Synodal Russian Translation of the “Confession of Faith” by Patriarch Dositheos II of Jerusalem and Its Influence on the Third Redaction of the “Longer Catechism” of 1839: Censorship by Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) on the Issue of the After-Life

The article examines the Russian translation of the “Confession of Orthodox Faith” by Patriarch Dositheos, completed by Philaret (Drozdov) in 1838, and its influence on the third redaction of the “Longer Catechism” (1839). The first portion of the study is dedicated to surveying the translation attempts in the 18^th century, which remained only in manuscript form. Also deals with the history of the editions of the “Confession” Greek text, discovered by the Count Nikolai Protasov as part of the letters of the Eastern Patriarchs concerning the establishment of the Synod (RGIA. F. 796-205-6), who then commissioned its translation to Philaret. The study further explores changes made by Philaret in his translation and in the 1840 edition of the revised Greek text, especially regarding the issue of the after-life, where he diverged from Dositheosʼ original. The authors ascertained that the inclusion of new questions and answers in the 1839 Catechism’s interpretation of the 11^th article of the Creed, reflecting a nuanced reception of Dositheosʼ work. Philaret’s approach is shown to be a deliberate effort to adapt the “Confession” to his own theological views, distancing the text from its Latin influences, particularly in matters of repentance, purgatory, and the fate of souls after death. The article concludes by comparing the 18^th oros of Dositheos’ “Confession” with the corresponding passages in the Catechism, highlighting the complex interplay between translation, censorship, and doctrinal formulation in 19^th-century Russian Orthodoxy.