of their deaths, and monitored the condition of military cemeteries, which as a result were the most well-groomed. During the battle, priests at the forward dressing station helped bandage the wounded. In peacetime, they taught the Law of God, held spiritual conversations with those who wished, monitored the improvement of churches, organized libraries, and parochial schools for illiterate soldiers. In the strict army hierarchy, the position of a regimental chaplain was equal to that of a captain. The soldiers were obliged to salute him, but at the same time the priest remained an accessible and close person to them.
"Military" department of our time
was recreated in 2005 by decree. Historically, it developed during the 19th century. The first dean known to us today can be called the rector of the square, Archpriest Pyotr Pesotsky, famous for the fact that he took the last confession from A.S. Pushkin. Father Peter Pesotsky participated in the Patriotic War of 1812 as the dean of the St. Petersburg and Novgorod militias.Today, the military deanery district includes 17 parishes, 43 churches (of which 15 are affiliated) and 11 chapels at military and law enforcement institutions in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. To coordinate work with law enforcement agencies, which was previously carried out separately at the level of individual parishes, a special one was created under the St. Petersburg diocese ten years ago. Since the founding of the department, the position of head of the department for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies and dean of “military” churches has been held by Archpriest Alexander - since April 2013, Hieromonk Alexy - and since April 2014. In May 2014, he was appointed deputy chairman of the superior Synodal Department.
The military deanery of the St. Petersburg diocese is under the jurisdiction of 31 churches and 14 chapels, including those being restored and those being designed.
Full-time clergy - 28 clergy: 23 priests and five deacons. The deanery supports 11 military universities.
In 2009, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill decided to introduce full-time military clergy into the Armed Forces. In our military district, he became the first full-time army chaplain, with the title of “educational assistant to the commander of the 95th command brigade of the Western Military District.” Like the pre-revolutionary shepherds, Father Anatoly conducts services, conducts conversations, and goes with his unit for teachings. What is its contingent?
“This is a unique case,” Father Anatoly shares his three years of experience in the army. — Many soldiers in the army see a priest for the first time. And little by little they begin to understand that he is the same person. They begin to slowly become interested in issues of faith. Only a few recruits come churched. They leave - much more. Everyone comes with different moods. And I must set them up to carry out military duty, explain that no one will help us except themselves and the Lord God. And the guys understand this.
Pastoral care: Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Drug Control
The work of the “military” department of the St. Petersburg diocese is divided into sectors according to the types of law enforcement agencies. The most important thing for everyone is pastoral care. Prayers and services (where there are churches), taking the oath in a solemn atmosphere in churches or in the presence of the clergy, the participation of priests in various events, the consecration of weapons, banners, spiritual conversations with leadership and personnel have become a sign of today in many law enforcement units and military training establishments.“We are trying to unite our efforts in the fight against such a terrible scourge as drug addiction,” says the rector of the Trinity-Izmailovsky Cathedral, who works with employees of the State Drug Control Service. — We started interacting with the tax police in 1996, and later, when the State Drug Control Service became its successor, we continued to cooperate with it. Recently, in our cathedral - for the first time since the revolution - a new management banner was consecrated: solemnly, according to military rank, in the presence of two hundred employees dressed in full dress uniform, with orders and medals.
Cooperation between the Church and the Ministry of Emergency Situations began with a sad reason.
“In 1991, a fire at the Leningrad Hotel killed nine employees,” says a colonel of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, who spent many years in the fire department, talking about the work of his sector. — Major General Leonid Isachenko, who was then the head of the department, invited a priest and initiated the construction of a temple-chapel of the Burning Bush icon of the Mother of God. For eight years we have been conducting an hour of spiritual culture with the operational management of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in St. Petersburg. We talk with senior management and personnel, watch films, organize pilgrimage trips.
To date, the department has reached agreements on cooperation between the diocese and the Leningrad Naval Base, the border department of the FSB of Russia in the Leningrad region, the courier service of the Federal Service of Russia in the North-West, the Leningrad Military District, as well as with the Central Internal Affairs Directorate, the North-Western Regional Command of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs RF, GUFSIN, All-Russian Police Association, Office of the Federal Drug Control Service.
School of Military Clergy
Where do “special purpose priests” come from? Someone accidentally ends up in this place, someone continues the “military” line of their secular life (for example, they graduated from a higher military school before ordination or simply served in the army), and someone specially studies at a “school.” In 2011, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the first “School of Military Clergy” in Russia was opened at the “military” department on the basis of the Sunday school of the church-chapel of the icon of the Mother of God “Burning Bush”. In it, cadet priests are taught the specifics of military service: how to equip a tent for a camp church during field trips, how to set it up in the barracks, how and what a priest should do in a combat area. In 2013, the school had its first graduation.The “military” department also operates the St. Macarius theological and pedagogical courses, to which Orthodox Christians are invited who want to become catechists - assistants to the “military” priests. The training program lasts a year, course graduates are involved in educational service in various educational institutions and military units of the army and navy.
Priests in “hot spots”
In February - March 2003, even before the formation of the department, Archpriest Alexander Ganzhin was seconded to the Chechen Republic, where he supported employees of the Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information under the President of the Russian Federation (FAPSI). Since then, every year the clergy of the “military” department make 3-4 business trips to Dagestan, Ingushetia, and the Chechen Republic for pastoral care of the military units located there. One of these “fighting” priests is the rector of the garrison church of the Holy Trinity in Krasnoye Selo. Father Georgy is a former police captain, in the priesthood he has been in “hot spots” since the second Chechen war. In Chechnya, not far from Khankala, he had to not only serve services and hold high conversations with soldiers, but also bandage wounded soldiers under bullets.
“After the battle, most people need to speak out, they want human participation, understanding, they want to be pitied,” says Father Georgy. — A priest in such a situation is simply a salvation. Today, fortunately, hostilities happen less and less often, but when they happen, I see that the guys are ready to lay down their souls just to save my life. I usually live with them in tents, I put up a temple tent next to them - we hold prayer services and baptisms in it. I take part in campaigns and during combat operations, if necessary, I provide medical assistance. A priest can refuse a military campaign, but we, priests, testify to our faith by our presence there. If the priest is cowardly, he will not be condemned, but priests will be judged by this act all their lives. We must be an example here too.
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Kotkov, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, professor, author of the books “Military Clergy of Russia” and “Military Temples and Clergy of Russia”:
“The feat of the military priests has not been fully appreciated. The archives of the office of the Protopresbyter of the Army and Navy are located in St. Petersburg. I take many cases and see that no one has looked at them before me. And they contain colossal experience of the work of the military clergy, which must be studied today, when the understanding has again arisen that military power, combined with spiritual height, is an irresistible force.
Youth are our future
In addition to the confrontation with physical forces and technical power, there is also a quiet struggle for the minds of future warriors and future citizens. The loser may lose the future of his country.“The level of patriotic education in schools has now dropped significantly,” says the deputy chairman of the “military” department. — The hours of Russian history, literature, and the Russian language have been reduced. If in pre-revolutionary Russia children studied the Law of God from school and organically absorbed faith from birth, today they join the army not only as non-believers, but they don’t even really know the history of their country. How then can we cultivate the spirit of patriotism?
A program for the spiritual and patriotic education of youth, prepared by the “military” department, helps fill the gaps and “win back” young people from social networks and computer “shooters.” All churches of the military deanery have Sunday schools, and many have military-patriotic clubs. For example, teenagers are studying a course of basic military training that is forgotten today in secondary schools.
Large-scale projects for children and youth have become the hallmark of the department. This is a martial arts tournament included in the competition grid of the Ministry of Defense, dedicated to the memory of the warrior Yevgeny Rodionov, at which the mother of the hero-martyr Lyubov Vasilievna is always present; All-Russian gathering of military-patriotic and Cossack youth organizations named after the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, where teams compete in knowledge of history, combat, medical, and combat training. The children's historical forum “Alexandrovsky Flag” also attracts hundreds of participants from all over Russia.
The “military” department also cooperates with veteran organizations: this is the “Combat Brotherhood”, and associations of former special forces and intelligence servicemen. Veterans are frequent guests at various events and irreplaceable mentors for young people. The ovation given by the audience to the gray-haired war hero and the quiet chime of the orders on his chest can explain to girls and boys faster than any words what patriotism is.
Athletes and veterans
Another area of work of the “military” department is cooperation with martial arts clubs. Many people ask why Orthodox priests need to fight?“I’ll answer from my own experience,” says Hieromonk Leonid (Mankov). “I came to the gym when I was nine years old, and the first sport I became interested in was karate. Then he practiced hand-to-hand combat and competed. And this was very useful to me in the army, in “hot spots”.
Military shepherds look after the martial arts clubs “Alexander Nevsky”, “Fight Spirit” and the “Union of Mixed Martial Arts MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) of Russia”, the president of which is the famous athlete Fedor Emelianenko. They are friends with many famous coaches and athletes and regularly attend competitions.
