Church sources XX century, the persecution of the Russian Church, the Russian Church emigration, the newspaper "Church Bulletin", Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), the Martyr Michael (M. A. Novoselov), the problem of authenticity of sources

Patriarch Tikhon, A. D. Samarin, Protopresbyter Valery Vinogradov, Moscow diocesan administration, Danilovsky monastery, United state political administration (OGPU)

The Orthodox Church in Ukraine, the persecution of the Church, legalization, splits, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), the investigation of the case

Mazyrin Aleksandr, priest
Kosik Ol'ga
Sukhorukov Aleksandr

The publication is dedicated to the zealous church votary, leading a lot of years in prison, closest friend of prelate Athanasius (Sakharov) — hieromonk Hierarchus (Bocharov). The publication covers 19 letters from the church-historical archive of PSTGU. The letters concern the period between 1954 and 1957. The first published letters were sent from the Bereznikovsk house for invalids, former prisoners, then from Mordovian village Shingarino where his spiritual daughter Nina Vladimirovna Trapani lived, from Moscow and Vladimir where hieromonk passed away.

the Russian OrthodoxChurch, persecutions against the church, hieromonk Hierarchus (Bocharov), bishop Athanasius (Sakharov)

The published documents characterize the church situation in the Pereslavl’s suffragancy of the Vladimir diocese in 1925–1926. They inform about the situation that has been developed in connecting with joining of Pereslavl’s bishop Damian (Voskresensky) to the Provisional higher church council (the Gregorian split). Kovrovsky Bishop Athanasius (Sakharov) has returned to Vladimir from the Zyrjansky exile in February, 1925. He started to govern the Vladimir diocese as the first assistant of Vladimir’s archbishop Nikolay (Dobronravov), who was exiled to Moscow. However in May, 1925 the church hierarch, on request of OGPU, had to make the signed statement about the not management of the diocese. In November, 1925 the temporarily governor of the Vladimir diocese had been appointed bishop Damian (Voskresensky). In the middle of December, 1925 the Provisional higher church council (a schismatic institution) has been established by means of OGPU, and bishop Damian was included as the member of the council. After that, bishop Athanasius assumed control of the Vladimir diocese. Metropolitan Sergey (Stragorodsky), the Deputy to the Locum Tenens, condemned the Raskolniks and prohibited their church service. Bishop Damian has soon understood the mistake, repented and was reunited with the Orthodox Church. On January, 15th, 1926 bishop Athanasius was arrested. On March, 15th, 1926, after the prison, the church hierarch of the Vladimir diocese has addressed to bishop Damian. The documents disclose the position of Kovrovsky bishop Athanasius, based on principle, against the church split.

the Gregorian split, VVCS, the Pereslavl’s suffragancy, the Vladimir’s diocese, bishop Damian (Voskresensky), bishop Athanasius (Sakharov), renovationism, persecutions against

Kosik Ol'ga
Krivosheeva Nataliia

The publication is devoted to the unknown letters of Holy Confessor Athanasius (Sakharov), the Bishop of Kovrov, to the Holy Martyr Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov) and St. monk-martyr archimandrite Neophyte (Osipov), who were called by friends as «Abba». In the letter to Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov) St. Athanasius has literally outlined the content of his unknown letter to the Deputy of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky). In this letter the Bishop says about the reasons for his departure relating to the abuse of power that was permitted by Locum Tenens Peter (Polyansky) to Metropolitan Sergius. The relationship between Bishop Athanasius and the closest in spirit to him Church leaders was shown in the letters: Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov) and Archimandrite Neophytos (Osipov). The letters covers also the circumstances of his exiles, wanderings and the conflict situation because of the Athanasius’s renouncement to serve in the Vladimir diocese.

