PARTICIPATION OF TAMBOV CLERGY IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION AND STATE DUMA ACTIVITY OF 1-4 CONVOCATIONS (1906-1917)

The analysis of participation of Orthodox clergy in the election process and State Duma activity of 1-4 convocations (1906-1917), and also attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to carried out state reforms are presented. On a reasonable basis it is proved that general strategy of participation of clergy in parliamentary activities was planned at Tambov clergy congress in January of 1905 and it was resolved into following statements: peaceful progress, reforms without violence, preservation of dominating role of Orthodox Church with simultaneous liberation from state patronage, economic protection of poor people and laboring classes, development of education in Orthodox direction. The clergy had certain expectations towards activity of State Duma of 1 and 2 convocations, while during 3 and 4 convocations the voice of Tambov Eparchy representatives was unnoticed. Two deputies from Tambov clergy, priests P.F. Vozdvizhenskiy and M.F. Lachinov supported the authorities. Their inactivity is explained as the political inertia, and also it stood for objective reasons: village priest could not leave his parish for a long time. Among deputies there were representatives of Tambov clergy: metropolite of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir (Bogoyavlenskiy), synodical curator of missionary fellowships of the Tambov Eparchy I.G. Ayvazov, editor of the journal “The Voice of the Church” A.M. Spasskiy, former lecturer of Tambov Seminary. The evaluation is given to complicated relations between the church and the state, the result of which was the change of the Holy Synod body due to the initiative of chief procurator V.N. Lvov and Local Council of 1917-1918, in the work of which representatives of the Tambov Eparchy took part actively.

State Duma, Tambov Eparchy, clergy, election process, Kadets party, Local Council of 1917-1918