Athletes are also confident in the need for such cooperation:
“A priest can help cope with many problems within a men’s team,” says Russian champion in hand-to-hand combat, Russian and European champion in jiu-jitsu, two-time Russian champion and world champion in combat sambo Mikhail Zayats. “There is a serious struggle going on here, not only externally, but also internally. When a martial artist achieves a high result, there is a risk of “star fever”, the danger of putting oneself above everyone else. Spiritual nourishment helps not to fall into this sin, but to remain, first of all, human under any circumstances.
Strong-willed
The deeper you dive into the work of the “military” department, the more you understand how grandiose its scope is. It is enough to look at the department’s website or pick up its newspaper “Orthodox Warrior” to understand that it is not for nothing that the “military” department received the title of the most information-open within the diocese. The number of events held is huge, wide and the scope of those involved in the sphere of cooperation with the department is from youth to veterans, from privates to generals. Fortunately, military priests today rarely have to raise a bullet-cut cross over their heads. But modernity has its own tasks. Uniting patriotically minded people around the idea of serving the Motherland is a high mission, voluntarily taken and worthily fulfilled today by the military priesthood. In the new television project “Strong in Spirit,” employees of the “military” department decided to talk about military exploits sanctified by the Orthodox faith.But perhaps it is precisely this epithet - “strong in spirit” - that is best suited both for the staff of the “military” department and for those who choose to serve as a military shepherd.
The last dean of the military clergy of the St. Petersburg diocese before the 1917 revolution was Alexei Andreevich Stavrovsky (from 1892 to 1918), who was shot in the fall of 1918 in Kronstadt and in 2001 canonized as a new martyr of the Russian Church.
Military priests in the Russian army will no longer surprise anyone - “priests in uniform” have organically fit into the modern Russian army. Before carrying the word of God into the ranks, army chaplains must undergo a month-long combat training course. Recently, such training began at the Military University of the Ministry of Defense. The “cadets in cassocks”, as if in spirit, told the special correspondent of “Culture” who visited there why they needed the army.
Shooting is canceled
Officially, according to the staff list, their position is called “assistant commander for work with religious servicemen.” The rank is high: one military chaplain cares for a large formation - a division, a brigade, a military college, that's several thousand people. Despite the fact that they themselves are not military personnel, do not wear shoulder straps, and by virtue of their clergy they are generally prohibited from picking up weapons, military chaplains undergo military training courses every three years.
The head of the department for work with religious military personnel, Alexander Surovtsev, believes that an army priest, although a spiritual person, must also have certain military knowledge. For example, to have an idea of the types and branches of troops, to understand how the Airborne Forces differ from the Navy and the Strategic Missile Forces from the Airborne Forces.
Training to improve military qualifications, Surovtsev tells Culture, lasts a month and is conducted at five military educational institutions throughout the country. The current group of priests at the Military University is the fourth since the spring of 2013. It has 18 Orthodox priests from various regions of Russia, most of them appointed to positions this year. In total, 60 representatives of the military clergy have already successfully completed training here, including 57 Orthodox Christians, two Muslims and one Buddhist.
Surovtsev himself is a career military man. But for the sake of his current position, he had to remove his shoulder straps - a civilian must manage the priests. “These chaplains have military ranks, but we have priests without shoulder straps,” smiles Alexander Ivanovich. Back in the early 90s, he was seconded to the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies and, in fact, stood at the origins of the institute of military clergy in the army.
As Surovtsev said, within a month the cadet priests will have to master the basics of tactics and other sciences. The further list of topics - spiritual and educational, moral and psychological, philosophical and political science, socio-economic - made my head spin. I think I’m not the only one, so military priests are especially looking forward to going “to the field” - to training grounds and shooting ranges. This year they will not be given weapons in their hands - there have been too many misunderstandings about the participation of their predecessors in the shootings. The media was full of photographs of priests with Kalashnikovs, the captions were not very kind. Therefore, this time the Ministry of Defense decided not to expose themselves, and not to substitute the priests. True, some complain.
So what? - said Archpriest Oleg Khatsko, he came from Kaliningrad. - The Scripture says “thou shalt not kill.” And there is not a word about the fact that a clergyman cannot take up arms.
If you can’t shoot, then what will the priests do at the shooting range? Watch how military personnel make holes in targets and bless them for a well-aimed shot. Practical training for priests includes familiarization with a field station for working with religious military personnel, which will be deployed at one of the training grounds in the Moscow region. This type of tent is also available at the Military University - in case the cadets and students who are constantly studying here leave for field training. Assistant to the head of the university, Archpriest Dmitry Solonin, will tell everything and show his fellow priests who arrived for advanced training - many brought with them camp sets of church utensils. By the way, the Russian Army also has a permanent camp temple - so far there is only one, in Abkhazia, on the territory of the 7th Russian military base in the city of Gudauta. The local archpriest Vasily Alesenko believes that soon a permanent church will be built for them. “Everything is God’s will,” he told me. “Well, a little help from the Ministry of Defense.”
And just the other day, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Dmitry Bulgakov, announced that the construction of chapels has been completed on two Arctic islands where Russian troops are stationed. There will be four of them in this region - on the islands of Kotelny, Wrangel, Franz Josef Land and Cape Schmidt.
In addition to classes (this is 144 training hours), military chaplains also have a cultural program. They will visit the Central Museum of the Armed Forces, the Studio of Military Artists named after M.B. Grekov, will go to the Borodino field, where they will serve a prayer service. And on November 3, they are entrusted with participating in the evening service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where the next day a solemn service will take place in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Shepherd of Orthodox Sheep
I’ve always wondered how the army addresses military chaplains? Do they have military uniforms or camouflage cassocks? Are soldiers supposed to salute their priests, after all, they are an assistant (consider a deputy) to the commander?
“I overheard our priests deciphering the word “priest” - shepherd of Orthodox sheep,” Alexander Surovtsev smiles. - In general, that’s true... There are no special recommendations for contacting priests in the army. There is definitely no need to give honor - their rank is not military, but spiritual. Most often, a priest is addressed as “father.”
Father Oleg from Kostroma echoes Surovtsev: “You need to earn your appeal. So you come to the commander, introduce yourself by last name, first name, patronymic, and church rank, and then it depends on the relationship, on what result you bring. But most often they are called, of course, father.”
I heard everything - the Holy Father, and even “Your Eminence” from the lips of the authorities, many hesitated, not knowing what to call it, laughs Archpriest Oleg Khatsko. “But it’s better to give the commander the opportunity to choose the treatment himself.”
Priest Dionisy Grishin from the Airborne Forces training center (himself a former paratrooper) also remembers, not without a smile, how he experimented with greetings.
I approach the line of soldiers and roar in a deep voice: “I wish you good health, comrade soldiers!” Father Dionysius shows naturally. - Well, in response, as expected, they answer: “We wish you good health...” - and then there is confusion. Some fell silent, others said randomly, “comrade priest,” “comrade priest.” And somehow a mischievous guy came across, who also spoke in a deep voice, while his comrades were wondering how he would say: “We wish you good health, comrade priest!” I just laughed, but later I just said hello, not in a military way.
With the form, everything is also simple - the priests serve in church clothes, as it should be. But they are given field camouflage - upon request. It is more convenient to move through forests and fields in it and during exercises, and it does not get as dirty as a cassock.
During the service, of course, there can be no question of any military uniform,” explains priest Evgeniy Tsiklauri from the Russian military base Kant in Kyrgyzstan. - But when sometimes you put on a uniform, you feel more favor from the soldiers. Here Muslim military personnel become more open, they see you as a comrade, a fellow soldier. By the way, regarding Muslims, we managed to agree that a local imam would read sermons to them on a freelance basis.
Military chaplains don’t get too hung up on fasting either.
Posting in the army is optional, we will only advise what you can abstain from, the priests say. - It also depends on the intensity of the service. In pre-revolutionary Russia, the army fasted in groups - a week for each unit. And Peter I at one time demanded permission from the patriarch not to fast during wars and campaigns.
But the main thing for a military priest is not the form, but the content: his task is to increase the morale of the unit.
In Chechnya, during the war, soldiers reached out to the priest, hoping to find moral support from him, an opportunity to strengthen their spirit by hearing a wise and calm word, reserve colonel Nikolai Nikulnikov recalls in a conversation with Culture. “As a commander, I did not interfere and I myself always treated the priests with respect - after all, they walked with the soldiers under the same bullets. And in peaceful life, while serving in the Ulyanovsk airborne brigade, I became convinced that the word of a priest disciplines. If the fighters have been to confession with a good priest or just at a church service, you certainly don’t expect drinking or other violations from them. You can say: like the priest, so is the regiment. They know how to set people up to complete a task without any commands.
Gentlemen Junkers
In the Russian army, according to statistics, 78% are believers, but few people have knowledge that extends beyond the Lord’s Prayer. “There are many believers, but few are enlightened,” complains Father Vasily. “But that’s our purpose—to strengthen the spirit and mind of our flock.”
Guys now come to the army with faith in their hearts, we only help them, says Archpriest Oleg Novikov from the Kostroma Academy of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection. “This year, immediately after entering the academy, forty young men came to the temple. And no one forced them to do this.