New martyrs and Confessors of Russia, the persecution against the Russian Orthodox Church, the opposition to the Moscow Patriarchate, epistolary heritage, Church archives, the St. Confessor Athanasius (Sakharov), St. Cyril (Smirnov), St. Martyr Neophytus

Kosik Ol'ga
Khailova Ol'ga

The text of the article is associated with well-known in the history of the phenomena of russophilism a and rusofobstvo in Bulgaria in the nineteenth century. For complex historical background, rich in political surprises, these two opposite phenomena represented in the sayings and poems of the representatives of the Bulgarian national-minded intellectuals — him P., Rakowski, Z. Stoyanov, L. Karavelov, I. Vazov. Some of them were afraid of turning Bulgaria into a Russian province, others saw in the mighty Orthodox and Slavic Russia salvation of his homeland, his people. Still others saw the future of their country in Alliance with the Ottoman Empire and the creation of a dual Turkish-Bulgarian monarchy. Was observed and the change in its position as L. Karavelov underlining in his lines fortress of the Russian-Bulgarian friendship. Marked and attitude of Russian thought through reflections of a Russian diplomat, philosof, and publicist Konstantin Nikolaevich Leontiev to Bulgaria, the Russian-Bulgarian relations, which seemed to him not unlike many of his contemporaries, rainbow. Considerable attention is paid to the «troubled» by many parameters time when, after the Russo-Turkish war of 1877–1878 signifi cant part of the Bulgarian lands had the opportunity to form their own state in the form of a de facto independent from the Ottoman Empire Bulgarian principalities, in which the processes of russophilism and rusofobstvo not only not subsided, but has been further aggravation, especially after accomplished without the knowledge of Russia, the unification of Principality of Bulgaria with southern Bulgaria, not having statehood. In conclusion, given a brief description of russophilism and rusofobstvo.

Russia, Bulgaria, nationalism, russophilism, rusofobstvo, politics, liberalism, faith, hope, love, Lyuben Karavelov, Georgy Rakovsky, Ivan Vazov.

1. Genchev N. Francija v bolgarskoto duhovno v’zrazhdane (France in Bulgarian Spiritual Renaissance), Sofia, 1979.
2. Karavelov L. S’brani s’chinenija (Collection of Works), Sofia, 1967.
3. Kosev D. Novaja istorija Bolgarii (New History of Bulgaria), Moscow, 1952.
4. Leont'ev K. N. Sobr. soch. (Collection of Works), Moscow, 1912.
5. Slavejkov P. P. Izbrani s’chinenija. Kn. pervaja: Stihotvorenija (Izbrannoe) (Selected Works. Book 1: Poems (Selected)), Sofia, 1901.
6. Todev I. 1991 “Graf Ignatiev i princip’t za edinstvo na pravoslavieto” (Count Ignatiev and Principle of Unity of the Orthodoxy), in Istoricheski pregled, 1991, vol. 7, pp. 77– 90.

The present publication contains documents from PSTGU Church-historical archive (Fund 1, inventory 4; bishop Afanasy (Sakharov)) and private collection of A. V. Kornilova (nee Kameneva) — the correspondence of St.Afanasy and hieromonk Ieraks (Bocharov) with Tatyana Kameneva, a research associate of The Lenin State library. These letters written to the 1950s contain data on everyday life of St. Afanasy and hieromonk Ieraks after their release from GULAG. T. N. Kameneva, the spiritual daughter of hieromonk Iyeraks, was one of many church devotees who gave irreplaceable and essential help to clergy and laymen pursued for political reasons. The preface to these letters contains the detailed biography of Tatyana Nilovna and her relatives, and also information about her acquaintances, members of so-called “nepominayushchie” orthodox communities, many of them were repressed. These letters have adequately imprinted the atmosphere of church life in the1950s.

Bishop Afanasy (Sakharov), Hieromonk Ieraks (Bocharov), T. N. Kameneva, Church of St. Cyrus and John on Solyanka, The Church’s opposition Persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church,New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church, Akathist Hymn.

