“I would like you to be my associate in the sphere of education...”: letters of archbishop Nikolai (Ziorov) to N. A. Ilyinsky

Abstract

This publication introduces into the scientific circulation the letters of one of the famous Russian Orthodox Church hierarchs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a member of the State Council, a famous theological writer Archbishop Nikolai (Ziorov), which relate to the early period of the hierarch’s biography, associated with his service at the theological and educational department. The letters were addressed to Nikifor Alexandrovich Ilyinsky, an Assistant Inspector at the Vologda Theological Seminary. In his letters Archbishop Nikolay dealt with various topics, but to a greater extent he considered the problems of theological schools, thus, the letters are the most valuable source on the history of theological education at the Synodal period. The letters also noted the destinies of those individuals whose life path was connected with the Vologda Diocese and the Vologda Theological Seminary. The particular interest is the characterization of the control and auditing activities held by the Educational Committee under the Holy Synod, as well as individual auditors and events which took place in theological schools at the considered period. The purpose of the publication of the letters is to show the view of one of the hierarchs of the Russian Church of the early twentieth century on the problems and controversial issues of the inner life of theological schools. The published letters can be found in N. A. Ilyinsky’s diary, which is stored in the State Archive of the Vologda Region.