Father Oleg recalls an episode 17 years ago, when the film “The Barber of Siberia” was filmed in Kostroma - 300 school cadets were involved. They were given cadet uniforms, which they wore neither during classes nor even during discharges to the city. To get used to the character. Grandmothers cried on the streets, recognizing the cadets' uniforms - the same as in the surviving photographs of their fathers.
At that time I was already the rector of the church, which was located on the territory of the school, and all these three months we lived together with the cadets,” continues the archpriest. - And I noticed how guys change literally before our eyes...
When Nikita Mikhalkov and the actors left for Moscow on New Year’s Eve, the “junkers” got a vacation from working in cinema. It would seem that we could relax. But no! They became so accustomed to their new essence that when they entered the church, they sang “Our Father” and other prayers even better and more conscientiously than in the presence of their film mentors.
They did it absolutely sincerely, that’s what’s important,” says Father Oleg. - Not under coercion, but solely of one’s own free will.
Oleg Novikov himself also graduated from the Kostroma Military School.
At one time, Novikov’s namesake, Archpriest Oleg Khatsko, was a cadet at the Kaliningrad Higher Naval School. He studied well, did not violate discipline - in three years of study, he was AWOL only twice, one of which turned out to be a collective one - in protest against the injustice of the teacher. But then one day he felt that this was not his military career, he wrote a report and left.
Friends, especially those who are still serving in Kaliningrad, joke: they say, was it worth leaving the school to come back here again, even as a military chaplain?
When we were already saying goodbye to the heroes of this essay, a chant was heard within the walls of the Military University. The priests unanimously deduced: “It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God-o-o...”
This is a prayer at the completion of any good deed,” explained Alexander Surovtsev. “And our cadets-priests went through another course of lectures and enriched themselves with knowledge that will help them in communicating with their military flock. It's not a sin to sing.
Salary for a priest
The decision to create an institute of military clergy in the Russian army and navy was made on July 21, 2009. The first in 2011 was Father Anatoly Shcherbatyuk, who was ordained to the rank of priest at the Church of Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Sertolovo, Leningrad Region (Western Military District). Now there are more than 140 military chaplains in the army. Their composition is proportional to the ratio of believing military personnel. Orthodox make up 88%, Muslims - 9%. There is only one Buddhist military priest so far - in a separate motorized rifle brigade in the Buryat city of Kyakhta. This is the lama of the Murochinsky monastery-datsan, reserve sergeant Bair Batomunkuev, he does not claim a separate temple in the military unit - he performs rituals in a yurt.
In 1914, about 5,000 regimental and naval chaplains and several hundred chaplains served in the Russian army. Mullahs also served in national formations, for example in the “Wild Division”, staffed by immigrants from the Caucasus.
In pre-revolutionary Russia, as Boris Lukichev, the first head of the department for work with religious servicemen in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, told Culture, the activities of priests were secured by a special legal status. Formally, clergy did not have military ranks, but in fact in the military environment a deacon was equated to a lieutenant, a priest to a captain, a rector of a military cathedral and a divisional dean to a lieutenant colonel, a field chief priest of armies and navies and a chief priest of the General Staff, Guards and Grenadier Corps - to major general, and the protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy (the highest ecclesiastical position for the army and navy, established in 1890) - to lieutenant general.
The church “table of ranks” influenced the salaries paid from the treasury of the military department and other privileges. For example, each ship's priest was entitled to a separate cabin and boat, he had the right to pester the ship from the starboard side, which, besides him, was allowed only to flagships, ship commanders and officers who had St. George's awards. The sailors were obliged to salute him.
In the Russian army, Orthodox priests resumed their activities almost immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, this happened on a voluntary basis and their activities strongly depended on the will of a particular unit commander - in some places priests were not even allowed on the threshold, but in others the doors were thrown wide open, and even senior officers stood to attention in front of the clergy.
The first official cooperation agreement between the church and the army was signed in 1994. At the same time, the Coordination Committee for interaction between the Armed Forces and the Russian Orthodox Church appeared. In February 2006, Patriarch Alexy II gave his blessing for the training of military priests “for the spiritual care of the Russian army.” Soon Russian President Vladimir Putin approved this idea.
The priests' salaries are paid by the Ministry of Defense. Recently they were given a 10 percent bonus for the difficult nature of their service and long working hours. It began to cost 30-40 thousand rubles a month. As Culture learned, the defense department is now considering the possibility of equating their salaries to what military personnel receive in a similar position as assistant commander of a formation - it will be approximately 60,000. With God’s help, one can live.
In war, Divine justice and God's care for people are seen especially clearly. War does not tolerate dishonor - a bullet quickly finds an immoral person.
Venerable Paisiy Svyatogorets
In times of difficult trials, upheavals and wars, the Russian Orthodox Church has always been with its people and its army, not only strengthening and blessing soldiers to fight for their Fatherland, but also with arms in hand on the front line, as in the war with Napoleon’s army and the fascist invaders to the Great Patriotic War. Thanks to the Decree of the President of Russia of 2009 on the revival of the institution of full-time military clergy, Orthodox priests have become an integral part of the modern Russian army. Our correspondent Denis Akhalashvili visited the department for relations with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of the Yekaterinburg diocese, where he learned first-hand about how relations between the Church and the army are developing today.
So that the Liturgy is served in the unit and conversations on spiritual topics are held
Colonel - Head of the Department for Relations with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of the Yekaterinburg Diocese:
In the Yekaterinburg diocese, the department was created in 1995. Since that time, we have prepared and concluded cooperation agreements with all law enforcement agencies in the Ural Federal District: the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Sverdlovsk Region, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the Sverdlovsk Region, the Ural Military District, the Ural District of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The Ekaterinburg diocese was the first in post-Soviet Russia to sign a cooperation agreement with the military commissariat of the Sverdlovsk region. From our structure, departments for working with the Cossacks and for prison service were subsequently created. We collaborated with 450 military units and formations of the Armed Forces and divisions of law enforcement agencies in the Sverdlovsk region, where 255 clergy of our diocese were regularly involved in the care of believers. With the transformation of the diocese into a metropolitanate in the Yekaterinburg diocese, there are 154 priests in 241 military units and divisions of law enforcement agencies.
Since 2009, after the publication of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the creation of the institution of full-time military clergy in the Russian army, 266 positions of full-time military clergy, assistant commanders for working with religious military personnel from among the clergy of traditional denominations, including Orthodox priests, have been determined. There are five such positions identified in our diocese.
Today we have 154 priests visiting military units, where they perform sacraments, give lectures, conduct classes, etc. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill once said that a priest who visits a military unit once a month is like a wedding general. I'm not sure I'm conveying it verbatim, but the meaning is clear. I, as a career military man, understand perfectly well that if a priest comes once a month to a unit where 1,500 people serve, then in reality he will be able to communicate at best with a couple of dozen soldiers, which, of course, is not enough. We decided to increase the efficiency of our cooperation in the following way: with the consent of the unit command, on a certain day, 8-10 priests come to a specific military unit at once. Three directly in the unit serve the Divine Liturgy, the rest confess. After the Liturgy, confession and Communion, the military go to breakfast, after which they are divided into groups, where each of the priests conducts a conversation on a given topic, based on the church calendar and the specific needs of a particular unit. Separately - headquarters officers, separately - contract soldiers, separately - conscripts, then doctors, women and civilian personnel; a group of those who are in medical institutions. As practice has shown, in today's conditions this is the most effective form of cooperation: military personnel receive spiritual knowledge, but also participate in the Liturgy, confess and receive communion, and also have the opportunity to communicate and discuss an exciting personal topic with a specific priest, which, given the psychological requirements for the modern army , very important. I know from the command of the formations that the effect was very good; unit commanders ask for such events to be carried out constantly.
Every year we celebrate Defender of the Fatherland Day. And on the eve of this holiday, with the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, we go home to congratulate our veterans, presenting them with congratulatory addresses and memorable gifts from the ruling bishop.
“For a soldier, a father is a dear person,
with whom you can talk about painful things"
My history of serving in the army began many years ago, when I was the rector of the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh on the outskirts of Yekaterinburg - in the village of Bolshoy Istok behind the Koltsovo airport. Our dean was a wonderful priest, Archpriest Andrei Nikolaev, a former military man who served in the army for 13 years as an ensign and enjoyed great authority among the military. One day he asked me how I thought about not just going from time to time to the military unit that we cared for, but becoming a permanent full-time army chaplain. I thought about it and agreed. I remember when Father Andrei and I came to our Bishop Kirill for a blessing, he joked: well, some (points to Father Andrei) leave the army, and some (points to me), on the contrary, go there. In fact, Vladyka was very glad that our relations with the army had moved to a new level, that besides me, four more priests of our diocese were approved by the Minister of Defense and became full-time priests. The Bishop blessed and said many warm parting words. And since July 2013, when the official order of my appointment came, I have been serving at the location of my unit.
How does ministry happen? First, as expected, morning divorce. I address the servicemen of the military unit with a parting speech, after which the official part ends, feet in hand - and I went to walk kilometers around the units. Our military unit is large - 1.5 thousand people, while you go around all the addresses planned according to the plan, by the evening you can’t feel your feet under you. I don’t sit in an office, I go to people myself.