Goncharov Vladimir
Kosik Ol'ga

The documents published here were created in the period and in the context of church controversy that took place after the release of the July Declaration of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky). They date back from the beginning of 1928. The author of the publication puts forward the hypothesis that the two letters belong to the famous philosopher and church fi gure A. F. Losev but were written under the infl uence of the leader of the church opposition Mikhail Alexandrovich Novoselov. Both philosophers were arrested following the case of the “True Orthodox Church”, M. N. Novoselov in 1929, A. F. Losev in 1930. The publication contains two letters to the clergy by A. F. Losev. One of them, the “Letter to the Defender of the Russian Church”, as suggested by the publisher, is addressed to the Athonite elder-Imiaslavets (Russ. имяславец, literally ‘name-praiser’) archimandrite David (Mukhranov). The other, entitled “NN’s Letter to the Elder”, is addressed to the monk of closed-down Zosima’s Hermitage (Зосимова пустынь) Dosifei (Shonin). The letters give reasons for the open severance from Metropolitan Sergius and condemns the compromising or cautious approach to the problem of severance. Looking like a personal document, the letters are designed for a broad audience and bear the function of convincing and attracting adherents of a certain opinion. The letters illustrate a complicated approach to the problem of obeying spiritual authorities, i.e. spiritual fathers and church authorities. Besides, the documents are interesting as a source of information on the church situation in the late 1920s and as a refl ection of complicated spiritual and personal relations arising in this situation. The letters have been discovered in the State Archive of the Russian Federation and in the Central Archive of the Federal Security Service.

Russian Orthodox Church, July Declaration of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), M. A. Novoselov, A. F. Losev, hieromonk Dosifei (Shonin), archimandrite David (Mukhranov), handwritten polemic literature, church opposition of the late 1920s and early 1930s, persecution of church, case of “True Orthodox Church”

1. Taho-Godi A. A., Losev, Moscow, 2007.
2. Zapiski svyashchennika Sergiya Sidorova, s prilozheniem ego zhizneopisaniya, sostavlennogo docher’yu V. S. Bobrinskoj, Moscow, 1999.
3. Mazyrin A., “K voprosu o polnomochiyah Zamestitelya Patriarshego Mestoblyustitelya. Vzglyad istorika cerkovnoj svyatosti svyashchennika Sergiya Mansurova”, in: Materialy XV Ezhegodnoj Bogoslovskoj konferencii PSTGU, Moscow, 2005, 272–280.

Kosik Olga
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Philology;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities; 6/1 Likhov Pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation;
Post: Senior Research Fellow;
ORCID: 0000-0003-3968-1483;
Email: olga_kosik@mail.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.

This letter of archbishop Dimitriy (Abashidze, later bishop Antoniy) sheds light on a little-known period of archpishop’s life, when in 1921 he, due to deteriorated health, decided to leave the diocese administration and with a blessing of Holy Patriarch Tikhon was discharged from the administration of Tauric diocese. Bishop Dimitriy had to be in charge of Tauric diocese in the most tragic period of its history. In 1920, the Crimea was taken by the Bolsheviks. Most archpriests emigrated together with General Vrangel’s army. Archbishop Dimitry chose not to abandon his fl ock and remained in Russia. He was an eyewitness of the “Crimean massacre”, unprecedented in its cruelty. Archbishop settled in Toplovskiy Paraskevievskiy Saint-Trinity convent in the Crimea. He was hosted by Mother Superior Paraskeva (Rodimtseva), who off ered shelter and victuals to the ill bishop. In the autumn of 1922, archbishop Dimitriy was sued for participating in the tonsuring and chirotony of bishop Sergiy (Zverev), condemned and sentenced to a year of correctional labour, but was granted amnesty and returned to Toply. On 11 April 1923, he was arrested again and was banished from the Crimea to Kiev by security organs because of his resistance to renovationists. The letter of archbishop Dimitriy to metropolitan Evlogiy, written on 14 January 1923, describes the time of his stay at Toplovskiy convent. These church hierarchs were connected by years of friendship and collaboration. In his letter, the bishop narrates the story of aff ection and care for him of Mother Superior and nuns of the convent, describes the hardships of its survival. Archbishop Dimitiy expounds on his long-cherished desire to seclude for prayer in one of monasteries. The letter also contains a request for fi nancial help to the convent and the bishop himself.

