Parish clergy of Voronezh diocese in the fight against famine of 1891–1892

Relevance. In times of crisis, Orthodox clergy often became the backbone of the state, not only providing spiritual support to parishioners, but also performing the most important ideological and social functions. A study of the experience of the parish clergy of the Voronezh diocese in providing assistance to the population during the famine of 1891-1892 will help find mechanisms for the most successful interaction between the Church, government and society in the context of large-scale social challenges.

The purpose of the article is to study the contribution of the Orthodox parish clergy to supporting the peasant population of the Voronezh province, as well as to examine the main forms of organizing charitable, social and educational activities of the clergy during the famine of 1891-1892.

The objectives are to characterize the features of social and charitable activities of parish clergy and to consider the forms of pastoral service to provide moral support to peasants during the years of national disaster caused by crop failures.

Methodology. The article is based on a comprehensive review of sources and scientific research. The author used content analysis, historical-comparative, historical-genetic, historical-statistical methods in solving the tasks.

Results. The author examined the main forms of organizing social and charitable activities of the Voronezh parish clergy to provide assistance to peasants during the "tsar famine" of 1891-1892. The implementation of the synodal definition of August 21, 1891 on the organization of diocesan committees to support people, as well as the personal contribution of Orthodox clergy to charity, are analyzed.

Conclusion. During the peasant famine of 1891-1892, the Voronezh parish clergy made a significant contribution to the fight against the large-scale national disaster. The Voronezh diocesan committee for supporting the population carried out a huge amount of work to attract funds and food for the starving people.

1. Shcherbina F.A. Economic needs and tasks of the Voronezh region. In: Commemorative book of the Voronezh province for 1894. Voronezh: Tipolitogr. gub. pravleniya; 1894. Otd. III. P. 1-14. (In Russ.)

2. Review of the Voronezh province for 1891. Voronezh: Tipolitogr. gub. pravleniya; 1892. 58 p. (In Russ.)

3. Stepanov V.L. Minister of finance I.A. Vyshnegradsky and the famine of 1891–1892. Rossijskaya istoriya = Russian history. 2023;(5):47-69. (In Russ.)

4. Karpachev M.D. Peasant famine of 1891–1892 in the Voronezh province and its consequences Society and power. In: Obshchestvo i vlast': istoriya i sovremennost': materialy Trinadcatoj regional'noj nauchnoj konferencii = Society and power: History and modernity: proceedings of the Thirteenth regional scientific conference. Voronezh: Voronezh. gos. un-t; 2019. P. 108-120. (In Russ.)

5. Kniga M.D. Activities of government and zemstvo institutions of Russia in the fight against the famine of 1891–1892. In: Teoriya i praktika innovacionnyh tekhnologij v APK: materialy nacional'noj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferencii = Theory and practice of innovative technologies in APK: proceedings of the national scientific and practical conference. Pt. II. Voronezh: Voronezh. gos. agrarnyi un-t; 2020. P. 7-11. (In Russ.)

6. Meshcheryakova A.O. Charitable activities of the Russian Orthodox Church during the famine of 1891–1892 in the Voronezh province. In: Sovremennaya nauka: aktual'nye problemy teorii i praktiki. Seriya: Gumanitarnye nauki = Modern Science: Current Problems of Theory and Practice. Series: Humanities. 2015;(09–10):31-35. (In Russ.)

7. Myazin V.A. Food aid program in the Voronezh province during the famine of 1891–1892. In: Obshchestvo i vlast': veka minuvshie i den' segodnyashnii: materialy Chetyrnadtsatoi regional'noi nauchnoi konferentsii = Society and power: Centuries past and today: proceedings of the Fourteenth Regional Scientific Conference. Voronezh: Voronezh. gos. un-t; 2020. P. 7–11. (In Russ.)

8. On the orders of the Holy Synod regarding the grain harvest failure in some provinces From August 21, 1891, No. 2139. Cerkovnye vedomosti, izdavaemye pri Svyatejshem Pravitel'stvuyushchem Sinode = Church Bulletin, published under the Holy Governing Synod. 1891;(31):279-281. (In Russ.)

9. Organization of public assistance to the population of the Voronezh province condemned by crop failure. In: Pamyatnaya knizhka Voronezhskoj gubernii na 1892 = Commemorative book of the Voronezh province for 1892. Voronezh: Tipolitogr. gub. pravleniya; 1894. Otd. I. P. 57-72. (In Russ.)

10. RGIA (Russian State Historical Archive). F. 796. Op. 440. D. 54. (In Russ.)

11. RGIA. F. 796. Op. 442. D. 1384. (In Russ.)

12. RGIA. F. 796. Op. 442. D. 1374. (In Russ.)

13. Ilarionov A., priest. Correspondence from the village of Staraya Kirsanovka, Novokhopersk district. Voronezhskie eparhial'nye vedomosti = Voronezh Diocesan Bulletin. 1892;(8):333. (In Russ.)

14. Correspondence from the village of Salovka (Fedorovka). Voronezhskie eparhial'nye vedomosti = Voronezh Diocesan Bulletin. 1892;(11):452-454. (In Russ.)

15. Shelters for small children. Voronezhskie eparhial'nye vedomosti = Voronezh Diocesan Bulletin. 1892;(15):580. (In Russ.)

16. Ikonnikov S.A. Parish clergy of Voronezh diocese in fight against the cholera epidemic of 1892–1893. Nauchnyi dialog = Scientific dialogue. 2021;(2):292-307. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-12951-2021-2-292-307.

17. GAVO (The State Archive of the Voronezh region). F. I-6. Op. 1. D. 80. (In Russ.)

18. GAVO. F. I-84. Op. 1. D. 1945. (In Russ.)

19. Alekseev, priest. Teaching during drought and crop failure. Voronezhskie eparhial'nye vedomosti = Voronezh Diocesan Bulletin. 1891;(17):595-604. (In Russ.)

20. Sloboda Popovka. Voronezhskie eparhial'nye vedomosti = Voronezh Diocesan Bulletin. 1892;(13):512-514. (In Russ.)

21. Public prayer service in Voronezh on the occasion of lack of rain and drought. Voronezhskie eparhial'nye vedomosti = Voronezh Diocesan Bulletin. 1892;(9):382-387. (In Russ.)