We have a prayer room in the middle of the barracks. When it’s not easy for a soldier, he will look - and God is here, nearby!
Our prayer room is located in the hall, in the middle of the barracks: on the left there are bunks in two tiers, on the right there are bunks, the prayer room is in the middle. This is convenient: you want to pray or talk to the priest - here he is nearby, please! I take it there every day. And the presence of shrines, icons, an altar, an iconostasis, candles in the middle of a soldier’s life also has a beneficial effect on the soldier. It can be difficult for a soldier, he will look - God is here, near! I prayed, talked to the priest, took part in the sacraments - and things got better. This is all visible, happening before your eyes.
If there are no teachings or rush jobs, I serve every Saturday and Sunday. Anyone who wants to and is not in finery comes to the vespers, confesses, and prepares for Communion.
During the service at the Holy Chalice, we all become brothers in Christ, this is also very important. This then affects the relationship between officers and subordinates.
In general, I’ll say this: if priests were not useful in the army, they wouldn’t be there either! The army is a serious matter, there is no time to deal with nonsense. But as experience shows, the presence of a priest in a unit has a really beneficial effect on the situation. A priest is not a psychologist, he is a priest, a father, for a soldier he is a loved one with whom you can have a heart-to-heart talk. Just the day before yesterday, a conscript corporal came to me, his eyes were sad, lost... Something was not working out for him, somewhere he was treated rudely, so despondency fell on the man, he withdrew into himself. We talked to him and looked at his problems from the Christian side. I say: “You didn’t just end up in the army, you chose the service yourself?” He nods. “Did you want to serve?” - “Of course I wanted to!” - answers. - “Something went wrong, something turned out to be not as rosy as I thought. But is this only true in the army? Everywhere, if you look closely, there are tops and roots! When you get married, you think that you will lie in front of the TV and be happy, but instead you will have to work twice as hard to support your wife and family! It doesn’t happen like in a fairy tale: once - and it’s done, at the command of the pike! You need to work hard! And God will help! Let us pray and ask God for help together!”
When a person sees that he is not alone, that the Lord is nearby and helps him, everything changes.
In the conditions of a modern army with increased psychological and professional stress, such warm, trusting, sincere relationships are very important. You communicate with the guys every day, talk, drink tea, everything is open, eye to eye. You pray for them every day. If you don’t have this, if you are all non-criminal, you have nothing to do in the army, no one will understand you, and no one needs you here.
“We already have a tradition: for all teachings we always take a camp church”
, Assistant Head of the Department for Work with Religious Military Personnel of the Directorate for Work with Personnel of the Central Military District:
In 2012, I was the rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in the working-class village of Achit and looked after the military registration and enlistment office, the fire department, and the police, so when the Bishop blessed me for this service, I already had good experience in relations with representatives of various law enforcement agencies. At the district headquarters, a department has been created to work with religious military personnel, where two priests and the head of the department are constantly located. In addition to the spiritual care of the district command staff, our task is to help military units where there are no full-time priests, to establish work with believers, to come as needed and fulfill their priestly duties. By the way, sometimes not only Orthodox Christians turn to you in the unit. Recently a Muslim soldier approached me. He wanted to attend a service at the mosque, but did not know how to do it. I helped him, found out where the nearest mosque was, when services were held there, how to get there...
At this time, Father Vladimir’s phone rings, he asks for forgiveness and answers: “I wish you good health!” God bless! Yes, I agree! Write a report addressed to the ruling bishop. If he blesses, I’ll go with you!”
I ask what's the matter. Father Vladimir smiles:
For exercises? Of course I'll go! We will be in the field, living in a tent, the regime will be like everyone else’s
The unit commander called, they are leaving for exercises next week, and asked to go with them. Of course I'll go! The training is short - only two weeks! We will be in the field, we will live in a tent, the regime will be like everyone else’s. In the morning they do exercises, I have a morning rule. Then in the camp church, if there is no service, I accept those who wish. We already have a tradition: for all teachings we always take a camp church with us, where we can perform all the necessary sacraments, baptism, Liturgy... We also always put up a tent for Muslims.
Here we were at a training camp near the city of Chebarkul, in the Chelyabinsk region; There was a village nearby where there was a temple. The local priest not only served the Liturgy with us, but also gave us his vessels and prosphora for worship. There was a large service, where several priests gathered, everyone confessed, and at the Liturgy there were many communicants from several military units.
On the territory of our unit on Uktus (one of the districts of Yekaterinburg. - YES.) the Church of the Martyr Andrew Stratilates was built, where I am the rector and regularly serve there. In addition, by agreement with unit commanders, we constantly travel in groups of priests of up to ten people to some part of our district, where we give lectures, conduct open classes on a given topic and always serve the Liturgy, confess and receive communion. Then we went to the barracks, and - if desired - communicated with all the believers, both military and civilian personnel.
Serving in intelligence is not an easy task.
, rector of the Church of St. George the Victorious in the village. Maryinsky:
I twice went on business trips to the North Caucasus region, where I was with the camp temple of Alexander Nevsky at the military unit of the Ural District of Internal Troops. How was the service? In the morning, during formation, with the permission of the command, you read morning prayers. You go out in front of the line, everyone takes off their hats, you read “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Heavenly King”, a prayer for the beginning of a good deed and an excerpt from the life of the saint to whom this day is dedicated. In addition to those on the road, 500-600 people are present at the formation. After prayer, the divorce begins. I go to the temple, where I receive everyone. Once a week I conduct spiritual conversations with the staff. After the conversation, personal face-to-face communication begins.
There is a joke that in the army they don’t swear, in the army they speak this language. And when a priest is nearby, even officers begin to restrain themselves in this regard. They already speak words closer to the Russian language, remember politeness, ask for forgiveness, relations between themselves and their subordinates become more friendly, more humane or something. For example, a major comes to confession in our tent, and a simple soldier stands in front of him. The major doesn’t push him away, doesn’t push forward, he stands and waits for his turn. And then they, together with this soldier, take communion from the same Chalice. And when they meet in a normal setting, they already perceive each other differently than before.
You immediately feel that you are at the location of a military unit that carries out combat missions every day. In civilian life, all the grandmothers love you, all you hear is: “Father, father!”, and no matter what you are, they love you simply because you are a priest. That's not the case here at all. They've seen everyone here and won't just welcome you with open arms. Their respect must be earned.
Our field temple is assigned to a reconnaissance platoon. They are responsible for setting up, assembling and moving the mobile temple. These guys are very serious - maroon berets. To become a maroon beret, you must die and then be resurrected - so they say. Many of them went through both Chechen campaigns, saw blood, saw death, lost fighting friends. These people are accomplished individuals who have given all of themselves to serving the Motherland. All intelligence officers are simple warrant officers; they do not have high ranks. But if war happens, each of them will be individually appointed as a platoon commander, they will carry out any command tasks, and lead the soldiers. The fighting spirit rests on them; they are the elite of our army.
The scouts always invite the newly arrived priest to come and get acquainted with them for tea. This is actually a very important ritual, during which the first and often the last impression is formed about you. What are you? What kind of person are you? Can you even be trusted? They check you as a man, take a closer look, ask various tricky questions, and are interested in your past life.
I myself am from the Orenburg Cossacks, and therefore checkers and pistols have been familiar to me since childhood; at the genetic level, we have a love for military affairs. At one time I was involved in the young paratroopers’ club, from the age of 13 I jumped with a parachute, I dreamed of serving in the paratroopers. Unfortunately, due to health problems, I was not accepted into the landing force; I served in the conventional troops.
The scouts examined the target and laughed: “The test passed!” Come, they say, to us, in maroon berets!
I went out with the scouts for shooting, where they checked my worth in battle. First they gave me a gun. I didn’t really like it: I shoot in civilian life at a shooting range from a heavier Beretta. But it’s okay, I got used to it and hit all the targets. Then they gave me some new machine gun, specially designed for intelligence officers, with a short barrel. I shot at a common target, I saw that the recoil was weak, it was easy and convenient to shoot - and I shot the second magazine at moving targets, knocking out all the “tens”. They examined the targets and laughed: “The test passed!” Come, they say, to us, in maroon berets! I shot with an AK machine gun, and it also turned out well.
After the shootings, the number of parishioners in the unit increased sharply. Now we regularly correspond with Pashka from intelligence. He writes to me how they are doing there, and I write to me how it is here; We make sure to congratulate each other on the holidays. When we met him during my first business trip, when he read the Lord’s Prayer, he made eight mistakes, and on the last business trip two years later, when we met him again, he read the Hours and prayers for Communion at the service.
I also have a friend from the Cossacks, Sashka, an FSB officer. He looks like Ilya Muromets, he’s half a head taller than me and his shoulders are broader. Their FSB detachment was transferred, and they were left to guard some of the remaining equipment. So he protects. I ask: “How are you, Sasha?” He takes the blessing, we kiss like brothers, and he joyfully replies: “All glory to God! I’m guarding it little by little!”