archbishop Dimitriy (Abashidze), respressions, persecution of church in Crimea, Crimea, Tauric diocese, Civil War in Russia, Toplovskiy Paraskevievsky Saint-Trinity convent, Mother Superior Paraskeva (Rodimtseva), bishop Sergiy (Zverev), metropolitan Evlogiy, Kiev Pechersk Lavra

1. Vladimir [Ikim], metropolitan (2003). “Ckhiarkhiepiskop Antonii (Abashidze)”. Zhurnal Moskovskoi Patriarkhii, vol. 11, pp. 80–96 (in Russian).
2. Donenko N., archpriest (2000). Nasledniki Tsarstva [Heirs of Kingdom]. Simferopol’ (in Russian).
3. Kapkov K. (2008) Pamiatnaia kniga Rossiiskogo voennogo i morskogo dukhovenstva XIX — nachala XX vekov: Spravochnye materialy [Memory Book of the Clergy of the Russian Army and Navy, 19th — Early 20th Centuries. Reference Book]. Moscow (in Russian).
4. Kozlov V. (1998) “Pomolites’ za bednuiu Tavridu»” [“Pray for the Forlorn Taurida”]. Moskovskii zhurnal, vol. 9 (in Russian).

Kosik Olga
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Philology;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities; 6/1 Likhov Pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation;
Post: Senior Research Fellow;
ORCID: 0000-0003-3968-1483;
Email: olga_kosik@mail.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.

The remarkable missionary from Kamchatka metropolitan Nestor (Anisimov), having appeared at the front during World War I in the rank of hegumen, demonstrated to the full the inherent qualities of his soul: courage, cheerfulness of spirit, richness of perception of the experienced events and great compassionate love for people. Correspondence between hegumen Nestor (Anisimov) and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna preserved detailed and accurate descriptions of everyday life of the front-line priest and the chief of the sanitary detachment “First Aid under Enemy Fire” of the Lifeguard of the Dragoon regiment. Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna had, like many other members of the reigning house, a great number of responsibilities associated with help to the fi ghting army. Under her leadership was the military sanitary division of the Lifeguard of the Dragoon regiment. Letters and telegrammes of hegumen Nestor undoubtedly testify to her immersion in the aff airs of the regiment and its daily hardships and feats. The letter depicts hard human suff ering, unceasing church-related and spiritual activity of Hegumen, who also performed duties of a messenger, sanitar, porter. He was able to feel and convey the greatness of the spirit of little-known war heroes — his close friends and fellow soldiers. For this publication the longest and most informative letter of Hegumen has been chosen, although there are a large number of telegrammes relating to certain moments in the regiment’s life. Some of the telegramems are given in quotations. The relevant documents are stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation (f. 655).

World War I, metropolitan Nestor (Anisimov), Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, mobile detachments “First Aid under Enemy Fire”, Life Guards of Dragoon regiment, military operations in Augustów Forest, lieutenant M. N. Mandrazhi, church service during military operations, military sanitary service

1. Efremova O., Krivosheeva N. (2000) “Novye arkhivnye dokumenty o presledovanii vlastiami Sviatitelia Tikhona v 1918‒1923 gg.” [New Archive Documents on Prosecution by State Authorities of St. Tikhon in 1918‒1923]. Bogoslovskii sbornik, 2000, vol. 6 (in Russian).
2. Leib-draguny doma i na voine (1929‒1931) [Lifeguard Dragoons at Home and at War], 1929‒1931, vol. 1‒4, Paris (in Russian).
3. Sorokin A. Dinastiia Romanovykh i blagotvoritel’nost’ [Romanov Dynasty and Charity], available at: http://legitimist.ru/sight/history/2013/dinastiya-romanovyix-i-blagotvorite_p3.html (07.03.2019) (in Russian).

Kosik Olga
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Philology;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities; 6/1 Likhov Pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation;
Post: Senior Research Fellow;
ORCID: 0000-0003-3968-1483;
Email: olga_kosik@mail.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.

