"...You wanted to take me instead of your wife and his own legal wife...": to the question of extramarital relations of the parish Orthodox clergy of the Orenburg diocese of the second half of the XIX-early - XX centuries

Introduction. The article raises the issue of extramarital affairs of the parish Orthodox clergy of the Orenburg diocese of the post-reform period. This problem has practically not been considered in Russian historiography. Materials and methods. The ministers of the church throughout their lives had to teach lessons of high morality, demonstrate a pattern of righteous behavior and contribute to the spiritual improvement of the laity. Therefore, even psalmists were not allowed to engage in extramarital affairs. Results. However, young people who were not bound by marriage and sacred vows were easily tempted to enter into an affair with a widow or a domestic servant. Clerics did not have the opportunity to re-legitimize their relationship with a woman. As a result, young widowed priests often acquired mistresses. the clerics' addiction to alcohol contributed to entering into an illegal relationship. And also the troubles in family life. According to the "Statute of Spiritual Consistories", clerics were supposed to be defrocked and excluded from the ranks of the clergy for adultery. Conclusion. However, an analysis of materials from the funds of the United State Archive of the Orenburg region shows that such a trial attracted universal attention and contributed to discrediting the reputation of the clergy as a whole. In order to avoid a scandal, the diocesan authorities resorted to such a harsh measure only in the case of a direct confession of the accused. It is noted that both single psalmists and married clerics entered into extramarital affairs. Widowed clerics were tempted to acquire a mistress, since a second marriage was forbidden. As a result, the article concludes that extramarital affairs of the clergy of the Orenburg diocese were not a rare occurrence, although they were condemned by society and the church itself.