The banner was carried by a standard bearer from the Kremlin regiment. I carried it like that - I couldn’t take my eyes off it! The banner was floating through the air!
On Epiphany, our scouts and I found an abandoned old fountain, quickly cleaned it, filled it with water and made a Jordan. They served a festive service, and then there was a night religious procession, with banners, icons, and lanterns. Let's go, eat, pray. A real standard-bearer carried the banner in front, so carried it - you couldn’t take your eyes off it! The banner simply floats through the air! Then I ask him: where did you learn this? He tells me: “Yes, I am a professional standard bearer, I served in the Kremlin regiment, I walked on Red Square with a banner!” We had such wonderful fighters there! And then everyone - commanders, soldiers, and civilian personnel - went as one to the Epiphany font. And all glory to God!
Are you wondering how I built the temple? I am the abbot of it, I will say so. When we finished construction and consecrated the temple, I went to see my confessor. I tell the story, show photographs: so, they say, and so, father, I built a temple! And he laughs: ““Fly, fly, where have you been?” - "As where? The field was plowed!” They ask her: “How, yourself?” She says: “Well, not quite myself. I sat on the neck of an ox who was plowing the field.” So people built your temple, philanthropists, various donors... Maybe grandmothers collected pennies. The people built your temple, and the Lord appointed you to serve there!” Since then I no longer say that I built the temple. And to serve - yes, I serve! There is such a thing!
“God willing, we will serve this Easter in the new church.”
, assistant commander of a separate railway brigade:
It is good when a commander sets an example for his subordinates. Our unit commander is a believer, he regularly confesses and receives communion. The head of department too. Subordinates watch, and some also come to the service. Nobody forces anyone, and this cannot be done, because faith is everyone’s personal, sacred matter. Everyone can manage their personal time as they wish. You can read a book, you can watch TV or sleep. Or you can go to church for a service or talk with the priest - if not to confess, then have a heart-to-heart talk.
Nobody forces anyone, and this cannot be done, because faith is everyone’s personal, sacred matter
Sometimes 150-200 people gather at our service. At the last Liturgy, 98 people received communion. General confession is not practiced now, so imagine how long confession lasts for us.
In addition to the fact that I serve in the unit, in civilian life I am the rector of the Church of St. Hermogenes on Elmash. Whenever possible, we take an onboard Ural, it can accommodate 25 people who come to my service. Naturally, people know that this is not an excursion or an entertainment event, that they will have to stand there for services and pray, so random people don’t go there. Those who want to pray in the church for divine services go.
Previously, the evening time in the unit was occupied by the deputy commander for educational work, but now they decided to give the evening time to the priest, that is, to me. At this time, I meet with military personnel, get to know each other, and communicate. I ask: “Who wants to go to my church for a service?” We are compiling a list of those interested. And so on for each division. I submit the lists to the brigade commander and the unit commander, the company commander, and they release the military personnel when they need to go to duty. And the commander is calm that the soldier is not hanging out somewhere and doing nonsense; and the soldier sees a kind attitude toward himself and can resolve some of his spiritual issues.
It is, of course, easier to serve in a unit. Now our parish of St. Hermogenes is building a temple on the territory of the part in the name of the heavenly patrons of the railway troops, the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb. The head of the department, Major General Anatoly Anatolyevich Bragin, initiated this case. He is a believer from a pious, believing family, he has been confessing and receiving communion since childhood, and he warmly supported the idea of building a temple, helping with paperwork and approvals. In the fall of 2017, we drove piles into the foundation of the future temple, poured the foundation, now we have installed the roof, and ordered the domes. When the service is held in the new church, of course, there will be no shortage of parishioners there. Already now people stop me and ask: “Father, when will you open the temple?!” God willing, we will serve this Easter in the new church.
“The main thing is the specific person who came to you”
, cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Yekaterinburg:
I have been caring for private security for more than 12 years, since the time when they belonged to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I have been supporting the Directorate of the Russian Guard for two years, since its formation.
Are you asking who came up with the idea to bless all traffic police cars? Unfortunately, not for me, this is an initiative of the leadership of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Sverdlovsk Region. I just performed the ceremony. Although, of course, I liked the idea! Still would! Collect all 239 new traffic police vehicles on the main square of the city - the square of 1905 - and consecrate them at once! I hope this will affect both the work of employees and the attitude of drivers towards them. Why are you smiling? With God everything is possible!
In my priestly life I have seen a lot of things. From 2005 to 2009, I served at the parish in the name of the Archangel Michael in the Zarechny microdistrict - and for four years in a row, every Sunday I served in the open-air park. We didn’t have any premises or church, I served right in the middle of the park - first prayers, then with God’s help I bought vessels, mother sewed a cover for the Throne, and in the fall we served the first Liturgy. I posted notices around the area that we would invite you to worship in the park on such and such a date. Sometimes up to a hundred people gathered! On holidays, we went through religious processions throughout the area, sprinkled holy water, collected gifts, and gave them to veteran grandmothers! We lived happily, together, it’s a sin to complain! Sometimes I meet old parishioners with whom I served in the park, they rejoice and hug you.
They listen to the priest in the army. We help. Yes, this is why God sent me here - to help people
If we talk about the specifics of service in law enforcement agencies, then the priest there is a sacred figure. Imagine a building with high offices and big bosses, busy with important government affairs related to the security of the country, and so on. If a civilian comes there, they will not listen to him and will immediately throw him out the door. And they listen to the priest. I can tell you from experience that there are wonderful people sitting there in the big offices! The main thing is not to ask them for anything, then you can find a common language with them. Well, I’m not asking, on the contrary, I’m bringing them such treasures that they would love it! What, as it is written in the Gospel, that rust does not take, and thieves cannot steal, are treasures that faith and life in the Church give us! The main thing is people, this is a specific person who is sitting in front of you, and shoulder straps are the fifth thing.
In order for a priest to successfully provide care in law enforcement agencies, first of all, he needs to establish good contacts with his superiors and the head of the personnel department. He knows everyone’s personal business; he is, if you like, an executor in law enforcement agencies. He knows a lot and can give advice and save you from many mistakes. Just like you can help him in his work. It's all mutual, he helps you, you help him, and as a result everyone has fewer problems. He can call me and say: “You know, such and such an officer has problems. Can you talk to him? I go to this officer and, like a priest, help him understand his problem.
If contacts have taken place, everything will be fine. I know what I'm talking about. During my service in the security forces, three leaders changed, and I had good constructive relations with all of them. All people, by and large, are only interested in themselves. You must try to be necessary and useful to the extent that these busy people are ready to perceive you. You were put there to help them solve their problems with God's help! If you understand this, then everything will work out for you; if you start engaging in education or preaching, it will all end badly. The specifics of law enforcement agencies make their own severe adjustments, and if you want to succeed in your business, you need to take this into account. As the Apostle Paul said: to be everything to everyone!
Over the years of communication, people begin to trust you. I baptized the children of some, got married to others, and consecrated the house of others. We developed close, almost family relationships with many of us. People know that at any time they can turn to you for help with any problem and you will never refuse and help. God sent me here for this: so that I could help people - so I serve!
God leads people to faith in different ways. I remember one colonel was very hostile to the fact that a priest was coming to their administration and, as he thought, was only disturbing everyone. I could see from his contemptuous look that he did not like my presence. And then his brother died, and it so happened that I performed his funeral service. And there, perhaps for the first time, he looked at me with different eyes and saw that I could be useful. Then he had problems with his wife, he came to me, and we talked for a long time. In general, now this person, although he does not go to church every Sunday, has a different attitude towards the Church. And this is the main thing.
Orthodox clergy who were on the staff of the military department and looked after the army and navy.
The tradition of the participation of clergy in military campaigns developed in Rus' soon after the establishment of Christianity; the institution of military clergy was formed in the 18th century. The first document in which a military priest in Russian is mentioned. army, - the charter “Teaching and cunning of the military structure of infantry people” of 1647. One of the chapters of the charter determines the salary of military ranks and the regimental priest. One of the earliest documents testifying to the presence of priests in the navy is a letter from Admiral K. I. Kruys in 1704, containing “Painting for officers, sailors... and other ranks of people who should be in Crimea for the perfect armament of seven galleys, one hundred brigantines." According to the "Rospis", 7 galleys required 7 priests, 100 brigantines - 3 priests.
The formation of the institution of military clergy is associated with reforms Peter I Alekseevich. In the “Military Regulations”, approved on March 30, 1716 (PSZ. T. 5. No. 3006), ch. “On the Clergy” determined the legal status of priests in the army, their responsibilities and main forms of activity. The “Military Charter” established the position of field chief priest; it was introduced in wartime among the ranks of the general staff under the field marshal or general commander of the army. The field chief priest managed all the regimental priests, conveyed orders from the commander regarding the time of worship and thanksgiving prayers, resolved conflict situations between military clergy, and punished the guilty.