This article is devoted to the study of one of the most important documents related to the history of the Orthodox Church in the Ukraine, i.e. the “Address” (Russ. Обращение) of Metropolitan Mikhail (Ermakov) to archpriests, priests, and laypeople of the Ukraine. The Address was issued at the request of authorities shortly after the July Declaration of the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergiy (Stragorodskiy). The article studies the history of the Address, its editing by employees of the State Political Directorate (ГПУ) of the Ukrainian USSR, the response to this document from prominent fi gures of the Ukrainian church. The article also deals with the difficult situation in church life of the Ukraine after the July Declaration and with other documents that marked a new course as to the church and the state, initiated by Metropolitan Sergiy. On the basis of a number of documents, many of which have not yet been published, the article restores the picture of the confrontation between various groups of the Ukrainian clergy, divided by the attitude to the Declaration of Metropolitan Sergiy (Stragorodskiy) and the Address of Metropolitan Mikhail (Ermakov). In the archive of Archbishop Seraphim (Samoilovich) a copy of this document was recently found with editing notes by an employee of the GPU of the USSR. In the typewritten copy, the editing was highlighted in red with the aim of emphasising the inclusion of the emendations in the text. This text was written by request of Metropolitan Mikhail by one of the clerics closely assiciated with him. This unique document refl ects the method of forcible infl uence on archpriests aimed at splitting and humiliating the church. In this form, the text should have been sent abroad as a proof of the forcible influence on the Exarch when making the Address. The text of the copy did not get abroad, but was preserved in the archive of Archbishop Seraphim (Samoilovich) and came to be available for historical study.

Russian Church in 1920s and 1930s, Metropolitan Mikhail (Ermakov), Exarch of Ukraine, “Address” of Metropolitan Mikhail (Ermakov), persecution of Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, Declaration of Metropolitan Sergiy (Stragorodsky), Kiev clergy, church documents of era of persecution, church opposition in Ukraine, schisms in Church

1. Gubonin M. (ed.) (1994) Akty Sviateishego Tikhona, Patriarkha Moskovskogo i vseia Rossii, pozdneishie dokumenty i perepiska o kanonicheskom preemstve vysshei tserkovnoj vlasti, 1917–1943 [Acts of his Holiness Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, later documents and correspondence on the canonical succession of the supreme church authority, 1917‒1943]. Moscow (in Russian)
2. Iakobchuk V. “Pastyrskaia deiatel'nost' protoiereia Aleksandra Glagoleva v 1920–30-e gody” [Activity as a priest of Revd. Aleksandr Glagolev in the 1920s-30s], available at https://bogoslov.ru/article/3248265.
3. Mazyrin A. (2007) “Vopros o zameshchenii Kievskoi kafedry v 1920-e gg.” [Problem of fi lling Kiev see in the 1920s]. Vestnik PSTGU. Ser. II, 2 (23), pp. 58‒67; 3 (24), pp. 118‒131. Moscow (in Russian).
4. Mazyrin A., Kosik O. (2002) “Vsled za iiul'skoi deklaratsiei” [In the wake of the July Declaration]. Bogoslovskii sbornik, 9, pp. 297‒322 (in Russian).
5. Medvedeva N., Medvedev G. (2001) “Ot iuzhnogo goroda do Iuzhnogo gorodka” [From the southern city to the southern town]. Bogoslovskii sbornik, 8, pp. 364‒394 (in Russian).
6. Prelovska I. (2010) “Dokumenty organov bezopasnosti Ukrainy o zhizni i deiatel'nosti Ekzarkha Ukrainy mitropolita Mikhaila (Ermakova) (1862–1929)” [Documents of security authorities of the Ukraine on the life and activity of the Exarch of Ukraine, Metropolitan Mikhail (Ermakov)]. Ukrainskii arkheograficheskii ezhegodnik, 15, pp. 69 (in Ukrainian).
7. Sviashchennik Anatolii Zhurakovskii. Materialy k zhitiiu (1984) [Priest Anatoly Zhurakovsky. Materials for his Vita]. Paris (in Russian).
8. Sukhorukov A. (2009) “Maloizvestnye stranitsy tserkovnogo sluzheniia Ekzarha Ukrainy mitropolita Mikhaila (Ermakova) v 1922–1923 godakh” [Little-known pages of the church service of Exarch of the Ukraine Metropolitan Mikhail (Ermakov) in 1922‒1923]. Vestnik PSTGU. Seriia II: Istoriia. Istoriia Russkoi Pravoslavnoi Tserkvi, 1 (30), pp. 79‒122 (in Russian).
9. Za Krista postradavshie: Goneniia na Russkuiu Pravoslavnuiu Tserkov', 1917‒1956 (1997) [Those who suffered for Christ: Persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church, 1917‒1956]. Moscow (in Russian).

