The concept of the “Russian Land” in the church press of the Russian Empire in the late 19th – early 20th century

The concept of “Russian Land,” used by Old Rus' chroniclers and enduring into the modern era, constitutes a fundamental element within the system of Russian identity and core traditional spiritual-political values. Its polysemic nature has made it a subject of study for historians, philosophers, and philologists alike. Nevertheless, despite a substantial body of scholarly literature, Russian and foreign historiography have yet to reach a consensus regarding the formation and meaning of the “Russian Land”. Existing research primarily focuses on its usage and semantic content within chronicles, literary works, historiography, and the contemporary media landscape. This article presents the first study of the concept's deployment within the official church periodicals of the Russian Empire during the Late 19th and early 20th centuries - a context where it was frequently invoked and imbued with specific meanings. It introduces into scholarly discourse, for the first time, the relevant texts of church publicists discussing the “Russian Land,” drawn from official diocesan publications across various regions of the Empire from the 1880s until 1917. The analysis demonstrates that the concept was pervasive and integral to church sermons, pastoral addresses, appeals, and articles authored by Orthodox clergy, missionaries, and theological academy instructors. The study argues that in Late Imperial religious journalism, the “Russian Land” occupied a significant position, characterized by a profound semantic depth. Particular attention is paid to the most recurrent components of the concept found in these publications: the religious, state, popular, historical, and geographical dimensions, as well as its interconnection with such related notions as the “Russian World” and “Holy Rus”’.

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