In April In 1717, a royal decree established that “in the Russian fleet there should be 39 priests on board ships and other military vessels,” initially these were white clergy. Since 1719, the practice of appointing monastics to the fleet was established (although sometimes clergy from the white clergy were also allowed). Before the establishment of the Holy Synod, the right to determine hieromonks for service in the navy belonged to Alexander Nevsky Mon-rue and its rector, Archimandrite. Theodosius (Yanovsky; after Archbishop of Novgorod). In the “Maritime Charter” (PSZ. T. 6. No. 3485), approved on January 13. 1720, the rights, duties and financial status of the naval clergy were determined, at the head of which during the summer navigation or military campaign was placed the “primary priest” (chief hieromonk), usually from the Revel squadron of the Baltic Fleet. The first chief hieromonk was Gabriel (Buzhinsky; after Bishop of Ryazan). Individual priests were appointed only to large vessels - ships and frigates. On March 15, 1721, an instruction was approved regulating the activities of ship priests (“Clause on Hieromonks in the Navy”). Based on the “Points,” a special oath was developed for the military and naval clergy, which differed from the oath of parish priests.
Regimental priests and naval hieromonks were obliged to conduct divine services, perform religious services, administer the Holy Mysteries to the seriously ill, assist doctors, and also “watch diligently” over the behavior of the troops, and supervision of confession and communion of the military was one of the main responsibilities, but there was a firm warning: “Don’t get involved in any more business, let alone start something out of your own will and passion.”
In 1721, the appointment of clergy to the army and navy came under the jurisdiction of the Holy Synod, which ordered the bishops to determine from their dioceses the required number of hieromonks to staff the army, etc. In peacetime, it was subordinate to the diocesan bishops. On May 7, 1722, the Synod appointed Archimandrite temporary chief hieromonk at the head of the clergy who were setting off on the Persian campaign. Lavrentiya (Gorku; after Bishop of Vyatka). In the instructions of the Synod on June 13, 1797 (PSZ. T. 24. No. 18), in connection with the increase in the scope of duties of field chief priests, they were given the right to elect divisional deans to assist in the management of the clergy in wartime.
Imp. Pavel I Petrovich decree of April 4 1800 united the administration of the army and navy clergy under the leadership of the chief priest of the army and navy, whose position became permanent (existed in both war and peacetime). The chief priest of the army and navy was a member of the Holy Synod. After the death of Paul I, the circle of rights and responsibilities of the chief priest of the army and navy was several. reviewed times. In 1806, his department was placed in the same position as diocesan departments.
27 Jan In 1812, the “Institution for the management of a large active army” was adopted (PSZ. T. 32. No. 24975). The position of field chief priest was introduced into the ranks of the General Staff of each army, intermediate between the chief priest of the army and navy and the senior dean (the position was introduced in 1807). The field chief priest carried out his duties in peacetime and war; during the war, the clergy of hospitals located in areas declared under martial law, deans and clergy of the fleet connected with the army under the control of one commander-in-chief, and the clergy of churches in those places were subordinate to his department , where the main apartment was located when the army moved. Field chief priests were usually appointed by the Holy Synod on the recommendation of the chief priest of the army and navy and by the emperor. In each army, the position of senior dean was introduced - an intermediary between the military authorities, the field chief priest and the clergy of the army. In 1812, for individual corps, as part of the corps headquarters, the positions of corps priests (from 1821 corps deans) were established, who led the clergy entrusted to them with the rights of field chief priests of the army. Subordinate to the senior deans and corps priests were the army (divisional), guards and naval deans.
In 1815, imp. The decree established the position of Chief Priest of the General Staff (from 1830 Chief Priest of the Main Staff and a separate Guards Corps, from 1844 Chief Priest of the Guards and Grenadier Corps), which had equal rights with the position of Chief Priest of the Army and Navy. The Synod spoke out against the division of control of the military clergy. The appointment to both positions remained with the emperor, but he approved the chief priest of the army and navy from candidates nominated by the Holy Synod. Chief priests of the General Staff, then the Guards and Grenadier Corps in 1826-1887. also headed the court clergy in the rank of protopresbyters, were imp. confessors, rectors of the court cathedral of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. Since 1853, chief priests received the right to appoint and dismiss regimental priests without prior permission from the Holy Synod. Since 1858, chief priests were called chief priests.
The first chief priest of the army and navy was Fr. Pavel Ozeretskovsky (1800-1807), who used under the emperor. Paul I had great influence and relative independence from the Synod. On May 9, 1800, all military ranks were ordered to refer spiritual matters to the chief priest, bypassing the consistory, for which an office was formed. In 1800, an army seminary was created, in which the children of the army clergy studied at public expense (closed in 1819).
In the 1st half. XIX century the salaries of the military clergy were increased, pensions and benefits were introduced for elderly and sick military priests, their widows and children. Among the chief priests of the Guards and Grenadier Corps, Protopr. Basil Bazhanov(1849-1883). He laid the foundation for the creation of libraries at the churches of his department and supplied them with books. In St. Petersburg he established the Nikolaev almshouse for elderly clergy of the spiritual department, as well as for their widows and orphans. By his order, houses were built for clergy in a number of regiments, and parish charitable societies and brotherhoods were organized at certain churches. In 1879, the Charitable Society for the Care of the Poor, the clergy department of the chief priest of the army and navy, was established; it was taken under the patronage of the leader. Kng. Maria Feodorovna (later empress). The society's funds supported shelters, Mariinsky in Kronstadt and Pokrovsky in St. Petersburg.
Known to many examples of courage shown by clergy during Patriotic War of 1812 The first among the clergy to become a Knight of the Order of St. George of the 4th degree was the priest of the 19th Jaeger Regiment Vasily Vasilkovsky, who participated in the battles of Vitebsk, Borodino, Maloyaroslavets, he was several. wounded once, but remained in service. Priest of the Moscow Grenadier Regiment, Fr. Myron of Orleans in the Battle of Borodino walked under heavy cannon fire ahead of the grenadier column and was wounded. In the 19th century the clergy took part in the Caucasian wars. In 1816, the position of corps priest of a separate Georgian corps was introduced (from 1840 chief priest of a separate Caucasian corps, from 1858 chief priest of the Caucasian army), in 1890 the position was abolished. A number of heroic deeds of field priests during the Crimean War of 1853-1856 are known. The priest of the Mogilev regiment, Archpriest, showed particular courage on the battlefield in March 1854. John Pyatibokov, who raised the soldiers to attack after the death of the officers, was among the first to climb the walls of the tour. fortifications and was shell-shocked. Prot. John was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree and awarded the nobility with a charter. The state took care of the material support of priests during the war, and after its end - about the appointment of benefits for losses incurred, about the issuance of established salaries, pensions for a shortened period and awards for service in the army.
In con. XIX century The heyday of the institution of military clergy began. In 1888, all military and naval clergy were subordinated to the chief priest of the Guard, Grenadiers, Army and Navy. On July 24, 1887, the regulation on new service rights and salaries for the maintenance of the military clergy was approved (3 PSZ. T. 7. No. 4659); from 1889, the provisions extended to the naval clergy. According to the regulations, the chief priest of the guard, grenadier, army and navy was granted the rights of a lieutenant general, the chief priest of the Caucasian Military District - the rights of a major general, the full-time archpriest-dean - the rights of a colonel, the non-staff archpriest and dean-priest - the rights of a lieutenant colonel, the priest - the rights a captain or company commander, a deacon - the rights of a lieutenant, a full-time psalm-reader from the clergy - the rights of a lieutenant. Instead of the previously existing heterogeneous (very modest) salaries, a salary corresponding to officer ranks was established. The clergy of the military department of the European districts were given the right to periodic increases in their salaries for length of service, while the priests were prohibited from collecting payment for services from soldiers, which was previously practiced.
On June 12, 1890, the regulation “On the management of churches and clergy of the military and naval departments” was issued (3 PSZ. T. 10. No. 6924), in accordance with the Crimea, instead of the position of the chief priest of the guard, grenadier, army and navy, the position of protopresbyter was established V. etc. His candidacy was elected by the Synod on the proposal of the Minister of War and approved by the emperor. On matters of church administration, the protopresbyter received instructions from the Synod, on matters of the military department - from the Minister of War. He had the right to personal reports to the emperor, and was equal in rank to archbishop and lieutenant general. Under the protopresbyter there was a spiritual government, consisting of a presence and an office and corresponding to the consistory under the diocesan bishop. The positions of divisional and naval deans, appointed by the protopresbyter, and in peacetime subordinate to local bishops, were retained. The protopresbyter also appointed regimental and naval (from hieromonks and widowed priests) priests. In wartime, field chief priests were appointed in each army. The military clergy continued to be subordinate not only to the church, but also to the military authorities, which in some cases created difficulties, since the legal spheres were not clearly demarcated.
After the release of the “Regulations” of 1890, special attention began to be paid to deanery in the performance of worship and the religious and moral education of the army: sermons, extra-liturgical conversations and religious and moral readings, teaching the Law of God in regimental training teams. Military priests began to organize parochial schools not only for soldiers, but also for the local population. In wartime, they were charged with helping to bandage the wounded, performing funeral services for the dead and arranging their burial. In addition, like other clergy, they kept and stored documentation: inventories of regimental churches and their property, income and expenditure books, clergy records, confessional lists, metric books, etc., and compiled reports on the morale of the troops.