Kosik Olga
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Philology;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities; 6/1 Likhov Pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation;
Post: Senior Research Fellow;
ORCID: 0000-0003-3968-1483;
Email: olga_kosik@mail.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.

The article deals with an influential church figure of the XX century. Leonid Dmitrievich Aksenov, a friend of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon, and in the 1930s a consultant to the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens (later Patriarchal Locum Tenens) of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky). The work traces Aksenov's life path, starting from his studies at the Pskov Theo-logical Seminary to his martyrdom in 1937. A lawyer, a full state councilor, and a philanthropist, he was always at the center of church life: he participated in the congress of learned monasticism held in July 1917, and was a member of the Local Council of 1917-1918. The documents pre-sented in the article show that L. D. Aksenov was closely connected with His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon. After the October Revolution of 1917, Aksenov actively worked in the Orthodox frater-nities of Petrograd, provided legal support to the clergy, and financially helped the exiled. For helping the repressed and active church activities, he was arrested several times by the OGPU authorities. Twice he served his sentence in correctional labor camps. Until his last arrest, he helped Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), advised him, and dealt with problems of the liturgi-cal language. In 1937, along with other church leaders close to Metropolitan Sergius, he was ar-rested and shot after an investigation.

Russian Orthodox Church, terrorist attacks at universities, All-Russian Congress of Learned Monasticism in 1917, persecution of the Church, Orthodox brotherhoods in Leningrad, Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Patriarch Tikhon, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), lists of bishops

1. Chernysheva T. (2015) “Deyatel′nost′ Sankt-Peterburgskogo Arkhiereiskogo (Mitropolich′ego) khora v kontse XIX — nachale XX vv.” [Work of St. Petersburg Episcopal (Metropolitan) Choir in the late 19th — early 20th centuries]. Khristianskoe chtenie. 2015, no. 2, pp. 251–295 (in Russian).
2. Davydov Z., bishop. “S''ezd uchenogo monashestva” [Congress of Learned Monasticism], available at https://monasterium.ru/publikatsii/stati/2206-s-ezd-uchenogo-monashestva (23.11.2021; in Russian).
3. Golovkova L. (2005) “Poslednii podvig sviashchennomuchenika Serafi ma (Chichagova)” [The last feat of the Holy Martyr Seraphim (Chichagov)]. Ezhegodnaia bogoslovskaia konferentsiia PSTGU [Annual Theological Conference of St. Tikhon Orthodox University], 2005, pp. 298–305). Moskow (in Russian).
4. Korob′in G. “Ispravlenie bogosluzhebnykh knig v nachale XX veka” [Correction of liturgical books at the beginning of the 20th century], available at https://apologet.spb.ru/ru/225 (23.11.2021; in Russian).
5. Kravetskii A. (2007) “Sviatitel′ Afanasii Kovrovskii: Biografi cheskii ocherk” [St. Afanasiy of Kovrov: An outline of biography].Vladimir (in Russian).
6. Mazyrin A. (2007) “Popytki vosstanovleniia Patriarshestva v 1935–1937 gody: Maloizvestnye stranitsy istorii” [Attempts to restore the Patriarchate in 1935–1937: Little-known pages of history]. Zhurnal Moskovskoi Patriarkhii. 2007, no. 3, pp. 31–33 (in Russian).
7. Shkarovskii M. (2003) Aleksandro-Nevskoe bratstvo, 1918–1932 gody [Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood, 1918–1932]. St. Petersburg (in Russian).
8. Shkarovskii M. (2018) “Novyi svyashchennomuchenik Sankt-Peterburgskikh duhovnykh shkol protoierei Khristofor Varfolomeev” [The new hieromartyr of St. Petersburg theological schools, Archpriest Khristofor Varfolomeev]. Vestnik Istoricheskogo obshchestva, 2018, no. 2, pp. 68–35 (in Russian).
9. Shkarovskii M. “Sviato-Troitskaia Aleksandro-Nevskaia Lavra v 1918–1922 gg., chast′ 2” [Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra in 1918–1922, pt. 2], available at https://bogoslov.ru/article/3041971 (23.11.2021; in Russian).
10. Zegzhda S. (2009) “Aleksandro-Nevskoe bratstvo: dobrym primerom, zhitiem i slovom” [Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood: by a good example, life, and word]. Naberzhnye Chelny (in Russian).

