Sources of formation of the orthodox parish clergy in Tomsk province in the XIX - early XX centuries

The formation of the Russian Orthodox clergy in the XIX - early XX centuries was influenced by several factors. Among them were: the existence of a large clerical order and limited parish staff introduced in late XVIII century. The clerical order was exclusive, and the priesthood usually was formed out of the families of the clergy. The Tomsk province and diocese, which were established in 1804 and 1834, were not an exception. In 1885 there were 3 574 representatives of the Ortodox clergy in Tomsk province, or 0.3% of its population. Out of thirteen Tomsk bishops five came of priest families, fathers of two were deacons, and six were sons of sextons. Surnames of students of theological seminaries are also an important source of information. In XVIII - early XIX centuries a tradition existed according to which students of theological seminaries in Russia were given new surnames mostly of Latin or Russian origin. Such surnames often originated from the names of Church holidays, for example Troizky, Predtechensky, Vvedensky, Bogoyavlensky. Archbishop of Tomsk and Altay Makarius obtained his surname “Nevsky” while studying in Tobolsk theological seminary. His father’s surname was Parvizky. The clergy lists of the Tomsk diocese are the most important source that contains annual information on the churches, clergy and its families, parishes. For an example, the information on 38 villages of Tomsk province in 1900 and 1901 was considered. The clergy consisted of forty two priests and ten deacons. Thirty one of them were from families of priesthood, thirteen - from families of sextons, and only six did not come of priesthood stock. They were educated in theological seminaries in Tomsk, Tobolsk, Penza, Novgorod, Samara, and in theological schools in Tomsk, Barnaul, Kursk, Shatsk. Twenty six of them studied in theological seminaries, thirteen were graduates, twenty one studied in theological schools, and thirteen were graduates. The newspaper “Tomskiye eparkhialniye vedomosti” had a section in which a list of vacant posts for priests, deacons and sextons was published. The problems of improving the system of theological education were often discussed by pubic and Church in the pre-revolutionary Russia. Nevertheless, priesthood mostly belonged to the ecclesiastical estate.

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