Since 1890, the journal has been published. "Bulletin of the Military Clergy" (in 1911-1917 "Bulletin of military and naval clergy", in 1917 “Church and Social Thought” (Kyiv), the publication was resumed in 2004). Since 1889, regular meetings of military pastors and audit trips of the protopresbyter of the army and navy to military districts were held. Since 1899, priestly positions in the military department were provided primarily to persons with an academic education. In 1891, the department of military clergy consisted of 569 clergy and clergy (Catholic chaplains, rabbis, Lutheran and evangelical preachers, mullahs, subordinate to the Department of Spiritual Affairs of Foreign Denominations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, also served in the army and navy).
During the Russian-Japanese wars of 1904-1905 The regulation “On the field control of Russian army troops in wartime” came into force on February 26. 1890 (3 PSZ. T. 10. No. 6609). In the Manchurian army, the post of field chief priest was introduced - the head of all clergy in the army and the rector of the church of the main apartment. The war was marked by the heroic service of both military and naval priests, some of whom died. Among the priests of this war, Mitrofan of Srebryansky (later schiarchim. Rev. Sergius), who served with the 51st Chernigov Dragoon Regiment. Prot. Stefan Shcherbakovsky during the Battle of Tyurenchen on April 18. 1904, together with the 11th East Siberian Regiment, he went on the attack twice with a cross in his hands, was shell-shocked, despite his serious condition, and gave farewell to the dying soldiers. For his courage he was awarded the Order of St. George 4th degree. Aug 1 1904, during a naval battle in the Korean Strait, the ship's chaplain of the cruiser "Rurik" Hierom. Alexy (Okoneshnikov) inspired the crew of the sinking cruiser. Jerome. Alexy, along with the surviving sailors, was captured, as a clergyman he was released, took the banner out of captivity and delivered a report about the death of the cruiser. He was awarded a gold pectoral cross on the St. George ribbon. The same award was awarded to the ship's priests for the Battle of Tsushima on May 14, 1905. Porfiry (cruiser "Oleg"), Hierom. Georgy (cruiser "Aurora").
After the end of the war, changes were made to the regulations “On the management of churches and clergy of the military and naval departments”; in wartime, the positions of the chief priest of the front armies and priests at army headquarters were introduced. In 1910, a funeral fund for employees of the military clergy department was established. In the same year, the Synod adopted a mobilization plan, which provided for the conscription of clergy during the period of mobilization of the army according to wartime states and in replacement of those who left during the fighting. Religious warehouses were to be created in the armies and navies. and propaganda literature.
On July 1-11, 1914, the 1st congress of the century was held in St. Petersburg. and etc., which was attended by 40 priests from the troops and 9 from the fleets. At the section meetings, in particular, the problems of relationships with the regimental authorities, the behavior of clergymen in the conditions of military operations were considered; during the battle, the priest’s place was determined at the forward dressing station. The congress developed and adopted a memo-instruction for the military chaplain.
During the First World War, a field office of the protopresbyter was organized at the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. etc. and a warehouse for church literature. The mobilization schedule of 1910 began to take effect; thousands of parishes were called upon to recruit clergy to new regiments. Before the war, the department of the protopresbyter consisted of 730 priests; during the war, over 5 thousand priests served in the army; they not only performed their direct duties, but also taught soldiers to read and write, read them letters from their relatives, and helped compose reply letters. Chaplains, rabbis, and mullahs also served in military districts. In the circular 3 Nov. 1914 Protopr. Georgiy Shavelsky turned to the Orthodox Church. priests with a call to “avoid, if possible, all religious disputes and denunciations of other faiths.” In 1916, new positions were established: army preachers for each army, chief priests of the Baltic and Black Sea fleets. In the same year, under the jurisdiction of Protopresbyter V. and M. D. the question of the Uniates in Galicia and Bukovina, occupied by Russian troops, was transferred. Protopr. George preferred to meet the spiritual needs of the Uniates and not demand that they join the Orthodox Church. Churches. By the definition of the Synod on January 13-20. In 1916, a commission was created “to satisfy the religious and moral needs of Russian prisoners of war”, which could send priests to Austria-Hungary and Germany.
During the war several bishops submitted petitions to take priestly places in the army and navy. The first of them was the Bishop of Dmitrov. Trifon (Turkestan), who served in 1914-1916. regimental priest and divisional dean. Tauride ep. Dimitri (afterwards) Anthony (Abashidze)) several for months in 1914 he served as a ship's chaplain in the Black Sea Fleet.
One of the first in 1914, the priest of the 58th Prague Regiment, Parfeny Kholodny, was awarded a golden pectoral cross on the St. George ribbon for his courage. In 1914, the priest of the 294th Chernigov Infantry Regiment, John Sokolov, saved the regimental banner from captivity. The feat of the priest of the 9th Kazan Dragoon Regiment Vasily Spichek, who raised the regiment to attack, is well known. The priest was awarded the Order of St. George 4th degree. The abbot had military awards. Nestor (Anisimov; after Metropolitan of Kirovograd), who voluntarily served at the front, organized and led a sanitary detachment. During the entire war, more than 30 military priests were killed or died from wounds, more than 400 were wounded and shell-shocked, and more than 100 were captured, which significantly exceeded the losses in previous wars.
In 1915, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Commander-in-Chief, gave a high assessment of the activities of the military clergy during the First World War. book Nikolai Nikolaevich (“We must bow at the feet of the military clergy for their magnificent work in the army” - quoted from: Shavelsky. T. 2. P. 102). However, the influence of the clergy weakened in conditions when military priests, representing the state. apparatus, performed the role of spiritual superiors in the army, and especially with the approach of the revolution. Gene. A.I. Denikin wrote that “the clergy failed to cause a religious upsurge among the troops” (Denikin A.I. Essays on Russian Troubles: In 3 vols. M., 2003. Vol. 1. P. 105).
After the February Revolution of 1917, the military clergy continued to be active. 2nd All-Russian Congress in. and M.D., held in Mogilev on July 1-11, 1917, was welcomed by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, General. A. A. Brusilov. In the spirit of the times, the congress established the election of all military and spiritual positions. As a result of a secret vote on July 9, protopr. G. Shavelsky retained his post. 16 Jan In 1918, the institute of military clergy was abolished by order No. 39 of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs (SU. 1918. No. 16. P. 249).
Military priests remained in the White Army. 27 Nov 1918 Denikin appointed G. Shavelsky protopresbyter of the Volunteer Army and Navy. In the troops of Admiral A.V. Kolchak there were more than 1 thousand military priests, the general. P. N. Wrangel - more than 500. March 31, 1920 Sevastopol bishop. Veniamin (Fedchenkov) At Wrangel's request, he accepted the position of manager. and M.D. with the title of Bishop of the Army and Navy. He represented the Church in Wrangel's government, went to the front to perform services, and provided reception and accommodation for refugee clergy. After the capture of Crimea by the Red Army in November. 1920 bishop Veniamin, together with units of the Volunteer Army, emigrated to Istanbul and continued to patronize the Russians. military clergy in Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. On June 3, 1923, by decision of the foreign Synod of Bishops, he was relieved of his duties as manager of the church. and m.d.
In the 90s XX century The Russian Church again began to minister to military personnel. In 1995, a synodal council was created for these purposes. Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies. Gatherings of priests caring for military units have resumed (held in 2003, 2005).
Jerome. Savva (Molchanov)
Temples of the military-spiritual department
In the 18th century areas on the outskirts of cities began to be allocated for the permanent deployment of military units. Barracks, outbuildings, and churches were built on this land. One of the first military churches was the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the All Guards in St. Petersburg, founded on July 9, 1743 (architect D.A. Trezzini, in 1829 after a fire it was rebuilt by V.P. Stasov). Afterwards In the capital, a cathedral of all artillery was erected in the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh (consecrated July 5, 1800), c. Vmch. St. George the Victorious in the General Staff building on Dvortsovaya Square. (February 1, 1822), etc. Initially, military churches did not have a unified system of subordination. 26 Sep. In 1826, a decree of the Synod followed, transferring them to the military-ecclesiastical department.
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in St. Petersburg. Archit. V.P. Stasov. 1835 Photograph. Beginning XX century (Archive of the Central Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia")
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in St. Petersburg. Archit. V.P. Stasov. 1835 Photograph. Beginning XX century (Archive of the Central Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia")
Temples of the military clergy were divided into permanent and camp. The first were erected at regiments (or smaller military formations), garrisons, fortresses, military educational institutions, hospitals, prisons, and military cemeteries. Among the camp churches, land and ship churches stood out. The construction of churches was entrusted to the commission for the construction of barracks under the Military Council. In 1891, there were 407 military and naval churches.