Kosik Olga
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Philology;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities; 6/1 Likhov Pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation;
Post: Senior Research Fellow;
ORCID: 0000-0003-3968-1483;
Email: olga_kosik@mail.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.

This article makes public an extremely important document of the first (according to the will of Holy Patriarch Tikhon) candidate for the position of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens Hieromartyr Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov). It was written in April 1934 and summarised his understanding of the current state of aff airs in the church together with possible ways of overcoming the situation created by the policy of Patriarchal Locum Tenens Sergiy (Stragorodsky). Hieromartyr Kirill was firmly committed to the legacy of the Council of 1917–1918 and to the Patriarchal Administration established by the Council. The most important canonical acts which, in his opinion, should have been used in the current circumstances, were the Resolution of the Supreme Church Administration under Patriarch Tikhon of November 20, 1920 and the Patriarchal testamentary decree of January 7, 1925. Metropolitan Kirill’s associate was Hieromartyr Bishop Damaskin (Tsedik). He convincingly supported their position using the letters of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Petr (Polyansky) of 1929–1930. These clearly showed that Metropolitan Sergiy signifi cantly exceeded his authority and appropriated rights that he had not been endowed with. The publication also includes a document most likely compiled by Bishop Damaskin, based on the opinions of Metropolitans Kirill and Petr. Both documents are cited according to the same source, i.e. the notebook of Bishop Damaskin, seized from him during his arrest in 1934, and now kept in Jordanville, the spiritual center of the Russian Church Abroad.

Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov), Bishop Damaskin (Tsedrik), Patriarch Tikhon (Bellavin), Metropolitan Petr (Polyansky), Metropolitan Sergiy (Stragorodsky), higher church administration, usurpation of church authority, church controversy, canon law, ecclesiology

1. Gubonin M. (1994) Akty Sviateishego Tikhona, Patriarkha Moskovskogo i vseia Rossii, pozdneishie dokumenty i perepiska o kanonicheskom preemstve vysshei tserkovnoi vlasti, 1917–1943 [Acts of His Holiness Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, later documents and correspondence on the canonical succession of the supreme church authority, 1917–1943] Moscow: PSTBI (in Russian).
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Kosik Olga
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Philology;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities; 6/1 Likhov Pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation;
Post: Senior Research Fellow;
ORCID: 0000-0003-3968-1483;
Email: olga_kosik@mail.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.
Mazyrin Alexander, priest
Academic Degree: Doctor of Theology;
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in History;
Academic Rank: Professor;
Place of work: St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities; 6/1 Likhov Pereulok, Moscow 127051, Russian Federation;
Post: professor;
ORCID: 0000-0002-6490-9745;
Email: am_pstbi@mail.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.
Vorobjev Vladimir, archpriest
Academic Degree: Doctor of Theology;
Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Physical and Mathematical Sciences;
Academic Rank: Professor;
Place of work: St.Tikhon's Orthodox University; Russia, 127051, Moscow, Lihov, 6/1.;
ORCID: 0000-0002-6083-0220;
Email: artamkin.tg+Protww@yandex.ru. *According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.