In 1900, Minister of War A.N. Kuropatkin submitted a report to the emperor with a proposal to allocate funds for the construction of new churches at military units, to develop a type of military church focused on large capacity and efficiency. The model for military churches was approved on December 1. 1901. According to it, a separate building with a capacity of 900 people was to be built for the church. for a regimental church or 400 people. for battalion. For the needs of church construction, the military department allocated 200 thousand rubles in 1901, in 1902 and 1903. 450 thousand rubles each In total, 51 churches were built from 1901 to 1906. One of the first to be founded was the church of the 148th Caspian Infantry Regiment in the name of the Military Medical Center. Anastasia the Pattern Maker in New. Peterhof (consecrated June 5, 1903). In 1902-1913. The Kronstadt Naval Cathedral was erected in the name of St. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is a grandiose temple-monument to Russian sailors. A prayer service for the start of construction was held on September 1. 1902 rights. prot. John of Kronstadt in the presence of the chief commander of the Kronstadt port, Vice Admiral S. O. Makarov. In 1913, there were 603 military churches, according to the maritime department - 30 coastal churches, 43 ship churches, including those at the floating military prison in Sevastopol. Each military unit and each military educational institution had its own temple holiday and heavenly patron. In military churches, military banners, weapons and armor of famous military leaders were kept, and the memory of soldiers killed in battles was immortalized.
July 15, 1854 in Sevastopol according to the project of K.A. Tones The Admiralty Cathedral was founded in the name of Equal Apostles. book Vladimir. Due to the outbreak of the Crimean War, work was interrupted; the lower church was consecrated in 1881, the upper one in 1888. The cathedral is the tomb of Russians. admirals M. P. Lazarev, V. A. Kornilova, V. I. Istomina, P. S. Nakhimova. From 1907 to 1918, its rector and dean of the coastal commands of the Black Sea Fleet was Sschmch. prot. Roman Bear. In the cathedral of the Life Guards of the Izmailovsky Regiment in the name of the Holy Trinity (founded in St. Petersburg on May 13, 1828, architect Stasov) trophy tours were kept. banners captured during the Russian tour. wars of 1877-1878 In 1886, a Column of Glory, cast from 108 rounds, was installed in front of the cathedral. guns. In 1911, in St. Petersburg, near the Naval Cadet Corps, the Church-monument to the Savior on Water was erected. On the walls were mounted boards with the names of sailors (from admiral to sailor) who died during the Russo-Japanese war. wars, and the names of ships. Near the iconostasis they installed the rescued banner of the Kwantung naval crew that defended Port Arthur.
Camping portable churches, as a rule, were spacious tents with a throne, an antimension, a folding iconostasis and an icon - the patroness of the part. During the Russian-Japanese wars of 1904-1905 At the headquarters of the commander of the Manchurian army, located in a special train, there was a church car - the residence of the field chief priest. In 1916, the Committee for the construction of mobile churches at the front was formed. Floating churches were erected on the Caspian and Black Seas. On the front line, worship was often held in the open air.
Divine services in the army and navy were performed, as a rule, on Sundays and holidays, the so-called. highly solemn days: on the name days of members of the imp. family, on the anniversary of Russian victories. weapons and on holidays of military units and ships. Attendance at divine services was mandatory for all personnel of the Orthodox troops. confession, which was supported by special orders from the commanders of military units.
IN . M. Kotkov
Military clergy awards
Since 1797, representatives of the clergy began to be awarded orders for special merits by decrees of the emperor. Military clergy received the Order of St. Anna, equal to A. book Vladimir, St. George and golden pectoral crosses on the St. George ribbon. The last 2 awards were awarded only for military distinctions. In 1855, the military clergy received the right to attach swords to orders granted for distinction in combat situations, which had previously been the privilege of officers.
In accordance with imp. by decree of August 13. 1806, all submissions of military clergy for awards were made through military authorities. The spiritual authorities could only express their opinions. Clergymen were nominated for awards on the same basis as military personnel. In 1881, the highest representatives of the clan received the right to independently award subordinate clergy with skufia. and m.d.
The merits for which a military priest could receive most of the possible awards were not specified by any regulations. The exception was the statutes of the orders of St. Vladimir and St. Anna. In the statute of the Order of St. Anna, as amended in 1833, provided for the rewarding of clergy for “exhortations and examples for regiments in battles”, for preserving the health and morality of soldiers (if “for three years in a row there are no people guilty of violating military discipline and tranquility between residents, and the number the number of escapees will not exceed one person in a hundred"). The right to be awarded the Order of St. was extended to the priests of the military department. Vladimir 4th degree for 25 years of service while participating in military campaigns and 35 years along with officer ranks in peacetime. This practice was also extended to deacons, if they were worthy to receive the Order of St. before serving 35 years in the priesthood. Anna 3rd degree.
In wartime, the legally required time frame for receiving the next award (at least 3 years) was canceled. The presence of orders gave the right to promotion, receiving a higher salary, and the choice of daughters as wives. educational institutions at the expense of the capital of the orders. Orders were removed from a clergyman who was defrocked.
The number of awards given to the clergy, including the military, has grown steadily since the end. XVIII century until 1917 Until mid. XIX century orders, all degrees of which provided the right to hereditary nobility, were a rare award for a priest. After the Order of St. Anna's 2nd and 3rd degrees ceased to bring this advantage, and awards began to be practiced more widely. For example, in Russian-Japanese. during the war, individual clergy were awarded the Order of St. Anne of the 2nd and 3rd degrees and St. Vladimir 4th degree. The Order of St. remained more rare awards for military clergy. George and a golden pectoral cross on the St. George ribbon.
During the Russian-Japanese war, military priests received the Order of St. Anna 2nd degree with swords - approx. 70, without swords - approx. 30, 3rd degree with swords - approx. 70, without swords - approx. 80; St. Vladimir 3rd degree without swords - approx. 10, 4th degree with swords - approx. 25, without swords - approx. 25. During the First World War, until March 1917, military priests received the Order of St. Anna 1st degree with and without swords - approx. 10, 2nd degree with swords - more than 300, without swords - more than 200, 3rd degree with swords - more than 300, without swords - approx. 500; St. Vladimir 3rd degree with swords - more than 20, without swords - approx. 20, 4th degree with swords - more than 150, without swords - approx. 100. Order of St. George from the beginning XIX century by March 1917, 16 people were awarded. Until 1903, at least 170 people received the golden pectoral cross on the St. George ribbon for Russian-Japanese. war - 82 people, from 1914 to March 1917 - 244 people. OK. 10 clergy were awarded the Order of St. George and the soldier's St. George's Cross from March 1917 to March 1918. At least 13 people were awarded the Pectoral Cross on the St. George's Ribbon. in the armies of Kolchak, Denikin, Wrangel. For clergy awarded for distinguished service in the First World War and the Civil War, awards were approved by the Synod of Bishops Russian Orthodox Church Abroad Mansvetov(1827-1832), protopr. Vasily Ivanovich Kutnevich(1832-1865), prot. Mikhail Izmailovich Bogoslovsky (1865-1871), archpriest. Pyotr Evdokimovich Pokrovsky (1871-1888). Chief priests (chief priests) of the General Staff, Guards and Grenadier Corps: Archpriest. Alexy Topogritsky (1815-1826), archpriest. Nikolai Vasilievich Muzovsky (1826-1848), protoprep. Vasily Borisovich Bazhanov (1849-1883). Protopresbyters army and navy: Alexander Alekseevich Zhelobovsky(1888-1910), Evgeniy Petrovich Akvilonov(1910-1911), Georgy Ivanovich Shavelsky (1911-1917).
Arch.: RGIA. F. 806 [Spiritual government under the protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy]; RGVIA. F. 2044. Op. 1. D. 8-9, 18-19, 28; F. 2082. Op. 1. D. 7; GARF. F. 3696. Op. 2. D. 1, 3, 5.
Lit.: Nevzorov N. East. Essay on the management of the clergy of the Military Department in Russia. St. Petersburg, 1875; Barsov T. IN . About management rus. military clergy. St. Petersburg, 1879; Bogolyubov A. A . Essays on the history of the management of military and naval clergy in biographies, chap. its priests from 1800 to 1901. St. Petersburg, 1901; Zhelobovsky A. A., protopr. Management of churches and Orthodoxy. clergy of the Military Department // Century of the Military Ministry: In 16 volumes. St. Petersburg, 1902. T. 13; Kallistov N. A., prot. East. a note about military shepherds who participated with their military units in the Crimean War during the defense of Sevastopol and were awarded special insignia. St. Petersburg, 1904; Shavelsky G. I., protopr. Military clergy in Russia's fight against Napoleon. M., 1912; Tsitovich G. A . Temples of the Army and Navy: Historical-stat. description. Pyatigorsk, 1913. 2 hours; Smirnov A. IN . History of the naval clergy. St. Petersburg, 1914; Senin A. WITH . The army clergy of Russia in the First World War // VI. 1990. No. 10. P. 159-165; History of the naval clergy: Sat. M., 1993; Klaving V. IN . Military churches of Russia. St. Petersburg, 2000; Kapkov K. G . St. George's Awards grew. clergy // 11th All-Russian. Numismatic Conf. St. Petersburg, April 14-18 2003: Abstract. report and message St. Petersburg, 2003. pp. 284-286; Kotkov V. M. Military clergy of Russia: Pages of history. St. Petersburg, 2004. 2 books.